Originally Posted by grann of 6

I get my machines serviced yearly, more often if they get particularly linty. My Vikings cost about $100 for the service. They shouldn't get out of tension because they are electronic and everything is controlled by the computer. I had a tension issue last year with my SE at Christmas time while embroidering; took it in for service and it needed a new "mother board" or some such thing, no charge to me. My computer geek kids tell me this is something that can happen to any computer; not a rare thing. The only thing that I find a disadvantage with a computerized machine is that if you are sewing with a very heavy fabric, layers of upholstery fabric or heavyweight denim, sometimes the motor will "overload" at a seam and you have to wait a couple minutes for it to recover before resuming. Otherwise I LOVE my computerized machines. Just remember that you get what you pay for. Do your research and test drive many. Think about what you will use it for, then go one step up. Because I can guarantee that you will be hooked and wish you had gotten more than what you thought you would use.