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Apologies if this topic is covered elsewhere – couldn’t find it through searches – I have a Hoover AAA160 W/Mc bought Nov ’01. Door has alwasy leaked despite visit from engineer. However noises from within started a few weeks ago and on investigation have discovered that the large concrete stabilising block has broken free shearing all retaining bolts, grinding mountings away, and damaging the frame and drum. Basically the machine has disintegrated.
At 4yrs 4mths old, whilst outside supplier’s gurantee, surely this machine is effectively ‘not of merchantantable quality’ and/or ‘not fit for use’ – I have picked up some info that by law a w/mc should last 10 years – have I a case to try small-claims vs either supplier or Hoover?
Re: Hoover merchantable quality
In short, no you haven’t a case and there’s no stipulation in law as to how long goods (any) should survive other than the suitably vague “reasonable period”. So I shouldn’t waste time and money pursuing it.
The argument from Hoover, or any other manufacturer with half a brain would go thus…
If the appliance was not working since new why didn’t the customer pursue remedies at the time?
If the weight was loose then the customer would have heard an abnormal noise from the appliance and should have made moves to have it investigated and/or repaired as required.
Many aftersales warranty packages are available to cover such eventualities, including our own, which the customer has obviously declined at point of sale and with correspondence at a time after the initial sale.
Can you tell I’ve seen this before? 😉
K.
Hmm ok although just to qualify matters, the leak had nothing to do with the machine falling apart – just a comment that it wasn’t perfect from the outset. The big problem occurred in a matter of 24hrs and my immediate investigation is what has prompted the query – there was no opportunity for remedial action – it just fell to pieces!
Re: Hoover merchantable quality
So they’d argue that it’d been fine for four and a half years essentially and then just blew up. If that happened to a BMW engine I’m sure you know the reponse you’d get. 😕
TBH when those weights work loose they start to chatter, the machine is based on the old Candy INOX series tub design IIRC and I worked on them for many years. This did happen but there was always some warning that it was faulty, but whether it was noticed or not before it was too late is a whole other matter.
Often we’d get calls for “concrete dust” on the floor, “chattering”, “noisy on spin” or just plain old “noisy” and find either the lower front or top weight loose. More often than not long before it got to that stage.
It would be extremely easy for any manufacturer to prove from service records that this is what happens in such cases.
I know it’s not a lot of help, but that’s what you’re up against if you try to take it any further.
K.
Re: Hoover merchantable quality
Does this machine not have a 5 year parts guarantee ❓ .
Sure you would still have to pay Hoover call out charge (£90 approx.) but it may give you an option.Bryan
Ok – fair enough – simple verdict for me as a consumer – I’ll never buy another Hoover product.
I’m sure if I contacted Hoover and asked how long they would expect one of their machines to last, 4 years would not be the reply.
avanhp wrote:I’m sure if I contacted Hoover and asked how long they would expect one of their machines to last, 4 years would not be the reply.
Nope, it would not.
Most manufacturers will avoid answering that question like the plague, giving answers like a “reasonable” or “long” life which offer no information really. The only manufacturer that I am aware gives a design life figure is Meile currently, 20 years on some models and we say that an ISE should have a life of about eight to ten years minimum.
K.
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