Rant about LG

[washmate14]

Hello everybody.

I have been reading alot on this sight and have had a few questions so i decided to Join.

My Main question being

With all of the Flaws and Problems with LG how come They them selvs have not really been wanting to do anything about it seeing how it effects there sales reputation and so on,and why hasn't there been a lawsuit and or a complaint against them seeing as how There has been so much money spent that goes to fix the problem only for it to come back.

When you think about it all of the people that have spent money getting no where with the problem they have LG is the main one loosing because of all of the parts they send over and over again and the service men that they have to pay to keep fixing the same thing just to find out that the machine is unfix-able if your under warranty the Hell (pardon me) of trying to have them Replace it and them not returning calls (which if you have ever worked with a company you'll know that you seem to have that problem a lot) and them not giving or not having any information about the status of your case and Delivery date and so on

I can say its like Maytag when they started making FL'ers and they had all of the problems but the main difference being Maytag had a lot of credit on their side because a lot of people knew and loved their products from when they were dependable but LG just jumped in the market with good looking products and what seemed to be a good overall machine and as with the way of the washer and drier market is going people thought well hey there new (at least in this country) so they must be good with out doing any research as which should be done when going out and spending that much money for something that is depended on ever so much and they wind up with a bigger problem then what its worth.

I have when I was living with a Friend last summer they had an Lg Tromm and with in three months it was flashing an error Code "LE" meaning there was an overload in the motor and I being the Technical person of the house was left to deal with the Hell (pardon) of dealing with them and never got anywhere with the problem

IMHO with the Problems and Complaints of Current Washers and Driers I'd rather just go back to hand washing my clothes because I can count on myself as being Energy efficient and I wont break in a few years.

Now that thats Done. Maybe a few people here can Give there thoughts on the Matter?

- Terry Russell

 

[sudsmaster]

Wow, I think you've set some sort of record, not for ranting about LG (Peteski still holds that honor ;-) but for longest run-on sentences in one post .

Anyway, I have a Neptune 7500 and while it had a spate of major failures at the 2 year mark, Maytag did an excellent job of fixing them under the extended warranty and it's been trouble free since then. I had no problems dealing with Maytag customer support or service. I did have to wait a couple of weeks for a new motor/controller but that was more or less understandable.

I can drive a couple of miles and get just about any part for the Maytag. Don't know about LG parts.

 

[Cybrvanr]

One of the thing that LG has on it's side is that it's marketing to young, nieve people that have never previously owned appliances before. With this lack of knowledge, they may think that the amount of appliance malfunctions are just a typical thing of owning & operating appliances. The big point here is that these young people (my age and younger) grew up during the Microsoft windows computer generation. Outside of the automobile, the computer is probably the first real 'appliance' that these kids have owned. Anybody here can attest, keeping a WIndows computer running straight for any lenght of time is a challenge in itself. The reliability of a computer is obviously significantly lower than an old classic Maytag, Filter-Flo or your other favorite vintage machine. The thing is that when a Gen-Xer has to get their washing machine fixed every few months, they don't think anything of it...their computer has to get fixed every few WEEKS?!?!

 

[paulg]

Building the plane in the air

I read recently about the concept of "modern" manufacturers who "build the plane in the air".
I'll explain as I see it. A company called "XYZ" wants to make a product - let's say a freezer. They slap together some pretty box that freezes food. It works but perhaps is imperfect in its manufacture and support. The manufacturer knows it.
Off it goes to the market. People rush to buy it because of the trendy allure of the name and appearance. The manufacturer knows that a scary percentage of the public will be disappointed with it. However, after the first sales bonanza they'll refine, refine, refine,refine every aspect of it until the product and support is good. Unfortunately the early purchasers are stuck with the products of the manufacturer's first efforts. Not a good thing.
So when it comes to durable goods I tell all my friends... If you want to buy something AND the manufacturer ISN'T someone who you have heard of making that product for the last several decades. Don't buy it. The product produced by the manufacturer in question will likely get better in the decade ahead - that is so long as the manufacturer continues pursueing this product line. Heaven forbid that manufacturer figures out that they are an unsuccessful freezer manufacturer - then drops the line entirely. You'll then get support for a very short time and then its over kiddo.
There is SO MUCH TRUTH to NOT BUYING THE FIRST of anything.

