Thanks so much for the reply on my musings. Seems that I probably should take a chance, and purchase that Brother unit. Hopefully it will be sturdy enough to last a few years.
I definitely will take your advice, and stock up on a lot of bobbins. Spending a morning filling bobbins probably is a good time saver in the long run..
I also guess purchasing a lot of extra machine needles would be a good thing also. What type of needle is best for the machine quilting?