Vent: Replaced a 15-year-old washer belt with a cheap knock-off and wasted half a Saturday

I tried to save $8 on a generic drive belt for my Whirlpool washer last weekend at that parts store on Elm Street. The original belt lasted 15 years without a peep, but this thing slipped off after three loads. I spent six hours pulling the machine apart and putting it back together twice, cursing the whole time. Meanwhile, my neighbor just laughed and said he always buys OEM belts from the local appliance shop. I finally caved and ordered the real deal for $22, but I'm still annoyed I lost a whole day. Has anyone else gone cheap on appliance parts and instantly regretted it?

2 comments

2 Comments

river_bailey228d ago

That six hour curse session is basically a rite of passage for anyone who touches a wrench. I tried the same thing with a dryer belt a few years back, saved like five bucks, and ended up listening to that thing screech like a haunted cat for two weeks before it snapped. The neighbor laughing at you is the real kick in the pants, especially when the OEM part slides on in fifteen minutes. Sometimes you just have to pay the idiot tax and move on.

harper_gibson227d ago

I gotta push back here. The whole "idiot tax" thing assumes everyone has the same financial cushion and access to OEM parts. Some of us live in places where shipping a factory part costs twice as much as the part itself, or the appliance is so old that OEM parts aren't even made anymore. That "haunted cat" screech you describe? That's just feedback telling you the tolerance is off. A little filing, a tighter belt, maybe some belt dressing, and you can make that aftermarket part run quieter than stock. Plus you learn way more about your machine when you have to wrestle it into submission. Ever think your neighbor wasn't laughing at you, but at the idea of paying someone else to do something basic? What'd it cost you total for that OEM part after shipping, thirty bucks?