I was single for a long long time. As with car repairmen- if someone charges me for a new part, I want to see the NEW part and the OLD part when I pick it up. And that new part better be NEW.

When I first moved to OK, I went to the "viking" shop here. They charged me twice to fix the same problem, before letting me talk to the repairman, who didn't speak English (which is not an implication he didn't know what he was doing, though he didn't seem to) and then telling me that they would have to send it somewhere in Arkansas. WTF?

Never again. the place I go to has been in business for 35 years and the man who runs it knows his stuff.

THANKS for the heads up.... I took my machine in for repair, got it back it wasn't right , took it back and you are correct they blew air in it , sprayed some oil into and tried to tell me it was fixed :hunf:

I called the manufacture as this machine IS NOT to be oiled

Thanks for the heads up. I will ask to see and talk to the repairs guy! After all it is MY machine and MY money! My Bernina is about 17 years old and I do not expect that they are still making the parts for it, but they do need to be fair.

This shop needs to be reported to the Better Business Bureau or the State Attorney General.
K

You can ask for the packaging of the new part just like you would with the mechanic that fixes your car. That way they have to show you the box or bag that is marked with the exact part. Make sure and say that up front. Most service centers do not stock "new" parts because hardly anyone brings a "new" machine in for service and there isn't a ready supply of aftermarket parts for sewing machines. So over the years they accumulate the bone yard to help keep all of our wonderful vintage machines up and running. I serviced machines for 5 years and we always asked our customers if it was ok to use a used part and most agreed and were just happy to get their machines back home in working condition. However charging a new price for an old part is illegal. It would have taken me about 2 seconds to ask for the owner and complain loudly.

Oh Billy, you are so right. My SIL and her friend both took their machines at the same time into a "well-known" fabric store that also does repairs.

My SIL has a short in her foot pedal. When she got it back $100.00 later it would not reach the floor. She uses a hat box and bought a new machine. NOT THERE!

Her friend brought hers in for a tune-up. Approximately $130.00 later, she picked it up and when she opened it at home the tension assembly fell out. They had broken it and never told her. They offered to refund $50.00 back to her.

She couldn't get replacement parts so also ended up buying a new machine.

I'd think thaat place would have been buying me the NEW machine or there's be H..L t pay!!
Any time I've had my machine repaired, I've tried it out before I leave the store!!! I learned the hard way too!

Our car mechanic shop is owned by our neighbor, we know where he lives. LOL His wife and parents would skin him alive if there were any rumors of cheating a customer at his shop. He has more business then he has room for. He had to hire four new mechanics to keep up with the work one year after he opened his shop. Word got out he was honest and could be trusted. He is building a bigger shop! Honest and fair are still the keys to a successful business.

All these new fancy-dancy machines that do everything but wash the dishes are great - electronic wonders - they embroider, they sew, they do fancy footwork....
They cost thousands of dollars...
They have plastic gears
they have fryable motherboards

I have two - A Singer XL1000 and a Brother 2003D - altho both of them are really getting long in the tooth -

And then there are the old vintage machines - metal gears, steel rods, heavy duty bodies, cams for fancy stitches
You can pick them up for a song - just need a good cleaning and some tender loving care.

I use a Singer 319 right now for piecing....
I'm so glad I have the vintage machines - clean the gunk off, oil and lube and you're good to go! LOL

They do not all have plastic gears. That's why some cost more than others. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using old or antique machines (I love my Featherweight), but there is also nothing wrong with using new electronic wonders (I love my Bernina and Janome). :-)