What would you spend?
 

I will be looking at a vintage New Home (Japanese badge) today. It’s apple green and white, good shape, wiring looks intact from photos and the lady’s description. Comes with original case which has blotchy skin, shall we say, but both latches work and the met handle looks onay. She sent me a short video showing that it runs. I absolutely do not need another machine but, but, but ...it looks cool. She’s asking $50. Said it was her grandmom’s, the grandmom’s brother did a lot of sewing and Maintenance on it. Hasn’t been used in ages.

It's apple green. It runs. I love green. I'd probably pay the $50 if I had to, but would definitely offer less to start.

p.s. At last count, I think I have 7 machines. I don't need anouther one either :D

Well, $50 seems like a good price for a nice looking vintage with all the parts. Especially in the cool colors it has. I would be embarrassed to offer less, unless something was missing or didn't work right. However, like you, I don't need another machine... so I wouldn't be offering on it.

I'd spend as much as i (you) was comfortable with :thumbup: Without seeing any pics, etc. i would say $30 would be my limit unless i just had to have it.

I paid $200 for a green, Japanese badged machine (White) but it had all the accessories and had a recent tune up (worth $100). However the main reason I paid that much was that it was the model my Mom had when I was growing up, and they didn't hit the market often so when one came up, I grabbed it with both hands.

I'm a sucker for a "cool" looking dashboard machine (one that has neat dials or lights or other stuff like that). It's so easy to fall in love with them so I've learned to be very, very particular and only fall if there was something truly unique about the machine.

The price sounds right but I would still offer less and you can always meet somewhere in the middle.

Well, I bought it. It’s in really good shape and I just need to clean and oil it—and figure out how to keep the thread from jumping out of the needle after a couple inches. There was no manual and no demo in youtube that she could find specifically on how to thread it. I can pay the 5.99 to download the manual online. I’ve never used a machine that has the tension discs on the back side. It feels all backwards and a bit complicated to even see them. I know I’ll get used to it.

Before I went all the way out to her house, I asked her many questions and then was upfront that I was only willing to spend $25 on a machine that may need to be professionally cleaned or serviced. She asked if I found it to be in very good condition and sewed on it, would I consider $30. (I was really willing to go up to $35 if all was great. But after neither of us could figure out how to make it keep sewing for an entire 5 inches, She asked me to pay what I thought was fair. I said $30 and she was very happy with it and happy it’s going to be used.

:)Looking forward to pictures.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.