Wow! What a shocker: maintenance
 

Put my reliable Jenome New Home in shop. They had to order some parts. After 3 wks finally got call that it was ready. Very good thing I had a Brother as backup. But total bill was $191.00!!! Can u believe it? Needless to say, I'm able to pay it out!!!! Boy, right now things are getting tight. So much for some personal things! Have had to take 2 or 3 kitties to vet & that puts a ding in things too. Oh, well, thankful I do have $. Things could alwaysss be worse. God is still in control, tho.

I'd be shocked too! Glad you were able to pay the bill and get your machine back.

I feel your pain, I have 3 machines in the shop for some service and maintenance. They will be $79.99 each plus any parts needed. I too am glad I have the money.

we all need to learn to do more ourselves and this just proves it..wow...that is a years worth of oil changed on my car!

When I bought my Bernina in 2006 it came with 1 year warranty from Bernina, but I paid about $260 for 4 additional years of support from the dealer. That covers getting it cleaned and tuned up as often as I want, plus any repairs, including parts. In 2011, when that maintenance agreement expired, I re-upped - 4 more years for the same price. DH thought it was foolish, but I knew better. I clean and oil my machine regularly, but for less than $5.50 per month I have complete peace of mind regarding my sewing machine, and every time we leave home for a few days the machine goes to the shop for a complete cleaning and check-up. Because it's pre-paid, I don't fret about the cost every time. Of course it helps that the shop where I bought the machine has an excellent reputation for service.

The cost of repairs of the newer machines is just one of the many reasons vintage machines are so popular. They are easy to clean and maintain at home. I have a vintage and my "repair guy" told me just clean and oil , and they really don't require much else. In fact he told me don't bother to bring it in if you are cleaning and oiling regularly, except for about every 5 years or more. It been 15 years since I took it in for a professional cleaning... I asked him if he thought it was "due" he told me "nope" just keep on your doing what your doing.
My newer computerized machine... its an annual charge.

I wish my dealer offered this! I'd do it too.

Last time I took my well-functioning Bernina 1230 to the shop for yearly maintenance was well over 12 years ago. At that time the charge was over $100 and I'm not convinced the tech did anything at all to it. I noticed after I got it back that he had not reset the upper tension back to the factory setting (which I had changed in order to do some specialized sewing) in order to test stitches. That's when I decided I would just keep the machine very clean myself and take it in only if it malfunctioned. Well, it hasn't malfunctioned, and I figure that in the 12 years since then I have accummulated at least $1,200 towards a new machine if this one ever gives out. (Note: I do have vintage machines I can use as backup if this one ever gives out.)

I can understand taking a machine in if it has a problem, but I no longer believe in taking it in for cleaning and preventive maintenance. I do clean my machine frequently and well, never allowing lint to build up, and keeping the shuttle race lightly oiled between bobbins. Worth $1,200 to me!!!

I am surprised you did not pay more -- around here you can't bring a machine into the service folks without paying $125 -- with parts it would easily be $300. That is why I rarely take it in for servce -- I am deligent about cleaniing and hope to avoid problems.