Welcome from North Carolina!
I personally would not buy a machine without trying out first ... no matter how great the reviews are. I have the Juki F600 and love it! I suggest driving the 3hrs. to try it out and negotiate a price. You mentioned you have another Juki dealer closer to you so if you like Juki after trying it, perhaps the dealer closer to you can order it and give you a few classes. And that would be much closer to drive for annual servicing.
As far as FMQ on the Juki F600, I'm still a novice ... but I'm getting there. I've never tried the 2010 but have read good things. Check out the Pattern Review Board someone else mentioned. That's what I did when I was looking. Lots of good info on Juki there ... but please try before you buy no matter the brand. Good luck!