Has anyone ever had a washing machine motor replaced?

Our washing machine quit.
Here are the choices I feel I have:
*Use the laundramat. (It's little inconvenient, but I don't mind too much.)
*Buy a used washing machine. I don't trust them -- though DH says he hears that you can get a fairly new one pretty cheap.)
*Replace motor on our 16 years old washer. The repairperson said that the motor is pretty much the only thing that goes out on a washing machine, so replacing it should give us many years of use for around $200-250. He told me the motor was wearing out last spring when it first quit, then he twiddled around and fixed something so that it ran for another 6 months without the new motor. (My Hero!) But now it's quit for good.

We don't have much income right now, so I don't really want to buy a NEW machine. But I think I spent about $20 at the laundramat today!

By Enchens on Saturday, December 8, 2007 - 01:32 am:

Do you have an appliance outlet (Where they sell the overstock appliances) around you? You may be able to get a new washer for a good price there.

By Colette on Saturday, December 8, 2007 - 07:22 am:

Did you check freecycle? I see washers and dryers on it all the time.

By Mom2three1968 on Saturday, December 8, 2007 - 12:09 pm:

Ya know, when we were moving this last time when my husband was retiring from the military our things were put in storage, well somehow our dryer was exposed to water, it sat out in the rain and the motor was ruined, we replaced it and now have been using it for the last four years with no problem, now when they fail again (either washer or dryer) we will probably buy new. But it was the solution for us at the time when we couldn't buy new. I think it was around 100.00 to get it fixed. Just a thought.

By Hol on Saturday, December 8, 2007 - 05:08 pm:

Can you get time payments? I just think that you would be better served by a new machine, if at all possible. Mine died right after Christmas last year (along with my TV and my printer). With my machine, it was the transmission, so there IS more to a washer than just the motor. Be careful.

By Amecmom on Saturday, December 8, 2007 - 05:27 pm:

I think with all the sales you can probably get a new one for around the same price it might cost to fix the old. Sears especially has deals and deferred payments (no interest, no payments for a set number of months) also Home Depot if you get their credit card will do the same thing for purchases over a certain amount (I forget if it's 199 or 299)
Anyway, good luck.
Ame

By Vicki on Saturday, December 8, 2007 - 08:36 pm:

If it is going to cost that much for a new motor, I think I would just get a new one. You could likely get one for close to that amount of money with the sales most places offer. And to me, going to the laundramat is just silly for any length of time. You could use that money as payments on a new one!

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, December 8, 2007 - 09:48 pm:

Vicki's right, the transmission can also be an expensive problem (the gears that move the washer from the wash cycle to rinse to spin), and in a 16 year old washer with the motor gone, I would not be surprised if the transmission went fairly soon too. I understand your not wanting to spend the money on a new one, but I agree with those above who recommend getting a new washer. I do know Sears has "outlet" type sections in some stores where they sell appliances that are scratched or dented but otherwise new for less, and with a full warantee. For about $100 more than the $200-250 estimate for the repair you should be able to get a pretty good washer. I looked on Sears.com and they are presently selling top load washers starting as low as $272 for large capacity washers. Front load washers, which are more efficient and less expensive to operate, do cost more, starting at around $500. I know I recently had to replace my dishwasher because it was recalled and had to go to Sears because I bought the recalled one at Sears (almost 8 years ago), and they had a deal where with buying something over a certain price I got a full rebate on the delivery charge.

By Crystal915 on Saturday, December 8, 2007 - 10:54 pm:

Another vote for a new one, I purchased mine at Best Buy for about $300 5 years ago, it's a basic Whirlpool. Best Buy and Sears price match, which I took advantage of. Ginny had a great suggestion. My mom had told me, when I was buying my set, that it is always a good idea to buy "scratch and dent" washers and dryers. They are new, but because of a minor imperfection, you get a good discount. With as much use as abuse as the washers and dryers get in most houses, who cares if the finish on the side is dinged, especially when you usually can't see it!

By Mom2three1968 on Saturday, December 8, 2007 - 10:57 pm:

I was the only one with the duh moment, I have to say buy a new one too, while we lucked out with ours buying a new one would be your best bet! Feeling a bit stupid here, big time blushing here....

By Mlee on Monday, December 10, 2007 - 11:52 pm:

Whew! I'm glad y'all agree.
Don't blush Mom2three! If Hol hadn't had the transmission experience, I might have gone for the repair job. Colette, I'm going to check Freecycle. I've never been to that site before.

I guess I've been planning for a while that my next washer (some day in the distant future) would be one of those efficient, though expensive, frontloaders. When the future happened sooner than expected, I forgot that I CAN get a less expensive new machine. Thanks everyone, for the reality check!

Also, I've applied for an increase in our equity line of credit. It's semi-approved and almost sure to go through within a few days. Crazy to do in our 50's when we've been so careful to stay out of debt, but DH made this career change that means a big loss of income ... So, it makes sense right now. Within three years or so, this house will be too big for DH & me, so we can sell and get something cheaper (or else the kids will be having to pay us rent!! DD says that's what she wants to do after graduating college! She's the little bird that doesn't want to fly from the nest, so it might be good if the nest shrinks. ) Anyway, I'm going to try to keep costs down during this transition, but maybe not by doing without a washer.
Thanks!

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - 05:49 am:

At $20 a week for the laundromat, doing without a washer is no way to save money. I think you've made the right decision.

By Boxzgrl on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - 11:26 am:

This is the perfect time of year for appliance shopping with all the holiday deals out. DH and I got a basic top loading Whirlpool washer/dryer set in 2002 for just under $500 after taxes. We've only had one minor problem with it (which was partly my fault for being so rough with it) and when the repair technician came out he told me that the Whirlpool is a very reliable brand and they last forever.

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - 11:35 am:

Mlee, just want you to know that you wouldn't be the only one without a front-loading washer. Mine is a top-loader, because we just didn't want to spend that much money. It works fine.

I don't have time to go to the laundromat on a regular basis. It was fine when it was just me, but not with a family. I don't mind going for my big quilt, though. It's just too big for my washer. Mine is an Amana and is the first washer I've had, that has a delicate cycle! We really do use it, too.