Fix or replace washer and dryer?

[ronandannette]

12 year old LG front loader washer and dryer. Water leak under washer. All hoses dry. Restricted air flow light turned on on the dryer, even after having the ductwork cleaned yesterday. $200 charge to come out and look at them. Never had any repairs before. Repair or replace? Consumer Reports says replace after 8 years. I know I am living on another planet, but I expect lightly used appliances to last longer.

IMO, a 12 year old machine will have been built more durably than anything you will purchase today. Fix it if it can be fixed. And if you've got anything that's 20 years old or more and are happily living without all the modern (and problematic) digital functions, never let it die if you can possibly prevent it.

 

[ronandannette]

Don't be surprised if your Samsung's last even less time. Samsung makes terrible appliances.

My company puts 500+ sets of appliances (customers get to make their own selections) into our new houses ever year. Samsung is the absolute worst, regardless of what Lowe's data says.

 

[barkley]

if you've got anything that's 20 years old or more and are happily living without all the modern (and problematic) digital functions, never let it die if you can possibly prevent it.

I was asked to participate in a survey panel for the appliance brand we purchased a year or so ago. at the end of the surveys you can see what the compiled results for the participants are-hands down, survey after survey one of the primary factors in choosing the particular brand of appliance relates to it having the least number of 'modern and digital functions'. they send a survey and ask about 'how would you like it if your stove/fridge...did this new thing, had this new connectivity?' time and again the masses speak and say NO NO NO (and it appears that while the ones without the bells and whistles are among their most expensive line-people are willing to pay more to get and deal with less).

 

[VandVsmama]

Replace

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Sadly, replacement is probably the sensible choice.

 

[tvguy]

As someone who has had a Samsung dishwasher, a Samsung washer and a Samsung dryer, I stand by my statement. They work long enough that you wouldn’t return them, but they crap out just after they are out of warranty. No repair people around here will even work on them.

Interesting. That was the issue we were having with LG. None of the big appliance repair companies service them. There is one guy who does, and he is a former Sears repair person. We bought the LGs from Sears.

 

[CGB]

We've repaired our washer, dryer, oven and dishwasher ourselves using this website: https://www.repairclinic.com/ It allows you to research your brand & model # and highlights the most common problems. Then, it recommends parts and provides videos to help you replace the parts. I know it doesn't work for all issues, but we've been lucky that it has worked for our problems.

 

[brockash]

I know my husband would try to fix it first. We’ve replaced the heating element on the dryer 3 times. It’s 22 yo. That was an easy and cheap fix though. Something more complicated or more costly, I would replace.
He also fixed the fridge recently. That was also a cheap part to replace. Fridge is 21yo. We did research a new fridge in case that new part wasn’t the culprit. The part was a starter relay for the compressor.

My dh will always try and almost always succeeds fixing before replacing. He just replaced our dryers motor, belt, and something else and now it works fine. It's 9 years old. There's no way I could fix that kind of stuff though. The dryer he fixed for about $225 in parts.

 

[tvguy]

Guess I will have to book mark this thread and get back to you'all if it fails, or lasts past the 12 years the LG lasted. So hopefully I won't be making this a zombie thread until after September 2037.

 

[mikehn]

After 12 years I think you got your money's worth. It's time to move on to the latest and greatest AI machines where you can do laundry with your iphone that will wash your clothes till every last stain comes out.

 

[easyas123]

Don't be surprised if your Samsung's last even less time. Samsung makes terrible appliances.

Lowes gets the fewest returns on Samsung appliances.

We bought our Samsung stuff from Lowes, didn't return it. They died after a few years and we replaced them (dishwasher, microwave & one of two ovens).

Good Luck w/ yours, hope they last 5+ years.

 

[leahgoogle]

Don't be surprised if your Samsung's last even less time. Samsung makes terrible appliances.

After owning a Samsung refrigerator, washer and dryer, I will never buy another Samsung appliance!

 

[leahgoogle]

DH would probably try and fix them, but 12 years is really good these days for a washer and dryer!

