Storm,
I have been quilting since 2003 and have owned 4 sewing machines in that time. My most recent purchase, Janome 8900, met all of the items on my checklist and kept me within a reasonable budget.
In deciding to buy the Janome, I made a list of the features that I had to have and then went to the various manufacturers websites and determined which machines fit my wishlist.
Since free motion quilting was the most important, I made quilt sandwiches and took them with me when I went to try out the machines. I ended up making my decision based on the quality of the fmq I got on those sandwiches.
I was VERY tempted by a machine that was an amazing deal; however, I just couldn't spend that much money on a machine.
I know that there are many people here who believe that dealer support is very important. I am very hands on and can usually figure something out on my own. In addition, I have had no dealer support on my last 2 machines and the dealer I bought the Janome from hates Janome (have no idea why she sells them) and would have much rather sold me a Brother. I know I can call/visit her if I run into trouble, but her attitude is a little much, so I would rather figure it out on my own. I believe that dealers are somewhat important, but for me, not a deal breaker.
Figure out which machines fit your wishlist/budget, go try them out and trust your gut. Good luck.