I can't relate to LA buying or quilting but will say "ck out Flr model Sales" That's how I bought my first Emb/Sewing Husq SE 7500 down to 4500 w/few class hrs on it. I've had that machine since 2007 and have learned to quilt with it.
I'm not very good at FM by DM but when I do some I do it on my Singer vintage 301, just seems to handle better then newer machines for me.
I was satisfied with my SE until Husq came up with the new larger throat EPIC w/tons of bells and whistles...Normal price 15,000...Boy did I want that machine to do larger quilting areas since larger hoops but I waited and waited a few yrs and watched each time a sale came up. I waited just long enough(new model coming out) for a sale that offered a trade in of any other Husq machine for a 5000 discount. I just happened to have and old obsolete basic emb machine I also bought in 2007 that only worked on Windows XP...so you can imagine when the last time I used it. They accepted that as a trade in and my Epic is getting allot of use quilting my quilts.... Have you thought of a sit down Sweet Sixteen if your good at FM...1000's less then a LA, my friend invested in one and loves it.