Bernina Virtuosa 150 Sewing Machine

I have owned my Bernina Virtuosa 150 since 1998. It has met most of my needs. I took the new owners class but still have not used most of the features. I have been happy I did not spend the money for a more expensive model. I am a basic sewer. I make clothing and home decorating projects.
I still am not happy with the buttonholes this machine makes though. I learned how to make them in class, then studied the book, and tried different fabrics, but am not happy with how they look. I finally gave up making neat buttonholes on a modern machine and returned to my old sewing machine with the separate attachment.
This Bernina is very easy to thread and makes a consistent neat stitch.
I have another complaint about this machine. The feed dog plate is very hard to remove to clean the lint underneath it. You have to remove the needle, lower the needle holder to the lowest position, then place a thumb and press very hard (usually with both hands) on a corner of the plate to get it to pop out. The older I get, the harder that is to do. If there is the slightest amount of lint under the feed dog plate the stitches will mess up.
I have been very happy with this Bernina but am not sure I can justify to cost. I paid $1400 for it ten years ago and I am sure I have not gotten that much use from it. I purchased the knee lift because I was doing a lot of quilts. I found it to be in the way and put it away.
I have owned many sewing machines and this one makes me smile everytime I thread the bobbin or main threading path. It is light enough to lift in an out of my cabinet and sews a nice stitch through a variety of fabric. If you can justify the price, you will enjoy owning the Bernina Virtuosa 150 sewing machine.