Cloth Diapering Mother Needs a Workhorse Washer Suggestion

[oldschoolmama]

Hello,
I'm new here, and wondered if anyone with time and inclination to give their .02 could help. The 10 yr old Whirlpool TL my mom passed down to me has gone out with a bang and a cloud of smoke, and instead of a $350+ repair for a mediocre machine, I decided I'd rather spend the $ buying an old workhorse. I went washer shopping last week and was so bummed to find that there is nothing to buy that actually uses water. Does anyone have suggestions for what I should be on the lookout for? After surfing Youtube and finding fabulous videos of old washers, (& stumbling upon this awesome site), I know that what I grew up with was an 80's GE Filter flo, and I would LOVE to have one. I have cloth diaper and boy laundry to do, and I can't bear to waste $ on one of these HE deals that doesn't clean. Perhaps someone even has something they'd like to sell. I'm near Austin, Texas but happy to drive. I need a mother washer. Thank you!

 

[duke]

Go to your Austin craigslist,enter maytag, Look at that brown faced maytag work horse for 50 bucks.

 

[duke]

That is a 1980s machine.I betcha kenmore71 Mark can ID it with one eye closed.

 

[rp2813]

I'm with Duke re:  the Maytag on Austin CL. 

 

It's a basic standard tub model, but it'll wash diapers until the cows come home. 

 

For $50 it will at the very least buy you some time, but I'm betting you'll not want to part with it.

 

Here's a picture and link to the ad:

 

http://austin.craigslist.org/app/5971504765.html

 

[wayupnorth]

That is the same model, but slightly newer than my 1984 LA511. Single speed Fabric-Matic standard capacity. A true workhorse that will wash right thru high school with kids and then adults clothes. One repair on mine in 33 years which proved Maytag USED to be the Dependability People

 

[oldschoolmama]

Thank you so much Duke and RP! I emailed the seller.

 

[oldschoolmama]

What about this 1979 Maytag?

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/atq/5937024644.html

 

[duke]

Where is the chrome trim? I need ID help on this one.No pilot light over dial?Glass backed??1979?--HELP

 

[duke]

A106 but the back panel looks different??

 

[duke]

300 bucks?? Not I said the duck or duke

 

[wayupnorth]

Its right in that vintage of '79. All Maytags of this era are the same build, just a different console. There is a video a member posted, I know its on You Tube. Maytag 906 extravaganza. Shows the insides operating thru a whole cycle in a couple minutes, just wait until it ends. Those two and mine operate exactly the same. Unless you have the model# off the machine, it really doesnt matter, they are all the same build and can easily be kept running for a long time.

 

[rp2813]

That Dallas machine is way overpriced, which is why the ad is 27 days old. 

 

It's basically the same machine as the later model in Austin, except the Austin one offers a bleach dispenser, which I suspect could come in handy.

 

[gyrafoam]

Yeah. Somebody is dreaming about getting $300.00 for that. Could have been "re-conditioned" and "re-consoled" as well.

That machine in Austin looks great for $50.00 and you can easily put new belts on it, dust it out and go! A true workhorse.

 

[askolover]

Yeah, my mother washed hundreds of diaper loads for my sister and me in a 1966 Maytag!  It lasted 16 years and was still going when it started leaking oil in 1982.