Washing machine & dryer bundle.

[Robovac rider]

As a curiosity I looked up the Bosch Series 2 washing machine, the motor can be bought for ~€60, bearing and seal kits for ~€100.

Yes that would make a replacement motor economical.
The only problem then is making sure it's the motor that is faulty.

I previously bought two identical washing machines. One for myself and the other for my parents. A fault developed on one machine where the motor did not work at a certain speed setting. I swapped the motors but the fault remained. I then swapped an electronic module from the working machine. This cured the speed problem.

Without the set of working parts from the good machine I might have ended up buying a new motor unnecessary.

I replaced drum bearings twice. One repair was successful, but the second repair failed after a few months. I probably damaged the machine while trying to hammer out the old bearing without the proper tools.

I would not consider paying €100 for a new bearing kit. There is to much work involved in this job. Basically a full hard days effort.

But judging by the cost of the new motor, maybe there is pressure on manufacturers to provide reasonably
priced spares.

 

[Leper]

With one exception every washing machine we bought lasted at least 20 years. The exception lasted one week only. Technology is improving faster than ever. Perhaps twenty years service is not as economical as I once thought. I remember most of our washing machines had a minimum of one hour on any wash. The modern machines have 15 mins and even less time washes. For the record we have a Miele at present and we’re happy with it especially the shorter washes. Use a drier in my house during peak time and you could immediately be on my Most Hated List.

I’ve always found when repair is required, it’s time to buy again. Repairmen have call-out charges even before they replace anything and then their Labour charges of course.

 

[Colin4444]

Technology is improving faster than ever

I would have to agree and disagree - technology is improving, but that does not mean they last longer..
Manafacturers purposfully design so that parts fail after certain periods of time...
Plus devices are becoming so complex that they are doomed to fail anyway..

Gone are the days of simple machines that just keep working, or are very easy and cheap to repair!

 

[Leper]

I have heard electrical manufacturers programme their products to last only a specific time, but if this is true I think they are risking being prosecuted and paying huge fines.

 

[Colin4444]

I have heard electrical manufacturers programme their products to last only a specific time, but if this is true I think they are risking being prosecuted and paying huge fines

I dont think they program them, they just design parts to fail / wearout after a certain period of time..

 

[charlie007]

What did you buy in the end on both the washer and dryer and where did you find the best value?

The Bosch washing machine scored highly on Which? Also the 5 year free extended warranty was a major plus for me.

The dryer was also highly recommended but like others above I won't need to use it very often! It also includes a free 10 year parts guarantee.

 

[Colin4444]

The Bosch washing machine scored highly on Which? Also the 5 year free extended warranty was a major plus for me.

The dryer was also highly recommended but like others above I won't need to use it very often! It also includes a free 10 year parts guarantee.

The problem with scoring high, is it doesnt take longevity into account... typically a machine should last alot longer than 5 yrs, so they give the 5 yr warranty as the likelihood of something going wrong in that period is slim.. I know its better than not having it, but still.. also read the small print, ppl have the idea that if anything goes wrong it will be fixed, that may not be the case..

As I said before its just luck, I had a Samsung washing machine, that lasted 5 years then broke, have a cheaper Beko one that has lasted longer now..
Also have a washing machine since 2004 in the rented house that is still going, I think its hotpoint...

Just luck....

 

[Leo]

I have heard electrical manufacturers programme their products to last only a specific time, but if this is true I think they are risking being prosecuted and paying huge fines.

That is definitely not true, it would be detectable and result in very serious repercussions. What they do is design to a desired MTBF (mean time between failure). Electrical and mechanical components are specified and tested to varying quality standards, each will be rated based on function, like switches and relays get rated for electrical and mechanical lifespan, the electrical based on power-on hours, the mechanical on number of operations. The manufacturer decides what quality components to choose for a particular model, with the more expensive models getting parts rated for longer life.

 

[Robovac rider]

The manufacturer decides what quality components to choose for a particular model, with the more expensive models getting parts rated for longer life.

Yes you might get better quality motors and drum bearings for example. But I would reckon that a lot of components like door seals, flexible hoses, belts, water valves and electronics in the controller might be standard quantity on all machines.

I would still stick to the buy cheap and don't bother with repairs strategy.

 

[Leo]

But I would reckon that a lot of components like door seals, flexible hoses, belts, water valves and electronics in the controller might be standard quantity on all machines.

Some will share certain components, some will be different, again, you can clearly see the difference across some models in the same range from the repair part catalogues. I'm an avid DIYer, so my preference is heavily skewed towards fixing things, others skew the other direction and would rather pay hundreds rather than take on such a job.

