I purchased a kenmore elite washing machine from sears in grants pass oregon. Needless to say it was at a premiuim price, and not only looked good but for the duration of the warranty it performed very well. Exactly two weeks after the warranty expired, it stopped working. I called to find out if it was still under warranty, found out that it was indeed 2 weeks out, and that there was a recall on the mother board of the machine. It would cost me $85.00 for the part plus an installation charge. Since there is a recall on it, I felt I should not have to pay for it. I have some experience in electronics and decided to have a look at it myself. Thats where I discovered the motherboard to be manufactured by still another american icon, whirlpool. Then I found out that sears roebuck does not now, nor have they ever manufactured anything. Nothing. Zilch. They simply buy products from other companies and have kenmore, sears, or craftsman names placed on them. Retail sales only, and this of other brands who sell to sears on the cheap to get their business. The part number i needed is 8564393 rev A, s/nKMP063200098CA. I found two places where electronic components were not even soldered to the printed circuit. I soldered them in and it worked again. Two months later it failed. I sent sears and whirlpool letters to this effect. Whirlpool contacted me to let me know they would in no way acknowledge any involvement in this fiasco, it was made for sears exclusively and that was that.
Because I had always had faith in sears, and even niavely thought they made their own products, I will now be telling the world what I found, and that you might be much better off buying direct from the maker of the products instead of the retail outlet and smokescreen called sears roebuck.
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