Bernina 180E Sewing Machine - many repairs required

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on March 23, 2002:

From: Email User

Bernina 180E Sewing Machine - many repairs required

Since I have owned my Bernina 180E, at a cost of $4200 plus accessories and expensive software, I have had very little pleasure from the machine. In the beginning, I did a lot of straight stitching because I had a new home and was decorating. Outside of classes, I have done no decorative stitching and used the embroidery module about 20 times for designs. I purchased the sewing machine approximately February 1999. Almost everytime I have gone in to take a class, I will be the only one with a machine that is not functioning properly so I miss part of the class. I had one quilt that I assembled where the stitching is so bad, I have to redo it. My machine has been in many times for repairs, including having been sent back to Bernina for repair, during this time, because of miscommunication between Bernina, myself and my dealer, I was without the machine for 3 months. I have the original email from them stating they would take the machine back and then someone else said that was incorrect, I had misinterpreted the email. I do very little sewing with the machine as I bought a backup machine for routine work. Two days ago, I went in again for a class (I don't too this too often because of the weight of the machine and my inability to lift) and we had to use the touch screen. The other students machine worked perfectly, mine would not respond to the touch screen, often displaying functions that were next to the one touched and this was being done by my dealer so she said she felt that the touch screen should be replaced so guess where the machine is "AGAIN". I have gotten to where I hate sewing, I have invested, what is to me, a small fortune in a defective product and all they keep doing is fixing it. I think they owe me a machine that works extremely well for the price I paid. During the past 3 years, I have had to replace a brand new Maytag refrigerator and the replacement failed within 22 months, our new car has been in 4 times already for repairs to electrical defects in various areas, our new house has had major defects now settled by the State of California, my daughter's brand new Neptune washer failed within a month, our new boat battery failed in the middle of the lake, my husband had to row a pontoon back. As consumers, we need to demand better products. Evelyn Brewer