I took a long time deciding on the decision for a vitamix. After owning a number of different store blenders, I wanted to upgrade but couldn't justify the high dollar price tag. I watched a lot of product and comparison videos as well as read many user comments and consumer rating reports before making my decision. My main use of course is healthy whole food smoothies for my entire family. I believe that I can finally meet the health and nutrition needs of everyone weather we mix a large batch or need to customize more individual servings.
I decided to go with the newer model and features without being sure how much I would use them but I am quickly getting the hang of pre program features and benefits of not timing or adjusting speeds. So far we have used our vitamix every day. The new smell is dissipating and I believe all the gears are now properly oiled and I have not run into any issues or concerns.