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Our Miele washing machine is making horrible noises and the drum is stiff to turn. I'm guessing the bearings have gone? It is around 10 or 11 years old and has been trouble free until now. We paid a lot for it after earlier cheapo Currys specials had died just after the warranty failed, so in that regard it's been better but....
Just phoned a local washing machine engineer who said 'sorry, won't touch 'em mate' once we said what brand it was. Asked why, he said 'parts are too hard to get and too expensive even if you can find them'. Naive question. Surely bearings (if that's all it is) are bearings - if you get the spec number off the old ones any bearing supplier can provide? I'll admit my knowledge is based on cycle, motorcycle and machine tool bearings - are washing machine bearings special in some way?
A quick glance on the web suggests a DIY fix is a bit of a ball ache. Is it worth attempting on a machine that age, or will something else likely fail soon after? Seems a like for like replacement would be 8 or 9 hundred quid which I could well do without. Current cash flow probably means we'll have to buy some throw away Currys jobby to replace.
Typically, we've just got back from a weeks outdoorsy holiday with bags full of wet stinking hiking/cycling gear and I'm perilously close to breaking out the emergency Christmas shreddies and socks.
Try a different engineer?
Miele are built so they can be repaired.
My mother had one that lasted over 20 years.
https://spares4miele.co.uk/washers-dryers/washing-machine-spare-parts/miele/bearing
I believe the main bearing on some miele washing machines are taken from Audis. Yes, really! Have you tried a proper miele repair person, (may need a puller and an automotive press if you DIY)? Likelihood is that a general repair person won't want to deal with the 90kg of ballast that fills the casing. Our removals guys took one look at ours and nearly wept.
We've called the only other one nearby, waiting for him to get back to us.
Plot twist - my wife now informs me it's 17 or 18 years old!
Had a Miele. Inherited it when GF's folks bought a new flat and it was left by the previous owner (he was dead so didn't take it with him).
The jets that squirt the water into the tray had gunked up thanks to the limescale rich Munich water. New part was 440€. I scoffed at that so we made do with pouring water into the machine manually and watching the washing go round and adding more water once it was done pumping out the old water.
How much is the fix? don't dismiss the cheap (£200 ish) Currys washing machines, we used to have a Bosch that lasted about 7 or 8 years and then died, we replaced it with a £240 HotPoint machine that has been going for 5 years, gets used at least once a day, 3 kids worth school uniforms, various sports kit and many many exceptionally filthy loads after cyclocross for us all and it's still fine, better value I'd say. If it dies it'll get replaced with another one of a similar ilk.
Call Miele, ask a about a repair
our 12 year old Miele vacuum died, I rang and asked about a replacement motor, they very apologetically said they didnt stock the parts any more but offered me 50% off any new model !
Mine is still going strong after 15 years. Worth trying another repairer, if no luck with Miele themselves. Hope you get it sorted soon!
Check out the Grundig machines at currys. Can’t fault ours. Their motors come with a 10 year guarantee.
If you use curry’s finance offer you can get 6 months interest free if you pay it off in that time ifmoney is tight at the moment.
Just to add that I recently broke the door handle of my Miele fridge freezer and a local independent repairer was able to source a genuine Miele replacement handle. Mind you, £35 for a bit of plastic.
The only other local repairer can't do it. Phoned a couple of national repairers - they don't cover rural Shropshire. I called Miele and for a fixed price of £260 they will cover parts and labour except..... bearings, drum and glass - so that will be extra, I'm guessing £300 to £400? Even then it'll still be 17 or 18 years old with possible other issues? If it's irreparable they'll give us £260 off a new one but then we'll still be looking at at £8-900 all-in for a similar replacement.
Option A doesn't make sense financially and we don't want to spend £8-900 for a new Miele (not slagging them - it's earned its keep).
We are going to replace it for something mid range.
