Something weird just happend...

[RobbieD]

The wifes been bitching wanting a new washer.

Surprise her.

 

[cbxer55]

Radio? What's that? I don't even have antennas on either my Ranger or my LIGHTNING.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Surprise her.

View attachment 121910

That thing would be busted over my face in about 5 seconds flat.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

That thing would be busted over my face in about 5 seconds flat.

Take pictures? Video would be nice…

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

That thing would be busted over my face in about 5 seconds flat.

Just harassing ya Rusty, just remember, I could have gone with this…

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Take pictures? Video would be nice…

If i survive ill post them

 

[19Walt93]

Probably.

It doesnt matter what you buy anymore its all garbage.

The wifes been bitching wanting a new washer. Ours is 10 years old, i rebuilt it (basically) at 5 years old, and its about due again.

I cant get through her head id rather spend 150 bucks every 5 years to redo this one rather then drop 1000 for a new one....and unfourtantly she dont seem to hot on the idea of a speed queen, which would make good sense for us cause it seems the damn thing runs 24/7

We're on our 3rd new refrigerator in 18 months. We've always bought Maytag and Whirlpool appliances with good luck, Kitchenaid is supposed to be their top line. We had 2 Kitchenaid refrigerators that would howl so loud when the ice maker refilled it would drown out the TV in the next room and one with a compressor noise and a water leak as well. After 6 service visits on the first one and 1 on the second we gave up on the Whirlpool brands and paid an additional $1300 to get a Bosch. It's been good so far but we went from "Hecho in Mexico" to "Made in China". My grandparents only owned one refrigerator, a 1940's Internationl Harvester unit that was still working when my grandmother died in 1984. My parents had a cheap fridge they bought in 1955 and when we moved them out of the house in 1985 it still worked. Today's "quality control" is disappointing to say the least.

 

[sgtsandman]

We're on our 3rd new refrigerator in 18 months. We've always bought Maytag and Whirlpool appliances with good luck, Kitchenaid is supposed to be their top line. We had 2 Kitchenaid refrigerators that would howl so loud when the ice maker refilled it would drown out the TV in the next room and one with a compressor noise and a water leak as well. After 6 service visits on the first one and 1 on the second we gave up on the Whirlpool brands and paid an additional $1300 to get a Bosch. It's been good so far but we went from "Hecho in Mexico" to "Made in China". My grandparents only owned one refrigerator, a 1940's Internationl Harvester unit that was still working when my grandmother died in 1984. My parents had a cheap fridge they bought in 1955 and when we moved them out of the house in 1985 it still worked. Today's "quality control" is disappointing to say the least.

Almost anything built today is designed to last just past the warranty period. It's a shame. Recurring sales is more important that pride in workmanship and good word of mouth referals and reviews. Of course, only a small handful of companies own all the brands. So, chances are the unhappy customer will unknowingly come back anyway.

 

[Jazzer]

With appliances such as refrigerators and HVAC units, the EPA mandates play a role. Manufacturers have to use thinner tubing and increasingly complex control boards to meet energy dictates.

So the landfills and recycling centers get more business than they would otherwise due to premature failures. Long lasting appliances that use more energy, or the energy needed to recycle, which is worse? Factor in increased production, shipping, and handling costs for the more frequent replacements. I don't think that math is even done.

 

[sgtsandman]

With appliances such as refrigerators and HVAC units, the EPA mandates play a role. Manufacturers have to use thinner tubing and increasingly complex control boards to meet energy dictates.

So the landfills and recycling centers get more business than they would otherwise due to premature failures. Long lasting appliances that use more energy, or the energy needed to recycle, which is worse? Factor in increased production, shipping, and handling costs for the more frequent replacements. I don't think that math is even done.

The math probably was done and they didn't like the answer. So ignored it and did what they wanted anyway. It's an all too common management practice in the government and private sector.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

The math probably was done and they didn't like the answer. So ignored it and did what they wanted anyway. It's an all too common management practice in the government and private sector.

Hence Ethanol in our gas made from bioengineered corn…

 

[Brain75]

I actually did some research on this for my gal way back when... she was willing to hear the facts and make informed decisions not just run right out and buy buy buy... There's a place in Kentucky called Appliance Park (Louisville) that used to make 90% of all appliances (were talking back in the 70's). EPA made it financially impossible to manufacturer following EPA policies - so they outsourced then moved their own plants to Canada and Mexico. One by one, all the mfg got bought out until there is like 3 left (before the Japanese and Chinese started importing to the USA - think about 1990-2000)... somewhere after Y2k Japanese models started coming in.

[Sidenote, the biggest EPA issue is the coolant - hence why your Ford truck has a AC system from Mexico]

Anyhow, if you buy Canadian you get pretty good results (Amana, and all the companies they own)... if you buy Japanese that is still made in Japan you get excellent results - problem is the cost of shipping was so outrageous they (japanese) moved their assembly plants to Mexico, almost all of it is made side by side with the really crappy US brands (GE and their ilk). LG was an unholy fantastic brand the first 2 or so years that they were on the US market, now it is pretty much the same as the rest of the crap.

My best advice, find an actual brick and mortar store (like Appliance Warehouse) and before you even start thinking you like a model open up the door and find the "Made in xxxx" sticker - stay away from anything Chinese/Tiawanese/etc etc - Mexico is a distance poor third, but Japan (1st) and Canada (2nd) are your only two viable choices.

