Hello,
I find all of your comments interesting.
I think the dealer needs some lessons in customer service. Nuff said about that!
It brings me back to my own life time experience of sewing machines. I live in the boonies so my first machine was a catalog purchase, just a machine that would zig zag. With a growing family on a tight budget it saw lots of use daily. When it messed up, I cleaned and oiled it and it would purr right along then. Didn't matter what thread it had or silk or denim or canvas or upholstery material it just did what asked. Then I decided I needed a machine that would do decorative stitches. Again a catalog purchase. It is still going strong almost 40 years later. I did have a belt problem with it and it had to go to the shop. Guess what, the tech did replace the belt but didn't get it right after two tries, so I fixed it myself. She is still sewing any thing I ask. By the way they are Kenmores.
After hearing the problems with the Berninas I think I will avoid owning them.
I have started working with really old machines, and I love them. They are almost 100 years old neglected abused and for the most part with a little TLC sew a fine seam, again.
I love to sew but some of the new machines, the plastic wonders, sound like thrashing machines of old!
Thanks for listening to my rant.
Ethel