I have 8 weeks to complete several costumes for a Burlesque show I am dancing in. I sat down to start on them, only to find my machine has finally given up the ghost. It is a 5 year old basic JM3, which has been playing up for the last year. So I am looking to buy a new machine, as soon as possible. I need something thats not too expensive (max £150) but that can put up with 3/4 layers. I mainly do lingerie and dance costumes, and am just beginning to try corsetry.

Any suggestions/advice?

If you're in an area where Craigslist is active, you can get some really good deals there. I would always google "machine make/model# reviews" to see what people thought of it, and of course you'll want to make sure it does all the stitches you need, but you can get something that's five or ten years old and works just fine for a lot cheaper than the newest hot thing. Of course it's always best if you can pick it up somewhere with an outlet so you can test the machine works and the timing is good.

My day job is at a machine dealership. We sell Viking-Husqvarna machines and we service all makes and models. I would stay away from any Singers manufactured after 1988 - 89, which is when the company changed hands. If you can locate a good, mechanical solidly-built older machine, it should be good. However, they don't always come with all of the attachments. If you purchase a new machine from a good dealership, inquire to see if they offer a service warranty and any "Get-Up-and-Running" lessons, complimentary.

I've toyed with the idea of obtaining a used industrial machine but when I'm running bone casings, I find that slow and steady wins the race, and don't think I'd have as much control on an industrial, even though they go through everything. To scratch that particular itch, I purchased a working, refurbished treadle machine from about 1900. But to be honest, I use my new, computerized machine with speed control most often. (That may balance out as I gain more control with the treadle.)

I don't know what area of the world you are from, so I can't recommend brands specifically for you. I do know that in my area, in the US, the top brands are Bernina, Janome (some still have metal foot controls, which I find preferable to Viking's plastic) Pfaff and Viking. In my experience, (theater & factory) I've often found that lower-end machines don't have the motor strength to get through much more than quilting cotton when it comes to multiple layers. Bring work with you to try out a machine. If the dealership or owner won't let you, move on.

The advice from the previous poster regarding testing out any machine from craig's list *before* your purchase it is solid. At our store, people sometimes don't want to fix their older machines, due to the cost involved, and they will unload them on CL. You could end up with a $20 door stop that needs $200 or more worth of work, or worse, simply cannot be fixed for whatever reason - destroyed wiring, fire/flood damage, or parts no longer available. (I've seen it all.)

On the other hand, you could end up with a sweet working antique for $200 with it's original attachments. My guess is, if you sew, you'll know. Trust your gut. Also, perhaps you have a family member or friend willing to let a machine go. Sometimes a treasure is sitting in a closet because the owner hates to sew.

Quick couple of ideas to add to those already given: if you just need straight stitch, vintage Singers really are wonderful little things and dirt cheap (often free on Freegle, etc.)... the 99k is a great machine and there are *lots* of them kicking around in this country. If you want zig-zag and so on, I actually quite like the contemporary Singer Heavy-Duty machine as it can also handle bulky seams/layers of some corset construction types and is about £200 (which I know is a bit more than you stated, but for corsetry it's worth having something heavy-duty). I've never had any joy with the cheap modern machines you can get in supermarkets, etc.

Additionally, you can sometimes find second-hand industrials for less than you'd expect. But whether it's worth searching for one really depends on how much you're at the machine and what you need it to do.

Good luck finding something!

My singer industrial cost me £150 and came with a few feet and in perfect running order - found on gumtree
My husqvarna was over £600 and I really love it, and have been using it nearly every day for the past 6 years... it is very good for lingerie and it made hundreds of corsets, but for corsetry the singer wins hands down.
I got a metal bodied vintage husqvarna for a tenner in a junk shop - that's also awesome but again the industrial beats it.
I got a plastic bodied toyota for £150 from Argos and that could not handle a single layer coutil underbust =/
If you're looking at doing corsets I think a metal bodied machine is an awesome investment and as has been said they can be picked up dirt cheap or even free.

I have a vintage Singer, 740. It sews few layers of the coutil without the problem and it really have some useful additions, like walking foot. The only problem is with replacing the parts, if something breaks the parts are quite expensive. I am not familiar with industrial/new machines so I can't tell.