I have an almost 40 y.o White 534 and an old Huskylock 1003 HQV (Viking Husqvarna). Both of them are a pain in the neck to thread, but I have gotten used to them. If either of them dies, I will then think about an air-threaded one, but frankly, I am too cheap to go out and purchase one until I really need a new machine. I don't have issues with either of them, but I am a stickler about maintenance. When I sewed more than I do now, I took all my machines in every year for cleaning and a tuneup, and now it is every two years. That is most likely, they still run like new!