I agree completely! And at the deal you got, it's darned near the price of the 1600 which is straight-stitch-only.
If I'd known about that Costco deal (and DH wasn't often asking "and just HOW many sewing machines do you own?") I would have jumped on it myself. I saw your original post a day too late to jump on the deal. (BTW, do sergers and a machine I got free from a friend (Bernina 830 Record) count towards "sewing machine totals" - asking for a "friend" ;-) )
Oh yes they do, as does the old time Kenmore that I "curated" for my MIL. Now she's passed and I told my husband that we should give it to his sister. Nope. He wants it, says it sounds like his childhood. So I get it out occasionally, and he oils it as he has muscle memory to do from when his mom "let" him as a child, and I sew a few stitches. The motor is so old I fear it'll catch fire, so I don't do much with it. But it's a beauty. Along with my 7550 and my new Janome, I also have a yard sale Pfaff 1471 that runs perfectly, that I use on vacation, and an all-mechanical 30 inch Gammill longarm I bought used in the late 90's. If I could lengthen the arm on my 7550 I'd have never wanted another machine. But this new Janome is so much more heavy duty than my Pfaff, went through 8 layers of fabric in a string quilt I was sewing like absolute butter.
Love sewing machines. Costco may offer that deal again! ;-).