Repairman Suggests Replacement (from his store) - Your views?

SusanaTheConqueress · January 21, 2011, 10:51pm

Thanks for reading our post!

Please, don’t be shy about sharing your opinion(s)!

We plan to make the final decision around Valentine’s Day 2011. And, we’ll be considering information received from all possible sources between now & then, (2-3 weeks + weekends of visiting displays).

Martin, of Lucky Appliances, (the same repairman, at the same business as the Nov. 2009 repairs posted here for “Speedie the Speed Queen”), has just left after pronouncing her death & suggesting our options for “carrying on with our lives”. Here’s what he said - and what we’d appreciate your input toward helping decide:

It is not fiscally responsible to replace the motor, which Martin says died as a result of water contact during the November 2009 need for new belt + part.
AGREE? ______
:mad: :mad: :mad: DISAGREE?______

2) It is “smart” to replace our purchased-new 16 years ago Speed Queen with any of the $100.00 washing machines for sale at Martin’s long-standing local business, all of which once came with a 90-days warranty, but now come with a 6-months warranty, (due to the impeccable stability of their products, according to Martin, our trusted washer repairman suddenly seen by us as Martin the used car, uh-er, used washer salesman ~ NOTE: lack of the word “trusted” in 2nd title ~).
AGREE? _______
:mad: :mad: :mad: DISAGREE? _______

Martin says there is a white, used, sits-on-pedestals frontloader W&D set available in his showroom for $700.00, offered with the same 6-month warranty as the $100.00 toploader models he currently offers in the same showroom.
Martin said this in response to my query about replacing the motor until we save up enough to purchase new frontloader sits-on-pedestals to replace the purchased-new-but-now-dead-16-years-later Speed Queen.
Purchase the $700 set? _______
:mad: :mad: :mad: Purchase the $100 machine? _______
Purchase the $100 machine until enough $$$ is saved up to pay cash for a new frontloader sits-on-pedestals set? _______

The (2) frontloading sits-on-pedestals sets we’ve been drooling over, *but never considered replacing as long as Speedie was “with us”, are:

The TEAL Electroluxe set
The Candy Apple Red set of we-don’t-remember-the-manufacturer-but-saw-them-at-Best-Buy

Recommendations, based on problem-free longevity, regardless of color?

TEAL? ______
Candy Apple Red at Best Buy? _______
OTHER(S)? _______

We look forward to hearing back from you before Valentine’s Day 2011!

Thanks, again, for participating in this helpful forum!

applianceman · January 22, 2011, 7:12am

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]I have never recommended for anyone to buy a used washer as opposed to repairing his or her old one. Reasons being you are replacing a used washer with another used washer. I would rather put a new motor on my washer than to buy a used washer. With that being said a 6-month warranty on a used machine is exceptionally great. The used appliance store in my town doesn’t give a warranty at all. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]The $700 front loader is not a good choice in my opinion even if it is on pedestals. It is a little pricey for a used washer and dryer. If it were me, I would go with a top loader no matter if I went new or used. They cost about double the price and trust me this doesn’t mean you will get double the service out of it. Yes, they look nice and everyone wants one but I don’t really think they are worth it.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]My recommendations….[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]GE[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]GE makes a fairly reliable top load machine. They changed the design a few years ago. As a result the new model gave more problems then we had hoped for. After the first year they work out the kinks and now the failure rate is back to where it should be. 7-12% range.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=#000000]Drawbacks- Most repairs will be expensive this washer doesn’t have many simple cheap parts/repairs. [/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Hotpoint [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]GE makes a Hotpoint line of top loaders. This machine is made like the older GE models (before the design change) this is a very reliable machine. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Drawbacks- This will be a very basic washer (no bells and whistles). [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Whirlpool [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Whirlpool has just redesigned their top load washer. I don’t know a lot about the washer but it seems to be good. [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]They say they are getting 3% failure rate, which is very good. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[/COLOR]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Drawback- This washer is one of the nosiest washers on the market. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Roper/ Estate [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]The Roper and Estate top loader washers are the same as the old type Whirlpool washer that we always called the direct drive washer. This is a very good and reliable machine. Most repairs will be simple and cheap.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Drawbacks- I can’t think any drawbacks to this washer. Why is Whirlpool phasing out this machine again? lol [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Clothes Washer Repair Guide[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

SusanaTheConqueress · January 22, 2011, 8:23am

Applianceman,

Thank you for your same-day reply to our latest post here!

:o :o :o
We didn’t realize buying used didn’t make sense. At some point, today, we were even saying among ourselves that, yes, used must always be the way to go, (to avoid the “drive it off the lot” price/value nose dive). But, appliances aren’t vehicles. So, “apples & oranges”?
:o :o :o

We’re glad to know our local repairman / salesman at Lucky Buy is really going the extra mile with the 6-month warranty offered on all used appliances sold there.
At $1/day, for 6 weeks, the (3) of us should be able to “cover the cost” of a $100 used toploader washing machine. Then, keep chipping in $1/day for the 6 months to end up with a fund of 3(6)(30)=18(30)=(3)18 with a zero on the end, or, $540. That seems pretty puny!
Let’s check the math!
365 days for (2) of us to each chip in $1/day = $365.
Plus, 1/2 of 365 = 150+32.5 = 182.5, let’s call it 183.
365+183=$548.
WOW!
I guess we better chip in MORE than $1/day, each!
(((If we’re going to have “enough” to pay for a NEW machine in 6 months (by the time the warranty on the $100 “make-do” used one expires!))).
Heck! That wouldn’t even be enough to buy the $700. used frontloader pair on pedestals for sale there now!

