I have bought two sewing machines from Craigslist. I searched and purchased a specific brand because the dealer is about an hour from me, so I new I would have access to accessories, questions, and repairs/cleanings. They also sell used machines at their shop, and I would not hesitate to buy one of those,they are usually trade ins when people are upgrading their machine, and they are serviced and can sometimes come with the remainder of the warranty. A drawback to buying a sewing machine off Craigslist, is there is no warranty with it. That has never bothered me, but some people would prefer a machine have the manufacturers warranty. I have even sold a machine on Craigslist, all the transactions have been positive experiences.