Please help me make an admittedly boring decision - whether to replace my washing machine with a cheap and cheerful zanussi at circa £200 and accept it may conk out after 2 years or spend more...

[hmc]

Background (scintillating this one, sorry )- purchased a Bosch, not long ago, circa 3 years. Can't remember cost but probably £500 ish. Today the f**ker broke down again (for 3rd time in 6 months) - I can't be ARSED (aggghhh!)

Decided to replace it - cannot be doing with it. It is obviously a dud.

Having looked on John Lewis website am thinking might be better just buying the cheap zanussi for £200 with the 2 year guarantee, accepting that it might well go kaput at 2 years and 1 month, in which case I'll replace with another cheapie (not good for landfill )

...am put off buying a good make (always though Bosch were meant to be quality btw!) since my recent experience has not served me well.

Not interested in paying to extend warranty, becaue when I rang to enquire about that apparently there is no guaranteed response time within which they are obliged to send a repairman. You could be waiting severals days. Bugger that for a game of soldiers!

So would it be irrational to go for the cheap as chips approach with a view to replacing as soon as it conks?

My mum has my old zanussi which is now a good 20 years old and still going. We have AEG which is 13 years old and the man who came to service it recently said it should have that much more life left in it.

Our Zanussi is 15 years old. it's had 3 callouts in that time, never for anything expensive.

My mum's Zanussi is 10+ years old and still going strong!

We have a Siemens with a 5yr guarantee. Cost about £500 ish. It's approx 4yrs old and have no probs at all (touch wood).

Previously I had an LG one also with a 5yr guarantee. Had a prob with it and they gave excellent service. It must 10 years old now and is still going strong at XH's.

I do think a cheap washing machine is a false economy imo.