I have an old Bernina 930 also, I bought it as a demonstrater in Bountiful Utah, Cost me $1,100.00, I was offered $1,00.00 for it just recently when I bought the new Bernina 830, It has never been cleaned or serviced in a shop. I clean and oil it every time I put in a new bobbin, Still runs like a charm. :thumbup:

Just a note about the Vikings sold within a JoAnn store..... those are lease departments. They are separate from the store. Basically Viking leases space in the store to set up a "store within a store". The Viking personnel are not JoAnn employees, and you do all the financial stuff right there.... not at the main cash registers. <G>

Not sure about dealerships and such, but always remember there are at least 2 sides to any story, and there are probably a lot of details in the background you don't know. <G>

Have fun,
Pati, in Phx

Sounds like getting parts would mean ordering them thru a dealer? Maybe another way of upping prices on parts.I'm just a quilt top maker tho & know nothing about machine business.

Sorry you lost your dealer.I'd be lost without mine.Have never had any problem, but like knowing they are there.It's so nice knowing a ph call to them has been able to help.Hate to admit it, but both times, it was operator error :-) :-)

Side bar to the topic. My company produces educational equipment and some of our best sellers have been copied offshore. We field calls regularly where customers call to complain about "our" product quality and we have NO record of them buying our product. Usually it turns out to be a counterfit product of much lower quality. It is therefore interesting that the owner of our company and our Asia sales person are currently in mainland China for the opening of a big University lab. They equipped the Science lab with our equipment. Goes to show that even in China, quality matters and good quality is recognized. On the other hand, we do have product from China that does meet our quality standards. Just wanted to add that to get a viewpoint away from generalizations.

yep....happened to me. Bought locally and now I have to drive 30 miles (maybe more) one way. Never notified me. Of course, she wasn't the best dealer, but still.....now I won't even shop there.
I was due for a free cleaning and she told me.....drop it off. get to it when I get to it....maybe in 3-4 wks. never went.
Sure want your money, but after that....their attitude is so what!!!

Isn't that sad? What ever happened to customer service?

Yeah.....When she first opened I had ordered something from her. She called to tell me it didn't come in and that her husband was driving (in the worst snow storm) to pick it up. Told her that was not necessary, but he went anyway....Business went to her head!

Even sadder!! Usually those are not around long. When I go into a shop like that I usually don't stay long or buy much or go back again.

There was a really bad Brother/Viking dealer locally. They would be really nice while they were priming the customer for the sale and afterward, nothing but rude and just plain mean. They've recently gone out of business.

I went to my dealership yesterday and it was packed. Wall to wall people there for a seminar. I think dropping this dealership was a huge mistake.

A lot of these companies get taken over by holding companies these days...more interested in marketing the new product than worrying about the other stuff. I am resorting to manual machines that I can adjust and repair myself.

I just returned a sweatshirt to a reputable co that I've ordered from many times.DH has had 2 of the sweatshitrs thru the yrs...heavy,warm with an indutrial type zipper.His fav outdoor wear in Spring/Fall.

The CR person told him it's discontinued,because of mfgr problems. I looked & Made in China.....so maybe it's not the cheap reliable mfgr of old.Sure a shame that USA sent all our factories/jobs overseas.Wonder just how much cheaper it turned out to be? Sure isn't reflected in prices charged.