A Washing Machine Repair or Replace Decision

[BonzaiDuck]

I have never had to face this decision. In my former Virginia home -- a condominium -- we had coin-op appliances in a laundry room. So it now seems to be the case that my Whirlpool washing machine is damaged -- broken.

This house in which I live now was my Moms', and I helped her navigate other appliance purchases and decisions. We replaced this washing machine at least 15 years ago.

My brother thinks that if the Whirlpool washing machine is 15 years old, I should just replace it.

I'm paying a repair service today to diagnose the broken washer. They will arrive today before noon. A new washing machine should only cost me less than $1,000. A minor financial inconvenience. I'm more concerned about not being able to wash clothing for more than a week's time.

Based on other members' personal experience, should I pay for repair? Or should I just order a new washing machine? I never gave it much thought as to how long a washing machine should last or how long to keep the same unit.

I suppose the first thing I should ask today is "How much money will it cost to repair?" I'm already leaning toward a choice of placing an order at Home Depot or some similar hardware warehouse.

 

[BoomerD]

If your current Whirlpool is 15 years old…it’s likely much better quality than anything new today. You don’t say what's wrong with it…so no way to guesstimate repair costs.

 

[jmagg]

First thing to fail is usually the "dogs". These are small rubber parts that grip in order to agitate, and are on the top of the drum assembly. 10 bucks and a 10 minute fix. If these were never replaced, and the machine runs without the drum agitating, you could get lucky with this simple repair.

 

[skyking]

You work on your truck, the washing machine is easier IMO.
Take a run at it yourself.

 

[Motostu]

As the others have said above, depending on the issue, it may be worth trying to fix. Ours had developed a water leak a couple of years ago. $30 solenoid valve fixed it. The washer/dryer we have are 20 years old, but we really like them (LG TROMM).

 

[stargazr]

I would fix it myself, although I understand not everyone is so inclined. Or buy a new one.

Since you already committed to a service guy coming out - they should give you a break on the troubleshooting if you elect to fix it? Chances are it's something simple. Then you will still have a machine probably better than you will buy today.

I just rebuilt a Kenmore washer and am happy with my decision.

 

[Greenman]

You work on your truck, the washing machine is easier IMO.
Take a run at it yourself.

This is the right approach. The worst that can happen is you pull it apart drunk and can't remember how to put it back together, or the parts are out of production.
Worst case is you're exactly where you are right now.

 

[Torn Mind]

Depends on how it was broken. A 2009 whirlpool would probably still have the direct drive motor and transmission system.

Whirlpool introduced numerous replaceable points of failure over the years while keeping the motor of durable quality.

I mean, it could be a sensor, clutch, "dogs" in the agitator, timer, etc.

 

[Paperdoc]

MANY possible causes. I'm a pretty good home handyman and maintained our older washer and dryer for a LONG time - over 30 years! - with several repairs. Paying for parts only and NOT for labour makes a BIG difference. OFTEN you can find on the internet (frequently on YouTube) videos of exactly the machine you have, how to disassemble and diagnose and replace parts.

However, about 5 years ago I replaced both machines. In shopping I was dismayed to be told by a sales person that the lifetime of these machines these days is NOT decades, but maybe 10 to 15 years tops! I bought a Whirlpool pair, relying on the name and reputation. In less than 2 years the drive of the central agitator failed, traced to a stripped nylon drive gear in the flat main agitator disk under the central tower. Replaced that. Then this past summer (less than 5 years) it failed again, and that was NOT the problem this time. Real source of trouble was not clear, and replacement of two other possible parts did not solve it. Next possible was the very expensive transmission unit. Moreover, from my work I decided that too many components looked weak and this would continue. So I removed the newly-installed replacements, cleaned them up and returned them for cash refunds. Went out and bought a new High-Efficiency LG toploader (with no central agitator tower). PLUS I paid for the Extended Warranty deal that adds four years of free repairs to the manufacturer's warranty, bearing in mind the failures I saw within 5 years on the Whirlpool. Here's hoping it lasts longer! Brand new it really is a nice machine.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Well the latest UPDATE. I contracted initially with a repair service to perform diagnosis for $75, which would then be folded into the charges for repair if I authorized it. The impeller or agitator assembly was leaning to one side, making noises and not functioning properly. This was the result of washing pillows and rugs. DO NOT WASH PILLOWS OR RUGS in your top-loading washer.

