Do I need a Pfaff 360?
 

Like many of you, I am running out of room for machines in cabinets. But, I have fallen in love with European machines of all kinds; vintage Berninas, vintage Necchis, and vintage Husqvarna Vikings. I now think I need a Pfaff. Is the Pfaff 360 the machine I should get or should I wait for a different German model to surface?

Yes, you need this, if only on account of general principles!

I have acquired one or more of all the brands you mention over the last 6 months, both because of a similar fascination and aided by pretty good availability here in Norway.
The 360 I got was in nice condition except two things. One was a windfall. I got it very cheap because it was "broken", didn't run. All it took was the usual cap-ectomy, removal of the cooked out rf capacitor. In the US that is not an issue, apparently.
The other is more common for machines idle for some time, as this is pretty tight tolerance engineering. Not as notorious as the Necchis, but...
The ZZ movement was frozen, and those links are buried deep in the arm. In order to work them, and to test the action of the regulator cylinder, I took it out. The cylinder was in top shape, and the links freed up nicely with the usual heat/penetrant treatment.
This was months ago. I have since read the service manual to tatters, talked to every Pfaff veteran I could find, and spent many hours trying to fit the cylinder back in. Can't do it. Not saying it can't be done - the active Pfaff mechanics wanted hundreds of dollars to reassemble for me.
I know now that I would have gotten by just removing the embroidery unit and working the links without taking the cylinder out.

Note to self, quote from 120 yo White VS lll manual:

Any unskilled person attempting to adjust or repair any machine will often do greater injury than years of ordinary wear could produce.

You still have all the parts. It CAN be done. After all, someone else assembled it once and you got it apart. ;) Take a few steps back. Work on something else, come back to it when you're ready. Something will eventually click and you'll get it back together.

I love quotes like that one.
Rodney

Oh well, the window of opportunity has passed. The ad is no longer on CL. It had a cabinet that I liked which is why I even considered another cabinet machine. I read reviews on the machine and just couldn't make up my mind if I needed it. Thanks for your replies everyone.
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I've done that a couple of times lately...
My policy is now: When in doubt, buy! I hate the ones that get away much more than the surplus ones bother me. I've lost a few really nice ones trying to be sensible. We're rarely talking about serious money or big risk, and we're usually able to sell without loss if we regret. Gaaawdannnng!