The False Ducks Blahg

     Here we go, two weeks later and another blahg.  These past few weeks have been filled with many trials and tribulations.  I’ve been fighting with my father over his health and now the struggle has started with my mother.  She has more aches and pains than anyone should have and more medication than anyone should legally own.  Her Doctor is a quack and I don’t care who knows it.  A late night call also resulted in a trip to the emergency room of the local hospital to deal with a gall-bladder attack with my mother which we thought was a heart attack.  Her Doctor had misdiagnosed her or missed a diagnosis would be more accurate.  The short of it is that I’m getting a new Doctor for my parents.  Oh, and our Washing Machine went on the fritz. 

     This blahg is not going to be about medical tribulations but the struggle with our Washing Machine.  I love my parents but I don’t want to air their medical history here…not yet anyway.  Let me be clear, that our struggle with our Washing Machine wasn’t all that intense or prolonged.  It just wouldn’t spin fast enough to release all the water from the clothes that had just been washed.  It’s a Kenmore and we’ve had it for 8 years.  I guess that’s pretty good in the term of Washing Machines but I was determined to don the handy-man hat and at least see if I couldn’t prolong the the life of the Machine. 

     You are probably wondering, at this point, why I keep capitalizing the word “Machine”.  It’s simple.  There are so many Machines in our lives and I’ve read so many stories and watched so  many movies where the Machines eventually revolt.  I’m being respectful.  I don’t want Killdozer happening all over again.  (By the way, that was a fun movie from my youth that I viewed again recently…from a short story by Theodore Sturgeon). 

     One thing you should know about me, is that I keep manuals for all of my appliances long after I no longer own the device.  When the Washing Machine started to suffer slower spinning speeds I believed it was a belt and kept putting off replacing it.  Finally, my wife prodded me enough to look up the model of our Machine and see if I couldn’t purchase a replacement belt.  I thought this would be an easy task because the Internet is vast and convenient and I was sure I could find a replacement belt and instructions on how to replace it.  Quick research however showed me that there was no belt in this model.  I checked that against the manual and list of parts in my manuals pile and sure enough, there’s no belt.  It’s all gear and motor driven in these confounded new devices (I didn’t really mean confounded in case anyone or anything is reading this). 

     My research via the Internet suggested that the poor spinning problem might be caused by one of three issues.  The first was drive motor to transmission coupling sleeves.  Original parts were all plastic or rubber but the replacements are metal for added strength.  One website even had a video that showed how to access these to see if they needed replacing.  I’m no repair person, and I bow to those who are, but the video was fairly simple and something I knew I could do with the help of my wife supervising (it would be foolish of me to suggest any other role for her to play…I bow to her too).  The major obstacle would not be accessing the location of these parts but easily accessing the Washing Machine. 

     I’ll digress for a moment here because the location of our laundry pair is significant because it will play a bigger part in the resolution of the Washing Machine dilemma.  Our bathroom has two closets.  The rear closet contains linens and the front closet houses our Washer and Dryer.  Both closets have bi-fold doors.  The linen closet has a single bi-fold door but the laundry closet has two bi-fold doors that meet in the middle.  The laundry closet also contains a shelf with a hot water heater and all of the water and electrical hook-ups for the laundry duo.  This limits the size of what Machines can fit in the closet and have the door closed.  Width and height have never been issues but depth from back to front prevented us from…ah, but I’m getting ahead of myself. 

     Removing the left bi-fold door from in front of the Washing Machine was fairly easy.  It just required tilting the door and removing it from the tracks at top and bottom.  Following the steps laid out in the video for the Washer, I was able to easily access the couplings I needed to inspect.  The video suggested that the first thing I might notice would be rubber shavings beneath the machine as this occurs with time.  There were no shavings on the floor and when I inspected the coupling components, I found that they were in good shape and didn’t need replacing.  Step two required following another video, which I’ll detail momentarily, but it would require another day before I could get at this new part.  The major problem was replacing the bi-fold door.  I took 30 minutes, lots of jostling, and threats of injury, before my wife and I could re-secure the door. 

