I will most likely be shopping for a new machine soon as my brother is in the shop and I am not holding my breath for a cheap fix. My question is about new machines. I looked at Berninas at a quilt shop and after I picked my jaw up off the floor (after seeing the prices) I asked about the parts and if they were all metal. She assured me they were and showed me inside of one. Which machines use metal parts? Which ones use nylon parts? What about Juki or Janome - they seem to be a bit cheaper....LOL. My finances are a few years away from the LA that I want, but want to invest my money wisely into a good machine with the largest throat size I can buy. I look at the descriptions online and can't find the answers I am looking for.