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Is it cheaper to repair or replace a broken washer or dryer?

by Ivana Katz (follow)
Ivana is passionate about travel, writing, photography and website design. Visit her at: www.adventurehq.com.au
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repair, maintenance, washer, dryer


When your kitchen or washing appliances break, do you throw them out and buy new ones or do you try to get them repaired first? Do you find it is cheaper to repair them than to buy brand new ones?

#Repair
#Maintenance
#Appliances
#Home
#Money
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I loathe that our society is set up in such a way so that it is cheaper to get a new item instead of getting it fixed. It is so wasteful.

I love having things repaired. This may seem a little naff, but these mass-produced items feel a little more like they're mine when they have a few things wrong with them, and I get them fixed. I feel like I am being a good parent (and a good earth citizen) when I get the washing machine fixed instead of buying a new one. Perhaps I need a dog or a cat instead :)

(I like too that getting something fixed helps to provide someone employed with paid work).
Not naff at all. Admirable :-))
by Rice
Our washing machine broke recently and for the cost of the part and the labour it was cheaper to get a new one. The annoying thing was that it was only a month out of warranty. More annoying than that was that when I googled the issue it was a known fault with this make and model. My life lesson from this was to try to seek more recommendations for washing machine purchases and to consider an extended warranty if its an expensive model choice.
Care factor. Replace. Speaking of which, I have done away with a washing machine at my place. The cost of the washing machine, plus other running expenses outweighs the benefits of getting my clothes and dried at the nearest laundromat for only $10 a week. This is full service also. They do a great job.
I could never let somebody else touch my clothes. It may be a generational thing but I reckon I would feel my mother rolling in her grave. The washing and ironing are mine and mine alone.
by Rice
I have had the same drier for over 10 years and washing machine for 15+ years. I have had problems with both and got them repaired by Ark Washing Machines and was pleasantly surprised how inexpensive the repairs were. Definitely much cheaper than replacing them. I have found their service excellent - on two occasions they came the same day (www.arkwashingmachines.com.au)
I never spend money unless I have to! First use Google to get an idea of what the issue with the appliance could be, by typing in the problem you are having. "Washing machine not spinning", for example, brings up several solutions that you could easily try before calling in a mechanic. Google is also useful for searching for the manual for your specific appliance. If you do have to call in a mechanic, have a look at your home contents insurance first. My policy covers burn out of electric motors and also reimburses me for food spoiled due to failure of the fridge or freezer. Look in the local paper for a mechanic who will give you a free quote – that way it hasn’t cost you anything to get an idea of the cost of the repair. If the repair is going to be expensive, and you want to replace the appliance – go shopping online, to find the best price. Gumtree is also worth having a look at, sometimes people move and need to sell their whitegoods.
It depends how broken it is and the quality of the machine. A little while ago the corner of a brolly sheet (waterproof sheet for kids' beds when toilet training) got caught under the seal, and when the sheet, which is designed to be absorbent so gets very heavy when wet, twisted round and round it ripped the seal out of the door, flooding the laundry. In theory we just needed to replace the seal but in practice the machine was such a stupid design that the repair guy would have needed to take the thing apart to do it so we ended up getting a replacement. I wish I could remember the brand, it wasn't one of the big ones. We did not buy the same kind again.

Conversely our dryer broke down last year and only cost $50 to fix, and was done in 15 minutes. That was a huge relief during a rainy week when I had a backlog of wet nappies to get through before they went mouldy.
Like helenonthesofa, the only machine that ever broke down was a brand new Hoover Admiral (American import, it turned out) and it had a known fault. We were very lucky as we actually got two new motors out of them. The first one they put in was "unsuitable" in some way so they put another one in and it ran for several years. I would have to get my big European one repaired as it cost too much to dispose of and it is a great washer.
by Rice
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