     As I said, the inspection of the second faulty part required another day.  The main reason for this was that the part, a clutch assembly, was a little more expensive and a little more difficult to replace.  The video for replacing this part suggested having a replacement clutch assembly on hand in case it needed to be replaced so that it did not need to be removed more than once.  $70 later, I had the part, the bi-fold door was removed again, and my wife was supervising.  I should note that when I purchased the part, I asked if I could return the part if I found that the original on the Machine did not need replacing and if I did not open the packaging.  I was assured a full refund and was given further advice that the problem with my Washer might be a faulty transmission and that I was to look for a ring of oil around the inside of the Machine or to feel the bottom of the transmission to see if oil was leaking from there.  This was good advice because I found a ring of oil around the Washer casing and it was leaking oil from the transmission.  I did follow the video and check the clutch assembly but those parts looked fine.  I returned the unopened new clutch assembly and received the full refund as promised.  I also researched the cost of a new transmission and informed my wife we would needed a new Washing Machine.  We left the bi-fold door off because we didn’t want to have to fight with it if we had to remove the old Washer and replace it with a newer model. 

     This is where things get complicated.  If you thought repairing anything was difficult, barring the struggle with removing and replacing the bi-fold door the first time, then you should consider that researching the purchase of a new Washing Machine is much more difficult.  We’ve always had a top loading machine but in the eight years since we purchased the Kenmore, front loading Washers have become more popular.  We thought about updating the Washer to one of these fancy front loaders but of course it wouldn’t match our Inglis Dryer which is a normal Dryer that we have had for 3 years.  We went first to view Washers at our local Future Shop.  If you don’t know what a Future Shop is, it’s the Canadian version of Best Buy except the real Canadian version of Best Buy does not carry appliances.  We had had success with Future Shop in the past and our Dishwasher, Dryer, Refrigerator, and Stove were all purchased there with great savings.  The salesperson was very nice but of course he was pushing us towards a new LG front loading Machine and spouting the benefits of this type compared to the top loading Machines.  Future Shop did not have any top loading Washers in the store.  Oh, there was an empty spot in the appliance display where there had been a Whirlpool Washing Machine (model # WTW4800XQ) but they had none in stock and they had sold their floor model.  This intrigued me because out of stock and selling the floor model suggested to me that this might be a very popular Machine.  Certainly the price was right at $498 and Future Shop was going to pay all taxes…a savings of an additional $65. 

     The front loading LG Washing Machine that the salesperson suggested was also a good a model and a good deal with Future Shop paying the tax.  We did like the look of it and the details about the Machine but we were concerned about the dimensions of the Washer.  Height and width were fine but the depth was 32 inches and I wasn’t sure that this would fit where the old Washer was and that we could close the bi-fold door without hitting the front glass door of the Machine which sticks out a couple inches alone.  This was our excuse to not make a purchase at Future Shop that day and to be able to go home and do a little more research.  

     Our excursion to Future Shop was on the afternoon of February 5th.  I immediately came home and looked over the details of the LG Washing Machine they had in stock and the Whirlpool Washer that they couldn’t get us.  Both had their merits and there were good reviews for both.  The dimensions of the LG Machine suggested that it was going to be close when closing the bi-fold door.  The door might bang into the front loading door or have an inch clearance.  The dimensions of the Whirlpool Washer were well within range.  I should add that the Whirlpool had an agitator which is significantly different to the high efficiency top loaders that are essentially front loaders turned on their back.  Without an agitator in a top loading Machine then clothes don’t get as clean.  In fact, I read a review for the Whirlpool by a University Professor where he “made a conclusion that a top load washer lasts longer than front load type, even though it is less eco friendly. (But if we have to change the washer frequently, is it eco friendly?)…this washer is extremely satisfactory and washes very well. Also washing cycles are much shorter than front load ones. So, even though it uses more water, it saves electricity and lasts longer (hopefully) in addition to lower price.”  This review sold me on the Whirlpool. 

