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Now I’ve read the forum on many occasions over the last couple of years, found it interesting and informative, and I know many, many people have been helped by the most knowledgeable advice. But, I appear to have come to the conclusion – Washing machines cost £100 per annum – full stop !For all the talk about cheap ( Beko? ) verses quality ( Miele ? ), a £200 machine can expect to last about 2 years, a 10 year guarantee Miele, the best part of a grand. Even the much lauded ISE5 – £500 for 5 years guaranteed…
As for repairs, I don’t remember anyone I’ve spoken to ever tell me their repair man charged much less than £100 ( parts and labour ), and that about a year later they experienced another breakdown…
…Maybe I’m missing something here. I do appreciate how we should be caring for the enviroment, but are we really prepared to cough up cash to do so ? Yes, there’s the hassle of getting the machine in and out every few years, but you’d have to pull it out for an ‘ under warrantee ‘ repair too. And what respectable company doesn’t do collection and delivery…
Just a few thoughts really, not militant in any way, but I do get the feeling ‘ they got you one way or the other…’
Re: Washing Machines…£100 per annum ?
Well for a start, an ISE 10 works out at £80 per annum for the first 10 years which blows your maths right out of the water. 😛 There is every chance given the quality of the machine that it will last 20 years and as parts will be supplied at cost after the first ten years then over a 20 year period it will average out at way below your questionable guesstimate.
The cheapo machines will break down at a far greater rate than a quality machine so you will be pulling it out several times in the very few years you have it before you consign it to the tip.
The average cost of the repairs I do is well below £75.00 and I do not see many of these customers for years afterwards.
Jim.
Re: Washing Machines…£100 per annum ?
Thanks for the reply Jim, and I definately don’t want anyone here to take any remarks personally – certainly any of you professional repair guys, who would take the trouble to answer queries on this site ( never mind 10, 000 Jim ! ) are more conscientious than many trademen I and many others have encountered….
No, my point is that I recently bought a Bosch, paid about £250, reduced from £300. Yes I bought on Bosch’s good name ( my parents have a ten year old still going strong ), and because they tend to get a good write up here re. spares and ease of repair – it also came with a 2-year guarantee.
But, when I was looking for a suitable machine I did notice a £139 machine in Argos, with an optional guarantee of three years for £60 – so three years of guaranteed washing for less than £200 ! Even with my maths Jim ( ! ) that beats £800 over ten years !
And a £75 repair bill is fine, as long as it’s not every year – but living in the mean streets of South London, any call-out is going to be half-a-days money, and with street parking at £2.40 an hour, there’s a tenner already !
So that’s my point really, cheap machine or expensive ( and as far as I can see ISE 10 is actually £850 delivered ! ) we are looking at ABOUT £100 a year…
…and what of the promise of no mark up on spares for ISE machines. As I understand it, a major manufacturer makes the machines to a agreed specification. What if the manufacturer decides to up the spares prices ? And as I understand, the guarantee is underwritten by the same insurer as all the other manufacturers…so even with the best will in the world, we’re back to the same old ‘ they got you one way or the other …’
Like I say, don’t want anyone to take anything I’ve said personally. I believe many here had input into the ISE spec and agreement, all to be commended, but it’s not their own factory, and even their hands are tied to some extent by the ‘ Big Boys ‘.
Not looking for argument, just healthy debate 🙂
Re: Washing Machines…£100 per annum ?
Hi steve
But, when I was looking for a suitable machine I did notice a £139 machine in Argos, with an optional guarantee of three years for £60 – so three years of guaranteed washing for less than £200
This wouldnt have been a SERVIS machine would it ??. Bearing in mind if it was when SERVIS went bust last month as well as its service provider GBDAR owing thousands to small independent engineers all over the country and not a lot of chance getting paid either.
May be cheap but what agro when you cant get it repaired…
Bryan
Re: Washing Machines…£100 per annum ?
£850 for ISE 10 delivered is the internet web site price, locally in sunny Lancashire, Gods own county, it is currently £799.00. I will grant you that service charges can vary by huge amounts but you have to take an average to arrive at your £100 per annum figure.
My service charges are on the low side but apart from my one extravagance which is my ‘van’ 😉 8) 😀 I have very low overheads. I do all the admin, have not paid a single penny in advertising for over 25 years etc. I am an old time, died in the wool ,’One man band’.
I will agree that in certain areas call out charges will be much higher.Having said all that, I can assure you that all of my forty years experience tells me that customers who pay a decent price for a quality product up front will be financially better of 95{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} of the time over a ten year period. They will also have had to suffer far fewer breakdowns during this time.
It all comes down to a mindset, do you always buy the cheapest you can or the best that you can afford.
The best that you can afford may not always be a Miele but the thousands of years of accumulated knowledge amongst the trade members of UKWG’s tells us that a £400 to £500 machine will on average be more economic over a 10 year period than buying the sub £250 junk purveyed by the usual suspects.
Jim.Re: Washing Machines…£100 per annum ?
Not to mention the sheer aggro of the “purchasing experience” at your local shed…
All too often, replacement is a “distress purchase” – poorly researched and done quickly to a perceived budget to get the school uniforms done on a Sunday afternoon. The sheds charge delivery, connection and (often) disposal; so the price you see is not what you pay and it adds up in the end. With ISE, it’s all-in, even better is to use your local agent and you won’t pay the on-line delivery charge. And then there is trying to get past the check-out without buyng the “Solid Gold 5 Year Extended Warranty”….. Just awful.
Anyway, an ISE10 has the 10 year full warranty – any problems, contact your local engineer and he’ll fit in with your needs (No taking a day off on the off-chance they turn up!) and most likely it’ll be a first time fix. Can laundry get any better without inventing the automatic ironing and folding machine? The 5 machine is proving to be popular and awesomely quiet and even the budget 2 machine is pretty damn good at what it does.
All from just a phone call.
Penguin45.
Re: Washing Machines…£100 per annum ?
Well thanks for the replies guys, and I take on all you say…
…you’re right in that many sales are made as ‘ distress purchases ‘, but I surfed this site over the last couple of years before I made my decisions, and my eventual purchase. I did consider the ISE models, but the very fact that the company are relatively new concerned me about future spares availability, even company survival, especially in the present economic climate – even the quality product it appears to be will not guarantee its future, although I do hope so…
…so anyway, happy with my Bosch for now, although I understand even they are not all they once were. Maybe when it gives up the ghost in the dim and distant future ( :rolls: ) ISE will be proved to be all that is claimed, and I’ll have the cash upfront to purchase one…
…must say sounds like customer service is still alive and well, and living in Yorkshire and Lancashire ! – nice one boys, and thanks for the posts and answers – I find the forum a great read even when you don’t have a machine to buy or repair ( 🙂 ) – keep up the good work !
Re: Washing Machines…£100 per annum ?
Stevie….you’ve part answered your own questions, here,- It’s pretty obvious that the Agros/Di**s /Cu**s “sheds” have enormous overheads-I wouldn’t like to pay one day’s electricity for one of those!
then there’s their “sales assistants” (or whatever they call those pimply halfwits) Wages AND commission…..so, how much do you think the product is REALLY worth?……you paid a premium and got rid of some of that risk 😀
The sub-£200 rubbish will, statistically, fail far more consistently than a quality product…..It’s why a Merc.costs more than a Ford-better engineering,less cost-cutting.(except with appliances ,it’s the contrast between Toyota and” Klang Ging” qalitee produce Chinamake.
The real rub with the crap, is the wasted time , aggro and loss of use whilst the thing is out of service.
You’ll appreciate the reliability ,long after you forget the price.
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