Should I take the money? Or the repair?
Asked by
robmandu (
21331
)
May 16th, 2008
Dishwasher broke. Have a home warranty. Repair looks like it will cost US$228.
Warranty offering to 1) fix the dishwasher or 2) give me the money towards the purchase of a new dishwasher. If I buy thru them, they provide discount (varies by model) which would include the delivery charge. I’d hafta pay install & disposal out of pocket.
Oh, and the repair will take 7 business days just to get the parts via special order. The current unit cost a bit more than just $228… which likely would just barely get a base unit out the door.
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7 Answers
I know it’s not nice to answer a question with a question…....so I’m gonna answer it with two questions:
1. How do you feel about repaired units?
2. How would you prioritize:
Faith in product
Downtime
Age of product
Cost
I would consider getting a newer unit (depending on how old the other dishwasher is). If you can find one that is more energy efficient and conserves water this would be a great opportunity to upgrade. Such units are often more expensive but will save you money in the long run. I also suggest shopping around for prices. Don’t always trust the repair people.
Are you comfortable with installing the unit yourself? That could save a lot of money.
So far from what I’ve heard, the company that made your dishwasher sucks.
1) Product is broken (and it can be TO old if its still under warranty)
2) Warranty sucks
Considering those two, I’d take the money and find a new brand. Preferably one that wouldnt try to screw me over with making me pay for a product more than once.
I would take the money and use it to buy a new one.
What happens if you have to repair and it breaks again? Not just once, but twice or even three times? Get rid of the lemon and buy a new one.
Thanks for the input folks. I think I decided.
This unit is about 6 years old. It’s a Kenmore Elite and as such, is pretty nice as far as dishwashers go. And efficient. It’s worked flawlessly up until now. The warranty in question is not what came with the unit, but an after-market home warranty.
But what swings it for me is that I would hafta float the cost of the install and disposal fees, on top of whatever a new dishwasher would cost (minus the $228). So, I don’t see a reason to hit my wallet to avoid a first-time-ever repair on an otherwise sturdy unit.
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Note about dishwashers: the deepest dishwashing guts of the cheapest Roper up to the nicest Kitchenaid are all identical. Identical. So if you are in the market for a dishwasher, make sure you’re spending your money on the additional features you need, not just thinking that a higher price tag means a better unit through and through.
Go for the new LG it saves money by being more energy efficent and washes great and is ultra quiet.
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