Knot Sew

Hmmmm I buy on line an cheap stores cause I like cheap stuff and must be dumb...thank you...I would be insulted if this was not childish...I really don't care...this is nothing compared to the worries and illnesses many of our members now have....we are all quilters who are all the nicest people on earth...we love each other and wish the best to our fellow quilters... Happy holidays all

jan22

I would only buy from a dealer. They will take trade in's toward the next model. Especially nice when your first purchase ends up not doing exactly what you had anticipated or you've improved your skills and want to move up to something fancier. Try using a trade in at the big box stores, doesn't happen. When I purchased my first Pfaff, the dealer let me take a machine home for the weekend to try out. I did purchase the same machine the following week, but I didn't have to. I could have just taken it back and tried another if I so desired.

Shelley

Years ago, I worked in a Pacific Trails coat factory. We also made off brand coats. Sometimes a similar looking run followed the PT brand. The fabric was a lesser quality, the down was a lesser quality, the zippers were a lesser quality. We could feel the differences as we made the coats. Quality control also let more issues slide by them in the non-PT coats - if the pockets on a PT coat weren't exact, we had to reset them, a slight non-alignment on a non-PT coat would go on through the inspection. FWIW

sewfunquilts

totally agree with you quiltmom......the quilt shop/sewing machine dealer that I worked for repaired & serviced ANY and ALL brands of machines. Some of the folks that came in with one of the "clunkers" that was totally out of timing ('cause the machines don't have the proper feeding system, and owners would try to "help by pulling" fabric from the back...could not believe that it would cost them $70 to clean/service/time their 3 month old machine that cost them $150.

It's kinda sad, really.....'cause they don't know.

Still true what I said before...'you get what you pay for'...whether it's the dollar menu at McDonald's or buying a sewing machine. This has been a lively discussion on this subject.

sewmom

When i was in the market for a 2nd machine for our house on the lake, i looked at the ones at Walmart, Joanns and Meijers. I was uneasy about getting them because i didn't know what the quality was on those machines. I thenwent to the LQS and looked at the Vikings, but they didnt know what stitches were on the machines that hadn't come in yet. I ended up going to the LQS in a neighboring town. They also sold Viking, but not hte cheaper ones because they are made in China. He also told me that the ones from the box stores he couldn't get parts for them. the company didn't have those numbers. I ended up with a Janome 6600. My husband insisted on getting it for me. I was looking at used or floor model machines.

DollyRose

You know, I've been hearing this here and I have to say I think this is incorrect information. In my other life, I used to provide technical/customer support for HP. Every holiday season, and when new products were introduced, less expensive HP products always showed up in the big box stores. They aren't any different than the more expensive HP products. Same place of manufacturing, same guts, same ink, same etc. But, they do have fewer options, like econo ink (smaller amount but the same quality ink), or different software packages, or different memory. It doesn't make good economic sense for any manufacturer to have some models made in one country and others in another. Would I buy a sewing machine from Walmart? If it was what I wanted and could afford, you bet! Just as I would Joann's or Costco. I purchased my brother from a LQS for the same price that the dealer was selling it for and for what I was seeing it online. I decided to buy from the LQS because I like to support local businesses. Spend your money where you feel most comfortable and make sure you like their return policy.

lots2do

I would really beware of something we've seen around here. An ad appears in our local paper that extra machines that were ordered for home ec. departments are being sold at below cost. I went years ago at my husband's encouragement to a hotel where a salesperson demonstrated the machines very quickly and then started selling them. There is only a limited time to return them and no support at all once you've bought one past the few days to return. This is really not illegal, probably, but still feels unethical to me. Just my opinion, of course.

jojo47

Perky, I understand your dilemma. The store where Ipurchased my Pfaff two years ago is closing at the end of December. (The owner decided she wanted to move on after 20 years of being a business owner.) I'm not sure where I'll have to go now for servicing of my machine. The other LQS in town sells Berninas, and their motto is "We sell the best and service the rest." I will say that I have had my other machines serviced there and have been quite satisfied. I's still like to know there would be a Pfaff dealership close by, though.

sewgull

Let's support our local dealers. Walmart has caused many mom and pop business's to go under. Does Walmart really care, I don't think so. If they cared why are they doing away with fabric and notions in their box stores? If the model # ends with WM that says (to me) made for Walmart

DollyRose

this might help you to make puchasing decisions...
http://www.consumersearch.com/sewing-machines/review