Quoting ImperialEagle (Reply 99): They either have sworn allegiance to a certain brand----because they are a factory authorized dealer, or maybe they work for an appliance store that only sells that brand. An independent service person is usually a bit older and much more experienced especially with machines that were the pre-crap era.

The washing machine is Admiral. The service company covers a number of brands, afaik. They have 2 service engineers and my parents got the bad one. They tried to get a 2nd opinion from the other one (who had been previously for another issue), having heard about the delivery time for the parts, but unfortunately, once a service engineer has decided what needs fixing, that's final. The engineer would have come, but the powers that be said no, it wasn't covered on the policy.


It's a common theme on consumer programs on tv that repair men overstate the problems and charge hundreds for lots of repairs when the job is much more minor and sometimes just needs something adjusting rather than replacing.

Quoting oly720man (Reply 100): The engineer would have come, but the powers that be said no, it wasn't covered on the policy.

Yes. And all these policies have some fine print somewhere that gives the manufacturer/repair technicians an "out" to "disclaim" something as having been caused by a natural disaster or some kind of (alleged) abuse.
Here in the US the favorite is "power-surge or Lightning strike"-----voids most warranties. So I am always very specific when purchasing an extended warranty to be sure it covers these issues.

I wish I was familiar with all the machines sold in the UK.
I highly reccommend the Speed Queen brand and most of the older experienced technicians would agree with me, I'm sure.

Here in the US, Maytag swallowed-up the Admiral brand and then they themselves were swallowed-up by Whirlpool who now owns that name. Whirlpool, just like Maytag did before it, uses that name on "lower-end" merchandise.
Plastic crap.

Quoting Superfly (Reply 97): The computer had a virus but thanks to a fellow Airliners.net member, he was able to clean out that entire virus. Once the virus was cleaned out, we found some amazing photos of my neighbor.

I believe she was wearing a pearl necklace.   

You gave me that computer after I transferred the floppy drive to your other computer. I upgraded it and gave away to a former coworker a few years ago.

Quoting Confuscius (Reply 102): I believe she was wearing a pearl necklace.

Yes and had a mouth-full as well.

Quoting Confuscius (Reply 102): You gave me that computer after I transferred the floppy drive to your other computer.

Yes.
...and the moral of the story is to not be so quick to throw out electronics and appliances away.

Quoting Confuscius (Reply 102): I upgraded it and gave away to a former coworker a few years ago.

With those photos still on there?!?!?!?!   

Quoting Superfly (Reply 103): Yes and had a mouth-full as well.

Right, facial cream too.

Quoting Superfly (Reply 103): Yes. ...and the moral of the story is to not be so quick to throw out electronics and appliances away.

I still have a box full of old computer parts despite having recycled most of them this year.

Quoting Superfly (Reply 103): With those photos still on there?!?!?!?!

Nope, it was wiped of all private data.

Quoting Confuscius (Reply 104): Right, facial cream too.

Some believe semen applied to the face has anti-aging benefits. So I found the images educational.

Quoting Confuscius (Reply 104): I still have a box full of old computer parts despite having recycled most of them this year.

Next time you're in town, I've got to show you Pantip Plaza. You'd spend all day in there. It's one of the few places in Bangkok that sales used electronics and new stuff at bargain basement prices.
That is where I bought my IBM ThinkVision C220P Black 22" CRT monitor.
It was only $45 at Pantip yet it was still being sold new (up until last year) for $1369 brand new!
The build quality and picture quality is amazing. True color indeed!
Not concerned about new items that's only selling point is being newer, lighter and smaller. I'll take quality instead.
It also weight 85 pounds.

Imagine if such stalwarts of the lemon were still alive and kicking in today's motherboard, wimpy powered in the name of ecology appliances! I'm referring to noneother than Mad Man Muntz and the Godawful Montgomery Ward. Both were known for their lack of quality. Muntz did it especially with TV's if it required optimally 12 tubes back in the day, Mad Man Muntz did it on 6 with the expected results. Of course the lure were El-Cheapo purchase prices. Back then a full size Color TV with the round fishbowl screen for $299 was a steal or at least you thought till it had it's many problems.
Wards products were just bad luck things. I remember looking in the classifieds back in the early 80's looking for a dishwasher used and guess what? 9 out of 10 for sale were Wards. I wonder why???

Quoting Superfly (Reply 94): You should have kept your Buick.

It was time. Miss it though.

Just got in from changing the window motor on the 2000 Nissan. 115K miles on it.

The Honda, well, lets just say I was less than enamored at how many things were not covered un the BUMPER to BUMPER warranty. Had to contact Corporate twice. Such a joke.

Since Im moving quite soon, I gotta know what applianes are worth keeping and ditching.

Quoting casinterest (Reply 95): I have had Honda's and I have had a buick. I drove 2 Hondas to 200,000 miles with minimal normal MTC. I had to replace the Intake Gasket, wheel Bearings, and all 4 Electric Window motors on the Buick. Don't even get me started on the Ford that I had.

