Did you even bother to get a second estimate on the repairs?

"Did you even bother to get a second estimate on the repairs?"

That's funny. It's a washing machine, not open heart surgery.

You may have money to burn, Jim. When my furnace needed repair, my estimate for repairs was $800-$1,000. I made a couple of more calls and had it fixed for less than $300, with a one-year guarantee on the service.

Laugh all you want, but not everyone has money to throw away on repair calls (or to buy a Miele).

My point is that I would not be surprised if he can find the parts and service for considerably less.

But I am NOT happy with mine, and this is my THIRD one that I have had trouble with, and the last one is under warranty and ASKO does NOT care, no response from them or dealer. geez. I wish I had a Miele dealer even close to me...

Lefitz, what was the model number? If you were able to get it repaired at the 4.9 year mark under warranty, it sounds like Asko was being quite accommodating since the warranty was 3 years or less.

Regarding service, I had nothing but the best response from my local Asko authorized service center. Fast response, quick turnaround on the parts replacements, and very educated service technicians. I think it just depends on who you call.

I never understood why Asko is claiming that their washers have a life expectancy of 20 years. I have never seen proof of that. I like browsing ads of used washers and going to thrift stores and second hand dealers. I never come across an old Asko. While you see now and then Miele's that are 30 or even 40 years old, I've only seen one 15 year old Asko (Staber like) toploader. We've seen horror stories about Asko's here more often. Those 20 years can't be based on that. I hope the newer ones are better, but it would be awkward if Asko would base those 20 years on that.

I wish we could start a new thread, "I love ASKO!"

I have two ASKO washer & Dryer sets at home.

One: W660 purchase date 10/2001 No service problems, and ASKO usa has been a great help.

In 2006 my five year warranty runs out. Will be purchasing another extended five year warranty to play safe. The cost for the dryer $272.77 and washer $381.00.

I wanted to purchase a Miele washer & Dryer set. The extended warranty was 2-3 times more expensive than ASKO's.
Let's start a new thread and say great things about ASKO!
Best-Jeff

Not a bad deal on the warranty on a washer that old, considering that Sears charges $390 for a four year extended warranty on a brand new Duet/HE3t.

Our Asko clothes washer model # was W620. We did not want to pay to have a third motor installed, given the proven poor history. Regarding the first replacement motor at 4.9 years, that was a disingenuous finagling by our appliance dealer, who apparently does not send in the warranty cards at the time of installation ( we later found out). Asko USA was completely unhelpful when we appealed directly to them. I am in no way claiming to be an expert on Asko or any other appliances -- I am merely relating my family's disappointing experience. I certainly wish that all current Asko appliance owners enjoy long and enjoyable relationships with their machines. If starting a "thread" that only cites positive experiences with Asko would provide a sense of well-being, go right ahead and start one up.

So no, you did not get a second estimate on the repairs. Thanks.

There is no need to be so condescending, now. If the OP decided to replace a machine that had had several problems, with a machine from a brand that is undeniable more reliable in the long term situation on a global basis, then that is her, and IMO the wisest choice.

Jon

Im sure if there were as many Miele in USA as there are the major brands sold here, there would be a lot more people reporting problems with them. Im not doubting Miele quality, but very small owner numbers have to skew the durability comparison.

Fordtech: I do believe that your statement about the Miele is wrong....... They can justify the price with the quality. by the way my new Miele's are coming Tuesday, and My Asko's are out the door on Tuesday.......

Fordtech...I am praying for you.....the Miele people are going to strike you down, God forbid you say anything negative about Miele!! LOL!

We have had our Asko machines for 2.5 years now and we couldn't be happier. I don't think if you washed a load in a Miele and a load in an Asko you could even tell the difference.

We went with the Asko as it had the longest warranty available, heated to the higest temp of any machine we could find and the styling is hands down a winner over the Miele, I can't stand their look, versus I love the doors on my washer and dryer that give it a uniform look and the don't stand out as a washer and a dryer.

No service issues, except on the washer, the pump was jammed because DH left something in his pocket and service was out the next day and fished it out for us. Dryer had 2 calls due to the fuse thing, but service was there and fixed no problem.

There are plenty of programs and wash cycles to fit our needs but it's just us two guys in the house, so we don't have any crazy needs for washing...jeans, khakis, shirts, so we just "set it and forget it". Love the 205 for our whites...they are blinding white, and tighty whities/socks get the 175 treatment and are whitest white.

The only Miele item that makes my heart pitter patter is their ovens..sigh...is it bad to drool over an oven? Gaggenau is right up there too!

Ofcourse Fordtech is right. The number of people owning a Miele in the US is much smaller than those who own a mainstream American laundry product. The Australian consumer magazine Choice tested a lot of washers and also held a survey among their readers about the reliability of their washers. The Australian market is interesting because they have both top- and frontloaders overthere. Until now the toploaders are in the majority, but the frontloaders are getting more popular. They questioned their readers about washers bought in or after 1996. Interesting for this thread is ofcourse how the Miele and Asko machines are holding up. Some interesting figures:

There were 6468 people with a toploader and 3012 with a frontloader. One of the questions was how many of the washers bought in or after 1996 did NOT need a repair in the last year. Here are the figures:

Percentage not needing repair:
(A difference of 8% or more between brands is meaningful).

