A new dryer. Our six year old Maytag won't dry, and the Lonely Maytag Repairman tells me that it will be $200 for the part and $100 for installation. I can get a brand new one for $500.
I remember Mom's old dryer that we had from as far back as I can remember (3 or 4 years old) until I was out of College. They don't build 'em like that anymore. Bah. The "feature" that I'm most interested in is "will work for 20 years". Doesn't look like any of the new ones on offer have that.
We will not be buying a Maytag. They can all get crotch fires for their planned obsolescence. Maybe the others are as bad but I haven't been burned by them. Yet.
My buddy owns an appliance store, and is an authorized repairman for all the major brands.
ReplyDeleteHe says Samsung is about the best available.
They're all that way now. My wife has an old movie projector from the 1960s, nearly 50 years old: 30 pounds of cast metal, still works fine. I've gone through I-don't-know-how-many beamers in the past 10. Washers, dryers, dishwashers - if they make it to 10 years, they're doing well anymore.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I remember my folks using the same appliances for decades. Maybe with the occasional belt replacement or other minor repair.
The only appliance I've bought in the past 10 years that is clearly meant to last forever is a sealer for plastic bags. Solid steel, you could use the thing as an anti-tank projectile. Really nice engineering too. Made in China.
there's nothing in a dryer that is worth 200 dollars.
ReplyDeleteThat was the sound of a repairman not wanting to do any work that day.
Rich in NC
The lovely Mrs. Roscoe and I bought our washer and dryer shortly after marrying twenty some odd years ago. We bought on the basis of fewest bells and whistles. So far it seems to have been the right choice.
ReplyDeleteI'm terrified of having to replace them one day.
Roscoe
Pre-planned obsolence is the new normal... Nothing is going to last like it used to. Just sayin...
ReplyDeleteI'm still having good luck with Kenmore products. I think Roscoe has the key - get as few bells and whistles as possible.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad we bough the old washer and dryer from the previous owner of the house. The washer was pretty much dead, but the dryer is still going.
ReplyDeleteGood luck finding a new one that will keep working.
Get your tools out and fix it yourself. There not that complicated. I just rebuilt girlfriends with $60 of parts. New belt,bearings and a door handle.I've done several others for about the same cost.
ReplyDeleteAnon, it was an electronic sensor. The tumbler worked just fine, but the heat wouldn't turn on. I'd have had to hot wire it.
ReplyDeleteSears has parts centers in most major cities (and even dinky places like where I live) and they can usually get parts for most major brands. Failing that, there's always this here Internet thingy.
ReplyDeleteSensors are usually mounted in the back wall of the drum so they're reasonably accessible, unless they're using oddball security screws on appliances now. Used to be a 5/16" nutdriver was all you needed to get a dryer to shed it's skin.
Just got rid of a Siemens washer and dryer. Neither worked well when they worked, the washer finally losing the door seal.
ReplyDeleteHad a LG fridge that needed a $700 repair (circuit board and defrost element, plus labor), ergo goodbye LG.
Bought Whirlpool, though they own Maytag. I am hoping for the best. Appliances simply will not last as long as they once did, I am afraid.
I wouldn't pay $300 to fix it either, but I'd at least find out how much the part costs online, it may be a fraction of what the repairman charges.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that not enough Americans will pay for long-lasting appliances, and the average major-appliance life is around 6 years.
You were, I hope, joking about the "$100 for installation" part of that post.
ReplyDeleteOr is it really true about you computer types......? :)
You're going to love the new "High Efficiency" washers and dryers.
ReplyDelete(maniacal laugh)
My high efficiency dryer works fine . . . the washer works about as well as the 1.6 gallon per flush toilets. And holy brother of Moses, the "normal" cycle runs for a LONG time.
ReplyDeleteBrad
I grew up sitting on the maytag washer in my grandparents kitchen and eating cookies while watching whatever was going on at the moment. My father says that his folks bought that washer about 5 years before I was born. So it was probably a '52 or '53.
ReplyDeleteAfter grandpa passed away Grandma moved and the washer went with her. I was out of college and on my own when Grandma passed. After her funeral we were sitting around the house and my Dad started laughing because I was sitting on the washer because all the kitchen seats were taken. He said "You should take that washer home so that you have something to sit on."
So I did.
I used that washer for six more years then married. My wife and I used it for 4 more years. After our first child was born (in 1992) we realized that the washer was just too small for our family of three. But we struggled along because it still worked and new washers were expensive. Three years later when we discovered we were pregnant with twins, we realized that we would need a new washer, but we put if off for a few years until we just overworked the old one and burned up the motor and bearings. We finally replaced it with a newer much larger model. Since we had such good luck with our first Maytag we bought another one - it lasted 6 years. I hate our new "high efficiency" washer - takes way to long, and doesn't do a very good job of getting our clothes clean.
My Dad told me that he replaced the belt and motor tension springs in that old washer back in the mid 70s. I did the same in the late 80s. All and all that washer lasted from 1952 until 1998. I guess 45-46 years is a pretty good run. Especially with as much use as it got those last 5 years.
C'mon, man! You can't fix your own DRYER? How can we trust you to keep your firearms clean then?
ReplyDeleteI've still using the Kenmore (Maytag) washer & dryer I bought in '78 ! But the Amana fridge I bought about then just went out the week before Christmas ! I've worked on the Kenmore's a few times.
ReplyDelete