We’re really SAD you disapprove of the fancy new front loader machines. They’re SO PRETTY & SHINY!
We LOVE-LOVE-LOVE the paint jobs on them!
REALLY, we DO!
But, we’re going to "do the right thing and be mature & responsible about this and …
Get another toploader washing machine. ((((Can you hear us sighing all the way across Internet?)))) We REALLY were geared up for pedestal frontloading machines as the replacements.

:eek: :eek: :eek:
OMGosh! That reminds me! Should we just go ahead and replace the (matching) natural gas (not propane) dryer when we get the new-not-used washing machine (in about 6 months)?
Is there a benefit to having “matching sets”, (((besides us REALLY-REALLY-REALLY wanting things to "look nice & match… which we are VERY NERVOUS that you might say, like the shiny new frontloader pedestal models, isn’t “best”?)))
:eek: :eek: :eek:

We were very surprised with your last entries to the replacement washing machine list of information by brand!
The “Roper” + “Estate” models we’ve seen, (at Best Buy, and similar places), seemed like “tacky low-end appliances”, to us. Without your list we would have never touched them, much less given them “a chance”.
I think we like big, strong, sturdy, “substantial-looking” washers & dryers (We don’t really pay as much attention to dryers as the washers though). The “Roper” + “Estate” models seem almost to be like "playing at being “real appliances”. Do you know what we mean? Even the knobs seem, sort of, “weak”. Does that make sense?

What’s most important to us is Energy Star/saving on our energy bills over the life of the appliance, (our power company just installed a smart meter here, last week!).
We don’t know why you mentioned “less bells & whistles”, (Roper & Estate), because we NEVER ONCE changed the water level until November 2009, when we moved it from Extra Large to between Medium & Large, to keep water from splashing to the floor somehow. And, it is RARE that we do a HOT/HOT load, or ANY load other than, Warm wash/Cold rinse.
In other words, I think we’d be A-OK with the “no bells & whistles”.
That said, we LOVE LOVE LOVE the cup thingie in the top of the agitator ( to pour either fabric softener, or white vinegar into for the rinse cycle) & would be “lost without it”!
However, the front left side thingie for bleach: We NEVER use ~ We don’t use bleach at all. So, it would be A-OK to have one without that thingie present.

I think that’s all we care about, really:

Energy Star rating of excellence
Reliability (low repair ratio/percentage)
Fabric Softener Cup Thingie
Ability to pause it overnight to “soak” either the detergent, or the softener portion of the cycle

I think those are the only (4) “major points” mattering to us.

OH! It MUST have a “regular 3-prong plug” - not one of those “monster plugs”, like the new stove we bought and had to have a whole new circuit + outlet installed for! YIKES!

If it matters when picking the washing machine:
We’d like the dryer to have a buzzer, like this one does.
But, we have NEVER used the various other “settings” on the dryer; we just set it to whatever the 90-minute section on the upper right is for and totally ignore the other 2-3 setting options (Perm. Press / Delicate / who-knows-what)…
Also, we LOVE-LOVE-LOVE that the LINT FILTER is at the bottom front of the dryer, (when you open the door, there it is, right under the “hole” of the dryer, (where we reach in to get the laundry out from).
We DON’T like the kind with that long mesh thingie for the link that slips in at the TOP of the side of the dryer ~ UGH! Messy!
This one is GREAT! It only has (2) screws holding it in place! So, every Spring, we unscrew it and clean-clean-clean anything & everything in & around there. Very convenient feature for “staying tidy” that we’d VERY MUCH like our next new washing machine’s “mate” / dryer to also have.
We’ve heard of-but-never seen dryers with racks in them (Don’t need that - would NEVER use it - we have a way-cool-totally-awesome drying rack already!)
+
We’ve heard of-but-never seen dryers with lights in them (Don’t need that - would NEVER use it - unless it turns on like a refrigerator light, in which case we’d always wonder WHY some engineer thought we needed to SEE with LIGHT inside the dryer ((((lots of laughs over that one!))))

So, that’s about it, I think.
Nobody has anything else to share, except that there is some wondering over here about water use comparison between top & front loaders ~ APPARENTLY, some think the front loaders use so much LESS water, they “quickly pay for themselves” ~ (((Water is costly and getting more so out here)))

Using less water makes me think of low-flow toilets and all the troubles those caused before they were properly engineered… We do laundry to get it CLEAN, not “muddy” - (Not that our dirty laundry water resembles mud~)
OK ~ Enough! :o :o :o

Thank you, again, for the way-cool list! It’s a “keeper”!

RE:

[quote=applianceman;337323][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]I have never recommended for anyone to buy a used washer as opposed to repairing his or her old one. Reasons being you are replacing a used washer with another used washer. I would rather put a new motor on my washer than to buy a used washer. With that being said a 6-month warranty on a used machine is exceptionally great. The used appliance store in my town doesn’t give a warranty at all. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]