JENNR8R

My Bernina 1630 started zigging while using a quarter-inch foot. It broke two needles, and I took it to my Bernina tech. He said he would have to send the board to Bernina in Chicago for repair. Bernina no longer makes new boards for that model. It cost $345 and was away for weeks, but they said the repair by Bernina is guaranteed for a year.

It came back and broke two more needles. I returned it to the tech. They sent the board back to Bernina in Chicago. I was without it for a total of three months. When Bernina returned it to the tech, they said that after testing for a few days, nothing was wrong with it. The tech could not make it malfunction so the machine could not be repaired.

In the meantime I bought another 1630 on eBay to have when the first one was being repaired. The seller claimed it was in good condition. When I got that one, the curser would not work properly. I took it to a different Bernina tech for an overall service and to repair the curser. He had to send the board to Bernina in Chicago for repair, and it will cost between $300 and $500.

I have the first one back, and it has been sewing fine. I don't know what they did differently, but they must have fixed it since I haven't had the needle break again. I'm waiting for the second one to be returned.

Hopefully, between the two, I'll always have one to sew on. I do not want to change machines. I'd have to buy all new feet, bobbins, and an insert for my sewing table. And it would be hard for me to learn a new machine. It took me a year to discover the "back" button on this one. After adding up everything that I've spent on these two machines, they are still much less expensive than a new one that I wouldn't know how to use and would have to buy new feet, bobbins, insert for.