 

[washmate14]

"There is SO MUCH TRUTH to NOT BUYING THE FIRST of anyt

Found that Out the hard way with my first iPod 1st generation Mini.

cybrvanr : I use Windoes and Its the Main reason I want a Mac.
One would think that with all of the things that can be done online now a days; some people would have the "common" sense to look into there investment especially one being of such high need and price. I know that not many people today have the Time or capability to venture off and try to do something on their own such as that. They would rather have it done for them no matter what the Price. Resulting in more lazy people, shorter product life and so on. True not being all the Consumers fault, but alot of people dont even take the Time to keep their Product clean. Perfect Example My friends mom complained about her Washer not cleaning like it used to (its a Tromm FL'er), So I checked the lint filer and there was the problem it looked like some one cleaned a brush and put it on there. But very true about the Marketers and this is what I believe happens:

The American Businessman's Ten Steps to Product Development ---

1. Can I cut corners in the design?
2. Can it be shoddily built?
3. Can I use cheap materials?
4. Will it create hazards for my workers?
5. Will it harm the environment?
6. Can I evade the safety laws?
7. Will children die from it?
8. Can I overprice it?
9. Can it be falsely advertised?
10. Will it force smaller competitors out of business?
Excellent. Let's get busy. George Carlin

But Not just the Manufacturer is to blame; When you think about it theres the Sales people that Will do anything to Sell products to meat there margins.

The funny thing I find in this. I am only 15, and I see alot of the problems in Products. The Carelessness that goes into design and quality. This is why I tend to like the Old Things, and the Good Craftsmanship and quality that went into them. Now almost everything is made by machine, and quantity in a day is more important then quality.

 

[exploder3211]

After this last computer fiasco and what not, i am not sure many american companys can build anything anymore.. Think about it.. A GE FF from 1975 is more apt to stay in one piece and remain running longer than a current ge.. I bought Dell computers for quite a few years because they where good solid amchienes.. But when they switched over to the Black cases, they whent down hill.. My last laptop lasted 18 months, my last two desktops lasted roughly that same time frame. An e-machienes a friend bought 7 years ago works just fine all this time.. I was talking to a guy today in office max who had only used Toshiba laptops for the past 8 years and wouldn't have anything else..
Like fridges.. My neighbors have a 36 year old Coppertone Kenmore in there carport that works day and night no matter what weather... There 6 year old Jenn air has broken 9 times in its life...
Cars are the same way.. I love my 98 Explorer.. It has 130K miles and has only needed a few minor repairs and a transmisson rebuild (that was more of a freak thing i think)... But gramps 04 exploder has been in the shop 9 or 10 times for many major issues... My Corolla is well built and put together and gets 38.5 mpgs overall... A similar Focus gets 34-35 and sounds like a tin can...

Why can't america get its ass together and build stuff right from the get go?

 

[volvoguy87]

Baby boomers and repairs...

I disagree that Gen-X people are willing to have apliances repaired. My parents are baby-boomers and their opinion is why fix it when we can throw it away and get a new one, because newer is ALWAYS better, right? Baby boomers have taught their children the same beliefs. They now realize that the appliances they buy are crap, and have become accustomed to, and accept, failure. It's like watching a child in nice clothes (think Easter outfit, or something similar) sitting in a big mud hole, covered from had to toe in filth, just smiling from ear to ear. You cannot make them understand that their action is wrong. The biggest difference is that while children in mud puddles can be considered "cute" people in their mid 50s generally are not considered "cute" under the same terms. I think that generation X and Y know no better than disposable appliances and get what they expect. In the 1950s-1970s, major appliances were much more expensive than they are today, adjusted for inflation of course. A huge concern for me is that while one can still purchase a cheap top loading washing machine for a few hundred bucks, a front loader is much more expensive and will likely not last as long. A new fromt loader may reprisent a more expensive disposable item than has been seen in the last century, aside from computers, of course.