YMMV for sure. Driving a round a 2010 Honda pilot and a defective mirror and later, front compliance bushings were not covered even though I was well within the bumper-to-bumper warranty. I had to consult America Honda Corporation TWICE to honor their bumper-to-bumper warranty. They make you feel like they're doing you a favor meanwhile they won't honor their complete bumper-to-bumper warranty!

As of this posting this weekend, a new engine code came up. The third gear transmission switch is showing a failure. 61,000 miles. I bought a Honda thinking that I wouldn't buy a headache......

And funny you should mention the window motor on the Buick, last Wednesday I had to change out the window motor for the second time on the 2000 Nissan Altima.....

I'll take my chances on American...at least I'd be more likely to expect the problems.

As it relates to appliances, I do agree that there is a dumbing down of America. We are becoming more and more disposable society. But I don't think all hope is lost.

What's great is that we have YouTube and that there are hundreds of videos of the how to segment. As long as there are parts and people interested, how to videos , I feel help us immensely. I enjoy the pride and the feeling that I get when I fix something or create something. Moving into the next part of my life is a bigger house, I'm becoming more handy.

So once I move into the new house I know I have the new KitchenAid fridge in there, well I see new but it's stainless steel that's all I know. It'll be interesting to take a closer look at the other appliances come back to this thread and get advice. It's probably been the most informative threads of sitting here in a very long time.

Quoting mirrodie (Reply 93): Can be said of a lot. Honestly, we bought a Honda and its been nothing buy quality issues. From here on it, I'd rather buy a solid American brand.

Quoting Superfly (Reply 94): You should have kept your Buick.

My grandmothers 1st gen 1970's Honda Civic with hondamatic tranny is still going strong with well over 300,000km on the clock, all we do to it is fill it with gas, it hasn't been serviced in over a decade and is now just a car for anyone to use if they need it, but it still starts everytime, stops and goes.

Guess the don't make rm like they used to, kiwi rob. Nothing but bs here.

Anyway, came across the following this morning, as it relates to the original post

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/n...-tweaks-its-washer-tests/index.htm


New washer tests. I wonder what the magazine would opt to say about this thread.

Quoting mirrodie (Reply 110): New washer tests

They change the criteria too often to compare apples to apples. Has always been a problem with CU. So they would test how well Maytags could get out a grouping of tough stains and then test GE's with a whole different grouping of stains. Or they would test water extraction with towels in one set of machines and a mixed load in others.

Also inconsistencies such as for many years the comparisons between Kenmore and Whirpool washers.
Now, Whirlpool made all the Kenmore washers back then yet the Kenmore machines would constantly get a ranking better than the comparable Whirlpool----even though the machines were identical in everything but name!

Old-time salespeople always have a good laugh anytime they see someone come into the showroom with a CU Magazine or Book under-arm as they take that as a sign the customer is "clueless" when it comes to whatever they are shopping for.

The other problem with CU is the rating system.
They are only able to rate products based on how many of their subscribers reply to their questionaires. So when you look at the ratings they do not tell you how many people actually shared their experience with that product.

Oh, and for years and years the old Bendix and Westinghouse companies manufactured front-load washers in the US that CU was constantly giving poor ratings on because of lame water extraction, issues with oversudsing and poor performance overall when compared to TOP-LOADERS. But, the front-loaders did save water.
Today's front-loaders do extract water better than the old ones, are still susceptible to oversudsing (which severely degrades cleaning and rinsing performance) and they still cannot clean as well as the old top-loaders can. But, they do save water----sometimes. If you wash 6 loads a day in 10 years you could really see a water savings enough to justify the premium price you pay for that front-loader. If you wash 1-3 loads a week you are just not going to see significant savings. Not only that, but the new machines aren't going to last anywhere near 10 years unless you get a SQ.

Anyway, just 'sayin.

[Edited 2013-10-01 09:14:50]

Quoting ImperialEagle (Reply 111):

I.E. Actually, CU standardizes their tests. I know for dishwashers and DW detergents, they always describe their custom made slop they lard on the dishes and other stuff for each machine and measure out the detergent. etc.

Same goes for their laundry tests.

Regarding whirlpool and Kenmore, most of their stuff is identical but, one may mix and match parts so say the Kenmore gets the better quality parts.

Back in the day, detergent was suds, suds and more suds. Bendix rested on their laurels during the 1940's and the brand was sold and bandied about to different host companies. Were they not originally German? Westinghouse was usually maybe a cut above bottom feeders such as Norge and Monkey Wharts (Montgomery Wards) or as my folks used to say, the dreck you'd find in "Goy" households.

Back in the 50's they were always experimenting and the more chrome, lights and bells and whistles were what sold them. Some of the 1956 Bendix combo washer dryers (which bar-b-qued) the clothse with hot rinses and killer heat had control back panels that made them look like Wurlitzer Juke Boxes of the period. Some of those features were cool, kitschy and were fun to look at and now make fun of. Today due to PC and the environment, most of todays stuff looks identical to each other.

