Why don't they make anything like they used to??

Seriously so sick of brand new stuff breaking down because its inferior quality to years gone by. I made the mistake of buying a well known brand name HE top loader, huge mistake.  It's never washed well and not even two years old takes 2 hours, sometimes longer  to do a load, skips washing sometimes and spinning other times.  Worst of all I get a better result if I hand wash 'sigh'.  Maybe I should get the stick out and start beating the washing lol!!!! Anyway got a repair man out and it won't even do a diagnostic, gets stuck on cycles and even if the power on the machine is turned off still senses for quite a while after.  The only way to reset is take the plug out of the power point for an extended time.

 

This machine is supposed to be middle to higher end and was not cheap.  I trusted its name brand to find it is no longer made in the country it once was, but in china. I also made the mistake of trusting a brand name I've had for years and not researching. I recently did some research and it was extremely depressing, worst machine I have ever heard of with thousands of complaints.

 

So why do they get away with selling this rubbish?  Vent over, I feel better you probably don't lol!

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Re: Why don't they make anything like they used to??

I love my F & P washing machine. This is my second one. Only got rid of the first one because I wanted an upgraded model.

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Re: Why don't they make anything like they used to??

Ive had 2 great F&P washing machines too. Ill stick with them til I get a bad one. LOL.

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Re: Why don't they make anything like they used to??

The problem is those well known trusted brand names are no longer made in the place you think they are.  They are made in Taiwan, China and other places and are of inferior quality.  My last commercial quality machine was made in the US but if I were to buy the same quality machine for over a 1,000 its made in China. The repair was saying that F &P have come a long way since the lemons they were pushing out when the smart drive first came out.  He finds they are easy to service and have a lot less hassles. 

 

If Maytag are now made under whirlpool I wouldn't touch it. Although Whirlpool products will be under another company very soon but I am told will still dish out the same inferior product.

 

I just find it frustrating to spend so much money on a machine that is really only good for a boat anchor...

 

 

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Re: Why don't they make anything like they used to??

I hear you, sorry you got a dud. We took this into account when we got a new washer 18 months ago, I bought the extended warranty because it is a Daewoo and "unknown" to me. So far so good, no complaints and washes well but front loader and under $500

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Re: Why don't they make anything like they used to??

I must admit that I based my opinion on a Maytag machine which is around 20 years old and has not once missed a beat nor required any servicing whatsoever, but now knowing that they've been taken over by Whirlpool, I'm afraid I must retract my previous comment.

After a bit of researching, I've discovered that Speed Queen and Kleen Maid machines are now made by the same company, and they both sit right at the top of users' reliability surveys (easily verified through google).

Having said that, I'm still using my late mother's old Hitachi top-loader which she gave me some 15 years ago, and despite the fact that it's essentially made from plastic, it's still running as good as the day I got it. Mind you, I suspect mine is the exception rather than the rule. ๐Ÿ˜‰
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Re: Why don't they make anything like they used to??

We bought our second Maytag thinking the same, cqtech. 

 

My first machine which was a very cheap plasticky no agitator automatic lasted about 17 or 18 years. Even then I suspect I might have finally killed it through misuse. It stopped working one day during a load. I pulled half the washing out in hope then rang the repairman who came around, saw what was left in it and said 'Crikey, you've overloaded that one, love!'  oops. 

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Re: Why don't they make anything like they used to??

Azure mine is still under warranty but even if they  replaced it the model is still a very poor prefoming product and for around 1,000 or more depending on the model its appalling they can get away with selling these kinds of products that clearly going by the thousands of complaints on line does not do what its intended for.

 

I'm thinking of cutting my loses and buying another machine as soon as I can.  Sad part is this model isn't even sellable so it will end up at the tip.

 

I like the idea of the speedqueen, very pricey though.

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Re: Why don't they make anything like they used to??

I'm of the opinion that any machine which is reliable enough to withstand the abuse dished out in commercial laundromats should be expected to outlast virtually everything else, and whilst a Speed Queen / Kleen Maid may well cost twice as much as most other machines, they have clearly been specifically manufactured to last for decades rather than until only a year or so out of warranty.
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Re: Why don't they make anything like they used to??

You must have got a rare good one, then.  Based on the experience of family and friends, and remembering the local Maytag laundromat, I had always set my heart on a Maytag, all but willing our 30yo 2nd hand Whirlpool (from their good days) to finally give up the ghost.  The sales people tried to talk us into Bosch or Miele, but no, I dearly wanted that Maytag.  ๐Ÿ˜ž 

 

We don't usually buy extended warranties but thank goodness we did this time.  So far it has had two new motherboards and still misses cycles occasionally.  I double rinse everything because of the awful rash I got when OH didn't realise it had stopped rinsing and just hung the load on the line, and so on and so on.  It has stopped twice this week, and we are on the verge of replacing it.  The only thing in its favour is that it does a fantastic wash, when it is working properly. 

 

One of my kids just bought a Bosch, I am watching with interest.

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Re: Why don't they make anything like they used to??

Will be interesting to see how the Bosch goes, my repair man was saying they are now made in Taiwan. Hopefully to quality standards!  My machine doesn't wash properly never has but I accepted it was due to it being a top loader with low water levels that you can't adjust manually (sensor).  I must admit I was horrified to read of so many complaints about my machine, never in all the years that I have researched products have I seen that response. 

 

They should ditch this model and come out with something that actually works.

 

 

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