Washing machine gone bang

jonbeeza

jonbeeza

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My washing machine has just made a loud bang, and there is now an almighty knocking noise. I turned it off quick, and took the top plate off to have a look.

It looks like the stone block at the side of the drum has broken! There are lots of stone particles under the machine, and it looks like it's had it. I know it's not going to be economical to repair it.

It's the Indesit W1XE 167 model, and this was on the BBC Watchdog show. We had a three year extended warranty on it, and it ran out a couple of month ago. Mind you not sure if this would have made any difference, as we bought it from Comet!
 
I would still get onto Indesit about it, it's clearly a manufacturing fault.
 
gramps said:
I would still get onto Indesit about it, it's clearly a manufacturing fault.
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I have just sent off an email to Indesit Support, but I am not really expecting them to offer any help. But you just never know. I suppose I am hoping as they did know it was a manufacturing design problem, they just may offer some help.

I suppose they will simply say it is out of warranty.
 
When you say it looks like the block has broken Jon, it is either broke or it aint. Not being funny but it is hard to see from that pic, how much stone particles did you find? That could have only been the result of the banging. At a guess I would say that unless you have found a large piece of concrete that has fallen off then it may not be as bad as you think. I would be tempted to check the dampers for wear, as those are what keep the unit stable along with the tension springs.
 
indesit is a (relatively) cheap piece of crap anyway - its probably not going to be economically repairable as they aren't designed to be repaired.

the same thing happened to the hotpoint in our volunteer house two years ago - we binned it and got a bosch second hand off ebay for 50 quid , which runs better, quieter, and more economicly than the hotpoint ever did
 
Get a twin tub;) you'll get all your washing done in one go with one if those! ;)
 
Take the offending bit of concrete out and see if the machine runs ok, the concrete is for ballast/vibration damping. If it runs roughly buy a concrete slab (or source a lump of iron) drill a hole it it and stick it on the machine in place of the missing bit.
 
Indesit make cheap rubbish. Bin it and get a decent make of washer!
 
Our last 2 Indesits lasted about 12 years each. Cheap, yes; rubbish, ours lasted a lot longer than Mum's Hotpoints...

We now have an LG direct drive WM (as recommended by a friend who's a "domestic appliance engineer") which is far quieter but seems to wander when spinning. Only time will tell how long it'll last. (At almost 3 times the cost of the previous Indesits, I would hope for 30 years but am expecting 10!) Pretty sure the wandering is mainly down to it sitting on felt padded feet on laminate flooring.
 
u8myufo said:
When you say it looks like the block has broken Jon, it is either broke or it aint. Not being funny but it is hard to see from that pic, how much stone particles did you find? ...
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Yes Deffo broken, it's not the stone at the top but the stone block at the side of the drum. It's broken in two leaving bits of stone under the machine.

As others have already mentioned the Indesit is a cheap bit of crap anyway. It did not cost me a great deal of money. I would have liked a few more years of service out of it.

Just looks like I will have to put that new Compact Camera on hold, and money will have to go on a new washing machine instead!
 
As Nod says the LG direct drive ones are getting good reviews. The other brand I'd be looking at would be Bosch - Meike are very good, but carry a price tag and I'm not sure they're worth the extra, but I'd certainly consider one.
 
jonbeeza said:
Just looks like I will have to put that new Compact Camera on hold, and money will have to go on a new washing machine instead!
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Ebay is your friend - as I mentioned earlier I got a 2 year old bosch washing machine for 50 quid. I'd far rather buy a used quality make than a new cheap one
 
andyred said:
As Nod says the LG direct drive ones are getting good reviews. The other brand I'd be looking at would be Bosch - Meike are very good, but carry a price tag and I'm not sure they're worth the extra, but I'd certainly consider one.
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We would love a decent washer as above, but unfortunately finances dictate otherwise. I know it may pay to get better quality, as it just might give better lasting service. But we can only have what is in our price range.

Looks like the bagwash <-- ( Northern term for launderette ) till it's sorted
 
big soft moose said:
Ebay is your friend - as I mentioned earlier I got a 2 year old bosch washing machine for 50 quid. I'd far rather buy a used quality make than a new cheap one
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I will have a look on ebay just out of curiosity, but not too sure. Will have a quick look now anyway ;)
 
Nod said:
Our last 2 Indesits lasted about 12 years each. Cheap, yes; rubbish, ours lasted a lot longer than Mum's Hotpoints...

We now have an LG direct drive WM (as recommended by a friend who's a "domestic appliance engineer") which is far quieter but seems to wander when spinning. Only time will tell how long it'll last. (At almost 3 times the cost of the previous Indesits, I would hope for 30 years but am expecting 10!) Pretty sure the wandering is mainly down to it sitting on felt padded feet on laminate flooring.
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I'm going by the build quality of the indesit cooker I bought. Had to have the engineer out straight away as the oven door seal was faulty and the oven door wasn't even on straight! Then a second time because the pan storage at the bottom's closer broke. It was replaced but the engineer said they were rubbish and they'd keep breaking so I have taped it up.

