I suspect we are conditioned to buying the best we can afford, for example in household furniture but then machines now are speciality items for some and just general work horses for others but we still go over the top if we can.
The first machine I bought myself was the Janome Memory Craft 7000 a trade up from single stitch machine with zig zag facility. Then, when it started failing on things I went with my head and bought the Pfaff Select, which was fine but I missed the so easy selection of a computer based machine (and auto buttonholes) and within six months went with my heart with the Pfaff Expression 2.
While the old girl is not dead yet, far from it, I like to get prepared, and my head says get the Pfaff Passport next and my heart wants the Ambition 610. Trouble is I'm a sucker if I see a bargain.