Maytag Neptune front loader questions

[rickr]

Hi all!
First time that I have posted in the Deluxe section.

My brother has a Maytag Neptune front loader. I do not know anything about these machines, other than the reputation is not very good. This machine is about three years old. If the drum is turned when the machine is off, is it normal to hear water sloshing around? It will do this if the machine is not used for a week, or if it was just used. Is this a normal condition? Is it even worth repairing? I may tell him to replace the set with new Whirlpool front loaders.
Any input please?

Thank you,
Rick

 

[westytoploader]

Hi Rick,

The sloshing you hear in the Neptune is just the liquid-filled balance ring; a normal characteristic of these machines. What you really need to watch out for is a smell of mold in or around the tub opening.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Yes, it's normal. It's in the tub ring. I'm almost trying to feel something for Neptunes now that they are extinct and won't be stinking much longer. Just another one of those Post-Maytag Maytags that looked like it would clear the tree tops on the hill, but a few too many issues left unresolved by the engineering department, that could not be made to look like roses no matter how much BS the company applied, doomed them. People who had paid that amount of money for a fancy warsher throught themselves very ill-used when that board blew a couple of months after the 5 year warranty expired and Maytag stood up and said that the customer would have to pay. When word got out that Maytag owners had to take Maytag to court over service on them new-fangled expensive machines, it, well, it just looked like neither the machine nor the company was any durn good anymore.

 

[rickr]

Thanks Austin, I knew someone here would have the answer. Do many modern front loaders use a liquid as a balance ring?

I can recall when my older brother and his wife bought this Neptune set. They had a new home built,and wanted a new washer and dryer to replace the MINT set of late 1980s Maytags. I told them to take the old Maytags with them, but they decided to "leave them for the new people" that bought their old home.
The 1980's Maytag set was TOL and was SPOTLESS as my older brother and his wife have no children at home, and travel back and forth to Europe all the time. So they had very little use, and really were like brand new. They have had trouble with these Neptunes a few times already. And as I said, their washer and dryer do not get much use. Too bad they didn't hang on to the old "Tags"

 

[rickr]

You are so right Tom. My brother had left a voice mail about their Maytags. In his description of his concern, he said, "I know these Neptunes are a piece of shi-, but are they suppose to do this" (lol!!) So everyone knows.... Even if they are in Europe about half the time!

 

[brettsomers]

i clearly remember being so impressed and hopeful when the Neptune first appeared. they seemed so deluxe with their Maytag crest and stainless drum. Maytag, why did you do me that way?

 

[westytoploader]

Well, contrary to the oh-so-popular belief, I have learned that the first-generation Neptunes were pretty much trouble-free; Jon Charles has one of the first 1994 models and it has not needed a repair. When the subsequent versions were introduced, however, the problems started surfacing. Maytag couldn't leave well enough alone and felt like they *had* to "improve" it. Improve...hardly.

 

[repair-man]

1994 model ?

The first Neptune was introduced in July 1997. And the first series was by far the worst. These were MAH3000 models. The second models came out somwhere around March 1999. Very minor changes but did have slightly fewer problems. These were MAH4000 models. Then the final models (Newton built Neptunes) showed up around January 2001. So far these have been very reliable. Never any door latch or control board problems. The door boot was very much vented by this time so almost no mold or odor problems. And by 2002 (sometime), Maytag fired Emerson as the motor/motor board manufacturer thus eliminating the third big problem area. These were MAH5500B / MAH6500 / MAH7500 models.

So unfar as it is one could buy a very good MAH5500 today for $699 and have a ten times better machine than the original owners paid $999 or sometimes $1099 for.

ED

 

[foraloysius]

I remember that the Neptune was introduced in 1997, I had just found my way to the internet and to the websites with the American washers. There was a video with Old Lonely introducing the Neptune. I found it an intriguing machine.