Just my little rant,
Dave

 

[tomturbomatic]

Maytag is famous for refining design flaws in the field. The Helical Drive automatics had terrible problems with the tub leaning to one side or the other during agitation and tripping the OOB switch during drain. Those three springs at the base of the mechanism were tiny and had to be made larger, which they were in the early 60s. The Maytag flat top dryer we saw the picture of in the Imperial section was available as a no vent dryer and the first one set so many loads of laundry on fire that it was considered a fire hazard if it was plugged in. Their first dishwashers with the figure 8 filter and heating element washed and heated for 18 minutes in the main wash. It etched glassware almost as fast as hydrofluoric acid. The wash time had to be reduced. There was the more recent dishwasher that had such a propensity to leak in the front corner that they built in a small plastic catch basin in hope that the water would evaporate from the basin before enough accumulated to drip onto the floor. The first electronic dry control dryers would reach the point in their life where they would not shut off when the clothes were dry. The best solution Maytag came up with was to cut the wires on one baffle to take it out of the circuit and if that did not work, cutting the wires on a second baffle always fixed the problem. So it's not just start up companies that rebuild things in customers' homes. My parents bought the first Frigidaire portable dishwasher (a D&M machine). 9 times out 10, when it started washing, it threw hot water out of the steam vent. Frigidaire came and worked on it a couple of times. When the guy had the lid up and was holding the lid switch in the "ON" position while it filled, he was not fast enough on the withdrawal when the motor started. The machine threw water up to the ceiling and all over the cabinets, counters, floor, windows, table and us. He needed Robert's Lucite lid or just some brains. That was the point at which my mother called enough "enough" and told them to take the damn dishwasher and give her money back. That's how we got our first GE dw which ran for years without needing a service call.

 

[rp2813]

Throwaway Boomer Society?

I'm a boomer and both of my parents lived through the depression. NOTHING ever got thrown out, it got fixed. This is why my mom's '49 Westinghouse electric range is still her daily driver. If anything ever did get replaced, the old item was saved for parts. I'm afraid I've been afflicted with this pack rat approach for broken stuff, and I'm working to correct it!

These days, things like TV's are definitely made to throw away. A 20" color set costs a fraction of what a big bulky early 50's cabinet model B&W set did, with maybe a 12" screen. That 50's TV cost a fortune in comparison and got fixed instead of thrown out in most cases. Not so with the modern day set. It would cost more to fix it than replace it.

Seems lots of manufacturers are now making throw-away appliances. That's one issue. The other is, washers, like cars, have become more complicated and have expensive components such as electronic panels that require replacement instead of repair like an old mechanical timer. That's just one example. This I would assume is a result of market research. So now when you call for service on your washer, you can brace yourself just like you do for repairs to that car you're not even done paying for yet. Modern technology comes with a price, it seems, and there is definitely some truth to the situation around people being resigned to having trouble with products, thanks mainly to our buddy Mr. Gates.

Too bad that these days if you buy a low priced washer in hopes of getting something simple, basic and reliable without a lot to go wrong with it, what you're really ending up with is cheap junk that was not built to last.

Somebody could make a lot of money if they could get the rights to the old Maytag design and put that old center-dial technology back on the market. People who were fed up with the fancy schmancy gimmicky quirky and unreliable newer machines would come back home to the old workhorse technology of your basic old Maytag in droves.

 

[washmate14]

Everything is now made to be replaced... Because company's make more money that way if things could last long, and could be fixed they wouldn't be replaced as much. In the cut throat sell it or your out business industry that we have all became accustomed to.

