I'm watching a viking rose machine with embroidery unit on eBay. Does anyone have one of these? What are the pros and cons of the machine?

I'm actually saving my money for the new Pfaff Ambition machines coming out at the end of the month but this one caught my attention since I've always wanted an embroidery machine.

Thanks for any opinions :D

I've been using my Viking Rose since 1996. Had some problem with the presser foot beeper back at the beginning when it was under warranty. It has been fine ever since & I have never had it serviced.

See if what you are looking at comes with a walking foot. The replacemnt part that sells now is almost $100.00 at most places.

Thanks Donna Jean, do you also have the embroidery unit?
Jennifer

The Rose has an embroidery unit, but you are very limited in size of design as the largest it will do is 3 1/2" or 4" X 4".
The designs also come on a design card and the machine is not compatible to floppys or connecting directly to your computer. It is basically old school technology.
As a sewing machine she is terrific. I have the #555 which is 1 machine down from the Rose.

Yes, I have the embroidery unit, but don't use it much. The Rose takes the disks that are very expensive. There is a software package you can buy to be able to download patterns, but I never did that much embroidery.

Thanks that's good to know.
Jennifer

I have had a Viking Rose for about 10 years. What a great machine! It has a very strong motor and is easy to use. I use it for everything and have had no trouble with it--until the embroidery card went dead. I have no dealers close by and didn't want to pay the freight to to factory for repairs since it would be more than the machine is now worth.

I feel like I got good use out of the embroidery module, almost 8 years. Everything else on it still works good so I am not out much.

I used a Vicant Ultimate Box to copy designs from the computer onto a Viking Card. It has two formats, HUS and PES, which I can also use on my Brother Embroidery machine.

Just to add my experience. But be careful buying older machines. Parts are hard to come by sometimes.

I have 2 of these and my mom has one and I have all kinds of accessories. As far as I am concerned, It's the best machine they ever made....LOVE IT!!!! Bought my first one in 2000 and I have a lot of hours on it. You won't regret it as long as someone has taken reasonable care with it. Good luck. I do need to add that I wish the embroidery area was bigger but I really do more quilts than embroidery.

I have had my Rose for at least 10 years. The only problem I have had is the buttons stopped working. Only certain ones wouldn't work. That's quite annoying when your are trying to embroider a label and half the letters won't work. It needed a new mother board, $150. I really didn't think that was a bad repair price. I take her every year to the "spa" while we are on vacation. That way I don't miss her so much. He goes over her and she comes home like new, until last year when she went twice in one year. I plan on keeping her a long time.