Oh boy! Trading in a used sewing machine is exactly like trading cars. The machines drop in value a huge amount the first year or so. That's why a nearly new used machine is such a great buy- it will usually still have some warranty and be considerably cheaper than brand new- just like trading cars. Also, like trading a car, there is that ridiculous numbers game- charge more for what's being purchased so they can give the trade-in a greater value. This includes the 'famous' statement "if you trade it in within a year we'll give you what you paid for it". Ridiculous! It's still a used trade-in... they cannot resell it as new for the same price as a new machine, can they? There's no way they can legitimately give you what you paid for it and remain in business very long.
If what you want to buy costs $2K at one dealer and your trade in is valued at $1K- then you have to give the dealer $1K cash plus your trade in, right? If what you want to buy at another dealer (same purchased machine as in the previous example) is priced at $3K and they say your trade-in is worth $2K- you STILL have to give the dealer your machine and $1K cash, right? So many people think the second example is a 'better deal' cuz they are getting $2K for their trade-in instead of *only* $1K. It's apples and oranges. All that matters is how much cash you have to put with your trade-in.... NOT what the trade-in value may be or even what the sale price on the purchase may be. As long as what you are buying is comparable at both dealers it's just a numbers game that means nothing. If you don't have a trade-in it's cut and dried- what you pay in cash is what you pay at either dealer. It's the trade-in that muddies it all up.
Leslie (worked in auto dealerships for a hundred years and saw this twenty time a day), Missy & The Furbabies in MO.
Thanks for all the good responses so far. I also liked the "heft" of
> the 1530 over the 210 and 230 they did have in the store. I hadn't
> thought about having to take it to classes and stuff though.
>
> I didn't set them side-by-side, but the harp (I'm guessing this is the
> round space to the right of the needle, for rolling up stuff and
> scrunching it through the machine) didn't look any bigger on the 1530
> than on the 210 (which should be identical, physically, to the sold- > out 220).
>
> Does the 1530 have a larger harp? Some responses seem to imply it > does.
>
> Also, Bev, I figured out RSI and FMQ but you lost me on BSR?
>
> It sounds as if she needs to mainly decide on whether or not she likes
> the track-ball interface, and if she likes it the 1530 is the better
> of these two machines. Thanks also for not mentioning actual prices,
> I'll have her look here and maybe follow up. I'm already pushing the
> budget at this level, and can't really go any higher right now. We
> were hoping the Bernina would hold it's value, and if she really gets
> into the quilting she can trade up later. I guess that's another
> reason I like the used machine over the plastic 220.
>
> Thanks again, and Merry Christmas