Well, I have a BC (the only model imported earlier than your BF) and it is an amazing machine. I picked it up from a member here because one of my projects is sewing leather gloves and finding a machine that is "tough enough" for leather while sewing a fine and accurate enough stitch is not easy. The Necchi does it beautifully.
Value wise, you will be disappointed, I have never seen one listed for MORE than $50 that sold.
I was told that these machines were made using fine enough tolerances that when they "freeze up" it us usually not as bad as others because there is less room between the parts for crud to build up. Of course they are also more sensitive to lint and crud accordingly.