The repair took maybe 20 minutes and the final bill was $198. I actually think this may last or continue to work indefinitely as long as I avoid the abuses I mentioned. But I didn't have to lie down on the floor and lift up the machine or attempt to fix it myself. It saved me the time and avoided spraining my ass to do the work. No need to buy a new one -- especially.

I appreciate the opinions, recommendations and comments posted to this thread. I suppose the only reason I solicited responses was my lack of familiarity with a problem that might arise for anyone owning a washing machine for a good length of time.

But it wasn't a major crisis, and I didn't need to spend $600 to $1,000 on a new washer.

 

[Paperdoc]

I'll caution you on that. My first malfunction of the Whirlpool washer was that the central tall agitator top was VERY loose and resulted in poor washing. I found out on YouTube that it is fastened into place with a bolt accessible through the top of the agitator if you just pry off the cup for fabric softener. You need a long extension shaft for your ½" socket wrench set. So I tightened that back down. After a few wash cycles it was the same! I tried tightening again, kept on repeating. Eventually I probed further and found that the near-flat Lower Agitator Plate below that was so loose IT would not engage with its drive from below. On its underside I could see that the ridges of the splined bore on its bottom (that engage the teeth of a drive "gear" were stripped, and that's why THAT item could not be driven to rotate. The result was that, on every use, the drive shaft underneath would rotate but the two agitator parts would not, thus UNscrewing the bolt! The fix was to replace that Lower Agitator Plate, then re-install the bolt with a thread sealer. That did fix it. The easy obvious move - just tighten the bolt - did NOT fix the problem.

So, did your repair guy replace that plate? Or just tighten the bolt?

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I'll caution you on that. My first malfunction of the Whirlpool washer was that the central tall agitator top was VERY loose and resulted in poor washing. I found out on YouTube that it is fastened into place with a bolt accessible through the top of the agitator if you just pry off the cup for fabric softener. You need a long extension shaft for your ½" socket wrench set. So I tightened that back down. After a few wash cycles it was the same! I tried tightening again, kept on repeating. Eventually I probed further and found that the near-flat Lower Agitator Plate below that was so loose IT would not engage with its drive from below. On its underside I could see that the ridges of the splined bore on its bottom (that engage the teeth of a drive "gear" were stripped, and that's why THAT item could not be driven to rotate. The result was that, on every use, the drive shaft underneath would rotate but the two agitator parts would not, thus UNscrewing the bolt! The fix was to replace that Lower Agitator Plate, then re-install the bolt with a thread sealer. That did fix it. The easy obvious move - just tighten the bolt - did NOT fix the problem.

So, did your repair guy replace that plate? Or just tighten the bolt?

i wouldn't know at this point. I only know that the washing machine is working properly at the moment. It may continue to work properly for weeks or months. However, based on your own observations, further malfunction at some point will precipitate a search through Samsung and other models, with a new washing-machine purchase. Hopefully, choosing a different brand and model will alleviate any shortcomings of engineering design, which your experience suggests may be a Whirlpool affliction.

The only other question I could have is this: How long should a washing machine continue to give service? What do appliance owners imagine to be a reasonable replacement interval?

In the meantime, members of my household are under the advisory to wash smaller loads, avoid items that create imbalance, and report anything suggesting malfunction so that I can proceed with Plan B -- the "Buy" plan.

 

[BoomerD]

i wouldn't know at this point. I only know that the washing machine is working properly at the moment. It may continue to work properly for weeks or months. However, based on your own observations, further malfunction at some point will precipitate a search through Samsung and other models, with a new washing-machine purchase. Hopefully, choosing a different brand and model will alleviate any shortcomings of engineering design, which your experience suggests may be a Whirlpool affliction.

The only other question I could have is this: How long should a washing machine continue to give service? What do appliance owners imagine to be a reasonable replacement interval?

In the meantime, members of my household are under the advisory to wash smaller loads, avoid items that create imbalance, and report anything suggesting malfunction so that I can proceed with Plan B -- the "Buy" plan.

If you end up replacing the washer, skip Samsung and all the other crap in the box stores. Buy a Speed Queen. They really are worth the money.

I'm on my second set of Samsung front loaders. No real complaints...but when it's time for new stuff, (current set is 6 years old) it will be Speed Queen.

