Maytag A608: Use it or buy new?

[ctrlaltdel]

Hi all!

My wife and I just moved into our first home (it was an estate), and the previous owners left a Maytag A608 in the basement. Quick note: the folks who lived here before were the only owners of the home, and they were here for 60 years. They were also meticulous about records-keeping and cleaning.

I didn't know whether the A608 worked or not, but its exterior and interior appearance are pristine and it looked to be in good working order. I just decided to set it to "small load" on the quickest setting to see if it would fill and spin out, and it did so just fine.

We'd already been anticipating a washer & dryer purchase, but now that the A608 seems to work, should we just keep using it or should we get a brand new machine? Would a 32-year-old machine be safe to use on a regular basis or am I just setting myself up for headaches?

Just to throw this in: the owner kept all of the manuals & parts catalogs, so I have those, as well. Their records indicate that they purchased this machine on December 14, 1979.

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

 

[ctrlaltdel]

Here are a few links to pictures I took this afternoon:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/XedgarsnyderX/2012-02-04_16-31-18_559.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/XedgarsnyderX/2012-02-04_16-31-49_999.jpg
http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d151/XedgarsnyderX/2012-02-04_16-31-29_657.jpg

Didn't want to just paste them into the thread because they're fairly large.

 

[ctrlaltdel]

Clearly those are photos of the Frigidaire Filtra-matic that was also in the basement of this house. I posted them in the wrong thread. My apologies!

 

[revvinkevin]

Just post the photos of the washer here!

 

 

Hello!  First, CONGRATS on buying your first home, that is exciting!

 

On the Maytag washer, if it's in that nice of condition and it works, just USE IT!   Maytags are VERY solid and durable machines!   These older machines are MUCH better built then the garbage you can buy today and it will out last them too!  

 

Allow me to clarify.  The majority of the new washers & dryers on the market today are built as cheaply as possible and simply put, they just don't last.   A friend has a Maytag or Whirlpool washer (same thing now) that was less then 2 years old when the water level switch failed.  This caused it to either not fill at all, or overflow and flood the garage.   I just heard about another washer that's a year old and the timer failed and had to be replaced.    I have a 2009 Kenmore Elite front load washer.  After a year and a half, the water level sensor failed (out of warranty), which caused it think there was an oversudsing condition all the time, rendering it inoperative.  I could go on......

 

I have a 1963 Maytag washer (48 years old) that still works and still works quite well.   I also have a 1955 Frigidaire washer which nearly matched your Filtrator dryer.  It's in excellent condition and works amazingly well for any machine, let alone one that's 56 years old (ran a load in it yesterday)!

 

I'd bet if you look at the records, your Maytag washer has had very little, if anything done to repair it in the last 32 years.   My point is: the older machines were built to last back then.  Now the components in the majority of new washers are built SO cheaply, they would NEVER make it 32 years without any repairs!  

 

I would imagine it could probably use a new set of belts by now (You can change them in less then 5 minutes).   If you are at all handy, you can inspect a few things and maybe do some preventive maintenance to make sure it continues operating trouble free.   Or find someone in your area who is actually willing to work on it, (might be tough, most service people would tell you to buy a new one rather then repair something "that old") or perhaps someone in your area from here on AW??

 

I hope all this info helps.   If you have any questions, feel free to contact me vial e-mail (it's in my profile) I'd be happy to help.

 

Kevin

 

 

 

[goatfarmer]

Use it! That Maytag A608 will probably outlast just about anything you can buy these days. Parts are readily available, should any be needed.  Easy to work  on.

 

[ctrlaltdel]

Thanks for the advice! We've decided to go ahead and use it. The local Maytag shop where the original owners bought the machine is still in town, so I might spin by there this week and talk to them about the belts.

Based on a few quick searches here, I'm thinking that I should avoid liquid detergent, right? If so, that's not a problem at all.

Again, thanks for the advice!