     Now we knew what type of Washing Machine we wanted but the problem was that Future Shop could not get us one.  I visited Future Shop’s website and found that they did have one in stock in another store and they could ship it to us for an additional $90 but we would also be paying the tax not only on the Washer but on the delivery fee as well!  That ended my long run of purchasing appliances from Future Shop.  I then began to check the websites for other local stores that carried appliances.  I found that our local Lowe’s carried the Whirlpool and the price was $448.  This was $50 less than Future Shop but I would have to pay the taxes and it would cost me $8 more in the end than if I purchased it at Futures Shop if they had stock.  Don’t get confused.  The Future Shop in store price was $498 (including tax) but the online price with delivery and taxes was going to be $664.  The Lowe’s deal was looking better and better. 

     It was still Sunday February 5th but by this time it was 5:20 PM.  I telephoned Lowe’s and asked if they had the Whirlpool in stock.  I was informed that they had two in stock and that the store closed at 6:00.  We live 30 minutes way from Lowe’s so I motored into Belleville and got to the store at 5:45.  Of course the person I spoke to on the phone had gone home but someone else told me they could sell me the Machine and they just had to retrieve it from the warehouse.  I waited 25 minutes before two people came out, now the minutes past the time the store was to have closed, only to be told they couldn’t find the Washer.  Their computer told them they had two in stock with one being the floor model.  They suggested I come back the next day and speak to the head of the appliances department and that he might have better luck finding the Washing Machine.  I thanked them for their effort and left the store.  I still had the old Washer with the spinning problem but I had so wanted to come home with the new one. 

     I did not go back to Lowe’s the next day because I wanted to check and see if any other store had this Washing Machine in stock.  I didn’t want to have to order one and wait a week to get it.  I checked out the websites for Sears, Leon’s, The Brick, and Home Depot but none of them had the Washer in stock in their local stores.  On Tuesday, February 7th, I visited the local Home Depot on an off-chance that they might have one in the store.  They didn’t even have a floor model for this Washer!  They did, however, have a sale on for all of their appliances where I could take an additional 10% off the ticket price.  With this incentive, I began to look seriously at the Washing Machines on display at Home Depot.  One, I really took a shine to was a front loader from Maytag, Model # MHWE400WW.  I cannot remember the exact price but it was already discounted by $200 and with the 10% discount the price would be around $600.  I wrote down the model number and went home to do more research on this Maytag. 

     I’m going to bring to a quick close this narrative about the Maytag MHWE400WW.  The reviews were not good and the clincher for me to avoid this Machine was the following Youtube video showing the Washer, apparently possessed, vibrating violently and eventually attacking the Dryer. It was Killdozer again or maybe Killwasher.

     We were still without a new Washing Machine.  I wanted the Whirlpool but couldn’t get it.  I then began to look at other top loading Washing Machines online with an agitator and with great reviews. 
I came across a Washer made by General Electric, model # GTWN4450MWS.  Almost all of the reviews I read for this Machine gave it a 4 star rating.  The dimensions of the Machine were perfect and it had a glass lid so you could see what was going on inside the Washer. It had a new hydrowave technology concerning the agitator and I found another interesting Youtube video that let me see the Machine in action. 

     So now I had a model that interested me and I just had to track it down.  Unfortunately, the only local store that carried this Washer was The Brick and their website could not tell me the price nor stock availability.  On Wednesday, February 8th, I phoned my wife and asked her to meet me at The Brick after work to see this General Electric Washing Machine.  I was surprised to find, when we got there, they actually had a floor model of the GTWN4450MWS. Also, across from that Washer was the Whirlpool we had been looking for. 

     Of course, when you start looking seriously at any appliance in a store like The Brick, a salesperson is going to approach you.  He could sense that I was very keen on the GE Machine but my wife was eying the Whirlpool.  The price of the GE Washer was $700 and the Whirlpool was $500.  I inquired about availability only to find out that he could not get me the GE Washer for at least a week but I could have the Whirlpool in three days.  I still didn’t want to wait and asked if he could sell me the floor model for the GE Washer.  He went away to check on this and my wife began to extoll the virtues of the Whirlpool and the fact that it was $200 cheaper.  The salesperson eventually returned and said he could knock $70 off the price of the GE floor model but my wife thought this was still not a great savings.  I didn’t want to get into an argument in the store so I told the salesperson that my wife and I had to talk this over and we left The Brick to have this conversation.  There was no conversation.  My wife wanted the Whirlpool and the cheaper option than the GE Washer. 

