I ordered a JTV69 and a POD HD500 yesterday. The Pod should be here in a few days, but the JTV69 won't be here for two or three weeks.
I was able to buy it for 0.00% financing and low payments, so no strain on the budget.
As for why: I was pretty impressed with the modeling (I watched a LOT of videos) and reviews (some critical, but most love it).
I'm a singer, songwriter, and recording hobbyist, and the Variax looks to be a great tool for recording.
I have some VSTi guitar synths that sound extremely convincing, but putting true feeling into a midi file is way more work than just playing the part.
I also think the variety of sounds will be inspirational.
I wasn't able to play one before ordering (Not within 500 miles of here anyway), but I have a MIM Strat, which should play a lot like the JTV69.
But I'll let you know how it all works out.