Washing machine, fix or replace?

PowerPuffGoth

So I have a logik washing machine, basically the cheapest one from Curry's, about 2 years old and it's just given up. The error code suggests a problem with the motor. Is it worth fixing, long term and money wise or would I be better off just buying a new one for £150? The door lock mechanism broke last year and I replaced that myself but I think motor issues would be beyond my abilities so if it were to be fixed if definitely have to call someone in

dld2s

Have a look at the brushes, easy fix and usually cheap ( 2 years on there is a good chance it is brushes)  seen them from £7.99 to around £23, it's usually a matter of a couple of screws and unplug from motor. I have found faults from, not spinning/not spinning properly/ drum not turning have been down to brushes. Have a look on youtube, it's not hard, some show you taking motor out, you can fit in place, but it can be awkward in some models

dld2s

forgot to add, make sure you unplug machine from main, before inspecting or changing

Mistral001

dld2s said:

Have a look at the brushes, easy fix and usually cheap ( 2 years on there is a good chance it is brushes)  seen them from £7.99 to around £23, it's usually a matter of a couple of screws and unplug from motor. I have found faults from, not spinning/not spinning properly/ drum not turning have been down to brushes. Have a look on youtube, it's not hard, some show you taking motor out, you can fit in place, but it can be awkward in some models

I replaced the motor on my bottom of the range Belko last year.  I got a reconditioned motor on Ebay fpr £30.  To take the motor out, in fact, only required the loosening of one bolt.  It was not a big job.  Replacing brushes would have been even an easier job but they were fine.  

Possibly the cheaper the washing machine the easier they are to fix.  I know my previous washing machine was an more expensive job and was much more difficult to fix.  

Mutton_Geoff

https://www.whitegoodshelp.co.uk/faulty-appliances-sale-of-goods-act/

GDB2222

You can get a Miele for £650, which should last an awful lot longer. 

Two years is really not very long for a washing machine, as MuttonGeoff implies, but it may not be reasonable to expect a bottom end machine to last much longer. Maybe complain to Curry’s and ask for a discount off a replacement?

floppydisk1

cheapest washing machine is made mostly from plastic and some don't last 300 cycles, most engineered ( if you can call it that ) for 500 -600 cycles, no chance to repair ( sealed tanks etc ) and even if you can repair  ( brushes, slipped belt or door seal ) them they are waste of time . What started life as a crap machine, no matter how much time you spent tinkering with it - it won't get better with age or elbow grease.... If you pay  £ 150 for a washing machine - do your maths - 30 VAT, some 40 - 50 delivery from China or ( in better case ) Turkey as you can get only so many of them in one container, manufacture's and shop mark up say 10 each, say 15 on marketing and " after sale service/support" - the rest is true cost of machine you get, so you can imagine that it won't be that great. Cheapest Miele will def last longer than 3 x 200 machine and will wash better too,  if  your budget won't go that far try basic ( I mean simple turn knobs, no 50 programs, " features " and full on disco lights on front panel ) Bosch , Zanussi/Electolux  or Korean ones. Basic, as basic machine has same internal parts and specs as costlier one  ( nearly all extra  in price is so called added value of the latest and greatest new programs and features that are rarely if ever used in real life...) described above , but should last the same.. Miele is nearly commercial quality and you have reasonable chance that it will last 10 - 20 years , those mentioned later are all built to at least  1000 - 2000 ++    cycles  so decent chance that they  should last good few years too. Funny as we all accept that cars have gone up in price with inflation, yet  TV's and washing machines that used to cost  £ 500  some 20- 30  years ago, we expect to pay well under £ 200 nowadays and then we complain that they aren't made the same way anymore... 

fenwick458

depends how handy you are, how much time you have. If you can attempt to do simple repairs yourself and have the time, then at least have a look but don't spend too long
DO NOT get a professional to repair it, thats just a waste of money they will charge more than 50% of the price of a new one and you're left with an old machine that something else will probably break on in the near future.
I'm an electrician BTW, and always get asked to repair appliances but that is what I say^^
I repair some ovens and commercial kitchen stuff that cost £500 and up, parts are available and they are easy to work on.
but a "price point white goods appliance", they change the model every 2 years, so it's nigh on impossible to get the right part first time.
they are not designed to be taken apart by customers, so you'll need special tools, plus special knowledge a lot of the clips and fixings come apart in a special way and if you don't know then they will just break and won't go back together properly.
things are supposed to be changing on this, last year there was some talk in parliament about making manufacturers make it easier to repair cheap white goods. But we won't feel that change for a while yet, if ever

ElephantBoy57

fenwick458 said:

they are not designed to be taken apart by customers, so you'll need special tools, plus special knowledge a lot of the clips and fixings come apart in a special way and if you don't know then they will just break and won't go back together properly.
things are supposed to be changing on this, last year there was some talk in parliament about making manufacturers make it easier to repair cheap white goods. But we won't feel that change for a while yet, if ever

Household appliances will become easier to repair thanks to new standards being adopted across the European Union.

From 2021, firms will have to make appliances longer-lasting, and they will have to supply spare parts for machines for up to 10 years. Not sure how much effect it will have.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49884827

roddydogs

Well, it will have the obvious one in making them dearer.

daivid

Household appliances will become easier to repair thanks to new standards being adopted across the European Union.

From 2021, firms will have to make appliances longer-lasting, and they will have to supply spare parts for machines for up to 10 years. Not sure how much effect it will have.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49884827

Unless there is stipulation of how much the spares cost it may not help at all. 2 years back my 11year old zanussi stopped running, I cleaned up the brushes and it seemed good to go. Then I pinched a wire re-assembling and cooked the control board. Doh! Cost of a replacement was about £130, as the machine had been less than £200 new it didn't seem worth it and 11years use seemed fair. I don't know if £130 is fair but other items seemed clearly over priced e.g. plastic paddles for £30. The pricing of spares looked to be intended to put off repairing but then it could be a chicken and egg thing where lack of demand and price re-enforce each other.