Warranties-worthwhile?

[john_b]

Hey there, I am buying my very first washer & dryer. Just bought our first house and this is our first appliance purchase. I'm planning to get brand new LG 3700s for both units based on what I've read here and elsewhere.

However, I am wondering how reliable they are. There's info out there for various car makes/models on average price per repair and maintenance costs per year, but I didn't see anything on appliances.

My questions to you all if you could give me your thoughts:

1)how many repairs would you expect on these particular units within 5 years? My guess would be 1-2.
2)what would you expect for a typical cost per repair? $150-$200?
3)With proper use & service how long do you think these will last?

So I was thinking about getting a 3 or 5 year squaretrade warranty. The 5 year is $345. It's no fees no deductibles so just exactly that. So if it's 2 service calls in 5 years for <$175 per call, it would be break even and in that case not really worthwhile to get the plans.

Thanks for any feedback and input, it's very much appreciated.

 

[littlegreeny]

Do you have a Costco membership? If you use buy your appliances at Costco with their Costco-branded credit card you get a four year warranty for free. Otherwise it's a two year warranty if you don't use their credit card.

And I'd spend a little more and get the LG 3900s. You'll appreciate the much shorter cycle times their turbowash system provides.

My experience has been if something is going to break, it will either be within the normal one year warranty period or after the five year extended warranty expires.

 

[DADoES]

 
I've bought extended warranties three times, among all the appliances and electronics and cars I've owned.

One was used, for a stereo receiver.  Bought it out-of-town, had to drive it 2.5 hrs to the store for service, although they shipped it back.

One was on my Fisher & Paykel topload dryer (interestingly, through Maytag consumer services).  The belt idler started occasionally squealing/chattering during (toward the end of) the covered period.  I called to check on service, was told it only covers operational failure (meaning: machine must be dead, 100% non-functional).  Unhealthy noises not covered.  It continued to tun for years without failure, the squeal coming and going.  I eventually replaced the pulleys myself when I did another repair on it, long after that extended warranty expired.

One was a 2yr replacement plan on beard trimmer (via WalMart), which it died at 5 years.

 

[combo52]

Extended Warranty's ????

Hi John , first question is how many loads does your family do a week ? If you are under 10 loads a week and take care of things you have less than a 1 in 10 chance of having any service call in the first 5 years . 

 

This is why they sell you only a 5 years contract, consumers only get back an average of 25% of what they pay for contracts so you are basically throwing money out the window.

 

Even if the service contract only cost 25% of what you were quoted it is probably still a bad deal because you have given up all control who repairs your appliance, When it will be repaired and you have no choice how they repair it, they can use rebuilt or non factory parts and you have no choice.

 

If you are concerned about repair problems be sure you have a good dealer near where you live that will fix your machines.

 

Spending $350 extra is getting you closer to a real Speed Queen FL washer, which has a 5 year warranty from the factory. The SQ is also designed to be repaired easily by the owner if you are so inclined.

 

At around ten loads a SQ FL washer can easily last between 30 and 50 years.

 

In general when buying a FL washer, stay away from machines that have reservoir dispenser systems, built in heaters also cause more repairs from the high current loads going through the boards, and diffently never get a FL washer with a tilted tub, it makes it harder for the machine to balance and you also can have tangling problems that are hard on clothing and reduce cleaning,

 

No truly great FL washer has ever had a slanted tub.

 

John L.

 

[john_b]

We usually do 3-4 full loads per week and then at least 7-8 very small loads as the baby (5 months old) soils clothes, burp cloths, washcloths, etc. I really appreciate the advice, though, I think we'll either go with an upgraded machine or just forgo the warranty. Thank you all! This is some really great information.

 

[sudsmaster]

Depends.

 

When I bought my Maytag Neptune 7500 set back around 2000, I paid an extra $100 or so and got the three year extended warranty. It was a good decision, because after two years the spider on the washer cracked and had to be replaced. Cost me nothing.

 

 

[petek]

See my posting in this section.. My new LG4700 bought in April this year just crapped out and I'm now washerless for at least two weeks. Where's that old scrub board.

 

[sudsmaster]

Bummer!

 

 

[gansky1]

Check Costco.  You may save a few bucks and more importantly, they double the manufacturer warranty on appliances and electronics.  You have the option of purchasing additional warranty period up to three years,  so five years total.  

 

I had to use it once with a Samsung TV at the end of the second year.  One phone call and told to  return it to the store for refund/credit.  Friends had a Samsung refrigerator serviced in the second year and all went well.  One call and servicer called her the same day to schedule.  

 

[mark_wpduet]

@ John

stay away from FL's with a built in heater?

No way I would do that. I agree with the tilted tub though...although it hasn't been a problem in my Duet (now approaching 16 yrs).

 

[sudsmaster]

built in heater phobia?

Avoiding FL's with internal heaters means you'll probably never get a really hot wash. If you are happy with 110F hot washers, never mind.

 

Granted, I had to replace the heater on my Neptune 7500, but it took about 20 years for that to happen. And it was relatively easy.

 

A lot probably depends on the brand. Miele has been putting heaters in its FL  washers for decades and we don't hear mush about them being unreliable.

 

From the comments so far, it seems avoiding anything LG might be a good idea, though.

 

 

 

[combo52]

Front Load Washers With Heaters

Can be useful for some users, I have my gas water heater set at around 135F and the hot washes I do in the SQ usually hit around 120F in the machine which is plenty hot enough to give great cleaning without destroying clothing.

 

I think in 15+ years I have only ever used the hot setting in fact, my machine does have a heater that brings the water up to around 150F, I have probably used this setting 20 times in 15 years can't tell if it makes much difference, it does use a lot of power and takes up to a half hour longer however.

 

These heater systems in FL washers in North America are not very robust, the wiring is thin, the cheap relays on the board are not much and the heaters them selves can get encrusted with minerals and fail, if you rely on these heaters you have a very good chance of a failure of some part of it.

 

I just wish we could get users to use the hot setting and enough good detergent.

 

John 

 

[ozzie908]

FL washers with heaters

Are pretty much all we have known here since the 50's. We never had such large amounts of hot water and in my home we had an electric water heater it used to cost a fortune and we had an electricity discount called economy 7 it was basically 7 hours or power at 2/3's cheaper cost, So the water heater was used on a timer so was the washer and the dishwasher along with the dryer. ok if there are a limited number of washes in the winter as wash one night dry the next. So in the 90's we had all that electric tank etc removed and a combi gas boiler put in, by this time the washer and dryer had been moved to a different area of the house with no hot water supply but that was not an issue as the washer was cold fill only anyway. Not many hot fill machines available now I think LG make one and so do Ebac but they do say its not worth having them hot fill unless your machine is very close to the supply and it is done on the cheap IE solar. But anyhoo 99.9% of washing machines this side the pond are FL and cold fill. It is as they say what you are used to. The Speed Queen I have in the wash house uses hot water but its near the boiler and depending on the cycle it can start to heat the water at 47c so doesn't take long to reach 60c. I have cancelled all warranties I had as why pay for insurance that has only been used on the fridge and I have decided now I will pay Whirlpool themselves to fix it if needs be. It was costing me close to £50 a month for the insurance I just hope I don't drop anything on the glass cook top........!!!

 

[sudsmaster]

I also set my water heater to 135F.

 

However, due to the lower water volume in a modern FL, even when purging the hot water line in advance, by the time the "hot" load is under way, the sump temp drops well below 120F, and takes a while to get up to 130F. If the heater is not activated, then the sump temp drops to 110 or lower and keeps dropping. Forget about using a hot extended wash program without an internal water heater in an FL. It will be lukewarm at best.