thank you all so much!!! i knew i could count on ya'll for excellent feedback!!!

the question to ask would be how long did you have the last one, how often do you use it. Because unless you are into vintage machines the cheap ones are not gonna last with heavy use. If you are using the machine heavily and don't want vintage you might want to save up a little longer for 400-500 range you can get a heavy duty straight stitch machine that will last. You could probably find a brother pq1500s in that range and that will last some of the more high end project runways run in the high 300's and get good ratings, but the low ends are made for occasional use. I have cheapo brothers for years but i am not sewing on them 8 hours a day, nor would I ever. My Brother SQ9050 ran 200 from walmart this time last year and she has not given me the least bit of trouble. I sew on her about once or twice every other week for classes and portability.

Definitely check out the vintage machines. If you want to take it to classes as well, the 301 big sister to the featherweight is around 16#. I got a model 15 in a cabinet for $35.00 and I love piecing on it. Both of these have reverse. I also love using a treadle!

Almost everyone in my quilt group has Janome Jem Gold 660 machine. Some have had them for over 10 years with no repairs at all. The machine is only $199 on Amazon.
Because of their recommendation, we purchase ten of these machines this summer for our after school sewing program.

http://www.amazon.com/Janome-Jem-Gol.../dp/B000FLH2VE

Hope you find something you like.

I have three singers and I love them all. One is an old treadle I got on eBay for $200. It has been in use do 90 years and it is still going strong. Other two ore heavy duty/ classroom machines with metal motor housing. They are both workhorses and they were less than $200. One is Singer 5050 and the other one is the same but European version. Works on220 but I changed the motor when we moved back to the states. Love Singer. Good luck.

Someone would abandon their machine? That's awful. That would be like leaving my dd at the doctors office after a check up.

Do you have gumtree over where you are? I have purchased an older model machine which is still going great 5 years on. Keeping it clean inside is the trick. I clean every time I put in a new bobbin and give a good clean between quilts.