Not sure how fancy you want to get with your stitching. My Bernina 830 is over 40 years old and came with a lifetime guarantee. Only time it is in the shop is to be cleaned and oiled. I didn't use the auto stitches much, but now I do and want more choices. Look on Craigslist for deals if you know what you want! I bought my second machine ever recently when DH spotted an industrial Bernina for under $700 that had been used less than 10 hours. I do love him!
If you want to dip your toe in, Walmart sells some machines for around $100, which is the beginner I purchased for DD.