I saw a post on another group recently that stated that you do have to be careful with the seller. There were alot of machines from hurricane areas that were on ebay.

If the seller has a good history with ebay, then you should have no problem. Ask about returns in the event there is a problem and pay the extra for insurance. Ask for the proof of insurance.

I have purchased machines from internet dealers for over eight years with no problems at all, but have not used ebay.

You may want to try a Bernina yahoo group to see if anyone would like to sell their machine.

FYI I purchased a great Quilting/sewing machine about 9 months ago and will not trade it for anything. It is a Janome 6600. It has automatic thread cutter, so after piecing, you have no thread tails to cut, none on you or the floor either. It has AccuFeed built in, so you don't have to put on a bulky walking foot and you can see your sewing beause the foot is open.
It was designed specifically for quilting, but it has a huge assortment of decorative stitches too. It has a free motion foot and bobbin case specifally for free motion quilting. There is a yahoo support group for the 6500/6600 that is great as well. I would not trade this machine for any other. It has alot of the same features as the most expensive Bernina. Bernina is a great machine, but for the money, this Janome does everything I need. Price ranges from $1200 - $1500. No, I don't work for Janome. Ha! Feel free to contact me if you need more info.
Diana in Texas