It really boils down to the same reason tires are so piss poor, etc etc. The EPA got fangs, but they only sunk em into American manufacturers, did nothing to take a bite into the pollution of foreign countries.

This may buy me some serious hate, but I have a solution. Put an 'environmental tax' on the imports of ALL - especially the worst offenders, proportional to the pollution they generate and ignore special placement/negotiated deals/etc, just tax em all according to their smokestack. Tax the chinese crap like 5000% and the French and German at 0. It would take a while to turn the manufacturers around but it would bring jobs back to the USA - why try to sell a refrigerator made in china for $400 when it is financially possible to make it here for $250.

If you are in the market for an appliance, google up "appliance samaurai" or "appliantology", find his website and read what he has to say. He rips on GE crap and tells it like it is, cause well GE is crap now.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I actually did some research on this for my gal way back when... she was willing to hear the facts and make informed decisions not just run right out and buy buy buy... There's a place in Kentucky called Appliance Park (Louisville) that used to make 90% of all appliances (were talking back in the 70's). EPA made it financially impossible to manufacturer following EPA policies - so they outsourced then moved their own plants to Canada and Mexico. One by one, all the mfg got bought out until there is like 3 left (before the Japanese and Chinese started importing to the USA - think about 1990-2000)... somewhere after Y2k Japanese models started coming in.

[Sidenote, the biggest EPA issue is the coolant - hence why your Ford truck has a AC system from Mexico]

Anyhow, if you buy Canadian you get pretty good results (Amana, and all the companies they own)... if you buy Japanese that is still made in Japan you get excellent results - problem is the cost of shipping was so outrageous they (japanese) moved their assembly plants to Mexico, almost all of it is made side by side with the really crappy US brands (GE and their ilk). LG was an unholy fantastic brand the first 2 or so years that they were on the US market, now it is pretty much the same as the rest of the crap.

My best advice, find an actual brick and mortar store (like Appliance Warehouse) and before you even start thinking you like a model open up the door and find the "Made in xxxx" sticker - stay away from anything Chinese/Tiawanese/etc etc - Mexico is a distance poor third, but Japan (1st) and Canada (2nd) are your only two viable choices.

It really boils down to the same reason tires are so piss poor, etc etc. The EPA got fangs, but they only sunk em into American manufacturers, did nothing to take a bite into the pollution of foreign countries.

This may buy me some serious hate, but I have a solution. Put an 'environmental tax' on the imports of ALL - especially the worst offenders, proportional to the pollution they generate and ignore special placement/negotiated deals/etc, just tax em all according to their smokestack. Tax the chinese crap like 5000% and the French and German at 0. It would take a while to turn the manufacturers around but it would bring jobs back to the USA - why try to sell a refrigerator made in china for $400 when it is financially possible to make it here for $250.

If you are in the market for an appliance, google up "appliance samaurai" or "appliantology", find his website and read what he has to say. He rips on GE crap and tells it like it is, cause well GE is crap now.

My washer was built in the US

 

[Brain75]

I'll admit, I haven't updated my research since the last purchase.... what brand was it that you came up with that is made in the USA again?

 

[Bill]

I actually did some research on this for my gal way back when... she was willing to hear the facts and make informed decisions not just run right out and buy buy buy... There's a place in Kentucky called Appliance Park (Louisville) that used to make 90% of all appliances (were talking back in the 70's). EPA made it financially impossible to manufacturer following EPA policies - so they outsourced then moved their own plants to Canada and Mexico. One by one, all the mfg got bought out until there is like 3 left (before the Japanese and Chinese started importing to the USA - think about 1990-2000)... somewhere after Y2k Japanese models started coming in.

[Sidenote, the biggest EPA issue is the coolant - hence why your Ford truck has a AC system from Mexico]

Anyhow, if you buy Canadian you get pretty good results (Amana, and all the companies they own)... if you buy Japanese that is still made in Japan you get excellent results - problem is the cost of shipping was so outrageous they (japanese) moved their assembly plants to Mexico, almost all of it is made side by side with the really crappy US brands (GE and their ilk). LG was an unholy fantastic brand the first 2 or so years that they were on the US market, now it is pretty much the same as the rest of the crap.

My best advice, find an actual brick and mortar store (like Appliance Warehouse) and before you even start thinking you like a model open up the door and find the "Made in xxxx" sticker - stay away from anything Chinese/Tiawanese/etc etc - Mexico is a distance poor third, but Japan (1st) and Canada (2nd) are your only two viable choices.

It really boils down to the same reason tires are so piss poor, etc etc. The EPA got fangs, but they only sunk em into American manufacturers, did nothing to take a bite into the pollution of foreign countries.

Products sold in the US have to meet the same standards. The type of refrigerants are mostly agreed-upon global standards. Japanese manufacturers didn't move production out of Japan due the cost of shipping. They did so because they had to compete with China.

The issue with appliances isn't due to the EPA. It's due to Congress passing a variety of water and energy efficient acts over the years without taking the time to research and understand what they are voting for, which is usually a standard that needs to be met without any guidance on how to meet those standards.

Also, it would be the DOE (Dept of Energy) that oversees energy use. The EPA might have a role here where water use and water quality is concerned. But again, These agencies are simply following through in these matters based on legislation passed by Congress.