As a homeowner, and someone who hates to pay for someone to do what I can do, I have become pretty good with appliance and home maintenance. I am by no means an expert, but usually can get the job done.

Our Maytag washer agitator isn’t spinning. I do a little research, watch a few YouTube videos, and tear into it thinking the plastic drive bushing has stripped. I get it apart, the bushing splines are fine. I then notice the little tag that says “10 year drive train” warranty. I call Lowe’s (where I bought it) they inform me I purchased a extended warranty. I’m shocked, I never buy extended warranties, seems there is always a loophole to avoid covering whatever the issue is. Anyway, the repairman gets to the house, sees that I have removed the top plate, and says he won’t do anything else with it, I voided my warranty. He did show e what the actual issue is. Is this the way maintenance guys are today?? Keep in mind, I had all the screws and other hardware neatly organized, I had cleaned off 5 years of detergent crud, already had the machined pulled out of the utility room, seems to me I saved him lots of time and grunt work. I don’t know if they work hourly or flat rate, either way, seems like things could have worked in his favor. Or do people today not do anything but go to work and watch tv when they get home?

 

Your repairman was an arrogant dick and should have just done the repair. He gets paid to fix it either way. I'd call Loews or whoever issued the warrantee and complain.

 

x2

If there wasn't a tag informing you that disassembly could void the warranty I'd say you were in the clear.

 

Next time, check the warranty situation before you take anything apart, and put everything back together before the repairman arrives.

I can see the point of view of the repairman and the warranty people. Once you've started taking it apart, they have no idea what you've done nor what parts might get lost nor what you might have damaged in the process no matter how careful you said you were or how neatly the screws you removed are arranged on the tabletop. They get it back together and it still won't work or it fails again three days after they repair it, and they have no way to know if the problem is something they did or something the customer did before they got there. Then all sorts of arguing and accusations fly, and there's no end to it. Better for them to not touch the situation in the first place.

You see this sort of thing all the time on mechanical and electronic devices. There's a sticker on the back that says "No user-serviceable parts inside." "Warranty void if seal broken." Etc.

 

This is a bit harsh. For all you know, it wasn't up to him. He may be required to follow company policy in a situation like this and could perhaps have gotten into trouble or lost his job if he violated that policy. If the OP has a beef, it's with Lowe's or with the company that provided the extended warranty, not with the guy they sent to the house.

 

The guy/repair company would get paid for the service call and the repair+ parts necessary to complete the job. Just because the OP tool the cover off should not have prevented the tech from doing the repair.

 

In reading the op's initial post, it sounds like he did more than just take the cover off. The phrase "tear into it" suggests this.

 

eh im sure its company policy put in place to protect against ham fisted repairs. I think it was good of him to show you what was wrong w it, id call it a win.

 

The repairman was still an arrogant dick.

 

I don't have the patience to run through all of these but yes you voided the warranty. As a guy that does his own repairs I'm not trying to throw stones here. I just went through it with a dishwasher. After years of quick repairs I pulled it and bought an new one. Zero % financing for 18 months through PC Richard. Less than 50 bucks a month it was well worth it.

Eric I disagree that he was a dick. If that was the case why did he tell him how to fix it. He has protocols to follow too. As a contractor I had to deal with similar situations with home owners constantly, and that's why I don't do residential work anymore. Everyone has a friend who "knows how to do electric''. They know just enough to screw it up and cause worse problems and potential hazards. I've been a paid fireman for 22 years and an electrician IBEW trained for roughly 33 years. Licensed in NYC for 20 (next to impossible license to get) and I've seen things like this from both sides, called for the fires and called in to repair someone else's "expert work". I love when guys in the fire house ask me questions because the you tube remedy didn't work. What I've learned in 33 years... I know almost nothing and the weekend guy knows 10 times more than me.

As this is a little different from an appliance repair the logic still applies. If it's under warranty call the repair man if it's not try to fix it or get a new one. Today's appliances are designed to fail in 10 years. If you buy a new car and change a part on the engine guess what, it voids the warranty. The legal nonsense that you come by today is mind blowing.

I have a fellow electrician who was called to a woman's house. She said they were there a few months ago. He sent a tech in route and did the research. The tech entered the home and didn't touch a thing. She told the tech the one of the utility companies where just here and they drilled a screw through a wire. The owner explained he was never there and told here his tech could handle the problem and what the service fee was. She refused and the Tech left. The house went on fire and he was sued because he was able to fix the problem but didn't. His insurance company settled because they didn't want to waste money on litigation. She got paid and his premium went through the roof.

The repair man did the right thing by not touching it but legally should have given any advise. And because of lthis the honest man suffers.

 

My wife had a dishwashers years ago that I repaired. We got 6 more months out of it but it just failed again. Appliances and even cars now are just throw away items.

 

x3 on the arrogant dick

 

I collect old cars, old stereo equipment, guns, and tools. I view TVs, computers, new cameras, kitchen and laundry appliances, lawnmowers and lawn equipment as disposable, though I do have a good chainsaw, trimmer, and whacker. It is sad this is this way.

Sometimes, you can do research and find the last year of an older model that is better than the newer, and then find lightly used for cheap.

 

In most cases repairing appliances and tv's is not cost effective if your paying to have someone do it. For just a bit more or less you can just buy a new one. I do try and repair stuff, most often time successfully myself. If I can't fix it the item or if it is just too old screw with, I buy new.

 

Cars have been throw away items since the 1920's at least. In fact mostly modern cars have a much longer lifespan than in days of yore, the classsic cars we cherish are the few survivors.

Roger.