Did Maytag ever own Norge & sell a Norge with the Maytag Performa series name?

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Someone posted this comment to the 1988 Norge washer video on my youtube page.  

 

"This machine in 1988 was actually built and owned by parent company Maytag under the Maycor division at this time, though they remained for the most part a Norge design. These machines were also sold as Magic chiefs and under and also the budget minded line of Maytag's Perfoma series. All up to the time of Maytags sale to whirlpool. They where very nice machines for the price point and good value. I was in appliance sales at that time."

 

I know Norge machines were sold under the Magic Chef name around this time, but were Norge built machines ever sold as a rebadged Maytag Performa series machine??    This just doesn't seem right to me.   Everything about my '88 Norge washer screams "Norge from the 60's / 70's" but I've never seen a Norge interior like this under the lid of a "Maytag" (even when they were swirling around in the toilet bowl).

 

Thanks much!

Kevin

 

 

[repair-man]

I believe that Norge was already owned by Magic Chef at the time Maytag took ownership in 1986. So at that point , yes Maytag owned Norge. The Perforna line was introduced about 10 years later in 1996 and used the same basic design. Although very different on a cosmetic level. No porcelain basket, side opening lid , or burpilator agitator.

 

[goatfarmer]

Hence the moniker "norgetag".

 

[bajaespuma]

yes and yes

Yes, my sister bought one thinking it was a real Maytag. I scolded her for not talking to me before buying a washing machine, but, as usual. she ignored me. It looked sorta like a Norge with a plastic tub. Very cheap looking. At that time, anything that was labeled Maytag and "Performa" was a cheap alternate to the real thing. I remember Performa dishwashers in the big-box stores that looked like doll-house toys.

 

[DADoES]

 
This is a Maytag PAV5157AWW that I cleaned-up and sold two years ago.  I assumed it's a NorgeTag (or is it an AmanaTag?).  The agitator base looks like the Norge above but without the burpalator perforations.

 

[alr2903]

IIRC, these were the Herrin built part of the failing MT family. Badged Admiral, Crosley, MT Performa, they went as far as to make the fabric softener dispenser with the slots to resemble a real Maytag on the Performa's.

Did Maytag ever own Norge the best answer I would think is no. Did Maytag ever own what was left of Norge, yes. I think when they bought Magic Chef to get a complete product line is how it came about. It was sad.

 

[mrb627]

Maytag Performa Series

I don't think there was ever a MP machine with the burping filter. I am curious as if there was ever a long stroke transmission in the MP or if they had converted to short stroke wash action.

Malcolm

 

[yogitunes]

All Norge designs through Maytag were of the long stroke, don't know if they still referred to them as Herrin Trannys.....but I do know they were promoting it as a 'Dual Drive'.....duplicate gears on both sides of the tranny, eliminating the need for a counter balance...

with a short agitator post, not much chance of a burpilator, by this time, there was some sort of screened self clean filter, most likely mounted into the tub under the agitator...

first generation ones had a 3 straight vane agitator, nothing fancy, and then the dual action was introduced when the Atlantis machines came out....

if anything, they had a huge capacity.....

pumps seemed to be a weak spot for these machines....

 

[dustin92]

We had one that came with our house, all in all not a bad machine. Washed fairly well, huge capacity. As far as I know it never needed a repair. Still worked perfectly when I sold it. The matching gas dryer works but takes forever.

 

[goatfarmer]

I agree, the pump was one of the weak links. Picked up quite a few over the years, that had a loud growl when running.  New pump and belt solved it.

 

[crevicetool]

Don't mean to interupt the thread...

Very much off topic here...

Mr. Goatfarmer;

I very much like your avatar!

Judith, Keith, Bruce, and Athol

We now return to the thread already in progress.......

 

[gusherb]

When my parents built their house they got a Magic Chef set, this was in 1990. It lasted until 1998 and then the Amana set came on the scene. One of my dads rental units had a Performa set, I personally hated them. The washer was noisy as hell and the dryer collects gobs of lint in the worst places in no time.

 

[murando531]

The Maytag Atlantis MAV6300AWW we had was of this design. I always LOVED that washer, and it's still running without a single repair at my father-in-law's, where they're abusing the crap out of it but it's still chugging along with no problem. My parents bought it at the true Maytag store in Tuscumbia, AL when our beloved KitchenAid locked up. That thing could be severely overloaded and would still rollover and clean wonderfully. My only complaints were the lack of any lint filter, and the fact of the pump causing major suds because of running in reverse for agitation.

That picture was taken a while ago, when I went over and gave it a good scrubbing. I NEVER let that machine get dirty growing up, and took care of it like a classic car. I'm a bit miffed that since allowing them to use it after their high and mighty LG front loader took the plunge, they don't take a bit of care of it. I'm almost wishing the transmission or something would blow, just so I could take it back and scold them for how unappreciative they are. These are also the same in-laws that I gave the other PowerClean I rebuilt and restored, and of course they're treating it like crap too. The last time I was over, a tine on the lower rack was already broken off, and rust was already taking hold.

At least I know not to waste anymore generosity on them in the future...

 

[brucelucenta]

I have personally junked at least a couple of those very machines, the atlantis, because the transmission completely locked up and was slinging grease. The change to the improvised Norge mech was a bad one for Maytag. That change really blackened the eye of Maytag to customers who had the misfortune of buying one of those machines thinking they were getting a "Maytag" machine.

 

[goatfarmer]

Thank You, Rick Crevicetool. I didn't think anyone knew who they were.

 

[yogitunes]

NorgeTag straightvane agitator....

 

[gusherb]

^^^^^^That's the one!! ^^^^^^

Hisssssssss!

 

[askolover]

Weren't the JennAir

machines the same? I've only seen a couple of them in existence. One would think Maytag would have given JennAir the Cadillac treatment.

 

[goatfarmer]

Yeah, Jenn Air's were Norge based.