Front loading washing machines have always been more expensive to design and build than top loaders. The fact you are suspending twenty or more pounds of laundry (take the rated dry amount of laundry and multiply it by two or so to get what it weighs wet), for three or more cycles, times several per day or week, and you begin to see the stresses.
The above is one reason American shores rarely saw front loaders until recently; top loading washers are cheaper and easier to build.
Being as all this may, in order to bring costs down, something had to give with front loaders, and we see those results today. Even Miele made some changes to be competitive in the USA market, especially once there weren't the only front loaders around.
Look at the cost of the smallest capacity commercial/laundromat front loader, versus those sold for domestic use. IIRC, the cheapest Wascomat starts out at around 4K or so. However for that one gets a washer that will easily stand up to laundromat abuse for many, many years. Such machines are also designed to be repaired, even torn down, rebuilt and still keep on going for years.
Think it is a sin and shame that washing machines, both top and front loading are being sold today with average lifespans of five years.
