leaving a sewing machine in a car
 

Do any of you leave your sewing machines in the car when you do other things?

I have Janome Magnolia 7330 and I have often wondered if the temperature would bother the machine if I left the machine in the car if I went shopping

Now today I am going to let my niece borrow it and I am wondering if it will be OK to leave in the car for a few hours during Thanksgiving dinner It will be in the 40s today


what do you guys think?

With electronic devices, it's best to avoid drastic temperature changes. 40 degrees should be fine, but the one thing you really need to do is let the machine sit for a while and come up to room temperature before starting it up.

to be on the safe side, I would take it inside.

thanks guys...Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I agree. Just to be on the safe side, I would bring it inside. But then I also live in the big city and having had my husband truck broken into and my car broken into, I don't really leave anything in our vehicles.

I leave a Janome computerized machine in my car year round for class and guild sewing. I keep it in a big thermal bag, the kind you buy for food. No problem with it at all.

Good idea

funny thing, my son is home from college and I asked what he thought.. he said "Mom when you order a computer from Amazon the they ship it UPS and you know UPS doesn't control the temperature of their delivery trucks - sewing machine would be the same as a computer" then he shook his head at me like I was crazy ha ha ha ha h

I leave mine in a car during the day sometimes but I live in a very warm area so not sure if that makes a difference but haven't had any issues with my big or small machine when doing this

If the machine is in a carrier, it should be fine for a short time, however, I have heard of machines getting stolen when someone left them in the car overnight. Just for that reason, my baby goes with me where I go.

I never leave a machine in the car, might melt the inner parts

my machines are all electronics. at one of our quilting meets last winter some group members were telling how their repair persons had said that they shouldn't leave their machines out in vehicles in extreme cold or heat. most of them only have computerized machines. our temps range from low teens and below, to 90's & low 100's ...extremes are hard on chips and lubricants according to machine maintenance people.

what a good idea using the thermal bag for machine....

I would never leave anything valuable in a vehicle unguarded. There are too many people out there who wouldn't think twice about stealing. It's a sad world.

Yes, a good idea...

I don't have a quilting space at home, so most of my sewing is done by taking my machine out. I have a rolling carrier and I never leave my machine in the car. Fabrics and projects yes.

My machine and yours were shipped from another country, almost surely in an ocean-going shipping container - no temperature control. it was then left in a big warehouse somewhere - probably not temperature controlled. The machine was then probably shipped to your local shop by a tractor trailer - not temperature controlled. Storage temperature requirements are always much wider for electronics than operating requirements. I definitely agree you should let your machine warm/cool to room temperature before using it, but it should be fine. I go to a sewing group that meets after work. I always took my machine with me. Unless it was below zero or above 80, I didn't worry about it. I did make sure it wasn't in direct sunlight, sometimes out a blanket over it, and I took it out of its case as soon as I got to our location, but it did not die. In fact, I have been doing this win my beloved Bernina 440 for well over 10 years, and it is none the worse for wear.

Pam (who worked in electronics design for many years)

I learned a lesson about leaving my sewing machine in a car a few years ago. I went to guild and took in some of my stuff, intending to get the machine later. There was a break in of several (about 7) of our cars. Smashed windows, glass all over and my sewing machine and paper pieced blocks I took for show and tell gone. It was awful, never recovered anything and our deductible was so high that insurance didn't kick in. The thieves were quick, took them less than 10 minutes to do.

My friend put her retreat bags, fabrics and projects, including sewing machine and her clothes in her vehicle, her husband was sitting outside having his morning coffee, saw a vehicle (large truck) drive up, didn't think much about it, and the person(s) in the truck, got into her vehicle and cleaned it out of all her items. He said he never heard a thing - she lost everything. One of the local shops sold her a new sewing machine at a great discount, she went shopping for some new clothes, while the quilt shop got together some fabrics and projects for her to take to retreat. I was so impressed how the community stepped up to the plate for her.

She is such a wonderful lady _ well over 80 years old, and was determined not to miss retreat, she was a little late arriving, however put it all behind her and carried on.....she said she only hoped her new undies fit the thieves....she never did get any of it back. She still drives all over by herself, everyday she goes out and walks the Malls, as she broke her hip and has to walk.

I leave my vintage machine in my van all the time. The truth is I have a traveling sewing room in my van most of the time. I have duplicates of all my sewing supplies. Because my machine is mechanical, I do not worry about it being in the van. I also lock my vehicle every time I get out of it.

I grew up in a place where your car could easily disappear if you left it unlocked so I have always locked my car doors. I then spent 25 years in a place with extremely low crime rate. Almost all my friends never locked their cars at home or a store, but I always did. Good habit for sure! Maybe I should have said when I left my machine in my car at work that I was in a military contractor parking lot with restricted access and guards monitoring video cameras. I still locked my car!

Thank you all for your input. Fortunately I don't live in an area where theft is a big issue. Plus my parents drive way gets packed and makes for no easy get aways if there was a break in.

the good news is that I put the machine in my niece's car. It sat in 40 degree temperature for several hours and it was not affected. Works just fine :) Now I know

A short time if fine. The main thing to do is not turn it on until it has been inside for a while to warm up. Just like you would a laptop, in cold or hot, make it room temp before turning it on.

My cousin used to laugh at me. When I drove my convertible with the top down, I would lock the doors every time I parked it. It is a very good habit.

Had a friend leave her 15000 in car (of course it was 100+ here in the summer); melted the mother board and had to be replaced. I would never, never, never leave my machine in the car; it is like my child, take care of it. And, if the heat (doesn't get that cold here, so can't say about the cold, still wouldn't leave it)doesn't get it I would not want car to get broken into and get stolen.

Machine makers aren't going to risk machines being ruined by temps in shipping and storage.
Machines are shipped encased in thick styrofoam molded to fit the machine. That keeps the machine protected from temperature changes. Not many get or keep the original packaging which would be the safest way to keep a machine safe from temp changes.