Should I change the bearing in my washing machine or buy a new one? In what cases is repair justified, and when is it better to go to the store and make a purchase?
Most of the sites that have published articles on this topic have their own commercial interest in covering this issue.
Stores recommend buying new washing machines
, they say, if you change the bearings in the old model, the units and modules will begin to break down - the engine, the control unit, the heating element will burn out, the cuffs will leak, and so on.
Repair technicians and services recommend changing bearings
- they benefit from new clients, and even their “masters” are able to make sure that after six months, having spent 5-7 thousand rubles on repairs, you turn to them again for another problem.
Our site has no commercial interest in the issue
. Our position is for people to change bearings themselves, without overpaying anyone, prolonging the life of their machine, and without polluting the environment with unnecessary garbage.
At the same time, a thing should serve a person, and when there is nothing left to repair, sometimes it is more expedient
buy a new one.
Cheap washing machines
Cheap equipment , of course, will not last long without breakdowns. Typically, the period of uninterrupted operation of budget machines is 4-9 years with an average frequency of washing from 2 to 5 per week and subject to the obligatory fulfillment of the conditions specified in the instructions. I'll make a disclaimer right away. No one knows for sure how long equipment (whether cheap or expensive) produced and sold in 2019-2020 will last.
Judging by the emerging trend, this period will decrease. Manufacturers are purposefully reducing the service life of their machines. The buyer has the right to receive for this a low cost, a period of free warranty service of at least 2 years and a service life of the machine of at least 7 years. Read more about choosing a new budget washing machine in the article.
Repair under warranty
Upon purchase, they usually provide a 12-month warranty, and some manufacturers provide a 2-year warranty. This period may be extended under special programs. The warranty card and receipt must be kept.
If repairs are required before the end of the warranty, you can safely contact the service center. An examination will be carried out there:
- if the reason is a manufacturer’s defect, then the washing machine will be repaired free of charge, replaced with a similar model, or the money returned;
- if the user himself is to blame, then the costs fall entirely on his shoulders;
- if the reason lies in a power surge or poor quality water supply, which can be proven in court, then third parties must pay for the repairs.
If it breaks down due to the user's fault, he can repair it or buy a new one. Since it is still under warranty, repair work is more profitable - the remaining elements will last a long time if you use the device correctly.
Expensive washing machines
Expensive cars (in my opinion, more than 1000 rubles) currently sold on the Belarusian market undoubtedly attract owners of old, battered cars from the 2000s with their design and functions. However, as practice shows, the spontaneous purchase of such cars can be fraught with many further troubles. When investing a lot of money in equipment, it is better to carefully study the features of the brand and model. For example, you should not ignore the fact that the model you like is equipped with a non-separable tank, since the procedure for replacing the bearings on it (and on intensively used Electrolux and AEG may be required after 4 years) will be significantly more expensive than on a model with a collapsible tank.
Most expensive cars are equipped with sophisticated electronics, which will sooner or later break down and require repair. Models with drying and steaming functions, for all their versatility, can quickly require expensive maintenance or repairs. In general, I recommend finding out the opinion of experts about a specific model, reflecting on the reviews of real users in order to remain satisfied with the purchase for many years.
What to choose
The new washing machine will, without a doubt, have a more representative appearance and be superior in functionality to the old equipment.
Typically, the latest models are equipped with a more convenient program, they are easy to press buttons and are easy to use. But, if previously household appliances were manufactured according to all rules in accordance with established standards, today fewer and fewer manufacturers can provide quality products. Only a few manufacturers produce reliable equipment with a long service life. Such a washing machine will cost a lot, but with proper care it will last the entire warranty period without interruption. Therefore, for some owners, buying a new machine if the old one fails is the most optimal.
The principle of washing things in both the cheapest and more expensive machines generally remains unchanged. Most owners usually use about 3-4 programs, and advertising and the appearance of the device do not matter to them. In this case, repairing a faulty household appliance will help avoid unnecessary costs and restore its functionality.
Buying a used washing machine
Choosing a used washing machine at flea markets is akin to gambling. Someone says that they bought equipment for almost nothing without any problems, while others got a headache for a lot of money. Finding a car takes a lot of time. After all, in our sales advertisements they often write that “the car is fire!”, but in fact they are selling almost scrap metal. The most practical option - buying a used car from a trusted technician with at least a six-month warranty - is not available to everyone.
The question arises: which washing machines have withstood fire, water and copper pipes, confidently exceeded their service life, or even reached their second decade, without causing much trouble to the owners. Next, we will go through in detail the most repair-worthy cars.
The rule of preserving things and relationships
In modern life, you can easily find a replacement for almost any thing. Sometimes it’s easier to throw something out and buy a new one than to fix it.
The ancient wisdom of Tibet and Japan does not share this approach. The monks say (from the book Zen Cleaning by Shuke Matsumoto):
When you pay attention to things and repair them so that they last longer, this attitude spreads to the people around you. Helps the heart find peace
If you live among the same objects for a long time, you can easily establish relationships with family members. Get rid of irritation and dissatisfaction with loved ones. Establish contact with children, parents, spouses.
This is not mysticism or fantasy, rather psychology. Our brain is designed in such a way that it easily transfers the usual pattern of behavior from things to people.
Those who do not know how to appreciate “old” things and take care of them can just as easily abandon loved ones. He distances himself, often changes his surroundings... The sad result is loneliness, fatigue in the soul and heart.
Is it worth repairing a washing machine?
