Buying a washer/dryer set
Appliances wear out. People do too but that's another issue. We are now in the process of replacing the 16 year old washer and dryer that we have. The washer is definitely kaput. It works, but sounds like an airliner passing over during the spin cycle. It shakes violently. On top of that it leaves little bits of lint or something unidentifiable on some of the clothes. It's done for.
The dryer still works but with its age the reliability is suspect. We have so many single socks that there could be veritable sock wardrobe stuck somewhere in there. With more energy efficient dryers made now and the inevitability of replacing it in the not too distant future, we have decided to replace it as well and have a matching pair. Buyers of our house at some uncertain point in the future may like that.
Buying appliances in the past was somewhat of an exciting experience. Our first house in a cozy neighborhood was small, needed lots of repairs, built in 1924, and came with a washer and dryer that at first glance could have been of that vintage. Of course that's ludicrous to say, just underscoring the point that they had to be replaced. Being a major period of spending money to furnish a house, it was a time to enjoy and know that we were investing for the future. Being free to spend of necessity can be energizing if jobs are intact and will keep cash flow solid.
Washer/dryer buying time came again in 1997 when we moved into our current house in a less casual much more spread out neighborhood. It is much bigger and was built in 1974 so needed few repairs. While the protocol in this area is for the washer and dryer to come with the house, that did not happen in this case. The wife of the seller was so attached to her set that she had him bargain to take them with her. They didn't look like much, but I guess she had to be attached to something given how aloof and superior her oncologist husband acted.
With good fortune in our jobs we were at that time able to choose top of the line appliances and we did. It was nice not to need to quibble about price versus quality. They have worked well, through girls who were active and had lots of clothes to keep fresh, and adults who liked to work out, sweat things up, as well as keep everything in good shape for work, shopping or visiting friends in Manhattan each weekday, sometimes each weekend as well.
This time is different. The purchase being worked on doesn't demarcate some major change. It is more work than exciting. With everything now digital, there is a bit to learn. K and I had a comprehensive explanation of everything about washers today from our salesperson at Gold Coast Appliances, a one store shop that sells good stuff. About eight years ago we replaced our kitchen appliances, stove, ovens, and dishwasher with products from there not sold in most appliance stores, Diva, Dacor, and Miele. Needless to say when we showed up she was helpful and not pushy.
"Not pushy" is said because two days before we had been to a regional chain store, P.C. Richard, to survey the appliances and choose what to contemplate. The salesman was informative at first but as time went on he had all of the characteristics of a bad car salesman. "Pushy" does not adequately explain his behavior --- "just put 10% down now"(said multiple times until I wanted to throttle him), "you'll need a 10 year additonal warranty", to me "I can tell that your wife really wants to buy that one"(she didn't). On top of that, based on what we learned today, some of what he told us was not true. He just desperately wanted to sell something. We peeled ourselves away from him and I felt like a shower was necessary when we returned home.
This saga will continue and with a couple of high end LG models on sale, we will probably stick with our little shop in Glen Cove. Could they be a bit more expensive overall. Maybe, but it will be worth it.
I don't know if this post was just a writing exercise or something of interest to anyone. Doesn't really matter I hope, as this blog that focuses primarily on markets and politics can really go anywhere it wants.
The dryer still works but with its age the reliability is suspect. We have so many single socks that there could be veritable sock wardrobe stuck somewhere in there. With more energy efficient dryers made now and the inevitability of replacing it in the not too distant future, we have decided to replace it as well and have a matching pair. Buyers of our house at some uncertain point in the future may like that.
Buying appliances in the past was somewhat of an exciting experience. Our first house in a cozy neighborhood was small, needed lots of repairs, built in 1924, and came with a washer and dryer that at first glance could have been of that vintage. Of course that's ludicrous to say, just underscoring the point that they had to be replaced. Being a major period of spending money to furnish a house, it was a time to enjoy and know that we were investing for the future. Being free to spend of necessity can be energizing if jobs are intact and will keep cash flow solid.
Washer/dryer buying time came again in 1997 when we moved into our current house in a less casual much more spread out neighborhood. It is much bigger and was built in 1974 so needed few repairs. While the protocol in this area is for the washer and dryer to come with the house, that did not happen in this case. The wife of the seller was so attached to her set that she had him bargain to take them with her. They didn't look like much, but I guess she had to be attached to something given how aloof and superior her oncologist husband acted.
With good fortune in our jobs we were at that time able to choose top of the line appliances and we did. It was nice not to need to quibble about price versus quality. They have worked well, through girls who were active and had lots of clothes to keep fresh, and adults who liked to work out, sweat things up, as well as keep everything in good shape for work, shopping or visiting friends in Manhattan each weekday, sometimes each weekend as well.
This time is different. The purchase being worked on doesn't demarcate some major change. It is more work than exciting. With everything now digital, there is a bit to learn. K and I had a comprehensive explanation of everything about washers today from our salesperson at Gold Coast Appliances, a one store shop that sells good stuff. About eight years ago we replaced our kitchen appliances, stove, ovens, and dishwasher with products from there not sold in most appliance stores, Diva, Dacor, and Miele. Needless to say when we showed up she was helpful and not pushy.
"Not pushy" is said because two days before we had been to a regional chain store, P.C. Richard, to survey the appliances and choose what to contemplate. The salesman was informative at first but as time went on he had all of the characteristics of a bad car salesman. "Pushy" does not adequately explain his behavior --- "just put 10% down now"(said multiple times until I wanted to throttle him), "you'll need a 10 year additonal warranty", to me "I can tell that your wife really wants to buy that one"(she didn't). On top of that, based on what we learned today, some of what he told us was not true. He just desperately wanted to sell something. We peeled ourselves away from him and I felt like a shower was necessary when we returned home.
This saga will continue and with a couple of high end LG models on sale, we will probably stick with our little shop in Glen Cove. Could they be a bit more expensive overall. Maybe, but it will be worth it.
I don't know if this post was just a writing exercise or something of interest to anyone. Doesn't really matter I hope, as this blog that focuses primarily on markets and politics can really go anywhere it wants.
posted by John Borden at 5:34 PM
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