Talk about junk!

[robbinsandmyers]

I just came back from my sisters place for fathers day with dad and heard the stories about her new WP dryer. Or should I say dryers. I mentioned her new WP washer sounded like it had diarrhea and she told me the story of how she's on her forth dryer in two months! Seems the first two had the tub rollers fall apart in two weeks. The third just stopped working. And now the fourth has the seal around the door splitting already. I told her how my landlords 35 year old Kenmore extra capacity electric dryer still works perfect along with my A407. This is why everything except the electronics and my bed are pre WWII in my house and it all still works perfect.

 

[spinmon]

Very sad to hear a new Whirlpool made so poorly. My SQ's are almost 6 years old and looking like the last set I'll own barring an 'unrepairable' failure.

My previous 1996 KM '90' series never let us down. I bought the SQ's thinking I better get the last of the decent/non-electronic/reasonably priced tl machine. Glad I did.

 

[maytag85]

The newer Whirlpool 29" dryers are not as good as the older ones are. Ever since Whirlpool came out with their newer belt drive washers, their build quality has gone down hill not only in their washers, but their dryers as well.

 

[norgeway]

Nothing

Is as good as it once was! Everything is built to fail, I just made a cake with a early 50s Dormeyer and baked it in a 59 Westinghouse, the feel, sound and performance of the old stuff is just leagues ahead.

 

[henene4]

"junk"

I don't know what you people all expect.

What are these dryers sold for today? 550$? Maybe 600$ tops?

That's anywhere from 50-60$ in 1950.
Back in the day these were sold from 200$ upwards. Let's say you bought a 200$ dryer in 1960, that would be almost 1700$ today.

In the 50s up until the 70s, a new appliance ment spending sometimes the entire salary of a month on it.
Imagine that today!

 

[vacerator]

These are lower end models which sell

for about $370 in electric, $450 in gas. Actually, the less expensive Roper line which also has the lint screen on top, are touted as the best in value, and durability. I've not heard of any failing within 90 days, unless maybe in commercial use, which they are not meant for.
In the 70's, my dad serviced a trash compactor for a bar owner, and told him out right, it is not a commercial can crusher.
I think there are two grades of drum rollers. The lower quality for these, and better, longer lasting for the more costly lines of Whirlpool and Maytag dryers.
Whirlpool still makes a very good dryer. I have a 2010 model, with the lint screen inside the door, and have not yet needed to service it. I vacuum the lint plenum every 6 months or so. Three of used it since new, now two.
Oh, and Whirlpool no longer makes a belt driven washer. I have one though, and agree, not that great. The drive system isn't that bad, but the load sensing and electronics are. Maytag Bravos X, top line with lid window.

 

[DADoES]

<blockquote>vacerator:  Oh, and Whirlpool no longer makes a belt driven washer.</blockquote> The VMW design introduced circa 2010 is belt-drive.  The Maytag MVWP575GW commercial-home model that has been discussed as a SQ alternative is belt-drive, look up the parts diagrams to confirm.  There is a VMW variation that uses the SmartDrive motor in a direct-drive fashion, such as Maytag MVWB856GC and Whirlpool WTW7500GW among others, but several belt-drive models are currently on the market.

 

[johnb300m]

Henrick's right.
When you're selling these things for barely $500 or less, it's amazing they're not made out of foil and paper.
They're clearly making up pennies of profit on volume.
Retail wants their margin. WP wants their margin. On a $399 machine, sometimes lower, I honestly don't know how they do it.
The motors are so cheap now, they're aluminum windings on the low end machines.
Selling for such low prices, and with commodities/materials costs squeezing WP, and now our super awesome trade war coming, the supply chain is going to have to shave even more cost out of the components.
They'd have to use the absolute cheapest rollers and slides and gaskets they can find from China, Vietnam, Africa, wherever. Just to make a sliver of profit on these.
The result of course, is quite literally, a disposable dryer.