I can get 25% discount at Currys if I order something listed at £549+. Any recommendations? A lot seem to be 'WiFi enabled'! WTF!
Is it worth attempting on a machine that age, or will something else likely fail soon after?
If its just bearings, and its otherwise been fine for all this time, then its got to be worth a go hasn't it? I mean, yes might be a ballache, and you'll loose a Saturday doing it, but if the replacement is that much money, then you stand to save a bunch, and think of the man points that you'll earn!
If its just bearings, and its otherwise been fine for all this time, then its got to be worth a go hasn’t it?
That was my train of thought when our (non miele) machine's bearings went. Turned out it had a bonded seam in the tub that I carefully hacksawed open, only to find that the inner bearing seal was also knackered and the only direct replacement I could find was on a long lead time from Germany so that was the end of that. But I did keep the drum as a log burner (with pulley wheel as a stand) and the glass from the door as a cloche for plants - AO took the rest of it when they delivered the new one.
You can get a new one for £729 from JL but I tend to agree with nickc above regarding bearings, if that is the issue. The machine is capable of lasting many more years.
@thepurist I'd read similar online when having a tentative look at the feasibility of it. We need a machine now (emergency shreddies are beckoning) and I just cba with the wait for parts, knackering my back lifting the ballast and other as yet unforeseen hassles.
Edit to say, I'm only guessing at bearings - there could be other issues. Even if it is, youtube would suggest changing them is a lot more awkward than say changing the wheel bearings on my motor bike!
I had a local guy replace the bearings on my tumble drier, symptoms were exactly as you describe. Cost me £45.
Have a loot at the Miele outlet for discounted stuff.
Ebac are worth taking a look at as well. UK made and come with 7 year guarantee.
Funnily enough our ~20 year old Miele washing machine went in exactly the same way that you describe two weeks ago.
When our local washing machine guy had a look, and he does do Miele, it turns out the drum had split which was causing the problem and would be ~£600 to repair,
We’ve now gone for an AEG.
Our dishwasher is bosch "wifi-enabled", stupid thing kept telling me my dishes were clean at mid-night. Completely pointless.
We got our ~13 year old miele washing machine repaired in the spring on the Miele fixed price thing. When I rang, it included the deal that if they judged it uneconomical to repair they’d give you the full value you’d paid for the repair off a new one. Seemed like a win to me.
The engineer came out and replaced the bits that were broken and stuck a new motherboard in it for good measure! Excellent service. I was delighted, as I don’t want a new, app controlled overly complicated one. Very happy with ours. I’d give it serious thought. It’s still a lot cheaper than equivalent new.
Something stuck between the drum and the outside? Take the seal off and see if you can see/feel anything?
Is it the drum or the motor, take the belt off spin both. Secondhand Motors can be got from eBay quite often. Got one for our Bosch when the windings burnt out. Luck of the draw though for older machines whether something is for sale when you need it.
If it's suddenly developed I'd suspect something stuck as well...try rotating it manually backwards a bit to try and shift it.
Isn't the outer drum metal, one of the big selling points - you're less likely to split it than the plastic most others use
Mind you, £35 for a bit of plastic.
That appears to be the going rate, we've just done our Bosch handle, seal and one of the drawers inside and spent the same as a cheap Curry's new fridge. We didn't buy new as the old one is all drawers inside and is very effective for storage. The drawers are full depth and it's easy to access with the long runners. We have another standard fridge with shelves for cold drinks as the plastic drawers can break expensively.
Option 3 ..
Grab something off Facebook Market place as a stop-gap while you launch ' Project Miele' in the garage/shed.
If it turns out the Miele is 2fargorn, buy a replacement machine and punt the other back on Facebook.
We did this with a tumble drier situation ,while we faffed about choosing a replacement model.
😃
17-18 years old? Hard life?
I’d still ask the Miele engineer out to see it.
After the fairly quick failure of a Zanussi in the 90s we’ve always bought Miele washing machines. Well, 2 of them up until now.