     In the parking lot, we decided to go back to Lowe’s to see if they had found the Whirlpool.  It had been three days since my last trip so it was more than likely that the Machine had been located.  The head of the appliance department at Lowes, a nice woman, who was not the person I had spoken to on the phone on Sunday, informed us they had two in stock.  She assisted me in ringing up the purchase and we waited while she went to retrieve the Washer from the Warehouse.  Twenty-five minutes went by before she returned.  She started her speech by saying the old phrase about good news and bad news.  The bad news was they couldn’t locate the Machine that their computer database told them they should have.  The good news was that their delivery transport had just arrived and there were four of the Whirlpool Washers on the truck.  The other bad news was that it was going to take 45 minutes for them to unload the truck to get at the Washers.  Again, I didn’t want to wait but I had already paid for the Machine.  I decided I would come back the next day. 

     In all of this, I have neglected to mention that we have a Dodge Caravan and after paying for the Washer, before they came back to tell us the bad news-good news-bad news scenario, I had gone out to the van and removed the rear set of the van.  I had to take the seat out and the spare tire and put them in the trunk of our station wagon.  Remember, I had asked my wife to meet me in town so we did have two vehicles with us.  The next day, I took the Caravan to Lowe’s and picked up the Whirlpool.  This time it was there and with the absence of the rear seat from the van, the boxed Machine fit easily. 

     Now a note about the removal of the old Washer and the set-up of the new one.  My friend who had accompanied me to Lowe’s to pick up the Washer insisted on telling me horror stories about Washing Machines and how installing a new one usually ended in injury or divorce.  I didn’t ask him to come home with me to help with the installation.  The quick summary is that I disconnected the old Washer by myself, wheeled it on a dolly through the house and back porch, and put in in our driveway.  My son then assisted me in removing the Whirlpool from the van and putting it in the washroom.  I quickly removed the Machine from the box, located the manual, and installed the Whirlpool.  It was so simple.  Note to all:  read the manual.  The step by step instructions were perfect and to my luck, when I went to level the machine, I found that it was already perfectly level.  No fuss.  No bother. 

     There were a couple of things I discovered about the Whirlpool Washing Machine that I did not know.  The Washer lid locks when the Machine is in use.  You can push the pause button to open the lid but the Machine will not wash or spin while the lid is open.  It’s like a leap of faith.  You have to trust that the Washer knows what it’s doing and that the clothes you put into the Machine are going to come out cleaner than they went it.  I haven’t been disappointed there.  The Machine also takes about two minutes before any water starts to fill the drum.  This happens because it’s going through a load balancing act.  This scared me initially when I first tried to use the Washer as I thought maybe I had forgotten to turn the water back on. All in all it’s been a very reliable machine this past week and we obviously made a good choice. 

     Two more notes about the Whirlpool and I’m done.  The first is the box it came in has been a nice surprise for my youngest daughter and one our cats.  It’s currently in our dining room while they imagine, explore, and play to their hearts content.  The other note is not about this Washing Machine but about the Kenmore that we replaced.  The day after I took out the old Washer, I put it out to the road with a “FREE” sign on it and some details about the spinning problem.  By the end of the day, the Washer was gone.  I didn’t see who took it but it’s probably gone for scrap.  I later learned that the Kenmore parts were all manufactured by Whirlpool.  I didn’t really replace the Kenmore with a Whirlpool.  I had owned a Whirlpool all the time and didn’t know it.  No matter, it all comes out in the wash after all.

Tags: Future Shop, GE, Kenmore, Lowe's, Scott Henderson, The Brick, Washing Machine, Whirlpool

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