A week ago last Tuesday, our Maytag washer (which was just shy of six years old) stopped spinning. We also noticed that the door lock indicator had quit and suspected the two were related.
Of course, in 2000 when we spent over $1400.00+ for the washer and dryer, we felt justified because we were buying the ‘Maytag’ name and knew they’d last f o r e v e r.
On Wednesday, The Prof called the local Good Housekeeping shop where we purchased the pair; they took our name and number and advised a repairman would call ‘in the next day or two’ (have they called Y E T ?).
By Friday, I was nose deep in dirty laundry and made the executive decision to go to the Maytag site and find another repairman. I was able to schedule an appointment (for a minimum of $127.95) for this past Monday.
The repairman showed up around 1:30 p.m. It took him less than 10 minutes to determine that ‘a sensor’ had gone out in the control panel and ‘because the sensors are not made in this country, we need to replace the entire panel’ for a grand total of $361.65.
The Prof was on his way home so I called him to break the news. He went ballistic; and we both decided that buying a new washer was the route to take.
We paid the repairman his required $127.95 (plus tax……..now explain that to me) and sent him on his way.
The Prof had recently won the ‘Innovation in Teaching’ award at Devry and had just received a $400.00 gift card to Best Buy. Combined with the $25.00 card that JoJo and MoMo gave him for Christmas, this seemed like a great start to funding our new washer. So off we went to Best Buy.
It took less that 5 minutes for me to spot the washer I wanted; it was a Whirlpool Calypso that was originally $850.00 and had been marked down to $469.00. The main reason I liked this washer was the obvious absence of the middle appendage in the tub (you know, that thing that sticks up and jeans get tangled around). We also liked the fact that the tub ‘rocked and churned’ rather than simply swishing back and forth. I was thrilled.
The one drawback was……..this washer was a three-year-old floor model and was being sold ‘as is’. We were assured by the appliance manager that she had sent the washer to ‘the shop to be checked out’, and it worked perfectly. Given the age, the washer had no manufacturer’s warranty. So, we promptly bought the extended 5 year warranty plan, loaded the washer in the truck and headed home.
Once home, The Prof unhooked the Maytag, dollied it to the alley (along with the other trash…….of course, only the trash trash was picked up), dollied the ‘new’ washer in, unpacked and hooked it up. I immediately started a much needed load of laundry.
BEEP BEEP BEEP (this is the ‘new’ washer beeping at me about 20 minutes into the cycle). I ran into the mud room only to see ‘FL’ in bright neon red flashing at me in sync with the BEEP.
[NOTE: I had downloaded the manual as it was missing and was prepared for any error message or problem I might encounter.]
I read the manual, tried to reset the washer only to have it BEEP and ‘FL’ at me every time I turned it on. So………’Hey Prof? I need your help down here!’
The Prof checks the machine, has me read the reset instructions to him (over and over), then opens the back of the washer. The drain hose is completely dry……….not a drop of water has drained from the washer. Evidently the drain pump is “trying” but is unable to kick on.
S I G H
I pick up the phone to call Best Buy (mind you, this all took place within an hour) and ask to speak to the appliance manager. ‘She’s on another call. May I help you?’ This young girl begins relaying our conversation to the manager. I hear the manager say ‘But we had it checked out! It’s an ‘as is’ item; and I gave them the best information I had. The warehouse SAID it worked.’ I said (in a rather forceful voice) ‘Yea, they said it worked, you said it worked and we wouldn’t have bought it otherwise.’ The young girl asked for our number and said she’d call back after she spoke with the store manager as ’she’d never run into something like this before.’
About thirty minutes later (during which time, The Prof has unhooked, repacked and reloaded the ‘new’ washer because ‘they WILL take it back’), Best Buy called and agreed to take the washer back and issue a full refund (of course, the only real ‘cash’ we got was the amount I paid for the extended warranty…..the rest was re-issued in a gift card……S I G H ).
Back to Best Buy…….get refund……..head for Lowe’s.
By this time, I’m so sick of the whole mess that I just pick one.
When we finally get a clerk to help us (about 45 minutes later), we buy the washer (another Whirlpool (but not the Calypso)), The Prof gets the truck while I wait for the machine to be brought to the front of the store (about 20 minutes).
Home, washer unloaded, unpacked, installed and………WORKING! Hallelujah!
I was mentally and emotionnally exhausted when the entire fiasco was over…..and never, never again will I buy a ‘floor model’.
*note to self: should probably blog about the ‘new’ printer*