If it does come to a new one the engineer will likely have a recommendation and perhaps some discount offer.
Having dismantled washing machines I would buy a cheap working machine off eBay or marketplace.
Then strip the miele. It will contain several 20kg Lumps of concrete but once those are unbolted the rest is very straight forward.
You might find once the driver belt is off you can diagnose the problem as the load is removed from the bearings.
I’d at least crack the casing and remove the belts/drive motor to see if it’s the bearings on the drum or the motor. If it’s the latter, it’ll be a much easier fix.
I did the drum bearings on our 10y old Samsung last year. It took an afternoon.
I'd just buy new unless you have plenty of time. I'd imagine a newer model would also be more economical and save a little in water and electric each load. we do 1 - 3 loads a day so even if it's pennies it'll add up
I’d just buy new unless you have plenty of time
Appreciate all the suggestions, and normally I am one for fixing stuff, but this is the route I am going to go down.
I had a Miele dishwasher once, worked great for a good few years then it was incontinent and wouldn't behave, they are like old Volvo's but over the 15 years they are not anywhere near as efficient as new ones on the market
My Samsung washing machine that died after only maybe 6/7 years still lives on as an organ transplant fire pit for cooking the steaks and keeping us warm outdoors while the sun sets
Our 17 yo Miele,used daily, died afew months ago. Bearing went. Bit of smoke. After speaking to engineer, we bought a replacement Miele. Bottom of the line, as was out old one. Got it from a place online in Liverpool that sold slightly damaged ones (small dent on back). Paid about £600. Should last another 17 years. Bargain
I blocked the pump of our very old Miele by pure old wreckless and incompetent use. Well out of warranty but I called Miele direct, they sent a man who replaced the pump and also put a new door seal on and I think changed some other bits “while it was open” FoC (I only paid for the pump) I think it was about £100 all in. Him doing the work meant that the ancient old machine had a new warranty for another 2 years too.
Worth a call to see what they’ll charge anyway. I certainly found them very reasonable and professional to deal with - not like calling AO to argue with a call centre about a warranty on a fridge!
Worth a call to see what they’ll charge anyway.
Done that, see above. Fixed cost of £260 but that doesn't cover the drum or bearings which are the most likely issue. So likely £300-400 to fix a machine nearly 2 decades old. Spending the same on a new more efficient machine with a 5 year guarantee makes more sense to me, even if it doesn't have the longevity of a Miele.
Edit to add, we bought the Miele when we had 2 sporty active teenagers at home and our machine took a real hammering. Now, as long time empty nesters, any machine we buy will have an easier life. So a more budget or mid range machine should do fine.
Plenty of mid range stuff lasts a long time too, my parents' Bosch is still going after 15 years.
The Miele thing is a nice idea but the economics don't stack up to me and like anything these days once you start paying for someone's time to repair stuff it adds up very fast because you're paying £80/HR for someone here rather than £2/HR for someone in an Indian factories time.
The Miele thing is a nice idea but the economics don’t stack up to me
It depends.
I paid about £1000 for a Miele which came with a free 10 year parts and labour warranty.
It's very efficient and has a brilliant 1 hour power wash.
The bearings gave up in our 10 year old Bosch WM last year.
YouTube video made the replacement look easy, local trusted engineer begged to differ.
Hence why we now have a new Bosch washing machine. With it's eco credentials, the countdown timer rarely reflects how long the wash is going to take.
Something stuck between the drum and the outside?
I'll take bra wire for fifty!
I replaced the drum bearings on a nice Samsung direct drive washing machine... Took me 4 his to carefully dismantle the machine and 2 hours to put it back together. It worked for another year before the electronics and water feed valve started playing up. I replaced it with a cheap beko which is working fine.
My only regret is that I didn't dismantle the Samsung for the drum (for a fire pit) and magnets before taking it to the tip.