There is usually a story behind every purchase
I had mechanical New Home when I was 21, got a very large bonus around Christmas 1990, went into a sewing shop for some thread and saw the Janome 7000 being used. Cash rich, that was it. The old New Home went on Freecycle.
In maybe August 2008 I joined a sewing forum, and month later I bought the Pfaff Select 2. Lovely machine but it didn't do an automatic buttonhole (to be honest I never tried with it), so about a year later I bought the Pfaff Expression 2. A few years later I saw a Bernina 1015 for sale in Sheffield and bought for a good price, another great machine.
Having trouble with some heavy duty fabric I saw a Husqvarna Mega Quilter for sale and bought it, with the proceeds of the sale of the Bernina (big mistake really letting it go).
Some time later I saw a brand new Bernina 215 for sale, an unwanted competition prize from a Quilt competition so much reduced but no guarantee, I bought that and started using down stairs in summer.
The Grand Quilter was so good for sewing anything without messing about with the tension that the Pfaff Select 2 wasn't getting used, so I sold it.
But, before it went, the lady wanted to come and try so I thought I'd better familiarise myself with it. I fell in love again and I didn't want to sell it. Unfortunately I couldn't put her off and it went.
About three months later one boozy Sunday afternoon I saw a Pfaff Select 4, brand new and reduced and bought. It had a needle threader and the IDT which I couldn't be without now. The Bernina's walking foot is clunky and doesn't seem to work as well as IDT.
Now they all get used all the time but for different things. The Expression is sometimes picky with the tensions with lightweight fabrics so it's easier to use another machine that's not picky.
The only time I'd get another one now is if the Expression died (10 years old now and guarantee run out). Probably another Pfaff with IDT and good buttonhole maker.
These are my excuses and I'm sticking with them.