The Maytag washers and dryers I have along with my parents, were all around $800 retail. On sale.
And their build quality and performance are pretty much fine and what's expected at that price point.
Good components, well put together. Wash and dry very well.

I know it's not at all fair for financially unfortunate folks to be saddled with buying a cheap appliance out of necessity. But they sure won't be built to "last" at that price. They'll be priced to barely function, and move off the sales floor for someone who can only afford a $400 dryer.
Of course, the sad reality is, and we all know, that cheap shoddy dryer ends up costing more over time out of repair and replacement.
It's almost like a cruel joke on the consumer.
But business and capitalism are not charities, with no regard for humans.
Sometimes the market corrects that. A lot of times it does not.
C'est la vie.

 

[speedqueen]

In this case, I'll keep my '65 model and newly acquired 1953 model that have no rollers to fail in the first place.

 

[vacerator]

Yes Glenn,

I did say mine was a 2010 model. The VMW Whirlpool design became direct drive in 2016 replacing both the belt drive, and former floating basket design hall sensor direct drives.
I also looked up the schematic and service manuals after a few discussions here seemed that we were all a bit confused on it.
The new design has a magnetic clutch in place of the splutch, and floating basket drive gear repsectively.

 

[vacerator]

Rollers?

Not in the hair? Then shame on you. Use Dippidy Doo.
Not to be confused with Rollermatics.
The Whirlpool modern dryer is very easy to service. Order the new idler pulley, belt, and roller kit, felt gasket if needed. Unplug. Remove the front, top, or let it hang on a makeshift chain attached to the back of the console. Remove the belt, lift the drum out, then rollers and idler pulley. Install new ones, and reassemble.
The GE's are also easy.

 

[wft2800]

400 bucks is still quite a lot for something this simple - it's on rollers, there are no bearings, it's vented, not condensing, there's no heat pump, it should be cheap as chips to make, so for it to fail so soon is unforgivable. 400 bucks is plenty to make a good solid basic vented dryer that'll last. Now, if it was a heat-pump condenser job with a drum bearing, I'd say 'of course it fell to bits, there's no way you can make one solidly for 400 bucks', but it's not!

 

[DADoES]

 
The Maytag MVWP575GW model predates this 2016 design change, being belt-drive?  Interesting.  Maybe that's related to its commercial roots.

 

[runematic]

Vacerator, you are wrong once again.  Current VMW washers ARE still belt drive.  I have the MVWC565 on my floor right now & it's BELT drive.  The current MVWC465 is belt drive.  The Amana NTW4516 is belt drive. The MVWP575 is BELT drive.   Now on the other hand, the mvwB765/766, mvwB835 etc are NOT belt drive, but are direct drive.  

 

[speedqueen]

The new Maytag is belt-drive, I saw a video showing the underside.

 

[johnb300m]

$400

That's were you're mistaken though.
It's not that WP is making them for $400.
They're probably making them for $150 or $200.
WP needs their cut to make some money.
Retail takes a big cut too.

There's a lot of steel and parts in that "super simple" dryer as well as electronics to absorb that $150 BOM cost allowance.
And as I said, with imports now going through the roof, the price of that same cheap - ass dryer will only go up as well. It has to, or WP would be wise to just stop making them.

 

[good-shepherd]

"junk" I don't know what you people all expect.

The problem is the average customer, (as with many products), doesn't have much choice to spend a little more to get a higher quality product, unless they want to first research then hunt far and wide to hopefully find something decent. Not always an option when your washer suddenly died and you need something right now.

This is called "Shrinkflation" paying the the same but getting less. I see it in clothing, auto parts, home furnishings and fixtures, almost everything in one way or another.

 

[henene4]

But you aren't paying the same. That is exactly what I calculated.

And you do have choice. The used market is huge and espevially with dryers a verry viable choice.
And if you are not willing to research first, well, honestly, 100% your fault.

 

[Chetlaham]

Getting something from nothing

I disagree once again... GE made BOL appliances that cost less than the average yet lasted 3x as long. If they wanted to they could make a $250 dryer that lasted 35 years.