Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

[tortugaquilter]

When I started quilting I bought a Bernina 830. Yes, overkill for a newbie, but I had an inheritance from my mom, and I wanted something that would last me for a very long time and that I would grow into.

I love this machine, but I have had it in the shop several times for problems in the bobbin area, mainly the cutter. It either hangs with the blade partially out, or totally extended and will not go back. That is what happened today. After a wonderful day of quilting yesterday, the first time out this morning I go to cut the thread and the blade hangs and no more quilting on that machine for the day.

Fortunately when I bought the 830 the dealer gave me a great deal on a small Bernina for classes and I was able to finish my project. Good thing I had finished all the free motion quilting and only had some straight line quilting and the binding.

I am very frustrated. I bought this machine in July of 2009 and I have had it in the shop five times for a bobbin area issue, three of those times were about the cutter.

Yes, I could just use the manual cutter on the side, but I think I should be able to use all the features I paid so dearly for and were shown to me to be big plusses.

I have also had it in the shop once for the threader, and it actually wasn't working this week, but I thought I would just get it taken care of the next time I took it in.

Very unhappy customer right now. I have a lot of projects to quilt in the next few months and don't have time to run the machine in and then wait on it.

Thanks for letting me rant.

[Txgrandma]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

I don't blame you for ranting, I would have done it before now and with the dealer. If they can't fix it to your satisfaction I would contact Bernina directly. For the kind of money I'm sure you paid you deserve better than all the aggravation. Rant away, we don't mind we all do it from time to time. Good luck with your machine.

[Bubby]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

Bernina machines are very expensive machines and normally are exceptionally reliable. Contact the dealer where you purchased the machine (not just an employee but the owner of the franchise or the manager of the store) and have a heart-to-heart. In my opinion your machine is near being a lemon....hold your ground and tell them what you want them to do for you....replace the machine. Good Luck!!! Hugs, Barb

[Kizzie]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

awww so sorry to hear!! my machine has just started to play up too and I'm not sure what it is!!! but thats cause I have no idea with these machines lol!!!

You rant away and vent your frustration! let us know what happens and I wish you luck!!!

[Sandy Navas]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

I'm with Barb - and I'm sure if I pick her up she'll go with us to the dealer and let him/her have a piece of our minds - three against one and you will walk away with a new machine. This is ridiculous!! Vent away!!

[tortugaquilter]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

I plan on going on my lunch hour today. I feel empowered by all the comments. Hope I don't chicken out when I get there. Thank yo uall. I will let you know if I stayed strong or wimped out.

[debinmalaga]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

Good advice from Mary and Barb, SOO glad you're going to the shop in person. Can't wait to hear what happened.

[tfrankum]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

I have an 820, and I know how frustrating it can be when things aren't working right. When the computer overrides you, it's irritating!!! I would contact Bernina directly. There may be something that needs to be replaced that the dealer isn't catching, or an adjustment that isn't correct. Plus, did they show you exactly how to thread the bobbin? I've had mine for over a year, and I just took a class (they finally offered one at the dealer I bought mine), and I had been threading mine wrong all the time. It sewed fine, amazingly enough, but when I tried to quilt, that's when it went crazy. There's a little 'v' shaped notch that the thread has to go into and on mine, the slot was so tight, you could hardly get the thread in. I have to get out the dental mirror and use it everytime I thread the bobbin now. But my quilting issues are gone! My 5 minute training of how the machine works when I got it left that important detail out. Trust me, every Bernina dealer is NOT created equal!

[rebeccas-sewing]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

Good advice from all. I'm sure they have you on file and/or you have receipts showing how many times you've had the machine in for service on this problem. I would tell them you want a replacement machine. If they give you a hard time then I would contact Bernina directly.

It's really frustrating to pay so much money for these machines and then have problems. For example, the automatic threaders work for a little while on my machines and then they don't work anymore unless I spend more money to have them fixed. So aggravating that I can't use that feature, but I don't want to take in the machines just for that so I just thread them by hand. Very aggravating!!!

[tortugaquilter]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

My dealer gave me classes before I was allowed to take the machine home. They even had me pack and unpack the machine there in the store. I know I am getting the bobbin threading right. It is the cutter that has been the problem. It won't go back to its resting place, so it either chops up my thread while I am sewing, or won't go in at all and the machine won't work.

Unfortunately, my dealer is taking the day off and I cannot take it in until tomorrow. I think I will do some research tonight regarding the problem so I can go in with even more leverage.

Thanks again for all the support.

[tortugaquilter]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

I have my machine back. There was a piece of thread caught in the cutter against the outside wall of the machine. How it got there is a mystery. The fact that it was blue thread, and I haven't sewn with blue thread since August, a mystery. Supposedly a lot of adjustments were made. We will see what happens. I have a lot of quilting to do between now and Christmas, just like every other quilter, so I am hoping for no more issues.

[HandsOffItsMine]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

Yea! It sure has been a couple of week of machine pains. Glad to hear that yours has been fixed.

My cheapy machine is doing great. Haven't had time to call other dealers on the Island for pricing, but will try next week. If not I'll probably sell it on eBay.

[Nena]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

hello--Just read your posting on your machine. Was just wondering--how is it working for you know that you have had it back for a while???? i hate when my machine acts up. It is very upseting.

[JanetRoberta]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

re: the new Bernina 830. I have had this miserable machine for 1 1/2 yrs. It need repairs constantly and it isn't exactly portable. It has cost me a fortune in down time. It take 4 or 5 times as long as it should to do anything because of the constant error messages. It has never worked right. It does NOT thread but that is the very least of the problems. I have to leave the front cover and the flatbed off at all times because I need constant access to the threading, top & bottom. The very expensive bobbins are disposable, after a few months of normal use the machine will no longer recogize them. Considering that this machine was not ready to be marketed that is just adding insult to injury.

It also will not allow me to use any special thread, at all. I used to use mono thread a lot but if I try to use with this machine it will punish me for the reast of the day trying to repair the damage. Can't use metalic thread for embroidering. I just like this machine to do what it was advertized as doing. It will not. It does not. I hate this machine. I'vew been sewing for over 30 years, I've used computerized machines for years, and I know computers and computer programs. This machine has turned me against sewing.

[madampolo]

Re: Feel Like I Have a Lemon - Bernina 830

Janet, I don't own an expensive machine, but the trouble that you guys have had is not acceptable. I would forget the dealer and go straight to the manufacturer. Find out the President or CEO's name, and write directly to him. That gets attention. I have done that in the past.