Used Appliance Warehouse

A common problem with washing machines is wear in the bearings that support the drum and basket that hold the clothing. The cost of replacing the bearings is usually greater than the cost of the machine. Appliance Warehouse at 206 Pellatt Ave. in Toronto sold me one such machine with worn bearings on July 4 for $531.10, including a 90-day warranty, HST and delivery, for use in a Toronto rental.

I complained shortly afterward, on feedback from the tenant, that the unit vibrated, rattled and shut down in mid-cycle. Mario, the owner of Appliance Warehouse, came and said the exhaust from the dryer (stacked on top of the washer) was the cause of the rattle. The tenant later sent videos (attached) documenting that the rattle was continuing. Mario came again on Aug. 17 and said this time that draining water from the washer was backing up, causing the rattle. He explained that the drain line went down to the floor, across the room and up a wall and the washer pump wasn't strong enough to push the water that far. Mario said a horizontal ABS pipe needed to be installed to eliminate this gravity issue. He charged me $60 plus HST for the service call because the problem was my plumbing, not his washer. I said, "OK, I'll call a plumber and fix that."

I called a plumber I know, but he had to reschedule a couple of times, so today I called a second plumber who could come today. Then I went to the house to take a look myself (I live in Hamilton ON and the rental is in Toronto). I found the rattle continued even when I directed the draining water into an adjacent sink at the same elevation, eliminating any gravity issues with the drain tubing going down and then up. The rattle even continued when no water was draining at all.

At that point I realized something was wrong with Mario's stories. I went to his store and a staff member told me he would be there in two hours. I returned in two hours and found he was furious that during my earlier visit, I had mentioned my experience to another customer. This burly individual screamed "The door is there -- go!" I tried to persuade him to honour his warranty, still in effect, but he just screamed repeatedly "The door is there!" and approached me within inches to intimidate me right out of said door.

I then contacted an appliance repairman who confirmed that the problem was worn bearings and the unit wasn't worth fixing. I bought a new washer and it's working fine -- with NO changes to the plumbing that Mario blamed for the knocking.