Sewing Machine Maintenance?
 

How often do you send in your machine for maintenance? My 875Q Husky recommends every year, do I really have to do this? I vacuum out areas pretty regularly, and the $100+ cost will really cut into my fabric budget. What do you all do?

I also have Vikings. I ususally take them in every 18 to 24 months.

I am hanging my head in shame :o I have had my Janome for 5 1/2 years and I have only taken it in once and that is because it was making a rattling noise. Turns out it was one of the set screws on the bottom of the machine that had come loose which is something I could have fixed myself. I keep it clean and dusted and I have never had any other issues with it ( I also sew on it 3-4 days a week)(hope I don't jinx myself!) The dealer accused me of opening the bottom of the machine because apparently set screws aren't supposed to "just come loose". I absolutely detest the Janome dealer that I purchased it from. They soured me within the first month of buying it from them so I refuse to give them any of my money. I won't even purchase fabric from them. We are planning an out of state move within the next 3 years so I will wait to purchase a new sewing machine until then. If something happens to my Janome, I have 3 vintage machines I can use and a Singer Quantum so I'm not worried!

Vintage machines for me here on out. I can maintain them and keep sewing.

I clean my Bernina out regularly and will take it in for maintenance only if I see lots of stuff in there that I can't get at (or if the machine starts malfunctioning, which it has never done the 15 years or so I have had it). Initially I did take it in every year, but I honestly do not think this is necessary unless you are sewing 8 hours a day 5 days a week.

I've never taken my Janome in for maintenance or repair. But I found a good excuse to
buy a new machine...so that I can have a spare. Don't want to be without one even if I
don't sew everyday. I need my baby here with me. ;):p:D:thumbup:
On the other hand I try to take good care of it and clean it very often and put a drop
of oil when I think it needs it.

My H/V 870 goes in as needed -- am very lucky that my LQS has a "SMA" -- service maintenance agreement -- that covers "bumper to bumper" including parts for a fee for three years, very reasonable considering the cost of yearly service and parts added in. Mine is averaging a service every 8-9 months, for one thing or another (needle threader, etc.) Have been pleased with this arrangment....

Don't you think servicing a sewing machine should be covered the same as a car. When the car goes in for an annual service or even work done on it you have the option of a loan car. We shouLd be able to have a loan service for our sewing machines as well. A car will go in for a few hours or a few days which the dealer informs us before it goes in. Sewing machine repairs are take it in will ring when it is done, which could be weeks or even months. Some of our machines cost more than cars so why don't we have the option to a loan machine?
Also when a car goes in you have an idea on how much it will cost, when a sewing machine goes in you frequently have no idea until you have the phone call it is ready.
Also extra thought, if the car is not serviced correctly you can complain to different places, my friend had her machine serviced, when she came to class she was having problems so I went to help. I took the bobbin cover off to find it was thick in fluff it had not been cleaned out at all, how do you service a machine without cleaning her. I got a thank you he got about £50.
Sorry about the rant but it does frustrate me the lack of care some dealers provide.

I take in my Bernina 640 yearly even though I tend to sew mainly on our vintage machines. I depend on it for binding and other things. I want it to last for the rest of my life. It has just the features I need without too many extras. My LQS gives discounts to those who do, so at least there is a little offset. We change the oil and get lube jobs on our cars don't we? I have no desire for a fancier machine in the future. I'd rather maintain this one properly.