User Panel
Posted: 5/14/2022 1:40:16 PM EST
This is my second day off wasted on the stupid dishwasher, which runs a full cycle, but never sprays water. The circulation pump is not pumping, even though it tests out as good. Fills and drains, but no washee.
I found a used pump on ebay for $70, a new one is $284, essentially rendering a 5-year-old dishwasher disposable. I don't even know if replacing the pump will fix it since Mr. Fluke says it is good, and it turns properly. For a little more than the price of the pump, I could have already bought a new dishwasher and installed it on my last day off, and saved this one to do something useful Frustrating that it's so un-economical. Last time I called an appliance repair guy, he tested my washing machine, found the board bad, found a new board for $350, Remanufactured for $275, and the exact same model washer on sale at Home Depot for $299. Guess what his recommendation was, for a $70 service call? TV's are the same, Disposable |
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Service guys are not there to save you money. Had family in that business, they are basically parts salesman.
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In these two cases you are right. I have a 20 year old washing machine that I have repaired for far less than a new one several times.
I also repair my water heater. A friends dryer (needed a drum belt). |
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I'd rather repair something than buy new, but I'm a cheap bastard.
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dump dishwasher, replace with cabinet for hot sauce collection and wash dishes by hand.
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Quoted: dump dishwasher, replace with cabinet for hot sauce collection and wash dishes by hand. View Quote ` Best suggestion yet. If my semi-adult children were gone I would do it. Every 4-5 years, a new dishwasher. I've repaired a lot of crap watching youtube, my dryer multiple times. But some stuff you just can't. The washer had an electronic control board which required a proprietary program to access. |
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Make your wife wash dishes in the sink, the way dishes were meant to be washed.
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It drives me nuts that a control board for an appliance like fridge or hvac can cost $500-$1000, and that they are apparently so fragile and easily break. These boards probably cost less than $5 to make. That has got to be intentional.
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Quoted: ` Best suggestion yet. If my semi-adult children were gone I would do it. Every 4-5 years, a new dishwasher. I've repaired a lot of crap watching youtube, my dryer multiple times. But some stuff you just can't. The washer had an electronic control board which required a proprietary program to access. View Quote One option is to buy a good model of dishwasher to start with. Our house came with a contractors grade dishwasher. When it died we got a Bosch made Kenmore. It worked flawlessly and we only replaced it because we upgraded our kitchen to stainless steel. We bought a Bosch Benchmark model and love that one also. Contractor grade dishwasher - 6 years (died) Bosch/Kenmore - 16 years + (still worked) Bosch - 2 years thus far (to infinity and beyond?) |
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Quoted: One option is to buy a good model of dishwasher to start with. Our house came with a contractors grade dishwasher. When it died we got a Bosch made Kenmore. It worked flawlessly and we only replaced it because we upgraded our kitchen to stainless steel. We bought a Bosch Benchmark model and love that one also. Contractor grade dishwasher - 6 years (died) Bosch/Kenmore - 16 years + (still worked) Bosch - 2 years thus far (to infinity and beyond?) View Quote The cheap Whirlpool replaced a Bosch that had a board failure at 3 years. Disposable. |
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I have a kenmore elite dishwasher that I have had to replace the soap dispenser, and a door latch. If you descale and clean the inside properly, they can last. I don’t know what dishwasher you’re getting for less than $500 these days, but $800 is a minimum for one that doesn’t sound like a jet engine taking off.
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Attached File
I've fixed stoves, washers, dryers, and refrigerators. A lot of times the parts that are failing aren't very expensive and the labor isn't much more than an hour or 2. Plus a half hour watching youtube to figure out what's wrong and how to fix it. But I agree, a $284 motor means a new dishwasher. |
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Every time I've gotten rid of a dishwasher there's been a judge involved. Big hassle.
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About the only way to make repair economical is to do it yourself and not pay a tech, unless it's an expensive, high-end appliance, or if it's under warranty with repair costs covered. A lot of warranties will only cover the parts, which are sometimes the easy part.