Quoting zippyjet (Reply 112): Same goes for their laundry tests.

Quoting zippyjet (Reply 112): CU standardizes their tests

I disagree Zippy. They take a certain model of each manufacturers machine and rate them, say in January for cleaning ability, and then the same machines are rated later in the year with more emphasis on water extraction. So the machines that came out ahead on cleaning might have lame water extraction or vice-versa. I have seen it in action for years. So one looses it's place as the Best Rated. WTF?

Quoting zippyjet (Reply 112): Back in the day, detergent was suds, suds and more suds

Well since most households after WWII were still using soaps instead of detergents, AND they were still using Wringer-Washers, the detergent makers made very oxygenated formulaes that kept a good layer of suds through the many additions of loads----the water was almost always re-used in the Wringer-Washers as rinsing was done in "set-sinks". Some Detergents such as ALL and DASH catered to the "low-suds" market when the Automatics came out---Bendix had the first PRIOR to WWII! Most of the brands we in the US are familiar with came out with Automatics AFTER WWII. A lot of suds was an advantage in the Wringer-Washers and a disadvantage in the front-loaders. A lot of people on well-water used a "suds-saving" feature available on certain US Automatics for years. The machine would pump the wash water into a holding sink and then procede on into the rest of the cycle. When you were ready to do the next load you set the machine to "return suds" and it would pump the previously used water back into the machine. Gross. But hey, you did what you had to do if water was at a premium.

Quoting zippyjet (Reply 112): Bendix rested on their laurels during the 1940's and the brand was sold and bandied about to different host companies.

Well, they were merged into the Philco Appliance Division of the Ford Motor Co. but not until the very late 50's or early 60's---I don't recall, the exact year and became Philco-Bendix. Bendix produced some of the very best of American Front-Loaders back in the day.

Quoting zippyjet (Reply 112): Some of the 1956 Bendix combo washer dryers (which bar-b-qued) the clothse with hot rinses and killer heat had control back panels that made them look like Wurlitzer Juke Boxes of the period. Some of those features were cool, kitschy and were fun to look at and now make fun of.

The Bendix Washer-Dryer Combinations were great (if somewhat complex) machines. (A surprising number of them still turn-up on the used market every year. I have one down-stairs that works perfectly.) They were very good at cleaning ability for a front-loader and they were very good at water extraction which was an issue for most front-loaders back in the day. Lots of heat was not something 100% Cottons had a problem with and in those days just about all garments were. When the Wash & Wear and man-made fabrics arrived it was a different story.

Back when most fabrics were 100% Cotton, the hottest washes and rinses also did the best job of cleaning and rinsing.And it still does.
(To this day I still use hot water to wash AND rinse 100% cotton loads such as towels, sheets and underwear.)
Very cold rinse water will not carry off the detergent very well. So I use a cold rinse in the summertime and switch to warm in the winter months.

The early automatic clothes dryers were very different from the ones of today.(The old Hamiltons were vented and they made some rebadged machines for other manufacturers such as GM/Frigidaire for a while.) Many of the early ones did not even need to be vented because they either had a method of extracting the humidity from the laundry by heat and internal air-flow or they used a method that sent a fine-spray of cold-water to capture the moisture and send it down the drain. Bendix, Maytag, GM/Frigidaire, GE and some others offered different versions of this type of dryer. By the late 1950's most were vented to the outside. That was not always very pretty as many brands did not have a lint filter and sent their lint right out of the vent pipe-----to flock the shrubry or side of the house with. Obviously, Gas Dryers needed outside venting. You have to keep in mind that even as late as the 1960's the vast majority of Americans did not own a clothes dryer and many were still doing their laundry with a Wringer-Washer.

Lighted Consoles were a great feature especially since many of the old homes back in the day were not set-up for Automatic Washers.(A Wringer-Washer had little wheels on it and could be moved around easily.) Many Automatics were delegated to a back corner of a dark basement or utility/tool room. If you had good lighting then the console lights were a good reminder that you had something "going" in the machine so you wouldn't forget it. And yes, some machines looked like Wurlitzers----they seemed to reach their peak in the late 50's and into the mid-60's and then the manufacturers began to cheapen their products. Slowly the lighted consoles disappeared except on the most TOL machines.

Quoting ImperialEagle (Reply 113): The Bendix Washer-Dryer Combinations were great (if somewhat complex) machines. (A surprising number of them still turn-up on the used market every year. I have one down-stairs that works perfectly.) They were very good at cleaning ability for a front-loader and they were very good at water extraction which was an issue for most front-loaders back in the day. Lots of heat was not something 100% Cottons had a problem with and in those days just about all garments were. When the Wash & Wear and man-made fabrics arrived it was a different story.

Cool, do you still use it for towells and heavy duty stuff like blankets and denim? Was it gas or electric?

Imperial E: If it still works please film it and submit to you tube! Highlighting the different cycles. Thanks Simon/Zippy   

[Edited 2013-10-03 16:26:01]