Getting a used lathe can be a value too. Yes it can also be a boat anchor, but if you can spend a few minutes looking one over before purchase, you can decide if it is worth it. Minor fit problems, cleaning, lubrication, etc. can be done very easily. While going through the lathe to bring it to working tolerances you will learn a lot about the lathe and can even come up wit some improvements.
I have an old craftsman lathe I am cleaning and refurbishing. This lathe was torn down to its smallest components and stuffed in a huge box. I took the instructions that were with it, checked each part against them as I went through the box, and the end result was, well if you are going to go through all that trouble to make sure it's all there, you can just HAVE it. Got it for free! It was going for $150 which was a steal to start with. I have a Harbor Freight 9X20 I am using also and have no complaints after taking it apart, cleaning and adjusting.
New or used, brand name or not, the decision is what do you plan to use it for and just how accurate do you want it to be, and how much work are you willinh ot put into one to start. Last, I knew two people in Vegas with Jet Lathes and one said it was more than he expected for the price while the other said he could have saved a lot of money by getting a Harbor Freight 9X20 and taking time to adjust, and modify it, with hints and ideas from the internet, for much less. Long story, I know, but it's as others have posted, pretty much same lathe, just goes out different doors.