I bought a used Pfaff Grand Quilter five years ago. The idea was for me to machine quilt the comfort quilts I make more often than anything. I dutifully learned out to machine quilt on it and found out I hate quilting in any form. So I use that baby for piecing and it's a workhorse. I sew some part of every day and I have had zero problems with it. I keep it oiled and cleaned but not have yet taken it for a check up. It's a mechanical, straight stitch machine and makes a beautiful stitch, and even though it does not have the dual feed, it feeds through the beginning of the fabric without bunching or me using leaders/enders. She does like higher quality thread though which suits me just fine as I am a thread snob. Five years later and I'm still excited about the machine.

I've had a Pfaff (older model) for about 12 years and I LOVE it. The IDT foot is awesome because it's always on the machine...don't have to "add" anything. I also purchased a quilting foot that takes the guess out of the quarter inch seam.

I've never had a problem with the machine and use it all the time. :-)

I have an old Pfaff and I bought it because of the dual feed. I love it, however, my Pfaff is the last model made in Germany before the company was sold.

I also have a 7570 and love everything about it, bought it over 20 years ago. No problems with mine in all this time.
Check into a used one that is all metal inside, it adds weight but mine sets in the desk all the time to use.

I have two older pfaff machines and love them both, i agree with the comment that pfaff was bought out, thats why i dont have a new one, heard they were not made the same.

I also have the Pfaff 1471. Actually I have 2, both purchased on Ebay because I liked the first one so well I wanted a backup machine. Also bought one for my daughter. They are a wonderful machine to sew with. I love the built-in IDT foot. It just pops up out of the way when you don't want to use it and snaps right back down when you want it again. My granddaughters also learned to sew on it

I have two Pfaff machines and would not trade them for the world.

I have a Pfaff and a Janome and I had a Viking 850Q which I recently sold. The pfaff is by far the best machine. I absolutely love it.

I love the Pfaff machines, as the even feed foot is wonderful for piecing, quilting and binding.

Why not look into a used machine. The older models were built better than the new plastic ones. For piecing you could find a lot of machines that will do just what you want. For FMQ most machine will work, it is really a matter of practice, practice, practice!! Good Luck