Refrigerator Woes

[Structo]

Yep, the reefer went for the long nap yesterday.

I believe it is the compressor that went bad so too expensive to fix.

Anybody recently bought one?
Any advice?
Tips?

Ours is just the simple freezer on top, reefer on the bottom.
It looks like just to buy what we have is around $500-600.

It is 18 years old so I'm sure the new ones are much more energy efficient.
So I will want a Energy Star product.
No ice maker.

I've been looking online at Best Buy, Lowes, Sears, etc.
I'll bet there are only two or three manufacturers and the rest rebrand them.

I'd love to buy the missus a fancy one but right now we just need a functional refrigerator/ freezer.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[ToneMerc]

Tom, did you check the compressor relay? Mine died about 3 years ago and I replaced the relay.

TM

[da Geezer]

Tom, did you check the compressor relay? Mine died about 3 years ago and I replaced the relay.

TM

Yep....same here. The relay is much more likely to go than the compressor on modern frigs....much cheaper than a new unit

Geezer

[cbass]

I've bought a couple of nice used fridges from a mom and pop appliance store.I think we paid $200 for the one I have now been using for about 5 years.Its got all kinds of bells and wistles,SLide out glass shelves Icemaker in door etc.I'm sure it cost well over $1000 new.

I think at that rate we could buy a used fridge every 5 years or so and come out way ahead but the one we have now works fine.

Done the same thing with washers and dryers.

A lot of people don't like to buy used stuff So may not be for you.

[Gibsonman63]

You may try Craigslist. When I remodeled my kitchen a few years back we wanted black appliances and everyone else wanted stainless. I picked up an oven and dishwasher that were removed never used from a brand new house because the owner wanted stainless. I believe I paid $250 for the pair.

Also be sure and measure. The newer refridgerators can be bigger than the old ones.

[kwijabo]

+1 on the relay! ours went, too.

[amplifiednation]

Tom whatever you do- if you get a new fridge -get the ice maker through the door! Best invention ever!

Mine needs to be replaced but I won't do it until it catches on fire...or dies.

[LeftyStrat]

I wish I could give advice. I've gone through four in the last ten years.

Don't buy "modern." Just a basic fridge with energy star. In fact the most efficient "fridge" you can buy is a chest freezer and convert it to refrigeration.

[Firestorm]

I always buy from Sears. Our one has all the brands and the sales guys seem like they know what's what. Plus, if we don't, Sears looks like it's awful close to going down. That would be a shame.

[Espjr215]

Hi Structo,
Not sure if it will help but there is a little mom and pop appliance repair place in Woodburn that might be able to fix it for you on the cheap. They are on 99e on the south end of town.

[Structo]

Thanks for the tips guys.
I also suspected the starter relay.

I was messing around with it and it looked like it could come apart so I took the cover off of it to see if it was OK and it fell apart.
I could not get it to go back together no matter how loud I cursed at it.

So off to the internet to get a replacement.
It's basically a five dollar part.
I found one place and they said it could get here in one day.
Then they called back and said that part had changed numbers and the new one was $150!!!!
My wife didn't want me to spend anymore time on it because we needed a fridge now.

So we went over to Lowes.
Bought a Whirlpool, similar to what we had but it still cost $750.

I actually bartered with the guy and had him knock $50 off an extended warranty.

Man did the prices go up since we last bought one.

Anyway, Lowes has free delivery and they take away the old one.

Sears wanted $70 to deliver and $10 to cart off the old one.

God I hate buying appliances......

[VacuumVoodoo]

Appliances are a pita, you go shopping for them AFTER the old one dies. No time to do any research and find one you really want. You end up with a temporary solution which remain temporary until it dies too. A vicious circle.

[Firestorm]

Thanks for the tips guys.
I also suspected the starter relay.

I was messing around with it and it looked like it could come apart so I took the cover off of it to see if it was OK and it fell apart.
I could not get it to go back together no matter how loud I cursed at it.

So off to the internet to get a replacement.
It's basically a five dollar part.
I found one place and they said it could get here in one day.
Then they called back and said that part had changed numbers and the new one was $150!!!!
My wife didn't want me to spend anymore time on it because we needed a fridge now.

So we went over to Lowes.
Bought a Whirlpool, similar to what we had but it still cost $750.

I actually bartered with the guy and had him knock $50 off an extended warranty.

Man did the prices go up since we last bought one.

Anyway, Lowes has free delivery and they take away the old one.

Sears wanted $70 to deliver and $10 to cart off the old one.

God I hate buying appliances......

I forgot about the delivery charge/cartoff fee Sears usually gets. I think when I had to replace my dishwasher, they had a free delivery promotion on, but I did have to pay them to cart the old one away.

Sometimes these evil things can be fixed, but given the cost of electricity, the relative efficiency of the new ones makes it a fool's errand.

[Structo]

Yeah, the new ones are Energy Star certified which is supposed to imply they use less electricity....

But, we got one that's three more cubic feet in size so any savings will probably be nil.

Aleks, you got that right.
When you have a fridge full of food you don't want to spend a lot of time looking for one.
At any rate most of the stuff had to go into the garbage anyway....

They delivered it at 9:45 am today which was great because we didn't buy it until around 5:00 pm last night.
The city I live in is notorious for not stocking items.
They will tell you that they can get one shipped from Portland the next day.
Which gets old when it's car parts or appliances.

[Cygnus X1]

Can't you set old appliances out to the curb?
We have plenty of self employed scrap metal haulers and
things never stay out more than a couple of days.

Or DIY and recoup about $30 by taking it to a local metal recycler.