I spoke to the guy who fixes machines at my local quilt shop today about Featherweights and he gave me quite a bit of insight into what to look for and how expensive the parts are for repair, so he said to pay only for a machine in great working condition, because repairs and parts can get very costly. He actually owns several that he purchased that needed repair, and he has not considered selling them, but wants to hang on to them. He said they never die, they just get misused by people.
One thing he was very adamant about was to find out where and how the machine was stored. He said a damp storage area can damage parts that you can't see.
Guess I'll have to keep my eyes open for a good deal.
Diane