I replaced a heating element in my oven, and that was well worth the expense at only about $30, but if I'd had to pay a tech $250 to do it for me, it would have been a lot less economical. The costs to repair can approach the cost of replacement so easily and quickly that you're right. It doesn't take much to make replacement the better option. |
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Broken dishwasher? Looks like it's time for divorce
But really, dishwashers suck. Even the fancy one the was put in when I moved in has never cleaned right. Other than that, I fix all my appliances. Washing machine and dryer are from the 90s still running, ac unit is from 88, still going strong. |
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Quoted: dump dishwasher, replace with cabinet for hot sauce collection and wash dishes by hand. View Quote Oh hell no. I will never do that again. I'd buy a new dishwasher every year if I had to. I loathe washing dishes by hand. I will only do it for things that absolutely can't go into a dishwasher, like a wooden cutting board. |
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Turn motor in over oven microwave went out. New microwave $500ish or $35.00 motor an 8 screws.
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Depends on the appliance.
Things with water or refrigerant are less friendly for repair. Things like an oven or a cloths dryer are much easier Repaired our dryer twice now. Wasn't hard either time and parts were very cheap |
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Quoted: It drives me nuts that a control board for an appliance like fridge or hvac can cost $500-$1000, and that they are apparently so fragile and easily break. These boards probably cost less than $5 to make. That has got to be intentional. View Quote When the motor control board in our washing machine failed, I sent it to an outfit that repaired it for about 25% of the cost of a new one. https://circuitboardmedics.com/about-us/ |
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Using YouTube videos I’ve repaired dryers, replaced my ice maker, fixed my washing machine and patched up my dishwasher which ran another few months before I had to replace it.
I would disagree with you |
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Yeah, I am sure I would be money ahead if I had wisely purchased 4 or 5 sets of washers and dryers and a couple of refrigerators every time something broke instead of foolishly spending a cumulative total of maybe $1,000 on parts and fixing them myself over the last 25 years.
OP should take his financial acumen to the next level and apply it to automobiles, too. |
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A dishwasher is worth trying to repair if it's something not too expensive part wise. You can always hand wash your dishes so you're kitchen isn't down.
Washer/dryer is a big deal for our house, I got until the weekend to figure it out or my wife is gunna be pissed, she's a laundry freak. Maybe not a bigger deal for some. Fridge is the biggest one, fridge goes down your entire kitchen goes down. We keep one in the garage as a backup/overflow as most people do. |
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Quoted: I've repaired a lot of crap watching youtube, my dryer multiple times. But some stuff you just can't. The washer had an electronic control board which required a proprietary program to access. View Quote Don't buy fancy appliances with electronics like that. About a month ago I replaced the lower heating element in a 35 year old electric oven. About $40 US and that was buying a supposed OEM part since some reviews mentioned that the wire connector lug was a different size on some heating elements. |
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Replaced a $1.20 surge absorber in an ECM furnace blower motor that would have cost $900+ to replace.
Replaced a $25 lid lock mechanism in a Cabrio clothes washer that would have cost $800 to replace. Replaced a $16 contactor relay in a York A/C condenser unit that would have cost $1800 to replace. DIY appliance repair definitely pays off, particularly if you can avoid using specialized parts that are only available from one manufacturer. |
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I have saved thousands of dollars repairing my own appliances. Some times you just need to toss the lemons away though, especially when you can buy new for what the repair costs or just a little more than the repair.
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Advice from some repairment I've used: Buy the basic model and extended warranty. Once the warranty runs out and there's a major failure, replace it. All of those fancy doo-dads and frills are a repaiman's best friend.
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I keep all my old appliances going myself.
I just repaired a mid-90s Whirlpool washing machine for $4.00 in parts from Amazon. I’d say that was worth it. |
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I could buy a motor, maint kit and a timer assy for a basic whirlpool and get back change back from 2 bills.
And it would STILL outlast a new LG or Samsung and cost about 1/4 to 1/3rd of a new one. |
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Planned obsolescence.
I paid $350 to fix a LG fridge (yeah, I know, but it came with the house) and it worked for less than a year before it died with a different error code. So now I'm getting by with an old dorm fridge until I can afford to pay cash for a new full size. Between the scamdemic and FJB it may be a while. |
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Depends what’s wrong but more and more they aren’t worth fixing.
