New Fridge Freezer or Repair ??

BensonBooga

So my 2020 Beko frost free fridge freezer has stopped working, for some reason it is making a lot of noise and is not getting any colder than 16 degrees for the fridge and 8 degrees for the freezer no matter what the temperature dial is on. The motor is always on. The fan seems to be running. I phoned a helpline and was told it is likely to be either the thermostat or needs re-gassing so not much I can do myself to fix it. 

So cheapest repair seems to be £150, includes parts if needed (I presume it depends what is at fault though). New fridge freezer that fits the gap in my kitchen, is around £330. 

So now I am at the dilemma of is 2020 old enough to just replace it, or is it still new enough I should save money and get it fixed ? I can afford a new fridge freezer, just not sure what is best to do. What do you think you guys would do in my situation ?  

Cloth_of_Gold

I bought an AEG washer/dryer that stopped working after 2 years and 3 months, so just out of warranty. I ended up using D&G Repair and Car. They came and fixed it and then for a fixed fee and then I've continued to have it covered, but that's optional. You could look at that as an option. https://www.domesticandgeneral.com/content/help-advice-section/faq/repairandcare

How long wold you expect a fridge/freezer to last for  - 10 years? In that case after 4 years you have had, at the replacement price, £132 of use. If you add that to the repair cost you've been quoted (and if it needs expensive parts it might be more) it comes to £282. On that basis I think I would probably get a new one. Does £330 include installation and disposal of the old one though?

BensonBooga

Thanks. Seems total cost of a new one inc installation would be £394. Vs £150 from D&G or £192 from D&G via their yearly plan. 

The dilemma for me is it being 4 years old, to me that doesn't sound old, and the new fridge freezer looks identical so not sure if it even comes with any new features. 

Albermarle

I do not think Beko is such a good make? So might be better to cut your losses and buy a better/more expensive one, that is more likely to last .

Cloth_of_Gold

Albermarle said:

I do not think Beko is such a good make? So might be better to cut your losses and buy a better/more expensive one, that is more likely to last .

Unless you're going for something really high end (and possibly even then) I think that with a lot of electrical appliances there is a degree of pot luck, whichever company has made them. The washer/dryer I bought was an AEG and cost about £750 5 years ago and yet it broke after just over two years. I had a Zanussi and it kept icing up and the interior plastics were very poor quality. 

A couple of years ago I replaced it with a Beko fridge, which was quite a bit cheaper and it has been fine, and the plastic used on the salad drawer and the shelves is far superior to the Zanussi. I also know several people who have had Beko products and they have been very reliable but I daresay there will be others who will have had a different experience. I'm afraid gone are the days when washing machines and fridges lasted for 20 or 30 years, as my parents machines did.

Cloth_of_Gold

BensonBooga said:

Thanks. Seems total cost of a new one inc installation would be £394. Vs £150 from D&G or £192 from D&G via their yearly plan. 

The dilemma for me is it being 4 years old, to me that doesn't sound old, and the new fridge freezer looks identical so not sure if it even comes with any new features. 

No, it isn't very old. I suppose you have to forget that and think about what is going to cost you the least. If you get a new fridge freezer with a two year warranty you won't have to pay the £150 or the insurance for the two years and probably not for a couple of years after that. By then, you current FF would be 6 years old and so even more likely to have a problem. On the other hand, it would be greener to repair the current one than to replace it; it's a close call imo.

smartapp

I’d recommend getting a pro to take a look at it—probably best to avoid DIY for this one!

CliveOfIndia

smartapp said:

I’d recommend getting a pro to take a look at it—probably best to avoid DIY for this one!

Given that this thread is 6 months old, I imagine the OP has sorted the issue one way or the other by now.