As for the newer Neptunes, they still seem to have lots of repair issues. Epinions is full of horror stories. And although some of the people with older Neptunes place their review under the wrong model number there are enough reviews to conclude that the newer ones are repair prone too. And because the newer models aren't subject of the class action law suit, the consumer has to pay.

 

[repair-man]

I think most of the newer Neptune horror stories involve the newest Samsung made machines. I can only comment on what I have experienced personally. I sold a lot of Neptunes in my stores from the day they were introduced and the only problem that I have ever run into on the last generation is motor control board failures. And all of those had the Emerson system in them. I don't recall ever servicing one with the new motor. Time will tell for certain I guess.

Ed

 

[foraloysius]

These reviews involve the newer types with the windowless doors. Indeed lots of problems with the control board. One customer was offered a check of $100.- but the repair was somewhere between $350.- and $450.- IIRC. It made me think of the coil spring of my car that had to be replaced. After the five year warranty period had expired for more than six months it was still done under warranty. Maytag could learn a lot from that. Maybe Whirlpool...

 

[gansky1]

Don't forget the seal issues!

I have a 5500 in the garage that needs a motor control board, sad too because the machine is in mint condition otherwise. I'll eventually fix it and install it at my "late model washer proving ground" - my sister's house. She loved the 3000 I had here for a while - after I replaced the outer tub and control boards. I used the 3000 for a while here then sold it to a very nice older couple who absolutely love it. I worked on their Neptune gas dryer about a year or so later and they couldn't say enough good things about the washer.

 

[rickr]

Just talked to my brother Greg on the phone. He said that his wife recalled something in the owners manual about the noise from the balance ring. They had just forgot about it. The last time this machine was worked on, Greg was told by the service man that when this machine breaks down again, he should just purchase replacement machines. I told him that Maytag is no more and he said, "Good! They deserve it" He said they may just go out and purchase a new Bosch set. He just hates stuff of poor quality. (and so do I)

 

[frigilux]

Excellent question, Rick! A friend in Mpls. lives in a building that has 16 FL Neptunes in the laundry room. I also noticed the sloshing sound and thought "no wonder they have mold problems; listen to all that water in the sump!"

Just goes to show that all is not always as it seems...

 

[gadgetgary]

Aug '97

Got my Neptune. Never had a problem till Sept '05...circuit board and wax motor. Repair cost $350+...Maytag would not do anything since it was way past the class action lawsuit.

I still love my original repaired Neptune, but am looking forward to it's new cousin, a Dependable Care TL, joining by its side.

 

[irishwashguy]

I miss my Neptunes 4000 and the 3000

I did like my old machines when they were new. I did have alot of people working on them from the get go. When I took it out of the box( the 4000) it did not work and needed a repair before I could wash.I sold my set about three and a half years after I bought them and now have Miele. i love them. I could not do the top loader thing. I do not feel like all of the soap comes out with those except for my very old Unimatic, those did the job very well.

 

[goatfarmer]

Is it worth picking up the old Neptunes? I know of one sitting on a trade in pile,that I've considered. It looks mint on the outside. But who knows what lurks underneath.....

kennyGF

 

[peterh770]

Well, as of now, they are still selling the "classic" Neptune for coin laundries, so parts should remain available for a while.

 

[irishwashguy]

What you are saying is true.

I would say for postarity perhaps. As my friend Cathy quoted "Your going to miss me when I am gone!!" And we do at work. Same thing with the Neptunes .they are a little bit of a pain. The ergenomic element on those machines are great.They are really easy to open and close. i did not have to bend over to open the door. If you get one, just make sure you have spare parts for it; stock up now while there are lots on hand to save;, for it sounds like new parts could will dry up when Whirpool does away with Maytag. I did like the dryer really well. I could always have just about any load in 40 minutes.My favorate dryer of all time was the Halo of heat that I grew up with DE 307.Everything was dry in that thing. The Neptune 3000 dryer was the same way.