How long for dealer repairs??
 

How long does it take for your dealer to make repairs? My Bernina has had to undergo two repairs recently and my dealer takes forever. Or at least it seems like forever. :p The first one took 3 weeks and this time I am now going on four weeks. Is this typical??

I think it largely depends on whether yours needs parts from another country, how intricate the repair is, and how experienced your repair person is and how many jobs they have in queue. For annual servicing at one shop took a week, at another it took two weeks because he had a lot of machines ahead of mine and he was the only repairman.

We have no idea as to the extent of repairs required for your machine.
Nor, whether your dealer has looked at it, and diagnosed the problem.

I've had my Bernina repaired in a few minutes, while I have waited in the shop.
Another time, it was diagnosed in a few minutes, but the part was no where in Canada.
It took 6 weeks for it to come from Switzerland. Meanwhile I was given a loaner machine.

As above, repair time is highly dependent on whether it is just labour, or parts required.
Then, the question whether your local dealer has the required parts in stock.
Or if it needs to be ordered in.
Some Bernina dealers keep an extensive parts inventory.
Some keep very little beyond the popular basics.
Mine is probably one of the larger stocked-dealers, but that one time, I was out of luck!

As you have now discovered, something that needs to be considered before making a purchase.
While they can't predict 100% the turnaround, they have a good idea.

Another factor that can affect turnaround ....
If you bought your machine there, it may get looked at faster
than someone who only comes with a breakdown, and no previous business with the shop.

It also depends on whether they have a full-time in-house tech. One of my LQS only has part time repair people (their repair folks keep trying to retire) and it takes forever. They once had one of my mechanical machines for nearly 2 months. I've had them take a week or two just to do routine cleaning/maintenance with no repairs necessary. I hate to say it, but that's why I won't buy a new machine from them (they are our local Brother dealer, so any machine under warranty would have to go through their repair techs). Much as I would like to support the local dealer, and they're very nice folks, I am not on board with having a machine out that long.

We have another local dealer (Babylock) who manages to get my machines back to me in 1 day, sometimes it only takes 1/2 day. They've done a great job for me with both the PQ1500s and the PC420. Their tech is full-time. They're the folks I'd go to to buy a new machine (if I could afford one LOL).

Some of the other places in town take as much as 2 weeks for a regular cleaning/tune-up on out-of-warranty/vintage machines--you drop them off and they send them out somewhere. For my mechanical vintage machines, I do the regular maintenance/cleaning--they've never really needed any adjustment--and not worth it to me to send them out.

We have a Bernina Dealer in town, but I don't have a Bernina, so don't know what their turn around time is.

Rob

Yup!
*shudder*
The number of "dealers" that send machines out to be serviced.
All too often, a Recipe for Disaster, IMHO!

I work at a shop with a repair tech. The lead time also depends on the time of year. In the springtime, many people put their machine away and forget about it. When they pull it out in the fall, it still has the same problems it did in the spring or they want it serviced for winter sewing. Summer is pretty dead with a quick turnaround. In the fall, sometimes you will have 2 or 3 machines a day brought for service. It also depends if the repair tech is any good. A good tech will have lots of customers. If you have a previous relationship with the shop, your machine can be "fast-tracked" in an emergency. But, that card cannot be played too often.

We try to get them out in less than a week. Sometimes The Boss will start on a machine, then come back to it several times. Sometimes we only have time for the easy machines. The more difficult ones may need several hours, and when you're in the retail business, you don't get uninterrupted time. This Saturday, I fixed 4 machines while the customer waited (2 were simple, 1 was complicated, 1 was a mystery, but I really hope we got it right), and we only had a grand total of 2 employees running the store that day. One other customer wanted it while she waited, but it was frozen and squealing. I will have to go in extra early on Monday to get it done before the store opens. Sometimes we have a machine for over a month. That's when it takes uninterrupted time to figure out/take care of the problem or we can't get the part. We only send a machine back to Bernina, probably once a year.

My dealer has about 7 stores so it takes anywhere from 10days to 3 weeks depending on how many machines are in for service. I do agree parts from different companies can take a long time

We have maybe one in my area. I haven't needed his service yet so don't know how his service or time to fix a machine is.

It used to take about 2 - 3 weeks for just a regular tune up and small repairs at my dealer. They were bought out by another store and when I took it in this year for it's tune up, it only took a week. I was very happy. I'm not sure whether they have more techs now or it was just a slow time or a combination.

After dropping my Janome off my quilting frame and breaking it (long story) it took my repair man 4 days to analyze it....two weeks for the part to come in, and another week for him to repair it once the part arrives. It should be as good as new when I get it back (said otherwise it's in great shape) because he's already asked me if I want to trade it in on another machine. Think 3 to 4 weeks.

i have had mine in and called to ask when it would be ready. I was number 6 after 2 weeks. Glad I have

2 machines or I would be going crazy wanting to sew!

My LQS is usually 3 weeks; think it depends on how many are ahead of you.

I have been taking my machines to a shop closer than the one where I bought it. The last time after keeping it 2 months, they told me it couldn’t be fixed. My husband decided to drive back where we bought it before sending it to sewing machine heaven. The repairman fixed it in 10 minutes while we waited. I also found out the other shop often said they couldn’t fix an older machine hoping for a sale. My Bernina 930is 35years old and still working beautifully.

Last time I took mine in, it took them 2 months, said too many machines for tech to do fast. Either need more techs or make better machines don't ya think.

I just wish that my dealers' employees WOULD LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR ME TO PICK UP MY MACHINE!! I guess that the employees are afraid to leave a message ..I HAVE to call to see if it is ready...there is a record of them callng but they NEVER leave a message. wth! It is not my job to have to chase my service down.

Sandy

I have not needed any repairs to my Bernina yet. The shop I purchased it at closed & the dealer opened a small repair shop at his home. I do take it in for general service & he only has it for 2-3 days. I call & make an appt. & don't bring it in until that day. The other Bernina tech in town does not do this & machine can sit for quite a while.

I have had my Brother 1500 in the shop twice now for the same problem. The guy said well it worked fine when I tested it. He sewed about six inches on a piece of sample fabric and called it working. He kept the machine for four weeks. I took it to another shop, not a Brother dealer, and the guy fixed it in one hour. Said the first repair guy didn't repair it, he rigged it to work hoping it would hold up for awhile. It's frustrating trying to find a decent repair shop.