Tim+ wrote:
You have to have a kind of grudging admiration for the way that some
washing machine parts are designed to last *just* longer than the warranty.

Our six year Hotpoint's main bearings are on their way out and the parts
warranty is of course five years. This will be the very first washing
machine that I've owned whose bearings have died before the rest of the
machine is beyond economic repair.

The parts warranty would probably be no help anyway - because they give you
the 50p piece of plastic free, but you have to employ one of their service
technicians at boggle per hour to fit it.

(The 50p piece of plastic is of course sold by the spares department for
rather more than that...)

Theo