 

[leahgoogle]

IMO, a 12 year old machine will have been built more durably than anything you will purchase today. Fix it if it can be fixed. And if you've got anything that's 20 years old or more and are happily living without all the modern (and problematic) digital functions, never let it die if you can possibly prevent it.

Off topic (kind of), but I just read something similar about AC units. It basically said the new units are crap and the new refrigerant is flammable so the AC units throw codes all the time even if there is not a threat of a fire. We are nursing an 18 year old unit. We just keep getting charges every year with the old coolant. I will be sad when we have to replace it.

 

[tvguy]

Off topic (kind of), but I just read something similar about AC units. It basically said the new units are crap and the new refrigerant is flammable so the AC units throw codes all the time even if there is not a threat of a fire. We are nursing an 18 year old unit. We just keep getting charges every year with the old coolant. I will be sad when we have to replace it.

I guess it is a sad sign of the times that an 18 year old HVAC system needs to be nursed. I got 31 years from my Trane, and was disappointed. I sold my parents house with a 53 year old Lennox HVAC system. Sold the house to flippers who did well over $100,000 in remodeling before relisting it. They did not replace the HVAC and were offering a five year warranty on it. Are new HVAC units more efficient? No question they are. But a few years before my mom had one of those energy audits that the local utility offers. They sent out an approved contractor who looks at everything and then inputs that with your utility bills. Guy told my mom and she needed a lot of upgrades, like a new HVAC. But when he factored in her energy bills going back 7 years, the software calculated it would take 150 years to recoup the cost of the upgrades in energy savings. I sold the house 12 years ago, love to know if that HVAC is still there.

 

[tvguy]

We bought our Samsung stuff from Lowes, didn't return it. They died after a few years and we replaced them (dishwasher, microwave & one of two ovens).

Good Luck w/ yours, hope they last 5+ years.

Well, with the Lowes warranty, if they don't last 5 years, Lowes will replace them for free. It is disappointing that the life of "durable" goods is getting so short.

 

[Turn the Page]

I've taken to asking by phone up front the authorized repair people for whatever brand I use if the particular make/model/age is worth them doing the repair or if I should replace. I've found them to be very forthcoming and in the case of some appliances I've been told the attributes that they contain that are no longer in newer models and the advantage of repair vs. replacement (with others they've said to 'save the cost of our service call-start shopping').

I have a similar set to what you've described-did'nt you get an error code on the display of either? we've been able to call with the code on the display and get a ballpark estimate on repair vs. paying for just a diagnosis.

We had some sort of belt go in a 2 year old Samsung washer last year. The repairman advised us to replace as Samsung parts are super pricey and it would not be worth it to fix. He did not recommend Samsung appliances for that reason.

We have replaced the heating element in the dryer twice. That is a cheap, easy fix. I think the dryer is about 9 years old.

All that said we got the washer and dryer from Lowe's. I have heard from a few places not to get things like that from big box stores because even though it says LG on the appliances it is a lower quality than what you would get at the stand alone appliance store.

We get home appliances from stand alone stores now.

 

[tvguy]

We had some sort of belt go in a 2 year old Samsung washer last year. The repairman advised us to replace as Samsung parts are super pricey and it would not be worth it to fix. He did not recommend Samsung appliances for that reason.

We have replaced the heating element in the dryer twice. That is a cheap, easy fix. I think the dryer is about 9 years old.

All that said we got the washer and dryer from Lowe's. I have heard from a few places not to get things like that from big box stores because even though it says LG on the appliances it is a lower quality than what you would get at the stand alone appliance store.

We get home appliances from stand alone stores now.

Not many stand alone stores left around here. Mostly the owners retired and closed up. Sears was our go to for appliances. Well, at least I know I won't have any out of pocket repair expenses for five years with the warranty.
I am still a little put off at how hard it was to even find someone who fixes LG. And that there was a week wait for a service call.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Oh I would not replace any old washer if it is what I think it is, if it is 12 years old it means maybe it permits a decent amount of water to really wash your stuff without adding gallons from the sink. The soap doesn't seem to disperse so I need an extra gallon to just shake up the liquid detergent in before adding, even then it is almost never squishy if there are towels and there are always towels so another gallon goes into the washer first. I really miss the old ones, I wouldn't part with one.