~knocking on wood, MDF, oak veneer...side of my head~ I have a Designer1, can never remember exactly how old, bought it the second year they hit the market. So far no problems that weren't solved with "read the manual" or new needle. I've been very, *VER-R-RY* lucky. I've heard and seen horror stories. And yes, Gen, sewing machines, as most everything else, are manufactured with a "do not repair, replace" ticking self destruct bomb. Built to last no longer applies to much of anything. I also have my Viking
6440 from 1973-4-5? It's still going strong and sews beautifully; lots of jean repairs, camping and sports equipment repairs, sewing buckskin and leather, sewing weddings to make tuition payments as well as most all my clothes and the kid's, back when it paid to sew clothes. It has been worked hard and that baby just keeps on sewing. A good friend of mine has an elderly Bernina that was her mother's, it does a zig-zag that you can scrunch into a lovely satin stitch, sews beautifully!Sherry, if your LQS handles Viking I'd look for an older used one if I were you. If they don't get what you are looking for in your LQS start looking around locally. I bought my first Viking because I was old school and learned to sew on a 1940s Singer and Singer was best, which at one time it was. I bought a Singer Zig-Zag in 1967 (two toned turquoise-y blue); total piece of frustrating crapolla. I replaced that in 1970 with the "best machine Singer had ever made". The only difference between the two machines was the second was a more expensive piece of crapolla. YMMV Very few years later I dumped that machine for the Viking I still have. If you can stay in the late 1950s or very early 60s with a Singer zig-zag you'll most likely have a fine machine.
My son has been begging for my 6440. I taught him to sew on it when he was about 8-9 years old. I once let him take it home to sew "traveling tents" for their SCA group. I insisted he bring it back since I still sew with it while my Designer1 is busy embroidering. DIL spotted a Viking 6440 on Craig's List; all the cams, attachments, books, etc, looked great.....they paid $20! I suggested they might want to take it in for a cleaning and tune-up before they start using it......"We've been sewing curtains on it for two weeks, Mom, it sews great." hooookay, not my machine. I've seriously considered watching for another 6440 to appear and stockpile it for parts. That seems to be the only drawback now with an older Viking SM if they should need repair. I've dumped a grand total of $26.90 into mine since I bought it 30+ years ago. I had to replace the foot pedal that was sqwashed by a Suzuki motorcycle.....don't ask, if you've raise teenaged boys you won't have to. *sigh*
When my Designer1 dies or the dealer makes me sit down and has me breathing into a paper sack before he gives the repair estimate, and know it will be 'when', not 'if', I won't repair or replace it. I have my 1945 straight stitch Singer Seamstress machine and my trusty Viking 6440 and a good (non computerized) work horse serger. This TOL-SM of mine is great fun, I love it, have put in lots and lots of hours on it, no regrets, I'm glad I got it but it's sort of like that little red MGT roadster I had when my boobs were still defying gravity and I could walk around shopping all day or dance all night wearing stiletto heels; there was a place and time for some things, we move on. As time goes by my life has become slower, more simplified and more comfortable in more ways than physical. I find myself doing more hand work, hand finishing and "manual" embroidery because I want to and I enjoy it. As long as I can still see well enough to sew *anything*, I'm a happy camper.
Val