My zanussi washer is still going strong at 13. It's doing better than my parents Miele one which has a bit of string tying the door seal up and has an engineer out a couple of times. That's several years newer too. Their miele fridge hasn't been as good as the cheapo hotpoint one they had before. Think that lasted 15 years and worked perfectly right until it stopped working at all.
 
Been trawling the net for recommendations, and it would seem the lower end stuff is not built to last. I have also looked on ebay for second hand as suggested, but for some reason I feel a little uneasy getting a washing machine via ebay. Yes great if it's a good reliable one, but a headache if anything went wrong.

Only got about £200 odd to spend on a washing machine, yes I know I am not going to get much for that, but at the end of the day that's all I have got!

If I spend about £200 odd and machine lasts about three years, that would work out the same as spending about £600 odd and getting it to last nearly ten years.
 
Zanussi do ones that start from £220 ish if you don't mind buying from Curry's. The model I was looking at to eventually replace mine was about £260 as it had 7kg load and 1600 rpm spin. The £220 one has the slower spin and a 6kg load I think.

I think my original Zanussi was about £240 in 2000. It's done well.
 
srichards said:
Zanussi do ones that start from £220 ish if you don't mind buying from Curry's. The model I was looking at to eventually replace mine was about £260 as it had 7kg load and 1600 rpm spin. The £220 one has the slower spin and a 6kg load I think.

I think my original Zanussi was about £240 in 2000. It's done well.
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Also looking at the real cheapo Logik L612WM12 at £169 in Currys, I will use that as a starting point and see whats available in my price range.
 
jonbeeza said:
Also looking at the real cheapo Logik L612WM12 at £169 in Currys, I will use that as a starting point and see whats available in my price range.
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Logik ones are rebranded Daewoo ones potentially:

http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/help/...cturer-information/3560-logik-appliances.html

There are often end of line and dinged appliance places around. There's a massive one in Brum somewhere. It features on the gadget show.

They are worth a look if you can find one.

Found somewhere doing Beko ones for under £200:

http://www.appliancesonline.co.uk/l...than_200-cheap/1-23-35/1/?itemsperpagesize=60
 
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If you're determined to buy a new one I'd also recommend Zanussi. I'm on my second, bought last year to replace a 14 yr old model.

Hotpoint Indesit, Creda and Ariston are all the same company.
Electrolux, Zanussi and AEG are all the same company (Also make John Lewis machines I believe)
 
Try Freecycle for your area.
Sometimes people put relatively new machines out when they re-do their kitchens.
 
jonbeeza said:
Just looks like I will have to put that new Compact Camera on hold, and money will have to go on a new washing machine instead!
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Seriously, try what I told you. Just because it is out of warranty does not mean it has last a reasonable length of time.

Once you start quoting consumer rights to manufacturers and retailers they know you have read up on it.

The best bit is, if they can't give you a like for like replacement you sometimes get an upgrade for free (or a large lump of your money back)
 
For everyone who tells you thier cheapo one cr apped out after 5 minutes, you will in all likelyhood find someone else who is still more than happy with thier cheapo after umpteen years.

More expensive does not always mean superior.

Stick to your budget and get what you can.
 
Just got an email from Indesit support, they have asked for photos of the damage. I have taken a couple more photos showing the damaged block.

Just a case of lets see what happens next.
 
jonbeeza said:
Just got an email from Indesit support, they have asked for photos of the damage. I have taken a couple more photos showing the damaged block.

Just a case of lets see what happens next.
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Well for a beginning of possible negotiations, that's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick! Good luck!
 
Just heard back from Indesit, and they have said the problem is not the same as the fault highlighted by watchdog. They go on to say they are considering it a normal breakdown. So therefore the repairs will need to be paid for.

They say a normal repair like this would cost £110, but as a gesture of good will they are prepared to do it for £85.

I think it would be better to put the money towards a new machine!

Oh well I tried!
 
jonbeeza said:
Yes great if it's a good reliable one, but a headache if anything went wrong.
.
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thing is that if you buy one new its still going to be a headache if it goes wrong , once the 12 month warranty has expired, cheapo manufacturers arent interested (indeed they often quibble like buggery even if its still in warranty)

so if an ebay one goes wrong you can either get it fixed (decent makes are generally easier to fix) or bin it and buy another one - either way you've got the money you saved on the purchase to play with
 
jonbeeza said:
Just heard back from Indesit, and they have said the problem is not the same as the fault highlighted by watchdog. They go on to say they are considering it a normal breakdown. So therefore the repairs will need to be paid for.

They say a normal repair like this would cost £110, but as a gesture of good will they are prepared to do it for £85.