Its becoming easier to replace then to repair it. That being said . When every thing's made to be broken, People are losing more money because they have to replace something every few years (if even that long anymore) rather then to repair it every few years and keep it running longer, so it wouldn't have to be replaced. This also hurts the world by having all of those big appliances sit in a field that could go to good use for houses for the House-less (not homeless they have a home it is just undesirable to all.). The fields could also be used as places for animals. More and more people are turning to NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard), but they expect everything to keep going smoothly, and for all of their waste to go some where else not stopping to think that that somewhere else may not have have room anymore.

I agree with Exploder when he said "Why can't America get its ass together and build stuff right from the get go? ". Also if built right from the get go. why not built more economical, and with less parts that need repair every time the fat lady wipes her ass. Like old machines where the hardest thing about them was choosing a color; but they seem to last for ever. Basically the only reason they were replaced was because of their age.

Terry R. Washmate14

 

[sudsmaster]

Junk is timeless

Junky products have been made for as long as there has been human commerce. It's just that the junk doesn't last more than a generation, if that, so the stuff that survives to be "classic" is usually the best stuff. Hence we get a skewed idea of what the broad selection of products really were in "the good old days".

At the same time, it is true that American manufacturers have tended to commoditize their products, in response to consumer expectations. In the 1950's, for example, an automatic washer cost about $350. Today, a typical top loader costs about $350. Clearly, inflation would dictate that the same 1955 washer should cost something like $3000 today, if not more. How has the price been kept low? By eocnomizing wherever possible. Thinner sheet metal, less porcelain coating, more plastic, more modular easy-to-assemble components (but expensive to purchase as replacement parts), and a shorter expected lifespan.

 

[laundromat]

I sell LG appliances all day long and their problems or flaws are far lower than GE or Maytag products I sold.The main reason of product failyer is consumer ignorance which usualy stems from the salespeople not giving proper information or the consumer's failing to either read or follow the use and care guide.the persentage of people failing to read the instructions far exceeds that of faulty products.One of the example's that really pisses me off is the one where the customer complains of mildew forming inside the washer(front loaders)and causing a horrible smell.Now guys,I am sure if these idiots were to turn off a cold refrigerator to go home from their vacation "palace"they would absolutely leave the refrigerator door ajar to keep mold and mildew from forming and smelling awful.Why then are these insecure,ignorant fools not leaving the washer doors ajar knowing they won't be doing laundry for another few days???????? Hello!!!!

 

[gansky1]

LG washer doors

Speaking of that, I have a client who would like to leave the door ajar on their LG TROMM washer, but the door is spring loaded and once released from the latch, opens completely. This is a fine feature for loading and unloading the machine easily, but in a laundry room that also serves as a passageway to a garage or in a hall or bathroom closet there is no way to leave the door open. Perhaps LG would suggest a little duck tape to hold the door from opening all the way??

 

[peteski50]

LG

Hi Greg,
I have the same objection about my LG where the door springs open all the way and I cannot keep it ajar slightly like with most other front loaders. After I usually wipe the boot and leave the door open for a few hours to dry, than close it and I don't have the meldew problem. (I am just afraid I will have the leaking problem again) After all my experiences I will never buy another LG product again. I learned that if a company doesn't stand by a product and give good service it's useless no matter how good the product is. I just wish American companies would make a combo.
Peter

 

[oxydolfan1]

Any more leaking issues since you last reported, Peter?

Or at least bad enough that you could bring it up to the company?

(Who ever heard of an "acceptable" leak? In vertical housing, there IS no acceptable leak!)

 

[cbosch]

appliance chucking

It may be sady that things are not meant ot last but if you had the same machine for 20 years it would get boring! Better to change every couple of years for excitement and variety

 

[peteski50]

LG

Hi Oxy,
Right now I am still keeping a eye on it and a few weeks ago it did leak slightly a few drops. But nothing since than. I do not do all that much laundry so it is hard to tell. I have to keep checking and we will see what happens. I will keep everyone posted.
Peter

 

[gelaundry4ever]

the trend continues

Here we are in 2024 and the trend continues.