Talk about junk!

[rolls_rapide]

"a sensor replaces the dipstick..."

That is utter madness. Sensors and the associated control circuitry do go faulty.

What happens when the sensor 'sticks' at the nominal level, and a slow leak causes oil to trickle away, say, over the winter months, when lighting levels are dull and the weather washes evidence away? An oil leak could go unnoticed for ages, and all that time the car is saying everything is tickety-boo.

 

[vacerator]

Well, if the oil level gets too low, over heat or lock up.

Whose engine no longer also has a dipstick? Most vehicle operating manuals also still tell the driver to check the engine oil at each fuel stop. However, most don't even bother to look at those anymore.
Our sales person when he delivered our car to us said call or stop by anytime if we had a question or problem. My hubby told him I'd likely read the book as well.
You do seem like the type he replied.
I didn't notice the "puddle lamps" on the bottom of the side mirrors until I saw it in the book. I hadn't driven it in at night yet. Somme may think these are also idiot lights.
Nice details as well are the reclining rear seats, and the squiggly rear window defrosting grid where the wiper blade rests. I guess to melt ice faster so the wiper doesn't stay frozen to the glass.

 

[wft2800]

I'm not sure I necessarily need a dipstick to prevent low oil level wrecking my engine. I can tell so much about how an engine is running just by listening...

 

[fan-of-fans]

It's too bad they're poorly made. I had heard good things about these top filter dryers. The design goes back to the 1950s and from what I hear they're one of the better designs as far as not getting line accumulation.

 

[vacerator]

An ounce of

maintainence is worth a pound of cure? By the time you hear ticking and rattling in an engine, there is damage.

 

[wft2800]

Vacerator, true to a certain extent, but you can tell a great deal about stuff like worn timing-chain guides and tensioners just by listening to the engine. It doesn't mean that catastrophic failure is imminent, but if you do hear any chain rattle, it's probably prudent to get those replaced. FWIW my M62TUB44 V8 is on its original everything (other than alternator and water pump IIRC!) at 225,000 miles, and not a hint of chain rattle yet. I keep it fairly well topped-up with oil (there is a dipstick, but I generally know how much it'll have used over the last however long anyway) and, touch wood, the old girl keeps ticking along. My three E39s have a combined age of 55 years now, and I hope to keep them a long while yet.

Anyway, back to dryers. Why is it that people still expect to pay the same prices their parents paid 20-odd years ago without a decline in quality? What does it take to get people to cough up more cash for a durable piece of engineering? Miele manages it here...

 

[vacerator]

True Richard, and some folks just want low cost over quality

I know that is also the case with the Jaguar later JA V8 engine. If you hear the timing chain clatter early on, and have it repaired, you avoid piston and valve mashing and failure.
As for big money for a better dryer, etc., some just don't have it. Others just want new, for a lower price than the better. Otherwise, Miele would sell many more.
If they'd do the math, they'd figure that spending a hundred pounds more for the Miele to last five years longer or more is well worth it.

 

[pierreandreply4]

here what i think

here is what I think when it comes to buying a new washer dryer sometime we need to be budget wise washers and dryers of today are not like they where during the 60 or 1970 time change if the appliance is well cared for and not use regularly they might last but say you have a family with kids where you need to do laundry regularly because of clothes is heavy soiled then that can shorten the lifespan of the appliance itself on both the washer and dryer no matter what the brand is

 

[wft2800]

The first-gen 4.0 AJ-V8 did have those chain issues you mention, as well as Nikasil bore-wear. Now, the high-sulphur fuel that caused that problem is long gone, but the Gen1.5 AJ-V8, as well as the Gen2 and Gen3 versions (4.2 and 5.0 respectively), have all had cast iron liners as well as better tensioners & guides... BMW and Porsche (who also had Nikasil issues) moved to Alusil liners which, touch wood, are fine...

I wonder how many of the old battleship Whirlpool/Kenmore dryers are still purring away after 40-odd years? Or the Maytag 808 etc "Stream of Heat" machines? Simple designs, but robust and reliable, if not as nice as a Filtrator... I'm guessing they cost a fair few bucks when new, but when you amortise that across decades of reliable service and account for the consequent peace of mind...

Alas, it does seem that the accountants have taken over. We all saw what happened when they took over Mercedes-Benz in the 90s... the legendarily robust W124 E-class was replaced by the infamously fragile and rust-prone W210, which was designed and built entirely by engineers to prove exactly what they were capable of (along with the fabulous W140 S-class and R129 SL). They STILL haven't lived down the resultant scandal and whiff of unreliability in terms of public perception!

 

[vacerator]

Of course Richard,

Those old battleship dryers would be more still in use if not for their small capacity. An old dryer used to last twice as long as washers.
American families during the baby boom were larger. So there was little desire for older smaller dryers. Many were just trashed when they wore out.
Planned obsolecense to a point. Once those magazine adds showing mom folding bath towels on the large drop down dryer door, that was that.

 

[pierreandreply4]

these dryers same for washers where the good old days

these older dryers as well as there matching washers where the good old days when appliance lasted longer unlike today appliances that do not last long its as if appliances company makes them last less longer to force consumer to spend and buy new appliance like they think the quality of the appliance is not important if you had to change your washer dryer set what would you chose vintage or modern?

 

[wft2800]

Small capacity from those whacking great old Kenmores, really?!

 

[vacerator]

I meant

primarily prior to 1965. Also when our full size cars, etc began growing.
119 inch wheelbases, at least, and a width of about 77 inches to seat 3 abreast, if not four. Heft weighed in at about 4,200 lbs average, and most cars had no heavy air con. yet.
Those York compressors were especially large and heavy. by 1971, GM B bodies wheelbase was 121 inches. C bodies longer, through 1977. Even 116 inches today is long, for sedans. Chevy Traverse is 120 inches.

 

[speedqueen]

The old '65 and back design wasn't really any smaller than what same after. Next to our Speed Queen AWN432 is a 1965 model, the stream of heat dryers are of good capacity, the older Halo-of-Heat dryers are the small ones, although some think the automatic dry cycle was more accurate

 

[spinmon]

ad bump.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Just saw sis on the 4th and they gave her a Maytag for the same money. Lets see how many Maytags fail in two months lol

 

[vacerator]

Junk

rolls down hill too.
I know most of us agree.

Tutti grande nella piccolezi. Means small, yet large.

 

[man114]

Interesting. I have a Kenmore that is quite similar from about 3-4 years ago and we do a metric ton on laundry and it’s held up like a champ.

 

[vacerator]

Not pointing fingers,

but people are more apt to write bad reviews online than good ones.
I also think some share holders or corporate people post negative reviews about the competition.
That's today's world as we all well should know by now.
A couple of examples; Oneida fine flatware "Rusted after two washings". Maybe if it was exposed to ocean salt spray directly.

I read feedback reviews for Ethan Allen furniture, and most were very negative.
That has not been our experience at all. Yes, the special orders take longer, but they deliver promptly. Customer service has been excellent.
Our leather ottoman was delivered with a tiny tear on the side, and they are replacing it with a new one. The man who came out to inspect it said he could repair it, but you'd be able to tell. I'm sure it did not leave the factory that way. The people who make their furniture all sign the pieces. Even in Mexico.
86 years they've been making fine maple wooden furniture in Orleans Vermont.
I could post a photo of our beautiful Ridgedale sharkfin grey cabinet, but I'd rather not gloat. Inside the left bottom drawer says "Made in America".