I think it would be better to put the money towards a new machine!

Oh well I tried!
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I'd go back to them and say that unless they only expect that their machines will last three years ( I'd pretty much guarantee that they won't confirm that in writing ) the customer has a reasonable expectation that they'd last longer and therefore one that breaks in that time is not fit for purpose as required by the sale and supply of goods act '94 , and you want a replacement.

(have a look on money saving expert for template letters)

They may well decline , but if they think you won't go away quietly they may also offer a free repair to shut you up. Generally i'd never accept the first fobbing off answer as final
 
big soft moose said:
I'd go back to them and say that unless they only expect that their machines will last three years ( I'd pretty much guarantee that they won't confirm that in writing ) the customer has a reasonable expectation that they'd last longer and therefore one that breaks in that time is not fit for purpose as required by the sale and supply of goods act '94 , and you want a replacement.

(have a look on money saving expert for template letters)

They may well decline , but if they think you won't go away quietly they may also offer a free repair to shut you up. Generally i'd never accept the first fobbing off answer as final
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This.
 
jonbeeza said:
Just heard back from Indesit, and they have said the problem is not the same as the fault highlighted by watchdog. They go on to say they are considering it a normal breakdown. So therefore the repairs will need to be paid for.

They say a normal repair like this would cost £110, but as a gesture of good will they are prepared to do it for £85.

I think it would be better to put the money towards a new machine!

Oh well I tried!
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I'd go back to them and say the machine isn't of satisfactory quality and you are prepared to take them to the small claims court for the cost of repair as it is only 3(?) years old and you'd expect a washing machine to last a minimum of 5 years. See what they say...
 
big soft moose said:
thing is that if you buy one new its still going to be a headache if it goes wrong , once the 12 month warranty has expired, cheapo manufacturers arent interested (indeed they often quibble like buggery even if its still in warranty)

so if an ebay one goes wrong you can either get it fixed (decent makes are generally easier to fix) or bin it and buy another one - either way you've got the money you saved on the purchase to play with
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I did think of getting a second hand one off ebay, or some other place. I also wanted to hold out and argue a little more with Indesit. But with trips to our daughters house and doing washing there is taking it's toll. I suppose it's a change from kids taking washing to their parents house :lol:

The Missus has demanded a new one, and will not have a second hand one. So it's seems I will simply have to get a new one. :|

I could see what would happen should I buy a second hand machine, should it break down shorty after buying it, she will simply say, see I told you not to buy second hand!
 
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srichards said:
I'd go back to them and say the machine isn't of satisfactory quality and you are prepared to take them to the small claims court for the cost of repair as it is only 3(?) years old and you'd expect a washing machine to last a minimum of 5 years. See what they say...
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I did say all that in an email to them, they simply said sorry but it's out of warranty :shrug:

I just might keep sending off emails now and then, keep hassling them and they may offer a little in the way of compo!
 
Approach consumer direct/trading standards. Get the big guns out!

If they have a facebook page mention on there their machines only last 3 years...

If they have a twitter account mention on there their machines only last 3 years...

It's amazing what they will do if you publicise their actions where potential customers can be put off in their droves.
 
I'd still tell them that it hasn't last a reasonable amount if time. Quote consume right information to them and they will know you mean business.

They will always tell you to pay as a first line of defence. It's their business after all.
 
srichards said:
Approach consumer direct/trading standards. Get the big guns out!

If they have a facebook page mention on there their machines only last 3 years...

If they have a twitter account mention on there their machines only last 3 years...

It's amazing what they will do if you publicise their actions where potential customers can be put off in their droves.
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steelneil said:
I'd still tell them that it hasn't last a reasonable amount if time. Quote consume right information to them and they will know you mean business.

They will always tell you to pay as a first line of defence. It's their business after all.
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Good idea, but I suppose they will simply delete any negative comments. But it's worth a try :thumbs:

But in the meantime it means hanging onto the old machine, and we don't have the space as we live in a tiny flat that's upstairs. I just might try a little complaining on their page, if they have one. ;)
 
All the advice given above is well intentioned, but misplaced!
You have no rights with the manufacturer, since your contract is with the reseller you purchased it from.
It should be them who you're having it out with.

If you insist on going direct, then you'll need to look further up the ladder, rather than berating the frontline script readers.

Maurizio.Pettorino@indesit.com - the current MD
 
PJ S said:
All the advice given above is well intentioned, but misplaced!
You have no rights with the manufacturer, since your contract is with the reseller you purchased it from.
It should be them who you're having it out with.
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you would be right of course under usual circumstances- although the advice above holds, just take it up with whoever you bought it from. However in this case the retailer( Comet) has gone bust, but the manufacturer can still be approached on the not fit for purpose must last a reasonable length of time etc line

full SP here http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/consumer-rights-refunds-exchange#goods
 
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