All machines (9581) 85%

Miele (330) 94%

Hitachi (188) 91%

Bosch (191) 88%

LG (616) 88%

Simpson (1092) 88%

Maytag (306) 87%

Hoover (1255) 86%

Westinghouse (176) 86%

Fisher & Paykel (2894) 85%

Whirlpool (957) 85%

Kleenmaid (320) 80%

Asko (442) 78%

Ariston (158) 73%

Bendix (139) 64%

They also asked if the owners of those brands would buy the same machine again.

This is what they said:

Percentage who would buy the same brand again:

All machines (9650) 83%

Miele (333) 96%

Bosch(196) 88%

Asko (445) 87%

Simpson (1097) 86%

Westinghouse (175) 86%

Fisher & Paykel (2915) 85%

Hitachi (189) 85%

LG (620) 85%

Hoover (1269) 81%

Maytag (308) 81%

Whirlpool (966) 80%

Kleenmaid (321) 77%

Ariston (160) 67%

Bendix (140) 51%

Choice also asked people who didn't want to buy the same brand again if they didn't wanto to what the reason for it was. They only gave the results for the ten machines from the bottom. There were many reasons, but the two main reasons for Asko were Breaks down too often (44%, everage was 22%) and expensive to repair or service (37%, everage was 18%). Figures for Miele were not given.

The oddest thing I find is that although Asko is at the bottom range when it comes to repairs, still a lot of people would buy an Asko again.

Anyway, these results support pkspigs decision to exchange Asko for Miele.

AND MY NEW MIELES WILL BE HERE TOMORROW,YIPEE,YIPEE,YIPEE. THE OLD ASKO GOES TO THE FARM TO WASH ............. PK

Yay! Keep us updated pkspigs.. you'll never look back!

Thanks Louis for posting that rather relevant information.

Jon

My Asko W6461 was delivered 3/11/05. Some months later, I noticed that after the1600 rpm spin cycle my clothes started having a damp/wet feel to them.
The service people said it was my imagination and that the machine was spinning just fine.
Finally, the washer started squeaking. Luckily, the serviceman was here when this happened because it was intermittent and then the squeaking stopped completely.
The prior squeaking led to the discovery that the rear seals were leaking oil. To service, practically the entire machine needed to be taken apart. The rear bearings were seizing and needed replacing. The basket and pump were also replaced.
Now the washer is spinning properly again and my clothes are no longer wet feeling.
However, there is another problem that hasn't been corrected yet. The door doesn't close properly. It takes a lot of force and effort to shut it.
They have been out twice already. The repair man thinks it is ok. Hopefully, it will be fixed on the third visit.
I could go into all the frustrating details of my experience. Suffice it to say I have had 5 repair appointments within the first year of ownership. And I still have problems.
In addition, one of the last times a repairman was here, he said in his experience the Asko motors only last an average of 7 years. Of course, the extended warranty is only for 5 years.
So, I'm resigning myself to frequent repair calls over the years, and all the hassle, aggravation, and cost (after the warranty period), that this will entail.
Maybe most machines are this bad and in comparison the Asko is a good buy... But, in hidsight, I say save up and buy Miele...

The Asko door design is unique and takes additional force to shut it. When I first got my 6761, I called the dealer because I thought the door wasn't latching properly -- he said that Asko doors needed to be shut with additional force, and true to his word that was the case. I just give the door a nice flick of the wrist to smack it shut and it works fine. This is not a defect, it is intentional by design.

I have had my Asko set since March of 1996 and have had no problems and
they still run like new.

My Asko 8005 bought it the other week. What a nightmare.
We purchased it in Texas, about 9 years ago. Since then, we moved to central Illinois, where I now know that getting service is rather difficult. One shop I called (from the list of 2 that I got from calling Asko) wouldn't even look at it because I didn't purchase it from them.
I eventually took it to a shop in another State. It took them a while to get around to it, and when they finally took it apart, the problem was not identified by the service person. The symptoms were that the drum would not spin. Everything else seemed fine.
They then contacted Asko Central and determined that the timer and some other temperature gauge were shot. Repair cost $312. (And for those that suggested another person get a second quote, we are not in a well serviced area).
Well, another week passes as they wait in parts. Once installed, the machine runs for a few minutes and the motor burns our. I'm told that the motor runs over $300.
At this point, I tell them to keep the whole thing. I figured that it wasn't coincidence that the motor blew.
In conclusion....
We had the machine for a good while, but for what we paid for it, I expected a longer life.
It was a very noisy machine - like a jet engine taking off. My soon-to-be-ordered Bosch will be quieter.
I don't think Asko does a good job of training their people. Washing machines are not very complicated devices. It is all just components - the problem is to determine which one failed and replace it. It is not likely that multiple components fail at the same time.

Washing machines are not very complicated devices. It is all just components - the problem is to determine which one failed and replace it. It is not likely that multiple components fail at the same time.

