Personally I won't have a machine without needle up/down or the ability to move the needle position. I had a Montgomery Wards 1958 mechanical. It was fine for garment sewing. It was not at all fine for quilt piecing. You couldn't sew a straight quarter inch seam on that machine to save your soul. The needled didn't move over so to sew a quarter inch seam your fabric was on only one feed dog. I bought a Pfaff and discovered it really wasn't me, that I actually could sew a straight seam.