The Repairman Carries Extra Parts - But Which Ones??? (aka GE STINKS)

November 12, 2009 when I was shopping for a new washer and dryer, I had no idea that THE question to ask the sales guy at the do-it-yourself store is,

"Which washing machine model parts are more likely to be on the repair guy's truck?"

Yes, that does mean what you think it means. My brand new (purchased November 12th and delivered two days later) GE Profile top loading high efficiency washing machine broke. THE BRAND NEW MOTOR DIED over the Thanksgiving holiday.

We were able to use the internet to schedule a service call for yesterday (a Tuesday). The repair man arrived, opened the front of my new washing machine, diagnosed the situation as a DEAD BRAND NEW MOTOR. He said, lucky for me, he had a new motor on his truck. He carries ONLY ONE motor for the model of washing machine I purchased. He has several motors for other models.

Apparently, the top loader is not as popular. I didn't want a front loader for a couple of reasons. One is that scene in the movie, Rainman, where Raymond is watching clothes in the laundromat and he says, "The red one always falls the same."

Back to yesterday's drama: The nice repair man retrieved the new motor. Guess what? DEAD, TOO. Go figure. He tells me he can have ANOTHER NEW ONE shipped here and he'll come Friday to install it. He said that if the repair center waited until Wednesday to overnight the parts that they might not get here until Thursday late, and the soonest he could return knowing the part would actually BE here was Friday.

FRIDAY??? I need to wash clothes NOW!

If the box arrives early, he told me, call GE and reschedule.

Amazingly, Fed-Ex delivered a box containing two new motors to my house this afternoon.

So, I called GE and placed a service call. Get someone here NOW, please. My middle schooler is out of clean pants.

No, they told me. Can't do that. I have to get into the system just like a brand new call and wait like everyone else.

Arg.

Not my fault I received not ONE but TWO faulty washing machine motors.

What if I want to return it for a new washing machine? Too late, I was told. The only thing they will do is repair the defective one I bought.

Double Arg.

I will not purchase GE products again.

PS: I phoned the store manager of the do-it-yourself store to let him know our experience, and he listened and thanked me and offered me a $50 gift card for my trouble, which I declined because I do not have a problem with the store. I wanted to know if they'd had other complaints about the GE top loading high efficiency washing machine and to let them know about the situation with the washing machine they just sold me. It's Lowes, if you're wondering, and they have awesome customer service!

PPS: The repairman arrived at approximately 8:15 am, Thursday, December 3rd, to install a third motor on the washing machine. Momma has been washing clothes ever since. Interestingly, he tried to get me to buy a 3 or 5 year warranty. Hmmmmmph. GE should GIVE me an extended warranty for my trouble.