I'm just glad your story ends with you still being happy about the machine, despite the grandiose price. Welcome to the hobby, sorry shit's a bit crazy here.
I highly recommend buying a 2nd-hand Stern Pro 2 years after it comes out. Best value for the money right now, considering the costs of most used pins.
Or get into EMs. Another scarcely tapped point of huge value. They're so inexpensive you can hire a local tech to fix them if the EM tech isn't your thing.