Repair or replace washer??

[NYEmomma]

We got some crazy bad storms here back on Mother's Day weekend & our basement flooded with about 2 feet of water (basement is waterproofed, has a sump pump with a battery back up & we never lost power but the sheer volume of rain just overwhelmed the system... later, we discovered a problem with the footer drain that has since been replaced and now we have almost no water coming into our sump, but that's a whole different thread, lol).

Basement was half finished, half unfinished. We lost the carpet, all the doors and 4 feet of drywall the entire way around. Plus a lot of possessions. Our basement had flooded in the past so we had almost everything that could be in Rubbermaid totes, stored in plastic totes and we were down there when the flood started because there were tornadoes, so we were able to get a lot of stuff up to higher ground. Unfortunately, there was SO much water that our stacks of Rubbermaid totes became buoyant, toppled over & everything we thought we had protected was destroyed. Plus we lost all the food in our freezer and our pantry down there.

Anyways... our furnace, hot water heater, dehumidifier, washer & dryer took on substantial water. Had the furnace & hot water heater checked out and all is good. It took about a week for our washer to start working again, but it eventually did. Dehumidifer and dryer kicked back on right away.

It's October now and our washer has just started making horrifying noises and doesn't complete the full cycle. We're having someone out today to look at it but we're debating the merits of fixing it vs. replacing it. DH said replacing the motor on it is about $250. The washer is 3-4 years old... just out of the warranty. There's already been one problem with it right after we bought it and overall, we're not very impressed with it (it's a Whirlpool). So that makes us lean towards replacing it. But we're going to be moving late spring and our realtor says it's best to leave appliances with the house. I don't want to buy a new washer to use for 9 months and then hand over to someone else.

Plus, we've just got our credit card down to under $5,000, which is a HUGE accomplishment for us. It was $15,000 at the start of the year and we've made it a priority this year to get it paid off. It hasn't been under $5,000 for about 10 years. So we're trying hard not to put anything on it. But we've used up all the money from our insurance claim just to repair the basement.

So WWYD?

 

[JanaDee]

We got some crazy bad storms here back on Mother's Day weekend & our basement flooded with about 2 feet of water (basement is waterproofed, has a sump pump with a battery back up & we never lost power but the sheer volume of rain just overwhelmed the system... later, we discovered a problem with the footer drain that has since been replaced and now we have almost no water coming into our sump, but that's a whole different thread, lol).

Basement was half finished, half unfinished. We lost the carpet, all the doors and 4 feet of drywall the entire way around. Plus a lot of possessions. Our basement had flooded in the past so we had almost everything that could be in Rubbermaid totes, stored in plastic totes and we were down there when the flood started because there were tornadoes, so we were able to get a lot of stuff up to higher ground. Unfortunately, there was SO much water that our stacks of Rubbermaid totes became buoyant, toppled over & everything we thought we had protected was destroyed. Plus we lost all the food in our freezer and our pantry down there.

Anyways... our furnace, hot water heater, dehumidifier, washer & dryer took on substantial water. Had the furnace & hot water heater checked out and all is good. It took about a week for our washer to start working again, but it eventually did. Dehumidifer and dryer kicked back on right away.

It's October now and our washer has just started making horrifying noises and doesn't complete the full cycle. We're having someone out today to look at it but we're debating the merits of fixing it vs. replacing it. DH said replacing the motor on it is about $250. The washer is 3-4 years old... just out of the warranty. There's already been one problem with it right after we bought it and overall, we're not very impressed with it (it's a Whirlpool). So that makes us lean towards replacing it. But we're going to be moving late spring and our realtor says it's best to leave appliances with the house. I don't want to buy a new washer to use for 9 months and then hand over to someone else.

Plus, we've just got our credit card down to under $5,000, which is a HUGE accomplishment for us. It was $15,000 at the start of the year and we've made it a priority this year to get it paid off. It hasn't been under $5,000 for about 10 years. So we're trying hard not to put anything on it. But we've used up all the money from our insurance claim just to repair the basement.

So WWYD?

First off, congrats on paying down your credit card. That is awesome.

I would replace the washer. Water damage isn't something I'm willing to mess around with and you said you had issues with it before.

If you do end up moving in under a year, you don't have to leave the appliances with the house. That isn't a given.

 

[MaleficentRN]

If it's a cheap repair, I'd keep it. I wouldn't want to leave a brand new appliance either.

 

[Sadie22]

Used washers are sold all the time on Craigslist. You could get something serviceable to use while you're still living there and beyond for the new homeowner.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

Used washers are sold all the time on Craigslist. You could get something serviceable to use while you're still living there and beyond for the new homeowner.

This or just replace it with a simple inexpensive model. $250 to repair seems like a lot when you've already had issues. Since you have accomplished a lot by paying down the credit card I would replace it with something you can afford out of pocket. Plus then you lock into a new warranty.

 

[barkley]

First off, congrats on paying down your credit card. That is awesome.

I would replace the washer. Water damage isn't something I'm willing to mess around with and you said you had issues with it before.

