redbugsullivan

I wanted a dependable, lightweight machine for carting to the homes of quilting friends. $20 for a Husqvarna Viking 310 (without foot control or power cord) appeared to fit the bill. Surely these parts were easily available and cheap. NOT!

I've yet to stitch a lick and now have over $90 invested in a machine I could have purchased for significantly less on EBay, complete (including feet and manual which have yet to be bought)! Of course, the foot controller is on back order (the cord for it costs extra) and is priced over three times what I paid for this uber basic machine. Foolish me!

Here's what I learned. Loving to quilt means it is worth lugging a nearly 40 lb. vintage machine to the house of a friend. Yes, those muscles deserve a good workout. Never assume basic parts for a modern machine are available or inexpensive. And... When that little voice inside your head tells you to not purchase something, LISTEN TO IT!!

bunniequilter

Know where you're coming from. Hope your parts come in soon and you have many many years of enjoyment out of your machine.

Prism99

I know the feeling. Often wish that I were more technologically astute. If I had a smart phone (and knew how to use it!) I could have saved myself some grief by checking eBay *before* buying a thrift shop machine! (However, I still wouldn't give up that little vintage Bernina that needed only that $100 power cord in order to work......)

Mom3

I solved part of the problem of the weight of my vintage Singers - it seems I am collecting rolling cases for them. Thrift stores are good sources for the cases.

amyjo

That is a very good idea, but you still have to lift it in and out of the car.

slk350

I guess that's way so many of us have Singer FW's, although I did have to get a power cord for my old HV. The repair shop wanted $50, I got one at Radio Shack for $5 or $6...

redbugsullivan

I went to my electrical "junk" box and found one! It came off of an old computer drive so I know it can handle the power needs of the HV.

Midwestmary

Thanks for sharing...I'm sure all of us at one time or another has made mistakes that have cost us.

BellaBoo

$90 is a good bargain for a nice sewing machine. I hope you did a search for onlines parts. The repair shop wanted $110 for a foot pedal and cord for my machine. I found it online for $34.99 at a wholesale sewing parts store. The repairman said he had to order it from the company that's why it cost more.

I have an app on my phone that scans the bar code of an item and then lists stores in the area that have the same item and the price. If the store won't match the lowest price I go buy it at the other store. This has saved me more then the cost of the phone and many times the phone bill each month. I don't have to clip coupons for JoAnns, Hobby Lobby or other stores, they are on the phone to be scanned when I need them.

quilter2090

Been there, done that! I bought a Pfaff serger without a foot control and other acc. It took over 5 months to get the parts,Pfaff sent the wrong foot control,it was a mess. After all the problems that I had getting parts, I called a dealer that USED to be a Pfaff dealer and is now a Babylock dealer. The reason he quit selling Pfaff machines is because he couldn't get parts for the Pfaff machines. It took over 6 months for Pfaff to send him the parts to fix their machines. He finally got so fed up with Pfaff's customer service, he switched to Babylock instead. He can get the parts that he needs to fix his customer's machines. He told me that he hopes at some point that Pfaff becomes a stand alone company, instead of being part of SVP.I will never buy another Pfaff even though I like the machines. If you can't get the parts to fix them,they aren't sewing machines anymore,they are a piece of modern art. Your advice is excellent, if the little voice in you head tells you not to buy something, listen to it.