Actually, unless you're bottom-feeding in the washer marketplace, washing machines are complicated devices. Maybe they're not as complicated as a car, but they must manage two "fuel-delivery systems" -- electricity and water (which comes in various temps and pressures), must safely carry and treat different loads (weights and types of laundry), have a transmission (to run the tub), and, nowadays, most of them have at least one computer on board.

I won't argue the point that ASKO's training is somewhat uneven -- my ASKO DW was installed improperly by someone who supposedly was company-certified. So my experience has been somewhat similar. But washers at the ASKO/Bosch/Miele level are much more sophisticated boxes than mom's old Maytag or Speed Queen.

I didn't mean to suggest that washing machines are low tech. Rather, I was suggesting that a washing machine is similar to a computer, in that if a part fails, no matter how sophisticated, it only needs to be isolated and replaced with a similar functioning part. No one tries to fix a motherboard in a computer, nor would anyone try to fix a timer in a washing machine. Replace it!
Asko should have technicians that know how to troubleshoot a problem, but I do not believe that they do (in my neck of the woods, anyway).

Sounds like the folks who "fixed" your washer did something wrong to cause the motor to burn out. I would have put it on them to replace the motor, and would have gone to town with Asko to make sure that happened.

Anyway, good luck with your new Bosch. Every brand has complaints, including Bosch, but I think you picked a good brand. 9 years isn't bad before having a failure. I think when they say a 20 year lifespan, they are referring to the useful life of the machine but the inherent assumption is that it will still require servicing here and there during those 20 years.

Our 20 year Asko lasted 12 years. I don't believe any of these vendors claim you'll have a trouble free 20 years, but that the basic construction quality is such that it can take a beating for that long with some repairs along the way. I don't think the vendors plan in the economics of repair when they give that 20 year figure. Our 12 year old Asko certainly could have been repaired, but I learned from owning a SAAB a while back there is a time well before the useful lifespan of the product where it makes economic sense to dump and run.

Does anyone keep a washer for 20 years? I mean it sounds good to say it will last 20 years, but realistically, people's needs change... families grow and shrink, we move from homes to apartments with less space (or vice versa), etc.

I do love my Asko W6221 washer. However, I feel obliged to add to this thread: Last week, our motor burned out, at one month shy of 6 years old. That fits the pattern described above by several posters.

Still, we use the machine HARD. Six years of laundry for a family of five, with pet hair, sports uniforms, etc., and one repair -- not so bad. I would buy this machine again. (But, would also buy a Miele, based on GardenWeb advice, plus based on general experience with Miele products -- one kitchen fire being a notable exception and a long story.)

Good washing, all of you!

-- Nean

To chime in quickly, I'm online, again, looking for Asko parts. We bought our Asko W620 new 8 years ago and needed repairs 4 times in the first year and a half. Unfortunately, we also bought an Asko dryer which also broke down early and often. After the first few repairs under warranty, Asko refused to honor their warranty because we were "inconveniently located." We live out of town. So, for the last 5 years I've been fixing the things myself. Often. Asko sucks. And if someone tells you they love theirs, it doesn't mean that you'll love yours. Not by a long shot. Call it Asko Roulette.

Are you in the U.S. ?

RepairClinic.com

Does anyone keep a washer for 20 years?

Well, my mom has had her washer for at least 30 years - I think 35, since she and Dad moved to that house in 1973 - and, AFAIK, she hasn't replaced the washer since then. I think it's a Hotpoint.

I would think there are other people like her who just keep using what works. She's had her Electrolux vacuum cleaner since the mid-'60s.

My Asko washer door has become hard to close. It was fine yesterday, but today it takes additional force to get it to close. What is going on?

Do not buy Asko washer wl6511xxlw. We've had it for three years and it's required at least one repair a year sometimes two. It under warranty-so what. The time it's out of service waiting on parts and repair cancels out the usefulness of the coverage. Getting in-touch with someone fromThe service center of Appliances, Inc. takes for ever. You'll be on hold for everand forget about any empathy. You should pass on the Asko dryer tl751xxlw. It's loud and has required repair within the two years we've owned it. We feel suckered having bought into the "20 year life" of
hype of these appliances. Learn from our experience. Do not buy.

We purchased our Asko washer 12505 and dryer from an appliance store in 1998. These units were 6 yr old used units and they came with a 1 yr warranty from this store. Other than replacing 2 water pumps which even my wife can do in less the 20 minutes. We have had no problems with them since purchase date. Granted they are not intended for large families ie. more than 4. Since it takes an hour per load to wash, and after presenting a vintage clothing show of more than 150 outfits that need to be washed before the next show. We wouldn't give it a second thought to purchase another Asko product if necessary

Wow, I think this is the oldest thread Ive seen bumped to the top that I have posted in 18 years ago :D

And I read the entire thread, still i think Asko's stainless steel outer tub is a great idea and profile wash to 205F ability is a winner and i think/hope they have improved the motor and reliability but I am still enjoying using my 15 plus year old Fisher & Paykel, only repair was a water pump-did myself, took 5 minutes to twist off old, twist on new, no tools needed.