Machine dealer is retiring

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Machine dealer is retiring

New postby Shellymoon on Thu Feb 10, 2011 8:46 pm

I got a brand new machine for Christmas and I love it, love it, love it.
My hubby and I went round and round about where he was going to buy it. He wanted to get it off the Internet (it was the same price, but he would have saved about $40 in not having to pay the sales tax).
I insisted on purchasing it at the local dealer so I could get the free classes and have someone to call if I had questions and a place to take it if I had problems.
He grumbled but did what I asked him to.

I found out two weeks ago that the dealer is retiring and closing the store. Their last day in business is Feb. 15.

I am so sad.
I did get my lessons, but was planning to purchase all my accessories over the next few months (extra feet, etc). And I wanted to take some of their classes.

Then, to make matters worse, the other dealer that I'd taken my old machine to for service sent me an email saying their mechanic is out with a serious health problem and won't be back for at least another month. (The dealer I bought my machine from only sells and services Janome, and my old machine was a Babylock, so I had taken it to this other place).

The retiring shop owners referred me to several other shops for service and information, but the closest one is 45 minutes away.

Has this ever happened to anyone else?

And, have you ever purchased anything straight from the Janome website? Looks like that's going to be my only reasonable option in the future.

Of course, my husband is very smug about the whole thing.
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Re: Machine dealer is retiring

New postby sewingmom on Fri Feb 11, 2011 12:16 am

Shelly, My Janome dealer lives near me but her shop is 45 minuts away and I sort of think she is a bit of a [size=85]crook and her service man wont tell you if he doesn't find the problem and he still charges for the service even though he doesn't fix your machine.[/size]
Which Janome did you buy?? Kens in Muscle Shoals seems to be a great place to deal with online and on the phone. I plan to go there to look at machines and get some coverloc lessons. I love my MC 5700, MC 6600 pro, Coverpro 1000. My sewing might not be much but Its not because of my machines.
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Re: Machine dealer is retiring

New postby DorothyL on Fri Feb 11, 2011 6:52 am

Well I moved away from my dealer so I don't know what I'll do if I need a repair. I'm sure I'll find someone.
But I can relate to your situation. I wasn't sure I'd survive my mechanic retiring.

Dorothy
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Re: Machine dealer is retiring

New postby MartySews2 on Fri Feb 11, 2011 7:25 am

Shelley, haven't dealt with anything like that. Janome should be able to provide a dealer for you that will honor your warranty. You may have to pay to take additional lessons though.
Marty ;)
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Re: Machine dealer is retiring

New postby HeyJudee on Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:30 am

I bought my Janome from a quilt store in Ottawa. Then they decided to stop selling fabric and moved to a cheaper location (not far from their other location) but it was not an easy place to get into...lots of steep stairs. So within a year they closed down. So I have found another Janome dealer which is actually closer to my home and they are great. This dealer has been in business for years and years...and the guy is older than dirt...but so far hasn't any plans to close up shop. What I've found is that the new place even sells parts much cheaper than the quilt store did...e.g. when I had a mishap and a jammed needle damaged my plastic bobbin case, the quilt store wanted $60 for a new one. I decided to check out the other place and got it for $29. Quite a difference!

BTW, when I would drive to the dealer in Ottawa, it would take me approx. 35 minutes to get there. Not a lot of miles but lots of traffic and traffic lights.
TTFN from Canada
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Re: Machine dealer is retiring

New postby bridesmom on Fri Feb 11, 2011 1:17 pm

I purchase most of my accessories on line, one is an ebay dealer - dafont I've used numerous times and also allbrands.com. Never had a problem with any of them and much more reasonable than buying from dealers here. I don't have any dealers close at all anymore, but I do have 1 good service guy and there is another that is good too a little further away. I have so many different brands of machines, so I need a generic mechanic. If I have a serious issue I have to drive an hour to an authorized dealer for my Brother.
Laura
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Re: Machine dealer is retiring

New postby Shellymoon on Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:56 pm

I have a Janome 1860. It's the 150th anniversary edition and was one of the machines that they only made during 2010. What I'm learning though is that all the Janome machines take the same parts.

My serger is also a Janome and I bought it from a dealer in another part of DFW (Arlington, Texas). I really liked them, so I may go back there if I want to take classes. His family also owns the dealership in Denton, Texas, which is about 45 minutes north of where I live.

I am told that my new machine (which is almost all electronic) does not need as much routine care as my previous mechanical ones.

Sewing mom, I'm sorry you had a bad experience with your dealer. There is a manager of a Hancock's fabric store near me that I have trouble dealing with, so I stay away from her store. So I understand your plight.

I guess it's time for me to get off the computer and get in there and sew something on the new machine!
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Re: Machine dealer is retiring

New postby lendube on Sun Feb 13, 2011 6:44 pm

Well, I'm finally starting to love (or at least really like) my serger and I've come to understand my dislike was mainly because of a lousy dealer. He sold my dh a machine that had been used in a show and didn't check the thing out thoroughly before selling it from his shop. I went in for a class and it was obvious it needed adjustment and he just blamed it on the staff for not bringing it to his attention. He messed with it for a week and I got it back. I *assumed* it was running the way it should and then had nothing but trouble. I then (months later) took it to a different dealer (who honored my machine's 1 year warranty) who's service dept. apparently really knows what they're doing. Since I've had the serger back, this past December, it's been great. I've really been feeling confident with it and knock on wood only had good experiences with it since then.
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Re: Machine dealer is retiring

New postby Sancin on Sun Feb 13, 2011 7:34 pm

Shellymoon, depending on what you want to purchase, I believe Sears Kenmore machines are Janomes. I have purchased feet for my Janomes there. If you have a Sears nearby take a foot you have in and try it on one of their machines. If it fits you can get feet there. My old Elna feet also fit on my Janome. I have found that the generic feet made by Husgavarna do not fit on my Janome and never did fit on my Elna. The difference is the width of the bar on the click on feet. If you can find an old screw on bar (screws onto the main bar - not sure this makes sense) you will have more flexibility when you find older or odd feet. Example - I loved my old Elna zipper foot, better than my newer Janome. It is not a click on foot but I am able to use it by attaching it by a screw.
Unfortunately, the Sears we have here (I am in Canada) do not give sewing lessons. I use my Janome instruction booklet and cross reference with a basic sewing book to figure out what I want to do on my machines. I haven't checked lately but the Janome site may have instructions. The British Janome sites seem to have more information. But overall, I find Janome sites very difficult to maneuver around in.

It is sad that many of these old sewing machine technicians are retiring and no new ones coming along. Sewing machine sales and services seem to be going the way of many throw away products - sales only, not to be repaired. Great for the manufacturers but not great for users who invest a lot of money into machines. New computerized machines need people skilled in both mechanics and computers and those two skills don't seem to be compatible in most people. Think about how often one purchases computers as there is no real mechanics to repair. New age .... and unfortunately I am old age :anxious:
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God put me on this earth to sew and finish a certain number of things. I am so far behind now.....I will never die!.......If I stitch fast enough does it count as an aerobic exercise?
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