another newbie
I would agree with all before me. I have two other friends who turn and have more experience. Having seen them work and have them teach me has really helped increase my skill and determine what i wanted in a lathe. (little things really added up, like a spindle lock, easy belt changes, as well as big things like electronic variable speed, as well as how smooth a good machine runs).
As to a particular recommendation, I just bought my third lathe, a Jet 1642, and wish I had the funds to buy this first. Lathes hold thier value pretty well, so I would find a machine from a good manufacturer that fits your needs, capacity, and voltage.Spending $2G on the lathe would leave you plenty of funds for a couple classes and quailty tools (i'd recommend Thompsons), a few chucks, and have money for a dust collection (collector, air or face shield), as well as a bandsaw and chainsaw if needed.
cheers,
Matt