Entry level turntable

There is a lot written about this already on A'Gon. Take a look at entry SOTA equipment in your search.

I've had a couple Pro-Jects, including the Xpression, and never cared for them. Listened to a P1 at a dealer last week, and now I want one. That being said, the P2 advice is also sound, but if you can't swing it, you can always upgrade the P1 with a glass platter and better cart.

A good TT in important but so is a really good phono pre-amp and cartridge. That's were the rubber meets the road!

One of the best entry-level deals I've ever caught for my friend was Oracle Alexandria which is a good step up even from Rega P3.
The price came out around $350 with arm/no cartridge.
The cartridge now being used is Goldring Eroica HO MC.

I think you're very prudent in realizing you should utilize the services of a local dealer, especially when entering the analog world. When starting out with analog, you will invariably have a ton of questions about setup, record care, various noises, etc, and it's nice to have a dealer to call when you need help. Hopefully, but not always, your dealer can demo the various models for you and let you decide whether the more expensive models are more to your liking. I agree with some of the above posts that you may be better off buying something better than the lowest-level offering. Good luck and enjoy.