On Sunday, 29 July 2018 11:54:26 UTC+1, Tricky Dicky wrote:
I never buy extended warranties but accept them if offered "free". When we bought our last washing machine the model we wanted came with such a "free" 5 year warranty. On arrival we found the programmer control damaged and requested a replacement. The company were unable to replace it as it was the last of an end of line product, they offered a number of alternatives of a similar price and spec. However, none of the alternatives came with an extended warranty and to get them insured would have cost £90 if I remember correctly. I argued with them that to me the so called "free" warranty had monetary value and was an influence in my purchase choice to end up paying a similar price for a machine with an extended warranty meant accepting a much lower spec machine or forking out more for one of a similar spec.

In the end they offered us a "free" warranty or an upgrade to a higher spec machine to the value of purchasing a warranty. We chose the upgrade and bought a Siemens which, and here comes the rub, came with a free manufacturers extended warranty. So win win!

It did occur to me at the time that the extended free warranty was obviously a sweetener to shift a number of end of line products but at best it would only offer repairs as any machine could not be replaced except by offering equivalents.

Incidently the machine never needed a repair over the period covered by the warranty and it was only last year that I had to replace the motor brushes.

Richard

IMV the best washing machine is Miele.
Ours is nearly forty years old.
I have cleared the drain filter twice.
It cost twice the price of most machines back then.