GrandmaSewNSew

I went to a dealer and tried out a top of the line machine. Their price is not only $1,000 more than another shop (which unfortunately is 2.5 hours away) but I'd have to pay sales tax of $600 which the other shop doesn't charge as they're in another state. On top of that the dealer with the higher price would sell me the machine that I tried out. I asked them if I shouldn't be getting a new in box model and they said that that's how they sold their machines and that very few people have sewn on it. I thought that if it was on the floor (as this one was), it should be sold at a reduced price as a floor model. Any thoughts or am I wrong on this?

blimey

Sounds like it would be worth the 2.5 hours to get 'in the box' and save $l,600

Gladmaker

Did he take it out of the box so you could try it or was it already set up and ready to go?
If he took it out of the box, then it was a new machine. If it was already set up, then it was a floor model and you should either get a discount on that one or get one still in the box.
For me it would be worth that drive to save $1,600.

Havplenty

On the surface it does sound as if the 2.5 hour drive nets you a better deal but I guess you would need to factor in the free lessons learning the machine that the dealer provides. But a road trip sounds great to me to get a better deal.

BTW, if I was to consider buying an open box slightly used sewing machine from a dealer, you can bet I would negotiate that they drop the price or I wouldn't buy it. How can you sell a machine as brand new when it is sitting open to the public and has been "used", no matter how slightly.

suern3

That sounds like a floor model if it is used for demonstrations and I would expect it to be sold at a discount. If it is not I would run to the other store! Not to mention the difference in taxes. BTW, that is how I bought my Pfaff machine at a really good price, floor model.

toverly

Go for the better price. My local dealer matched the online price dollar for dollar. Yes, there was sales tax, but he also set it up out of the box, showed me how to thread it, gave some additional advice and threw in extra bobbins. The only reason to go with local is if you require "classes".

GrandmaSewNSew

At this point I do plan to go with the lower price although that store only offers private lessons and it will be quite a hike. The higher priced store has a lot going on with many different classes not offered at the lower priced location. It takes me 1 hour to get to the higher priced store vs the 2.5 hours. But I'm mostly wondering if they should be selling their floor models as new or if I'm being too picky? (And at the price I'm paying, I feel I should get a brand new machine) Actually I'm buying a new machine and not a "floor model" or maybe I'm not correct on this point.

Jeanne S

I agree with the others. The one you sewed on is a floor model not new. I would drive further than 2.5 hours for $1600. I don't have anyone else paying me over $600 an hour for anything! ;o)

Skratchie

I wouldn't buy a machine that's been used as a floor model, I don't care what the owner says is their normal practice, if that's not what I want. I'm going to pick up my new machine on Friday, and it's the first brand new machine I've ever bought; everything else has either been a quilt show class machine or a used machine or a "refurbished" (that means used at the dealer I bought it from but I didn't know it at the time). I'm not even sure I want the new machine's box to be opened till I get it home!

I'm driving an hour away to buy my machine because it's $700 cheaper, even though the closest dealer is just 15 minutes away. When you're talking about machines at those price points, I'll drive where I need to go to save a good bit of money. The local dealer DID offer to sell me a machine at the same price as the more distant dealer - but it was a floor model. I said no thanks, came home and called the other dealer and told them to order my new machine!

Which machine did you decide to go with?

Stevensgirl

A floor model is a floor model no matter how little it has been used. I would put my foot down and demand a fresh in the box machine - especially when it sounds little you are buying a high-end machine. Or else take the drive because $1,600 is a pretty good savings.