On Sun, 06 Oct 2013 13:12:02 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 10/6/2013 12:24 PM, Oren wrote:
On Sun, 06 Oct 2013 01:53:09 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

I've always been dead set against extended warranties, but $150 for
five additional years may be cheap. I'll have to think about it.

I have a Maytag (1996) top loader without the agitator. Two
breakdowns; a circuit board and a clutch (?) on the drum.

Check that an EW would cover the circuit board - pricey...


It says all parts and labor with no deductibles. Five years, $150.
Seems reasonable considering the reputation of these machines. If not
fixable, they replace it or give cash back.

I went through this about 5 years ago. A GE from Sears.
In the reviews there were many complaints about these warranties,
because of waiting for repairman or waiting for parts, or repeated
visits. So I kicked in about $250 for the "Gold" warranty, which
basically replaces the machine if the machine isn't fixed almost
immediately. 4 years. Also included a yearly maintenance visit.
The thing didn't look too reliable in the reviews, but my wife wanted
it, so I went against my basic instincts on these warranties.
Never scheduled a maintenance appointment, and the machine
blew past the warranty. So that was a stone loser.

Earlier this year my basement flooded and the machine started
screaming. Decided to fix it myself after I found a YouTube vid
that made it look easy. It was easy.
Cost about $275 in parts. Transmission and motor.
Hell of a lot cheaper than buying a new machine.
Plug your model in here to see what parts cost.
http://www.repairclinic.com/Washing-Machine-Parts

You might be surprised. And you might be able to get the parts a lot
cheaper elsewhere by searching on the part numbers. I did.
They might have a vid on repairing too.
Wouldn't even think about buying a new machine now, unless I couldn't
find parts at a decent price.

One thing I found out is exact leveling isn't important. The entire
tub/transmission and motor are suspended on shock rods.

But the $150 isn't bad if it comes through for you. Peace of mind.

On 10/06/13 01:53 am, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
We just bought a new Maytag High Efficiency washing machine.

So far, we've only done about 8 loads and it seems to do a very good
job. It is scary to watch though. Have you seen one of these things
operate? It has a glass lid so you can watch the entire process.

You set the cycle, push start and it locks the lid and goes.
Water comes in from the center top. Then it flows thought the
detergent cup. The water stops, then the drum spins at a medium
speed. Then it slows and water flows in again, this time from a spray
that shoots the water onto the clothes lining the drum. Then it comes
in from two sources.

Finally filled, it starts to agitate while pumping water at times.
Then it goes into rinse cycles with more water flowing from various
places but this time it also flows through the fabric softener cup if
selected. At one point, it directs water through the bleach, the
detergent, then the softener cups.

It spins, it stops, it reveres , it spins again. It is more
interesting to watch than 90% of what is on TV and has an instrument
panel with about the same number of LEDs as a 787 Dreamliner.

The scary part is all those strange functions and valves sequencing.
How long before a breakdown? I just don't see it as reliable as the
machines of the past. I'm sure there is at least one good sized
circuit board and a bunch of solenoids and sensors. It determines the
amount of clothes and then add the appropriate amount of water

I've always been dead set against extended warranties, but $150 for
five additional years may be cheap. I'll have to think about it.

We bought a Kenmore (Frigidaire under the skin) front-load washer about
12 years ago and added the extended warranty. After about three years it
quit, and the circuit board had to be replaced; repair guy said the
board would have cost more than we paid for the warranty.

When the bearings and seal went (after the warranty had expired), I
replaced them myself. I wrote about it on this ng at the time.

Uses very little water and detergent but washes well.

Perce

On 10/6/2013 1:53 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
We just bought a new Maytag High Efficiency washing machine.

So far, we've only done about 8 loads and it seems to do a very good
job. It is scary to watch though. Have you seen one of these things
operate? It has a glass lid so you can watch the entire process.

You set the cycle, push start and it locks the lid and goes.
Water comes in from the center top. Then it flows thought the
detergent cup. The water stops, then the drum spins at a medium
speed. Then it slows and water flows in again, this time from a spray
that shoots the water onto the clothes lining the drum. Then it comes
in from two sources.

Finally filled, it starts to agitate while pumping water at times.
Then it goes into rinse cycles with more water flowing from various
places but this time it also flows through the fabric softener cup if
selected. At one point, it directs water through the bleach, the
detergent, then the softener cups.

It spins, it stops, it reveres , it spins again. It is more
interesting to watch than 90% of what is on TV and has an instrument
panel with about the same number of LEDs as a 787 Dreamliner.

The scary part is all those strange functions and valves sequencing.
How long before a breakdown? I just don't see it as reliable as the
machines of the past. I'm sure there is at least one good sized
circuit board and a bunch of solenoids and sensors. It determines the
amount of clothes and then add the appropriate amount of water

I've always been dead set against extended warranties, but $150 for
five additional years may be cheap. I'll have to think about it.

I just (as in 3 days ago) got a new washer. I'd been thinking of getting
a HE, but eventually decided against it. The old (how old? inherited
when I bought the house) Whirlpool suddenly started violently banging.
That's when I noticed the water coming up in the toilet with each bang!
So after getting my sewer line replaced, I went for the cheaper machine!
Figured that for one person who does one or two loads a week, it would
take a long time before I noticed any savings on the water bill. Plus
when I thought it through, as high tech as it looked, I wouldn't use 18
settings for laundry. I'd probably use the same 3-4 I've always used
(medium, large, cold, warm). Being gun shy with things breaking lately,
I did get the EW, but for this machine it was 100 for 5 yr, and the
local repair guy charges $90 just to come to the house.