Had to buy a new washing machine, yikes!

[John Rogers]

Well our Whirlpool lasted 15 years or so and considering we did on average a load of clothes every day.....I figure that's not bad. The inlet hose from the water valve to the tub broke finally which is easy to fix but when I moved it, the bottom fell apart! So I did some searching around and we decided on another Whirlpool. I talked to the "appliance expert" at Lowes and he said the new ones with no agitator are cheaper, use less water, hold more clothes AND get rebates from our utility and water companies! So I looked at prices there and a couple other places and then it hit me.....hey I am retired Navy so I will try the base.

They had a 4.5 cubic foot model, normally $999 and on sale for $799 and then the tag on the front of one said an additional 20% off!! And on top of that, I had none of that CA sales tax which is 8% or something so that was an additional $51 saved! Wow, the only issue was would it fit in the back of my Chevy HHR and it did. My daughter, her boy friend and I moved it into the laundry area and hooked it up with new hoses and away we went. Really quiet and it was strange watching it work with very little water but the clothes came out clean. The rebates are $50 from SDG&E (electricity) and $85 from the water company! so the actual price was $505 after all was said and done for a $999 washing machine!

My wife is on 5 feet tall and we found out she can not reach the bottom of the drum without a stool so we'll have to figure something out there!

[Baz]

Mine came from Craig's list 3 years ago. $150.00

Has worked flawlessly.

It's an Estate by Whirlpool.

[John Rogers]

I looked in the San Diego area Craigslist and they had nothing! I was surprised as all get out.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by john rogers

I looked in the San Diego area Craigslist and they had nothing! I was surprised as all get out.

That's crazy.....they're always in there here in the Daytona area. San Diego is so much larger you would think there'd be plenty.

You chipped down the price on yours pretty good though and it's brand new!

[widgeon13]

Years ago my wife found one at a tag sale for $25 and it had to last 25 years. Now I think they might last ten years and cost much more.

[rattlsnak]

Originally Posted by Baz

Mine came from Craig's list 3 years ago. $150.00

Has worked flawlessly.

It's an Estate by Whirlpool.

I bought a whirlpool WD set for $300 with a 30 day warranty on CL just recently. There must be 30 pages of them for sale.

[Rick Lee]

There's a scratch and dent place here that has good stuff. I spent $300 delivered for a washer and dryer almost five yrs. ago. Not a single problem. Mrs. Lee constantly complains that we don't have the newest, most expensive models, though I do all the washing, folding and ironing.

[beepbeep]

Originally Posted by john rogers

So I looked at prices there and a couple other places and then it hit me.....hey I am retired Navy so I will try the base.

Edumucate me, what is "the base"? Top-loading machine?

We only have front loaders here in EU. I have a Bosch. Swallows 9kg of clothes and is reasonably quiet.

[John Rogers]

The "base" meant the Naval base at San Diego or as we call it 32nd street. At most U.S. military bases there are what are called "Exchanges" or "PX's", etc where active duty and retired folks can shop. Normally Walmart is better except when buying big ticket items and we then pay no sales tax. I my case that would have added about $50 to the cost of the washer. Yes it is top loading as I am not sure I fully trust front loading washers yet. The problem I have is my wife is so short she can not reach the bottom of the tub! I fully expect to hear her screaming when she falls inside.........

[recycled sixtie]

Call me old fashioned but I cannot imagine a front loading washing machine in our house. You have to bend more to pick up water laden laundry. Top loading is easier access.
Plus I would not trust the seal on a front loading wash machine.

Our 15+ years old Maytag wash machine and dryer work fine. When they quit I would get the Whirlpool top loading wash machine.

Guy

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by john rogers

I fully expect to hear her screaming when she falls inside.........

Yes my mother in law cracked ribs reaching down into a freezer....

[Deschodt]

If you can still find an old style top loading machine from GE or whoever with old style buttons, buy that... The modern crap is chock full of electronics. It locks the lid (or doesn't when it decides to mess with you), it beeps and sings at all times of days an night, it breaks down more often (too much electronics near water I guess), and it doesn't wash for $hit...

Think of the new washers as a brand new Audi loaded with all options. Sexy, but you don't want that 1 day after the warranty expires. You want the Volvo 1800, it'll never die.

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

If you can still find an old style top loading machine from GE or whoever with old style buttons, buy that... The modern crap is chock full of electronics. It locks the lid (or doesn't when it decides to mess with you), it beeps and sings at all times of days an night, it breaks down more often (too much electronics near water I guess), and it doesn't wash for $hit...

Think of the new washers as a brand new Audi loaded with all options. Sexy, but you don't want that 1 day after the warranty expires. You want the Volvo 1800, it'll never die.

I agree with everything you say about wash machines but cannot agree with the car comparison. My Volvo P1800 died of rust....

[Scuba Steve]

I've had great luck with a Kennmore Elite from about 10 years ago. It seems basically unchanged from the Kennmores that were made in the 1980s or earlier. My parents still have the set they bought in 1984 and they work just fine.

[911SauCy]

When you don't remove the "shipping bolts" from a Samsung Elite...they will dance all over the floor causing wall and pipe damage...

[beepbeep]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

Call me old fashioned but I cannot imagine a front loading washing machine in our house. You have to bend more to pick up water laden laundry. Top loading is easier access.
Plus I would not trust the seal on a front loading wash machine.

Our 15+ years old Maytag wash machine and dryer work fine. When they quit I would get the Whirlpool top loading wash machine.

Guy

I suppose it's a cultural thing. I never saw a real-life top-loader in my whole life. (or a leaking seal on front loader either for that matter) ...bunch of burnt-out heaters on old ones though, if water supply was cut short heater overheated.

Re: dryer, we got one with heat pump. The old ones were real energy hogs. Heat-pump equipped ones draw 1/4 of energy compared to old ones.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

Call me old fashioned but I cannot imagine a front loading washing machine in our house. You have to bend more to pick up water laden laundry. Top loading is easier access.
Plus I would not trust the seal on a front loading wash machine.

Our 15+ years old Maytag wash machine and dryer work fine. When they quit I would get the Whirlpool top loading wash machine.

Guy

Modern front loaders use so little water and are so efficient at extracting wash water from clothes that those are non issues.

Put them on pedestals and there is virtually no bending involved.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

I agree with everything you say about wash machines but cannot agree with the car comparison. My Volvo P1800 died of rust....

;-) yeah but how old was it when it did ???

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

;-) yeah but how old was it when it did ???

It was a 1968 P1800 and sold it about 1983. It was Ontario Canadian salt that did that.

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

Call me old fashioned but I cannot imagine a front loading washing machine in our house.

I worked in commercial laundry chems for a year. Top loaders are laughed at. Poor action, poor use of water, poor chemical dispersion. Even the smallest commercial laundry will have nothing but front load.

You have 3 elements: water temperature, chemicals & action. Action is crucial & that is where top loaders fail miserably. Those women beating clothes by the stream knew something . . .

Ian