Green Millenium having lots of problems after 3 months

[mpersell 0]

Our Green Millenium purchased this year in June, I believe, is beginning to have cascading little problems.

The single stitch button won't single stitch, whatever number of stitches per button press is a random number of stitches.

When we received the machine the wiring harness in the back side of the machine handles was not completely wired. The rep asked if we could make it work. APQS told us this could never happen.

We called the rep we bought from and we were asked, "I never use the back side, do you really think you need it?"

The bobbin winder will not stop its motor while under power. We contacted the rep again for all the issues and she told us they are known problems.

I didn't pay $14,000 for a pile of known problems. We would like some solutions, not acknowledgement of problems.

Is buying this vs a Gammil, which was my idea, my wife wanted a Gammil a big mistake?

[jmcclannan 124]

Normally the support at APQS is awesome. If you aren't getting sufficient help from your rep I would call the main office. My experience is that they will go the extra mile to make things right.

[smorris 1]

mpersell

I'm sorry to hear you are having a needle cycling problem and problems with an overfilling bobbin. The good news is that both of these problems can be fixed very quickly and very easily.

I'm not sure if you have an independent bobbin winder or an onboard one, so check your manual, to see if there are instructions for adjusting the bobbin winder, or email Amy in the morning and she will forward them to you.

For the needle cycling:

Do a search on this website for adjusting the needle positioner, or check your manual instructions. You will be up and running in no time.

Good luck

Sue in Australia

[mpersell 0]

The bobbin winder is an independent one. We were told by the rep the onboard one wasn't reliable.

Originally posted by smorris

mpersell

I'm not sure if you have an independent bobbin winder or an onboard one, so check your manual, to see if there are instructions for adjusting the bobbin winder, or email Amy in the morning and she will forward them to you.

For the needle cycling:

Do a search on this website for adjusting the needle positioner, or check your manual instructions. You will be up and running in no time.

Good luck

Sue in Australia

[quiltmonkey 435]

I am surprised (shocked) by the flippant responses you recieved from your rep. This all seems very odd to me. Could it be a complete misunderstanding/miscommunication? If it were me, I wouldn't put up with that sort of response. I would bypass your rep and now work directly with APQS headquarters. Speak directly with Heidi who is head of sales. Explain the windy road you've been down and I assure you Heidi will help make things right.

I just gotta say that it's too small of a world to let this type of customer service go before it backfires. I know that APQS would never tolerate the service you've received. I hope all is resolved soon.

I also wanted to add that a few years ago, APQS stopped building the "on board" winder on its machines. I have a newer model APQS with the stand alone turbo winder. I love it!

[LindaB 0]

I totally agree with what Shana has suggested....get ahold of Heidi and talk to her about your machine problems as well as this company Rep.....They won't tolerate that kind of representation of APQS...

Good luck, and let us know the outcome please...

[Quilting Heidi 1,396]

Like everybody else has said call headquarters. They are wonderful and will be able to get you set-up, even if they aren't local. I'm sorry you have a local rep that is giving you answers like that! Just not right.

[Gator 456]

I agree. APQS won't put up with a rep who won't help their customers. Where are you located? Reps will help you even if you bought your machine from another. We help each other due to locations. Call Heidi at APQS she will take care of you.

[JoAnnHoffman 15]

I can't tell where you live from your chat info or from your email address.

Please give Heidi Kaisand a call she is our sales rep manager and she will help you.

1-800-426-7233

or

give me a call

605-574-4885 JoAnn Hoffman in South Dakota

[ramona-quilter 13]

Mpersell, I hope that you will tell us how this resolves. As you can see from these posts, the APQS reps (South Dakota, Virginia, and Australia) are listening. This kind of dedication to product is what APQS is all about. I'm sorry that you have had a bad experience with your rep. Talk to Heidi, she's the boss and she will make it right for you.

[yeoldeforest 5]

Yes, we do care as reps! Please let any of us know how we can help you. Hopefully, you will already have your issue resolved by this morning.

[ffq-lar 3,575]

If you got a lemon---send it back!

Bark and growl and they will fix it for you!

Crawl up the ladder until you get satisfaction!

You see how we all defend the home office and our beloved machines? That's because we are sold on the support we get and the reliability of the product.

And then we are amazed when something like your problem arises.

Hang in there and your voice will be heard. Good luck on a speedy resolution.

[BethDurand 350]

I would agree that you need to be either talking to a different rep, or move up the ladder to Heidi. Someone needs to make this right for you, and I'm sorry that you are currently having a bad experience. Please let us know when the issues are resolved.

[DoryJM 76]

mpersell...we bought a 1 year old floor model Millennium from APQS rather than the green. This was after several phone calls between my husband and Tony at APQS. They have been absolutely wonderful, as have all my reps and all the people on this list.

Don't give up. You made the correct decision, at least in my opinion, going for an APQS machine.

Let us know how this all turns out.

[mpersell 0]

It hasn't been just the rep that has added to the frustration. The handle on the back of the machine you use when using a panto for example had 2 wires not connected and the white wire was too short. APQS told us that could never happen and wouldn't do anything about it. This was the day we received the machine.

I ended up rewiring the handle myself and found several unsoldered connections in the handle wiring harness.

The hard part is each new quilt we hold our breath hoping this 5 month old machine will make it through another quilt.

[mpersell 0]

Luckily the bobbin winder doesn't overfill but the only way to shut it off is to unplug it.

Originally posted by smorris

mpersell

I'm sorry to hear you are having a needle cycling problem and problems with an overfilling bobbin. The good news is that both of these problems can be fixed very quickly and very easily.