Repair! There are many factors by which you can judge the feasibility of repairing a washing machine. Make, model, country and time of assembly, degree of wear of main components, intensity of use, frequency and types of repair work over the entire period of use, etc. Most of the repair work (about 80%) of washing machines comes down to replacing consumables, bearings, and removing blockages, which is well worth the investment and is much more profitable than buying any new machine. Some machines seem to say: “Give me a chance, I’ll serve you well!” Information about such “clever girls” is collected in the table below. Conclusions are drawn from our own experience, opinions of experts and users.
Of course, it is possible to give an accurate assessment of the condition and maintainability of the machine only after diagnostics. If you don’t see your machine in the table, this does not mean that there is no point in repairing it. Contact us, we will give detailed advice and diagnose your equipment. To avoid repetition, I use the word “consumables” to combine the following parts: graphite engine brushes, door lock (UBL), door handle, heating element (heating element), drain or circulation pumps, tank shock absorbers, drive belt.
| Brand, series, other characteristics | Types of repair work | ||
| Worth renovating | It's worth weighing everything | It's time to buy a new one | |
| AEG Lawamat series until 2011 release | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, water supply valves, rubber elements, engine or electronics repair | Replacing the motor, electronic module, drum cross | Combination of expensive repairs |
| Italian assembled Ardo until 2010s (eg A800X) | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, water intake valves, temperature sensor, pressure switch, rubber elements, repair of the engine or control module | Replacement of the engine, control device or electronics unit, crosspiece or drum flanges, presence of deep corrosion of the housing | Combination of expensive repairs |
| Ariston Margherita 2000 series and other Italian-assembled models until 2009 | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, water intake valves, rubber elements, temperature sensor, pressure switch, repair of engine or control module | Replacement of the engine, electronic module, tank, presence of deep corrosion of the housing | Combination of expensive repairs |
| Bauknecht late 90s - 2000s | Replacement of consumables, bearings, water intake valve drum pulley, temperature sensor, pressure switch, rubber elements, repair (replacement) of the engine or control module. The main difficulty is the availability of some spare parts | Combination of expensive repairs | Combination of expensive repairs |
| Beko before 2010, narrow and full-size | Replacement of consumables, drum pulley, rubber elements, temperature sensor, pressure switch | Replacing bearings, repairing motor or control module | Replacement of control module, motor, drum cross, combination of repair work |
| Bompani late 90s - early 2000s | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, water supply valves, temperature sensor, pressure switch, rubber elements, repair of the engine or control module. The main problem is the availability of some spare parts | Engine replacement or repair, electronic module repair, ordering rare spare parts | Combination of expensive repairs |
| German-assembled Bosch (in particular, maxx4, maxx5, maxx6, maxx7, logixx7, classics 5, WOL1650 series) | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, water intake valves, temperature sensor, pressure switch, rubber elements, repair of the engine or control module | Replacing the drum crosspiece, electronic module, motor, housing replacement | Combination of expensive repairs |
| Candy until 2008, Italian assembly (Holiday series) | Replacement of consumables, rubber elements, drum pulley, water intake valves, temperature sensor, pressure switch | Repair of engine, electronics, control unit, replacement of bearings, drum crosspieces | Replacing the electronic module, command device |
| Electrolux before 2009 (EWS1020, EWS1046) | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, water supply valves, pressure switch, rubber elements, engine or electronics repair | Replacement of the drum crosspiece, electronic module, motor, presence of deep corrosion of the housing | Combination of expensive repairs |
| Gorenje (WS42121) | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, water supply valves, temperature sensor, pressure switch, rubber elements, repair of the engine or control module. The main difficulty is the availability of some spare parts | Replacement of the engine, electronics, drum cross. The main difficulty is the availability of some spare parts | Combination of expensive repairs |
| Hansa before 2010 | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, water intake valves, temperature sensor, pressure switch, rubber elements, repair of the engine or control module | Replacing the motor, electronics, drum cross | Combination of expensive repairs |
| Italian assembled Indesit (eg WS105TX, WS84TX, W105T, W104T, WG622TPR, WISL105X) | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, valves, rubber elements, temperature sensor, pressure switch, repair of engine or control module | Replacement of the engine, electronics, drum cross, tank, presence of deep corrosion of the body | Combination of expensive repairs |
| LG Korean assembly 2000-2010 (models WD*****S/SU/SUP/N/NU, F*****ND/NDR/LD) asterisks correspond to a digital value | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, valves, rubber elements, temperature sensor, pressure switch, repair of the engine or control module, repair of the detergent bin | Replacing the motor, electronics, drum cross | Combination of expensive repairs |
| Samsung Korean assembly before 2010 (for example, R833) | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, valves, rubber elements, temperature sensor, pressure switch, repair of the engine or control module, repair of the detergent bin | Replacing the engine, electronics, drum cross, drum activators (ribs) | Combination of expensive repairs |
| German-assembled Siemens (in particular, the SIWAMAT series) | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, water intake valves, temperature sensor, pressure switch, rubber elements, repair of the engine or control module | Replacing the drum crosspiece, electronic module, motor, housing replacement | Combination of expensive repairs |
| Whirlpool with collapsible tanks | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, rubber elements, water supply valves, temperature sensor, pressure switch | Replacing the motor, electronics, drum cross | Combination of expensive repairs |
| Zanussi Italian assembly until 2011 (F805N, FJ905N, FLS522C, FE925N) | Replacement of consumables, bearings, drum pulley, water supply valves, pressure switch, rubber elements, engine or electronics repair | Replacement of the drum crosspiece, electronic module, motor, presence of deep corrosion of the housing | Combination of expensive repairs |
I hope the information presented will help you better navigate before repairing or purchasing a washing machine and save money.
