Same thing happened to me. My husband picked up my machine from the dealer and got the same spiel about how old and outdated my machine was. What a marketing ploy!!!! They demonstrated the new machine ($12,000 without the cruise control) and he was sold.

My machine is at least 30 years old and I still don't know all it can do. I love it and didn't get the new one. Yet.

I've had a whole raft of machines. The first was a long shuttle up in the haymow. My mom climbed up and got it running so I could sit up there and roast in the Summer and make doll clothesl. After we were married my husband bought me a small Singer, (not a featherweight) and it was a lemon. Fought the tension many times a day. Bought one from a catalog company and wore it out. Bought one at an auction for 50 cents and used it for quite a while and then gave it to a friend who used it many years until she passed away. Bought a lovely green Elna and three months later it burnt up in a housefire. Bought an upholstery machine so my husband could upholster cars. Now I have about a dozen machines, featherweights, and a couple of small machines, a grasshopper, an old tailor's compact sewing machine for going to someone's house, and my favorites, a 12 year old Pfaff and a much newer Babylock They do everything I want to do and more. I think that sewing machine salesman who seemed to think you should trade machines often was originally a car salesman. Replace them or add to your collection when YOU want to. Never mind what he says, the dollars are yours.

I just purchased a Janome 8900, love it, also have a Janome 10000 and a lightweight portable plus a Tin Lizzie. Use them all, but need more hands. I do a lot of quilts for charity, also several great grandchildren. I deserve all of them these machines

I update my machine whenever I feel like I want the new features offered, and I can afford it. My updates are not dictated by how old my machine is. If it is working fine and I am not interested in the new features, I don't update.

I have a Sears Kenmore machine which I bought for $50 at the outlet store in 1978. Never been in the shop, and I've never done anything to it...ever. The shop guy asked how long it had been since I'd cleaned/oiled it. Ummm.....never?

Once in a while I blow the dust out of it.

I did recently look at the sewing machine store at a cool Brother machine. All set to buy it, thinking it would be about $800-$1000. Much to my astonishment, it was $4,000! AND...it has to go the shop every year to be tuned up at $200 a pop. Uh, no.

Guess I'm not going electronic.

i have never upgraded my sewing machine.

i received it as a gift when i was 16.

i saw the same model in the used section recently, with a price tag of $250.

it still works, does everything i need it to, and is within my budget. my ego is not tied to my sewing machine :)

aileen

My machine was a Pfaff 1222. My husband gave it to me for Christmas, I still use it. I have bought others over the years, mostly for embroidery, but I wouldn't give up the 1222. If you want another as a backup I say go for it. If not don't go back to that dealer for service or repairs. Find another. I have never heard of one being so insistant on a replacement.

Bought a Kenmore in 1971. Still use it. Never been to a shop, I can easily clean and oil myself because the were designed that way. Bought a Viking Sapphire 870 in 2008 - all the bells and whistles. Been to the shop several times and very inconsistent when trying to FMQ. So much for upgrades.
I bought a Brother 1500s two years ago (straight stitch) because I could not get a quilting foot to fit my this particular model of Kenmore. Like the Kenmore it is not computerized and I can clean and oil it myself. Quilts beautifully. So now I use my Brother most of the time, and my Viking only when I need fancy stitches. Kenmore has moved to a cabin in the woods, still love it and use it, and it would be my go-to machine if I could quilt with it.

Bottom line, be wary of upgrades. Be wary of bells and whistles if you don't want to spend a lot on shop visits. Most of the new machines are designed so you cannot maintain them yourself.

My first machine was around the late 60's or so. I had that Singer for years. Then after many years I just have no idea what happened to it. But if I would to think of my total lifetime, I think I have had around a total of 6 machines, and 3 of those would have been in the last 2 years or so. I decided to get back into sewing, as I had always enjoyed it, so I picked up a nice Kenmore off Craig's list. Decided to make a rag quilt and discovered the Kenmore could not sew through all the layers of flannel I needed it to. I went to the local dealers and test drove several machines. I ended up with a Babylock Quest that had been turned in for trade. Love the machine, but then some rough times hit our household and I sold it to help with the medical bills for DH. Then we got somewhat back on our feet, and the dealer that sold me the Quest, gave me a call, she says, you know I have a very nice "open box" Serenade here that is just calling your name. For less than $700 I brought that brand new machine home, and I love it, and it is my last.

Trying to sell you a new one, I suspect. Like car dealers who offer you great trade ins on your present car -- if they can get you in their shop, they might make a sale.

When I took my Golden Touch 'n Sew in, I got the same attitude -- kind of a"not worth fixing." I told him it was a gift from my husband and I wanted it fixed. (I know the rep about these machines but I sewed on mine for over 30 years without a problem). He fixed it -- about 3 years ago -- and it's still sewing great. I do have other machines but this one has meaning; I'll never get rid of it.