I have been reading some threads about the cost of having your machine serviced, and the exhorbitant prices you were charged. I have just had my Brother machine serviced and cleaned as I have had it for about 6 years and have never had it looked at. The chap came to my house to do it. It took him about an hour and a half, and the charge was £30 which is about 45 dollars. Quite a difference, don't you agree?

I pay pretty well the same price as Sall - about $50.00 for a "grease and oil change". If parts need to be replaced I get charged for the parts and maybe the extra time. But I've never paid the high service prices that I hear about here.

Here we go again;> A guy with a screwdriver can call himself a repairman and probably does an adequate job. But, unless he's had certification from authorized manufacturers, this type of service can void any warranties. I had my old Morse serviced for $69. It's non-computerized and since it's close to 50 years old, no warranty to worry about. I'm not about to let a guy with a screwdriver near my new 830 Bernina. Off to the dealer, and yes, higher cost it goes.

Just like a person with a shovel can call himself a landscaper...not.

I don't pinch pennies on my expensive, important equipment. Sometimes I think people here only care about pennies and not quality.

I need to take my Bernina in for service. I just never seem to be able to part with it for the estimated 2 week wait that the guy at LQS has. Even if I don't use it for 2 weeks - at least I wlways know it's down the hall waiting for me-LOL. Guess I need to bite the bullet after the holidays and get the old girl serviced - I've had the machine 5 years w/out a check-up, and though she runs fine I would hate to have a major issue due to lack of service.

Agreed, plus a guy working freelance, and possibly under the table, does not have the same overheads that a dealer has to cope with.

We would all expect to get paid a decent wage for our labors and so does the service tech. Remember, an employee costs a company a minimum of two to three times his/her actual salary.

Please don't be upset with those of us that have to live on fixed incomes and look for the most our money will purchase. I know of more than one person who took their machines to an authorized dealer and paid some high costs and still didn't get the job done that was needed. I would trust my own son to fix and clean machines more than I would trust someone that is doing it for the money.
Sadly , I have found a person can't always trust someone just because they claim to have the training and charge high prices. I am very much about wanting quality but haven't always gotten it with paying a high price. Don't be so hard on us who don't have money to throiw away. Hugs to ya.

I take mine to my LQS who is also the authorized Baby Lock dealer. Both the service guy and the owner have done the Baby Lock course so she can fix any little minor problem but the service guy does the major servicing. Most times I get it back within two days.

Along the same line, I'd like the same consideration in that I'm not a complete idiot. I'm not "throwing" my money away nor am I being taken as some folks hint at. I choose to support my dealer and go to an authorized facility with educated employees and labor warranties. For that I pay more and I shouldn't have to defend it, nor should others that choose to do the same. When people post threads about the "exorbitant" amounts we pay, they obviously don't live in the same area as others and cost of living are much higher in certain areas.

I was "shocked" that it cost that much to service my machine. Come on, really, $200 to service it was a bit high. That was just to open it up and oil it, check belts, and clean any dust or thread build up.I paid it, didn't complain, and am glad I had it serviced by a person with a liscense to do such work.

I will, however, from now on, always, as ask the costs instead of assume what the costs will be. I will NOT ever go back to this dealer because I firmly believe they want to make more money than what should be charged.

I will read reviews from customers and do my homework before I ever spend that much again for sevicing. It was my fault, I will admit to that, I should have asked the costs up front, but I won't be taken advantage of either.

That sounds like a great deal to me!

My chap is qualified, he has just won a contract with the Royal Navy to service their sewing machines (wonder what they sew)He also services all the sewing machines for the local Prison service. They apparently make the jeans that the inmates wear, so I am quite happy to have him do my machines.

I'm fortunate to have several authorized service places (LQS, Sew & Vac dealer, etc.) and the cost for basic maintenance is usually $65, which hasn't changed in the last 2-3 years. As long as I can afford to, I'll bring my BabyLock in once a year; she's over twenty years old so I must be doing something right. _:-)_ I treat my machines the way I treat my car; i.e., regular maintenance will pay off in the long run.

I read about that $273 service and parts bill and no matter what anyone says, that was too much. And they should absolutely given you an estimate. When one has car repairs, there is always an estimate. I used to do in home lactation consulting and always gave my fees before the visit. To have a bill that is 2-4 times the usual ($70-100) with no mention was wrong. And while there is no shame in spending whatever one wants on this art form/hobby/therapy, there is also no shame in having a budget. Do we really want sewing and quilting to become a hobby for the elite only? Honestly, some folks on this board might think that quilting isn't worth doing without a $4000 machine, $10/yard fabric, only the best thread, etc. But one can make lovely quilts on a $100 machine or <gasp> by hand with Walmart fabric and thread. BOTH are okay. Neither quilt artist should feel guilty or defensive. Just because one artist says "I can't afford that" doesn't mean she's say others shouldn't.