[quote=Grannymom]Here's another question - what is it that these $$$ machines do that make people willing to mortgage the house to buy them?
I have Viking 870 with a lot of bells and whistles and a 40 year old Kenmore zig zag with cams for fancy stitches. Truth is I sew on my Viking most of the time - but at a cost.
How often do I need to spend $100 + to "service" my Kenmore - never. I know it intimately, can oil it and clean it thoroughly myself. Now, our machines are sealed so we can no longer care for them. Even the mechanical ones. My DIL has a new Kenmore, but she has to take it in for cleaning and oiling because she cannot get to the working parts.
Automatic tension on my 870 is usually very nice but occasionally I wish it were easier for me to control like the Kenmore. Thread cutting, nice when it works but it fell apart at one point and was expensive to fix so now I only use it in the middle of a big quilt.
Foot up, needle down - this I like, but even than, after sewing again on my Kenmore for awhile I get into the rhythm were I have to admit it doesn't make a lot of difference.
Bobbin winding - much more stable on the Kenmore.
Buttonholes - not nearly the options on the Kenmore, but they are reliable and well done, and I have never had to tear one out because the machine didn't do right. Viking - alas, I'm always a tad surprised when I do get a good buttonhole.
And, to be honest, while I pretty much have my Viking figured out and do well with it, it is a lot more finicky than the Kenmore which seems to sew anything pretty easily without balking. Even FMQ without any special foot - I just reduce the pressure foot pressure.
To answer your question, Grannymom, I'm not sure what that spending the big bucks makes a lot of sense unless money really isn't much of an object.