Janome dc4030

is this one ok for a beginner?

what do i want it for?

mainly straight and zigzag sewing
topstitching on far right e.g for babies bibs with several layers of fabric
very basic applique - satin stitch
high presser foot to take bulky fabrics like denim
clothing repairs
making children's clothes, e.g elasticated trousers, pinnies

i spent two hours with sales person today, i was surprised how even with the manual in front of me, it's not "sewing for dummies 101". it's like recipe books, there is alot of "assumed knowledge".

buttons have pictures on them, not words. so i want to look up the manual to work out what the symbols mean. not as straight forward as i expected a Janome to be.

the manual isn't cross referenced.
so on the page that has a drawing of the whole machine
an arrow pointing to every single thing
i spot one thing, that has an arrow marked "2"
so i ask, where do i get to read about the button labelled "2"
there is nothing in the book about it
there is no index
there is nowhere that says "button 2. this is X. you use it on the machine to do Y".
like a key on a map?

i ask about satin stitch
if you want to do FANCY statin stitch, there is info
if you want to do PLAIN satin stitch (on the zigzag), there is nothing in the book to educate you. (assumed knowledge - that no-one needs talking thru satin stitch, or what settings to put the zigzag on, to get it).

online it's advertised for 699
the guy said 599 with a year's worth of lessons (by request, at their shop) and that price is only for three machines. once they are gone, the price goes up.

is this just a line? or does it sound reasonable?

i have been wanting a sewing machine for such a long time.

the three sewing machine shops i have visited in the last two years, in every single one, the staff were rude, abrasive, aggressive and very loud. I don't understand, when i flag myself as a novice sewer, why they have to be so dismissive of my level of sewing. Is it like this everywhere tht sells sewing machines? these people seem to be good technically (at sewing adn fixing machines) but their people skills are terrible. i can't believe it's happened to me THREE times! :wall:

i tried at spotlight too, but they didn't know what their two brands even did, spent so long searching for manuals, then reading them in front of me, and mumbling alot of "i'm not sure". so gave up there.

i would have bought a sewing machine a long time ago, if i could find a friendly, knowledgeable, polite salesperson in a sewing machine shop. someone that didn't put me down for being a beginner and not being totally proficient in sewing machine jargon of latest models.

yep, i'm just a bit fed up. i really want a machine to use before my dd gets any older. i wanted to make her baby things but that window has closed, so got to get cracking.