 

[pcgeek11]

If you end up replacing the washer, skip Samsung and all the other crap in the box stores. Buy a Speed Queen. They really are worth the money.

This times 100!

 

[Paperdoc]

As a guide for my recent purchase I used Consumer Reports and bought one highly rated by them. I DID read that Speed Queen units (an older design) are still built VERY well and continue to be long-life reliable machines. However, I live in Canada and could not find any retailers that stock them here. Plus, they are expensive, but apparently worth it.

 

[pete6032]

I bought a brand new Whirlpool washer 2 years ago. I am always a light user of appliances and careful with what I put in the machine. Within 1 year the machine broke. It would turn on and try to run the cycle but the impeller would not move. Fortunately it was covered under warranty, but moral of the story is that anything new is crap and prone to break for no reason.

 

[Muadib]

My current washer and dryer are 14yo. They are made by Samsung, so I'm scared now.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

My current washer and dryer are 14yo. They are made by Samsung, so I'm scared now.

Note made: Speed Queen. Revised house rules for the meantime duration: No pillows. No blankets. No throw rugs.

Of course, at the moment, I'm a lot less concerned about my washing machine, and more focused on the future of drought, high winds and wildfires in densely-built suburbs. Untested -- I hope my tile roof and well-cleared hillside continues to "work".

Suddenly, life seems tentative and tenuous. I can take a shower, and I can wash my jeans. That's a pretty good day, IMHO.

 

[Muadib]

Note made: Speed Queen. Revised house rules for the meantime duration: No pillows. No blankets. No throw rugs.

Of course, at the moment, I'm a lot less concerned about my washing machine, and more focused on the future of drought, high winds and wildfires in densely-built suburbs. Untested -- I hope my tile roof and well-cleared hillside continues to "work".

Suddenly, life seems tentative and tenuous. I can take a shower, and I can wash my jeans. That's a pretty good day, IMHO.

I take my comforters to the laundromat, because that's what my dad did when I was a kid. We clean our throw rugs with a carpet cleaner the wife got at Lowes. She trashes our pillows every year, which pisses me off to no end.

 

[Torn Mind]

Color me unsurprised that his "housemate" has quietly dealt her first knife wound, figuratively speaking. You would think that the wife of a relative for 30 years would know that a tossing pillows, rugs, and comforters is a TALL ASK for any regular size washing machine; that what a dry clean or laundromat trip is for. But hey, drugs either turn people into or exacerbate "seeds of malevolence" BUT they do things that are very hard if not impossible to prove are malevolent. At the very least, she wants to send a message between the lines: my services ain't free even if I don't get the cents; you'll still pay SOMEONE. Welcome to landlording; where you soon realize that keep old things around has SOME justification due to the behavior of tenants.
With that said, my advice is going to be hardline. Better to keep repairing that old dog than buying the new "Chinesiums". If you get a new Speed Queen, the creature of malevolence will find a way to damage you still.

Sites like partselect or other youtube appliance vids can be a start into DIY repair. My guess is that only the top half of the agitator got damaged while the metal bottom half held its own.

Well the latest UPDATE. I contracted initially with a repair service to perform diagnosis for $75, which would then be folded into the charges for repair if I authorized it. The impeller or agitator assembly was leaning to one side, making noises and not functioning properly. This was the result of washing pillows and rugs. DO NOT WASH PILLOWS OR RUGS in your top-loading washer.

The repair took maybe 20 minutes and the final bill was $198. I actually think this may last or continue to work indefinitely as long as I avoid the abuses I mentioned. But I didn't have to lie down on the floor and lift up the machine or attempt to fix it myself. It saved me the time and avoided spraining my ass to do the work. No need to buy a new one -- especially.

I appreciate the opinions, recommendations and comments posted to this thread. I suppose the only reason I solicited responses was my lack of familiarity with a problem that might arise for anyone owning a washing machine for a good length of time.

But it wasn't a major crisis, and I didn't need to spend $600 to $1,000 on a new washer.

I have little doubt the agitator is built like the following. EDIT: Heck, SHE might have loosened the bolt and nothing actually broke. You might have lost $200 over something as simple as that, as it appears the appliance guy didn't say anything was cracked.

 

[iRONic]

The creature of malevolence?!?!

HFS your life must be total shit.