I have both a Husqvarna Viking 150E (21 years old) and a Bernina Virtuosa 153 QE (9 years old). I love them both, use them both, and have no need or desire to upgrade to anything else.
A reliable, and honest, dealer makes a big difference and is worth going out of your way to find, even if it's not the closest one. That said, don't buy a machine you are just "settling" on simply because you like the dealer best. You'll be using the machine a whole lot more than you'll be using the dealer!