Average lifespan of a washing machine?

FatVonD

Ours is about 3.5 years old and the belt that turns the drum has gone. We don't have extended warranty and I recall the call out charge when our tumble drier broke down wasn't an awful lot less than the cost of a new washing machine (Mr T have one for £150.)

DH thinks we should just get a new one and that washing machines don't last longer than a couple/a few years but I'm sure I've had washing machines that lasted for years before (though there was only one of me then so it was used less than it is nowadays with 3 of us.) Should I just bite the bullet and buy a new one? It seems awfully wasteful for it to end up in landfill but on the other hand I don't want to pay for a repair if something else is likely to go wrong again soon.

There_Goes_Trouble

Mine's 13 yrs old but I suspect I'm the exception rather than the rule. It only gets very light use compared to most since I live by myself so only have a couple of loads a week.

lisawood78

Mines 4 years oldand is used heavily. No probs yet, touch wood.
The last one was about 10 by the time it died. Surely a new belt has got to be cheaper than a whole new machine, and a lot less wasteful.

no-oneknowsme

I chuckled when I read this thread lol.

I tell everyone who will listen about my trusty washing machine.

I purchased my machine when my first child was born (maybe 6 weeks or so after her birth) and it seems to be on constantly! I can do 2/3 washes per day.

I now have 2 other children (all teenagers) and so the machine gets a lot of use .......my Daughter turned 18 a few months ago and the machine is still going strong!

18 years out of a washing machine which is in daily use and I have NEVER had a problem from it! It has never been serviced or required any work!

Washing machines now days do not seem to be built as sturdy as my friends talk about getting a new one every 3 or 4 years.

Needless to say I wont be thinking of replacing mine until it gives up the ghost lol.

jacqhale

Hi, we have had ours for about 10 years I think. The belt for the drum went last year and my husband put it back on himself. (ours had come off rather than broken but I bet a belt is cheaper than a new machine) We rang our local applicance store who do repairs and they talked him through it. Might be worth a try?

building_with_lego

We got ours when DD was little and use it almost every day (and used cloth nappies with the babies so extra loads there.) Just after the warranty ran out :mad: we had a lot of problems but kicked off and got them fixed under warranty . Then it was fine for a couple of years until the seal went and then the bearings. I really thought then that we ought to replace it but we hung on.

Had to have the man out again last weekend as it decided to throw water all over the floor; £20 later it's working perfectly again. We tried to work out how long it had been since the engineer had last seen it- it'd been about 4 years...(Had it 8 years in total) Yours may surprise you too.... !

System

I'm lucky if i can get a washer to last longer than 18 months. :mad: I dont buy the cheapest either cause i like one with a good spin speed.

The washer i have now hubby insisted on having an extended warrenty when he bought it and ive had my washer 15 months now and have had to call them out twice.

david39

I'm sure that you would be able to replace the belt yourself if you take the back off the machine.
There are loads of companies on the web that offer washing machine spares as a quick google will show - worth a few £££s to try, rather than shell out £150. Your machine is but a teenager compared with many, as other posters will verify!

heretolearn_2

I've had three machines in 25 years - number three needed a minor fix last year but we have a friendly plumber who is cheap as chips and charged us £10.

It must depend how much you use them though. For most of this time I would guess I do on average 4 washes a week.

Gloomendoom

FatVonD wrote: »

DH thinks we should just get a new one and that washing machines don't last longer than a couple/a few years...

Tell him to get off his arsë and fix the one you have got. Otherwise, he needs to hand in his man card and buy a pink tutu.


Changing a belt is not rocket science.

VfM4meplse

I've had my Hotpoint for the last 11 years, and it's still fine touchwood. Like TGT there is only one of me, I tend to do about 3 washes every month but go a bit mad over the summer and launder everything in sight!

I dread the day it gives up.