I don't blame you for being miffed! You'd think they would at least try to sweet talk you into coming into their store to look at other machines!
Does Brother have a website? If they do, maybe they have a retail store locator or at least an online store that carries the model you want.
When my old Singer(which I loved)pooped out, I only had $300 tops to spend, so I searched until I found a machine that at least had the same features as my Singer. I found a Kenmore for just over $250 on sale, and while it still has design 'bugs'(too dim light, bulky housing), it has the features I use the most. And, it was shipped to my door. I still dream of someday getting my Singer refurbished, but for now I can still sew for the GK's. Good luck with your search, hope you find the model you want.

I know what you mean!!!!
I own a 40 year old Stradivari machine. I had a couple of problems a year or two ago and encountered the most RUDE repair people. One man actually had the gall to ask me if I had a boat...and told me to use it for an anchor!! That machine is a workhorse, that gets used almost every day! Eventually we combined my DH who can fix anything, and my working knowlege of the machine.....It's still running like a charm!! Bah-humbug....they just wanted to sell a new machine!

I had the same problem with the last machine I bought. they were extremely rude and unwilling to show me anything. I bought but was disappointed in the machine. Recently bought a lovely machine from Ebay and it has bells and whistles that would have cost me double in a store. You can buy new machines through ebay with great satisfaction.

It is sort of like snotty people who look down their nose when you say you live in a 2000sf house...."oh my God- HOW do you live in such a tiny house?".....
Rude people do not deserve your money.

vacuumfreek, I would try Amazon for that model. It's not sold within the Brother dealer network. The equivelent machine from a dealership is the Innovis NX450. I had a 450, I loved it so much that I traded up for the Innovis 1200. The dealer line of Brother machines is highly underrated by other dealers, so I'm not surprised by the rudeness you encountered. These are great machines, I even sold my Bernina 200 to purchase a Duetta 4500. I kept the 1200, too. I always recommend buying through a dealer network, service can be a nightmare if you don't. HTH, Todd

Thanks Todd. I DID get the machine from Amazon. It came a couple days ago and I think I'm in love! My boyfriend and my antique machine are both feeling neglected!

If ya want to see how much I love it, I did an Epinions review. What a machine!!!!!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: My review!

Todd... if I had a couple questions about some of the stitches, (not sure if they are being formed quite the way they should be) would you mind? You seem to know the machines pretty well.

Thanks!

I'm glad you like the machine! I would be very happy to answer your questiions, if I can. Todd

I recently purchased the Brother Innov-is 40 Project Runway Limited edition. Love it, love it love it. That was after I went to a few dealers that were selling the high end machines for 1000+. Consumers gave Brother a best buy in 2009 and it works perfectly for my projects. I found my machine by googling for the best price around and although the NJ store didn't offer prices on line, I called and it was 100 less then anywhere and free shipping. Things just worked for me that day.

I know what you mean! I have a Viking Designer I which I took into the dealer for a cleaning (Sew-Vac City). The staff was rude and not knowledgeable about that model since it is 10 years old and not connected to my computer. (I download designs to a floppy and insert the floppy into the Designer I, a process that I think works very well & I keep a file of the floppies for future use). The service man visits the store one day per week and is not available by phone because he is busy with the newer and more expensive models. Are we supposed to throw away several $1000 dollars every time a new model comes available? Not I! Don't they know we are in a recession and they may be losing customers by being so snobby?

You know, rude salespeople ANYWHERE get my goat. Because of a job I had I needed to wear steel-toed boots. Do you KNOW the look you get being a woman asking a woman salesperson if they carry them?? Eventually I wanted to say "I'm not asking you to wear them, I just want to know if you sell then". Why is it some people act like their job gives them a right to look down their noses? Thanks for allowing m to vent a little.

You know, rude salespeople ANYWHERE get my goat. Because of a job I had I needed to wear steel-toed boots. Do you KNOW the look you get being a woman asking a woman salesperson if they carry them?? Eventually I wanted to say "I'm not asking you to wear them, I just want to know if you sell then". Why is it some people act like their job gives them a right to look down their noses? Thanks for allowing me to vent a little.

Three years ago DH decided to treat me for Christmas to a new machine with the extended quilting table since that's all I do. Thank God he touched base with me before walking through the door. He had asked me what kind of machine I might get if I got a new one. I told him all I needed was one with the extension for machine quilting. NOT one that does all the fancy embroidery since I'm not in the least interested in it. Well when he went to the dealer they did their best to talk him into a high-end, high-cost one that I didn't want. He stuck to his guns, though. Then when I first sat down to try it out, suddenly it just quit. Come to find out it had a blown fuse. When he bought the machine he had been promised that I would have a free lesson on how to operate the machine. I couldn't even get an appointment because between 3 stores in the area only one person was qualified to do that. When they finally called that the machine was ready from the repair, I insisted that I get an appointment and finally did. While I was there we kept getting interrupted since there was only one person there and every time we would start to do something someone would walk in looking for a sale. Although I am quite happy with this machine, I have little good to say about the customer service. They are very eager to sell a high-priced machine that the customer has no use for but after that you are on your own.

I know this is an old thread, but I sooo know what you mean. I went into Joann's to the Viking department looking for a new foot for my "new" old viking machine that I just made my hubby buy me for Christmas. The sales lady in a fairly snobby tone said "these accessories only fit Viking machines". I informed her I knew and had received an older model for Christmas (I was obviously super excited about my present). When she asked which one and I told her, she informed me what a horrible choice it was, buying a 35 year old machine. She told me it will fall apart any minute, the technology is out dated, and the machine is completely unreliable. She did her best to make me feel stupid then TRIED TO SELL ME A $1200 MACHINE!!! I of course asked her why I would buy from a company that didn't have faith that machines would last 35 years when I had just been sewing on a Necchi that was at least 20 years older and the only reason I bought another machine was because my 3 year old pushed it off my counter and actually cracked the steal casing.

I was furious. I spent a lot of time researching, almost 8 months making up my mind. I didn't want a new plastic machine, when it came down to it, I have always had old steal machines and liked the vintage machines. I picked a machine that had everything I wanted and was popular enough that I could still get spare parts. It is a beautiful machine and sews way nicer than anything that I have ever owned. It has decorative stitches and even button holes. For her to try to make me feel stupid about it to try to SELL me, was just way out of line.

I have a 35 year old Viking also and it is still going strong.
None of the electronics to break down like the newer machines.

Thanks flower. I have been sewing up a storm on my "new" old machine and it is the best machine I have ever owned. I do not regret my decision in the least. I completely agree about the no electronics to break down, which is why I am a vintage machine lover all the way.