I'm not sure if you have an independent bobbin winder or an onboard one, so check your manual, to see if there are instructions for adjusting the bobbin winder, or email Amy in the morning and she will forward them to you.

Good luck

Sue in Australia

[JudyL 10]

mpersell - are you saying there's something wrong with the bobbin winder or that's just the way it is made -- the only way to shut it off is to unplug it? If so, that's how mine was made. I've been using it for 7 or 8 years and it works fine. I have it plugged into some kind of little gizmo that has an on/off button so I don't have to keep unplugging it. I can send a picture if you like or I can ask my husband what the little gizmo is called.

I understand your frustration but I've found APQS to be one of the best companies I've ever dealt with as far as their product and their customer service. I've never had a problem that wasn't resolved quickly and to my total satisfaction.

I hope you can get everything worked out and you'll love your Millennium soon. It's a fantastic machine.

[quiltmonkey 435]

Originally posted by mpersell

It hasn't been just the rep that has added to the frustration. The handle on the back of the machine you use when using a panto for example had 2 wires not connected and the white wire was too short. APQS told us that could never happen and wouldn't do anything about it. This was the day we received the machine.

I ended up rewiring the handle myself and found several unsoldered connections in the handle wiring harness.

The hard part is each new quilt we hold our breath hoping this 5 month old machine will make it through another quilt.

I am glad you wrote here to bring your problems to light. I can understand your frustration.

It's one thing to have problems with your machine, voice them here for everyone to read, and and after getting advice, then you go on and continue to complain about the problems???

I do know that when you buy direct from APQS, even a used (green) machine, you do have (at least a 1-year) warranty.

I hope you take everyone's advice and call Heidi at APQS headquarters. She will help to resolve your concerns and problems and hopefully make you a happy customer.

Please let us know how things settle out. We're all curious! We want happy endings.

[meg_marsh 45]

I also have had some mishaps with my machine, but can tell you that APQS has been absolutely wonderful to work with. Everything that has gone wrong has been fixed without question and everyone I have worked with / talked with has been great. I am so sorry you are experiencing such difficulties. I would definitely talk with APQS directly - Heidi or Tony. I personally have dealt mostly with Tony and it has always been "whatever we can do to make you happy is what we will do". Not the exact words, but for sure the exact sentiment! Good luck and keep us in on what is going on. Those of us with APQS have purchased our machines in great part because of the reputation of service with APQS. The machines are great but the service is a critical part of the picture.

[mpersell 0]

I didn't continue to complain as several people in the thread have asked for clarification and mentioned that the company people were helpful, that has not been my experience, especially since we received the machine. I answered their questions. They made the buying experience a breeze. Mark and Tony were very helpful in comparisons to the Gammil.

I've got the issue of the needle positioner nearly solved with the help of the forum. I've received a call from Amy at APQS to call her back and we're playing phone tag.

Still unresolved but we're working on it:

Bobbin winder that won't quit spinning (Rep said is a known issue, nothing they can do)

Handles that weren't wired (Rep and APQS said can't possibly happen)

Bolts that hold cradle rollers to Millenium come loose and cause resistance to side to side motion (Rep said known issue, need to take machine off of cradle and tighten every few quilts as normal maintenance, mentioned using Loctite...Loctite is just plain evil stuff if you need to use the bolts again, prefer not to use Loctite)

Thread is breaking (Adjustable but drives my wife nuts, luckily it was a small quilt)

Going to try to catch Amy again, referred by Heidi

[mpersell 0]

Bobbin winder problem solved. JudyL if your bobbin winder is like ours it's not too hard, just kind of confusing because the parts are small and in a box, not good for older eyes.

Possibly have the needle positioner problem solved...we only did a test patch. She's getting ready for her booth at Houston and things are a little nuts...a lot nuts.

We did have a very noisy machine, especially near the back. I dampened a lot of the noise by making the spacers bigger when I adjusted the needle positioning.

The thread breaking quilt is done so that is solved too, back to normal thread.

Any one have a solution that doesn't make quilters grumpy when they have to bind?

[meg_marsh 45]

Glad things are progressing. At to the "couldn't happen". I would just take pictures and send them on - maybe to Mark or Tony personally. I personally hate the word 'never' because the minute it comes out of my mouth, I will be in trouble - the 'never' becomes 'reality'! good luck

[quiltmonkey 435]

Hey! I am glad to hear the update and that most of it is good news or getting fixed!

I agree with you on Loctite. I avoid uising this with bolts; especially on my longarm!

I'm not sure I can give advice to avoid grumpiness when sewing on a binding. I totally hate that part...sewing on a binding makes me grumpy, too.

I hope your vending at the Houston show goes well.

When you bump into more "learning the ropes" with the machine post your question here. We are all ready to help. Most of us have been there, done that....

[barbm 323]

If you want a simpler alternative to hand-stitching binding down, check out the thread at http://www.apqs.com/quiltboard/viewthread.php?tid=11413&page=1#pid110508

About halfway down the thread there's a download of a binding process that I adapted, mostly for charity quilts or kids' quilts, those that will be loved and washed a lot.

If the handout is unclear, send me an e-mail or U2U and I'll send you a stitched sample.

Glad the rest of your problems are on their way out the door!

[John Mitchell 1]

One of the issues I see with excess noise from the back of the machine is this. The top rear cover has been pushed down and it is touching the back vertical cover. To fix this look from the back and look under the cover, you can see if it is touching, if so loosen the three screws on each side and raise the cover until it is not touching the vertical or front cover, then tighten the screws. This cover can make a lot of noise. Some times a visitor leans on the rear cover with their arm and this pushes it down.

Hope this helps,

John