Membrane switch was going out in my microwave. Every week I’d lose more buttons. I’d have to buy the whole button cover assembly for $200. But for a 3 yr old microwave nobody had it in stock. That microwave cost less than $250 new, so not worth it. |
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Sears repairman replaced a controller board in my Kenmore Elite refrigerator for just over $500. Cost was alot less than a new Kenmore Elite. Need a dishwasher repair in June.
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Our over the stove microwave needed a $10 door switch. Found the switch on Repair Clinic, ordered the part, watched the video, and it took about 20 minutes start to finish. It would have been a waste to trash the whole appliance and buy another microwave for several hundred dollars.
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I have kept my dishwasher, oven and dryer alive by watching YouTube videos and ordering parts on line. I have probably spent less than $200 total.
Almost forgot about replacing the thermostat on my fridge years ago. Fix your shit, don’t replace it because the new stuff is junk. |
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It's only a wast of time if you buy complicated appliances. I always buy the simplest thing available. No computers.
My frdge broke this week. The only parts on it are a thermostat thing compressor condenser and a fucking fan. Replace fan motor. 15 dollars. New fridge expensive as fuck |
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Quoted: dump dishwasher, replace with cabinet for hot sauce collection and wash dishes by hand. View Quote |
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Its worth it to repair things, if you know what is wrong, have the skills to do it yourself, and the parts are cheap. Otherwise there's a pretty darn good chance you are better off replacing it.
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I fix everything IF its practical.
I am not spending $175 for a timer on a 15 year old washer or dryer. The repair is based on cost of parts or components. When I get rid of something its scrap value. |
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LG and Samsung are trash
Electrolux has several be Brands ,GE now not much better Whirlpool, KitchenAid , Speed Queen Are the best for quality and parts availability |
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https://www.applianceblog.com/mainforums/ and YouTube
Important: start with knowing your model number. Search with model number and what the issue is. MVWP575GW won't agitate Some appliances have more than 1yr warranty on certain parts. New ones with fancy electronics and display sometimes have 5+ yrs on certain control parts Some appliances come with 5yr PARTS AND LABOR from the factory included. IKEA for example |
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If the circuit board dies then there's a good chance the price to repair is higher than the price to replace. Knock on wood, I haven't needed to use a board repair service.
I've fixed the cloths washer 4 times and each repair was less than $50. My 12 year old daughter replaced the hall effect sensor on the washer motor once. Fixed the dryer 2 or 3 times. Dryer acts like it needs heating elements replaced...like one element is not heating. I've fixed microwaves, ac blowers, furnace relays, dryers , washers.....for myself and some family friends. I'm cheap and I'm trying to raise 3 kids. I fix my own vehicles as much as possible, for as many miles as I can. I aim to get at least 15 years and/or 250,000 miles out of a car. Every time something breaks my wife gets excited because we can get something new. Or worry's about the cost to pay someone to fix it. Almost every time I fix it. |
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I figured that out back in my apt maintenance days.
If you have to spend over an hour working on it...chunk it and buy a new budget beater. |
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I think is designed into things nowadays to have a designated failure point where it is cheaper to get a newer one.
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Quoted: dump dishwasher, replace with cabinet for hot sauce collection and wash dishes by hand. View Quote lol that's pretty much what I'm doing. I'll keep the place for the dishwasher intact. But I'll put a cabinet that has been slightly cut down in the dishwasher spot. The idea is the make the cabinet easy to remove and replace with an actual dishwasher when I go to sell the house. I live alone and using the dishwasher is just a waste as I don't exactly generate a bunch of dirty dishes every day. |
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I just bought a set of new bearings for my washing machine for $18 and with couple hours work it is good as new. However, a replacement for one little metal bracket "hinge" that lets you tilt up the top of the washer (broke when I was working on it... wires were cut, blood was shed) is $20-$60. Part costs make no sense from the perspective of the consumer. That thing is either getting welded, replaced with a door hinge, or just left off.
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We have a guy named Rick. Rick is a wizard. If it can be fixed Rick can fix it. Rick has saved us a zillion dollars over the last 30+ years. Rick is honest. If he can't fix it for a reasonable price, he will tell you. We have recommended Rick to dozens of people. Everyone loves Rick. Not everyone has a Rick, sadly.
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