washer washer and more washers

[bpetersxx]

Says that it was bought 20 months ago and now needs bearings

OK the analysis

the bearings are out after 20 months that sounds like bad workmanship and or bad bearing seals if the bearings are shot in that short of time

could you fix the bearings or is it not cost or time efficient

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[bpetersxx]

now this Kenmore washer would be worth the price if they threw in that laundey sink that is next to the front-loader

A hint look very very carefully at the laundry sink

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[arbilab]

Mr. Obvious says, 20 months to virtual scrap on a $900 appliance is just wrong. The repair probably isn't commercially practical, if it's even possible short of replacing inner and outer tubs (some are built that way).

 

[toploader1984]

maytag

and some people on here think whirlpool has the best quality, NOT.

 

[qualin]

Not worth your time or money to replace the bearings in a modern washer which is worth less than $1000. At least IMHO.

 

[arbilab]

Surely if the replaceable (both drums) assembly costs $600 and the labour $200, it's not worth commercially repairing a $900 appliance. But there is undeniably something wrong with that. If the assembly were really worth $600 it wouldn't have failed irreparably in 20 months.

 

[pierreandreply4]

that's how tech works today most of the techs push the consumer toward buying new appliance witch in the end 1 fill the local junkyard and second makes us spends huge amounts of money for a new set when they could atleast look at the washer that needs repair and quote an estimating price on how much the repair will cost I have a 9 year whirlpool duet washer as of today since 2004 not one repair was needed on the washer but I for one thing know that if a repair was needed I would ask a tech on how much a repair would cost before spending 2000$ on a new washer dryer set.

 

[qualin]

Pierre, the problem is twofold.

The first problem is that when something is extremely cheap to start with, corners are cut to ensure that it's not very serviceable.

The second problem is that those corners are cut, it makes it much more difficult than normal to service the machine because of the way it is designed. This results in it being more economical to junk it than to fix it.

Commercial machines are designed so that they're not only serviceable, but parts which are problematic to fail, such as bearings, can be replaced quickly because for a business owner, a machine which isn't working is costing them money.

The problem with the consumer market is that there is a bit of a false economy. People are used to spending less than $1000 for a machine when it used to be very common that a well made machine cost a lot more than that, adjusted for inflation.

Consider that back in the 1960's, a Maytag top loader cost as much as what a very high end front loading machine costs today. (I'm talking about Miele machines here.)

The problem is, people just don't want to spend $3000 on a decent washer/dryer set these days.. that's the reason why the junkyards are filling up.

 

[robliverpool]

I know a lot of less than two year old machines this side of the pond seem to have problems with bearings failing. You only have to look at UK ebay and every week there's dozens of machines with the bearings gone.