Posted: 12/4/2005 7:48:25 AM EDT
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Hey guys, My washing machine died. It's an old Kenmore. I believe it is the coupling that broke. Do I fix it or do I get a new one? I remember Dr.Fri |
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Check out the Dollar ads,traders,pennysaver type deals.Lots of good one s in there for $50-75.People always looking to upgrade.Motor quit in our electric dryer.Last winter!I had just replaced the felt and some other parts a few months before.I kept my highly trained,scavanger eyes on the side of the road,dump,etc.Few weeks ago (I was kind enough to tie some ropes from a tree to the deck for the Mrs,in the interim) found one.Looked GREAT.before I pulled the motor,I tried it.Ran great,but no heat.Swapped heating element from mine.Still no heat.Hmmm.Why'd they dump it?Swapped the little overheating sensor/relay in the heat duct (1 screw,2 wires).BINGO.Domestic tranquility returns.Well,as soon as I fix the washing machine. Now,just get your mind right about your "delicates" dancing around in there where some strangers were...... (Having seen the bunch at the local laundromat,I'll take my chances with the stranger...) |
IM sent. Fisher & Paykel is the one to get... FORGET front loaders! What if you start a load, and on your way to the washer you drop a sock, start the load... the washer door locks... you go back upstairs and WHOOPS you find the sock. Now what do you do? PLUS you have to use a low sudsing detergent where as the top loaders you can use either or. Mind you, more parts on the front loaders, more chances of leakage. Wanna talk to some of my customers? They have horror stories. Another Arfcommer got the F&P washer and says he absolutely loves it... |
I'm probably the "other Arfcommer" and The Doc is on the money. I did a lot of research before buying. I asked The Doc and he corroborated exactly what I was hearing from other sources: Fisher & Paykel are the best machines on the market now. We had Kenmores and both failed after about five years of service...and both within about a month of each other. Total crap...and they were very expensive machines. F&P are the shnizzel. IM me if you wish details. Finally...I'm old enough to remember the front loader my mother had in the early '50s. Why do you think the American manufacturers dumped that design near the end of the decade? There is a good reason they are pushing "new" front loaders now and it is not because they are the most efficient, easy to use, or do the best job of cleaning our clothes. I belive it has a lot to do with marketing and PATENTS. |
Uh, you hit the stop button, wait for it to unlock, add the sock, and press start. WTF? NBD. |
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My 2 cents... By dumb luck I bought a Speed Queen washer and dryer in 1982. Dryer is still going strong, Washer went out about a year ago and we replaced with another SQ... SQ got out of residential machines and was only making commercial stuff. They are now making residential again. Side note: I'm great at repairing dryers. Don't know anything about washers can someone recommend a good book and or web pages for such... (or home repair web sites in general)...... Side note 2: To the web God's. Next web page update how about a forum for home repair? I have learned a buttload of stuff here from the home repair hive mind... I hate wasting my money on home repair stuff when I could be wasting it on firearms... |
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We have a front loader; less convenient in terms of the door lock, but works very well and easy on clothes - less wear/damage. Women like this. It has a Whirlpool label but is Italian made. We don't use low suds detergent, just less liquid detergent than we would have in a top loader. HTH |
As opposed to lift lid, throw in sock. And I am looking at repair cost factor. THAT is my biggest gripe. |