fridge freezer repair or buy new.

rainbow93

My 4 year old zanussi fridge freezer has stopped freezing,cooling.

I rang 2 engineers who said they don't do frost free repairs and he said it sounded like a regas problem and to ring zanussi. That would cost £135. Another one similar or a payment plan of £13 a month over a year with 1 year guarantee on repairs.

One just rang and said they would come out for £69 + vat plus spare parts. I said what if I think its too expensive to be worth fixing.He said I would still need to pay labour. He said it might not need a spare part.

It seems that repair men don't want to fix frost free or the companies that do charge a fortune.

Would it be better just cutting losses and buying new?

Thanks

SailorSam

There are a few videos on YouTube if you could try fixing it yourself, but i don't think you could do a Diy regas if it is that, imagine you need specialist equipment.
Just having a quick surf i see Argos have got a new Zanussi for £300. You've got to start asking yourself is it worth fixing if it was to cost £150
Someone has asked in the gardening section here on Mse about repairing his lawnmower, so many things just get thrown away these days.

elsien

Before you do anything, it might be worth thoroughly defrosting everything and trying it again.
I had this problem with a frost free freezer and it was because the whole thing was so clogged up with ice it had just given up. You couldn't tell by looking this was the problem as the insides looked clear (as you would expect from a frost free freezer!) we had to unscrew the cooler unit at the back of the inside of the freezer and let that defrost as well.
That got it going and it lasted another few years before dying completely.

rainbow93

Thanks for replies. I did defrost it overnight and it started working for a few hours then stopped. I'm going to try a longer defrost.
I'm not even going to attempt to repair it. Female and can't do that kind of stuff.

A man was trying to flog me an expensive plan. I can buy a new one for that..
I've read that frost free freezers do have more problems than other freezers. Am thinking should I get a normal freezer so if it goes wrong seems easier to repair.

rokel

not really an answer to rainbow's query but would like advice/opinion on similar problem. Integral fridge stopped working, new ones cost over £350 so sought a repair company. They came to look at it and said which parts it needed for repair and took it away. That was in March! brought it back once apparently fixed (cost was £200 inc VAT )but it still didn't work. Collected it again and have had it ever since. I always have to 'chase' them and today they said it cannot be repaired. I said ok but could we have our money back - answer was, only part of it. I expected to pay the £40 call-out charge but have been told labour/van/petrol etc will come out of the £200 also. Said If we didn't agree they won't return it (we thought we'd try someone else) and they won't put it back into its cavity anyway - just dump it in the kitchen. told us to come and get it ourselves otherwise. Finding it all quite upsetting. What is a reasonable percentage we should pay? comments would be appreciated.

rainbow93

I would go to trading standards.I read that repairs should be long lasting and that they should repair it properly. Go to their website but you do have rights under the law.I'd also report the company to them.

I'm defrosting my fridge freezer for 3 days as someone suggested.if not right by then,I will purchase another. Its sad its a throwaway society but that's due to the fact that these repairs are so expensive and it doesn't make it economically viable if your fridge was at the lower price range.
I thought a Zanussi would last longer than 4 years!

cybervic

Has the defrost trick worked?