I paid two hundred less for the Audry brand new than price you were quoted. It's fine for classes. I got it at a great sale, but price you are quoted is ridiculous for it, wait for major sale if you want one.
However I would have preferred buying a little Janome. But don 't buy the cheapest one they make, the motor has been too small on it(learned this at a class from a teacher who had boughten one) She said buy the next one up from the bottom, the motor is bigger and it can take anything she tried it with. They do have sales periodically on them but not major ones like you would find on an Audry.
Good luck.
Kat