Bernina 540 Favorit
 

I have found a 1959 Bernina 540 Favorit on CL for $270. It is located about 150 miles from where I live but I need some input on info about this machine. It has the manual, lots of accessories and the owner says it runs very well but she has two others and doesn't need this one. She said the foot pedal crackles a little but she thinks it is because she sew very slow and I believe some here have experienced the same thing when sewing slow on different Singer machines. I have no experience with Bernina as I am mostly a Singer, Kenmore and Brother user. Here is a picture of the machine.

Does it come with a case and accessories? Bernina presser feet are expensive! Also, I wouldn't buy it sight unseen for that price. You need to sew on it and look at the insides. Don't know about whether the 540's are all metal gears, or like the 830's, have some nylon gears. I had one where the nylon cam stack gear was broken and it cost me about $140 to have it fixed. Someone else will probably know about the gears. Bernina's are awfully good machines when they are working!

There are a few plastic gears, but they are not on the parts that get much strain. If it's been serviced over the years, and is as described complete and in good working condition it's a fair price. I do not feel it's a bargain though, but not over priced either. It's a very smooth machine, slighly more rubust built than the free arm models. It has all the basic features of a modern machine (not compared to the latest technology course); 12 stitch patterns (I think), needle adjustment, fast good motor, belt driven. They have very finely tuned satin stitch compared to others, and the one in the picture you added has buttonholer function. If money isn't too much of a worry and you need a good machine it's worth it. They are very nice to work on. The pedal can probably be serviced and there might be a knee lift for the presser bar (the hole under the stitch length lever).

I say what I always say when it comes to pedals on European machines: Check for rf suppression capacitors and take them out. I don't have time to look up now, but recent threads explain thoroughly. Do a search. If the pedal is dead, a cheap generic pedal will do the job.

I am very happy with my older model Bernina 1530. You might want to look on eBay for a petal. I bought a walking foot there when my old one wore out.

Thanks for all of the info. I will need to do some thinking on this one.

I got rid of one I had. The bobbin was too dern hard to fool with. It goes in from the back and is odd. The were plastic parts inside and I decided I didn't like that. Then it has special feet so you better make sure it has a ton. IMHO I would pick up an old high end Kenmore...

That's a great machine! But $270 is a little high. Make sure the camstack gear is good. The foot control can be replaced with an electronic one for about $40. The paint doesn't look like it's had a lot of wear, so probably wasn't used a ton. The motor brushes in these are pretty big, so that shouldn't be a worry. Just check that nothing is gummed-up beyond the un-gumming stage (lever on the left that engages the decorative stitches and the feed dog drop). And it's got to have it's bobbin case -- those are pretty specal.

Personally, if this machine has plastic gears, I would definitely pass it up.