The hope is that the legislation will make DIY easier for those who favour that path, and cheaper for those willing to bring it for repair. If successful (and only time will tell there), there should be a significant reduction in the 35 million tonnes of covered products discarded each year.

 

[Robovac rider]

An example of shared components.

I bought a €200 hybrid bike in Halfords about 10 years ago.
This was one of Halfords own brands. Aluminium frame wheels etc.

About the same time my wife bought a premium branded hybrid bike on the cycle to work scheme for €600. Aluminium frame wheels etc.

Both bikes have identical Shimano branded brakes.

 

[Robovac rider]

I'm an avid DIYer, so my preference is heavily skewed towards fixing things, others skew the other direction and would rather pay hundreds rather than take on such a job.

Same here, I love the challenge of repairing something.
Great sense of achievement if the repair is successful.

Unfortunately my last few washing machines had drum bearing failure with glued together casings and were only scrap.

This is why I now only buy cheap.

 

[Cervelo]

Both bikes have identical Shimano branded brakes

Same could be said of many manufactures, years ago they used to say that the clock in a Ferrari can also be found in Fiats, Lancia's and Alfa's

 

[Colin4444]

If you can't undo a few screws without puncturing a nearby pipe, washing machine repair isn't for you, otherwise it's simple DIY, and the online videos make it even easier.

I have a feeling your oversimplifying a typical repair, if it is replacing an item it is far from just 'undo a few screws' you have to undo a few screws to take off cover, undo screws for item, detach anything connected to said item, try and remove the item which is typically wedged in and can be difficult to remove and so on... that is if your diagnosis is correct in the first place...

You actually specify yourself in the nxt paragraph, that it is not so simple!
"The new laws requiring more modular designs with more easily replaceable parts should address some of the issues that affected the likes of HiFi and TV equipment where full integration and heavy usage of surface mount components meant parts were so expensive or required specialist equipment that repairs often didn't make economic sense"

I have used Youtube with some success to prolong the life of a dishwasher for 6 months or so, probably not the safest...

 

[Fortune]

A4, VW Passat and Skoda Octavia

The A4 is a different platform with different engine layouts and structural platforms.

The Octavia is the same as the Golf or A3.

The Passat is the same as the Skoda Superb.

 

[Fortune]

Perhaps twenty years service is not as economical as I once thought. I remember most of our washing machines had a minimum of one hour on any wash. The modern machines have 15 mins and even less time washes.

My parents had an Indesit washing machine for 25 years. Took hours to do a load. Things would've been much better for a family with small children to be able to do multiple loads a day.

 

[Fortune]

I have heard electrical manufacturers programme their products to last only a specific time

I have only heard of Apple doing this to their phones.

I also vaguely remember an article about Toyota using software to stop the starter motor (or maybe the battery) from working beyond a certain number of uses. This one is less evil since the item can be replaced relatively easily.

 

[Leo]

I have a feeling your oversimplifying a typical repair, if it is replacing an item it is far from just 'undo a few screws' you have to undo a few screws to take off cover, undo screws for item, detach anything connected to said item, try and remove the item which is typically wedged in and can be difficult to remove and so on... that is if your diagnosis is correct in the first place...

My experience of repairing a few appliances were all very straightforward. A few screws and a few most screws is still a few screws

I never had to pull bearings on an appliance. I did on a bike once and bodged the removal with the tools and put the new one in using a threaded rod and washers to improvise a press. Washing machines could be trickier of course, I've never really had to look at those.

meant parts were so expensive or required specialist equipment that repairs often didn't make economic sense"

The most common washing machine parts to fail are the pump, belt, door latches and valves, all are easily replaced without specialist tools. The piece above is specifically about manufacturers using bonded or welded assemblies in place of bolted together parts that can be disassembled to replace smaller components. Not all manufacturers went down that road, but the ones that did will have to make a U-turn.

 

[Leo]

I have only heard of Apple doing this to their phones.

Yeah, they were caught using software to slow old phones on the pretence of protecting battery life. The US class action that followed cost them $500M, and that wasn't the only one.

 

[Colin4444]

I have only heard of Apple doing this to their phones

The phones last, but they just dont release IOS's for them...

It is a business model now for all manufacturers they make sure products have a finite life, so need to be replaced.. I have very little hope for this new right to repair, like everything else in Ireland it will be a ripoff, parts may be cheaper and easier to get, but labour is going to be the problem.. Does someone call out to your place to repair or do you get it delievered to place of repair? good luck with a washing machine, fridge etc etc

If governments took climate change seriously they should be targeting these companies for their packaging, finite life and all the numerous other methods they have to extract money... why did one of the biggest and most obvious impacts on climate change take so long to introduce a law i.e. right to repair? Just easier to tax the consumer who have little choice but to consume the manafacturers good no matter how long they last, how much packaging is used etc...