If you do end up moving in under a year, you don't have to leave the appliances with the house. That isn't a given.

agree-we never would have wanted someone to include their washer/dryer in a home sale to us. we already had our own (and unless we could have used it in the garage/basement as a spare we would have turned down fridges/freezers).

check if any of the retailers around you have floor model warehouses-you can get tremendously good deals on one you wouldn't care if you had to leave behind.

 

[KKB]

Water damage--you never know the full extent.

Washers & dryers are not all that often sold with houses--stoves, dishwashers & built in microwaves, yes. Fridge--sometimes. W/D--sometimes. So that really should not be a consideration.

I very much understand the desire to not acquire more debt. But you could be tossing $ at it over & over to fix it.

I recommend top load Maytag. They are usually some of the best prices & extremely reliable--been very happy with ours!

 

[kymom99]

My mom bought a condo and a brand new W?D set. She died 5 months later. When we sold her condo, the new owner didn't want the almost new set so my brother took it. I would get something you can take with you.

 

[NYEmomma]

DH must have been smoking something good when he came up with the $250 quote. Repairman just left and it's going to be a little under $650 to repair everything. Motor needs replaced plus a couple other things. And he said when he looked under it, there was a TON of rust on everything.

So the thing has got to go.

Lowe's has a sale that ends today and we have a Lowe's card to get an extra % off so we're going to pick up the most basic model they have. The repairman said Maytag and Whirlpool are both reliable, affordable brands.

Can we use HE soap in a non-HE machine? I stocked up a while back on detergent so we've got 3 or 4 bottles to use up.

 

[MSLRAC]

If it's a cheap repair, I'd keep it. I wouldn't want to leave a brand new appliance either.

I agree with this but I will also add that we are currently looking at buying a house and very few have the washer and dryer included (almost half also don't include the fridge). So if you do replace it, don't be afraid to take it with you.

 

[kymom99]

The thing to remember is that when you buy or sell a house, the realtor works for you. You can do whatever you want. Our realtor kept wanting us to bring some of our furniture to Mom's condo to help sell it. Are you crazy? Like you can just pick up a couch and carry it up the road on your back and then move it back later? In the meantime, where do the people sit who gave up their couch?? Crazy. I bought a house that was empty. People do it all the time. If you get a new washer, write it up that it goes with you. It won't be a deal breaker.

I always buy appliances at Sears. They offer same as cash deals all the time. Check them out.

 

[pryncess527]

DH must have been smoking something good when he came up with the $250 quote. Repairman just left and it's going to be a little under $650 to repair everything. Motor needs replaced plus a couple other things. And he said when he looked under it, there was a TON of rust on everything.

So the thing has got to go.

Lowe's has a sale that ends today and we have a Lowe's card to get an extra % off so we're going to pick up the most basic model they have. The repairman said Maytag and Whirlpool are both reliable, affordable brands.

Can we use HE soap in a non-HE machine? I stocked up a while back on detergent so we've got 3 or 4 bottles to use up.

I don't know -- but I just bought a HE washer at Sears that was only $100 more than the cheapest non-HE model. Given how much cheaper it is to operate, it is WELL worth the extra $100. I would give some serious thought to purchasing a non-HE washer at this point, the price difference isn't as big as it used to be, but the operating cost difference is still significant, IMHO.

 

[kymom99]

I don't know -- but I just bought a HE washer at Sears that was only $100 more than the cheapest non-HE model. Given how much cheaper it is to operate, it is WELL worth the extra $100. I would give some serious thought to purchasing a non-HE washer at this point, the price difference isn't as big as it used to be, but the operating cost difference is still significant, IMHO.

I agree. I have noticed a drop in our water bill with our new washer and dryer.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would repair it. The pump on ours when this summer. We looked on youtube found a video order the part for $46 and repaired it ourselves. Sears wanted nearly $300 to do it. We have a fairly new front load washer but it is not under warranty

 

[NYEmomma]

I agree. I have noticed a drop in our water bill with our new washer and dryer.

We've got super cheap water around here. It fluctuates a buck or two a month, tops. But that definitely is something to consider. DH found a Whirlpool (non HE) on sale for $350 at Lowe's right now. I'll check and see if we can get anything close to that in HE.

 

[MaleficentRN]

DH must have been smoking something good when he came up with the $250 quote. Repairman just left and it's going to be a little under $650 to repair everything. Motor needs replaced plus a couple other things. And he said when he looked under it, there was a TON of rust on everything.

So the thing has got to go.

Lowe's has a sale that ends today and we have a Lowe's card to get an extra % off so we're going to pick up the most basic model they have. The repairman said Maytag and Whirlpool are both reliable, affordable brands.

Can we use HE soap in a non-HE machine? I stocked up a while back on detergent so we've got 3 or 4 bottles to use up.

Ugh!! That stinks. You can use HE detergent in a top loader. It's just low sudsing.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

We've got super cheap water around here. It fluctuates a buck or two a month, tops. But that definitely is something to consider. DH found a Whirlpool (non HE) on sale for $350 at Lowe's right now. I'll check and see if we can get anything close to that in HE.

I used to use HE detergent in my old non-HE washer and never had problems. Luckily when I bought HE I got to keep my detergent I had stocked up.