From my experience most salespeople don't have a whole lot of knowledge on the products they sell....sad but true. When I was shopping for my FL'er I found I knew way more than the saleperson. Due to overloading myself doing way too much research!!

I had 3 1/2 months experience with two seperate Bosch 500 nexxt washers/dyers, and yes l had lots of vibration problems with them. My laundry room is on the main floor with a full basement under it. The first one the struts went out within 5 1/2 weeks which was replaced with another one. Both machines were leveled with equal weight on each foot, nuts tighten and it still vibrated terribly even on low spin. I thought the house was going to crumble down! Downstairs in the basement light fixtures were really rocking. A repair service guy had Bosch send different feet that were supposed to help with the vibrations, they didn't make a bit of difference. I had these last year from August to October shortly after the 500 came out. Since then I believe Bosch has changed feet and tweeked the supspension so maybe the vibration issues are better? A couple other things I didn't like about the washer was that it has a titled drum and clothing gets tangled into a nasty tangled ball. It was always adding time to the cycles, some of that due to it was very picky about balancing the load. In all fairness it did clean well and I liked the way the heater works on the Bosch, wished other manufactures would do that also. I hated the dryer, it was the worst dryer I've ever owned. Larger items like blankets and sheets rolled into a ball which never dried. Clothes were never dried completely, I always had to add more time at the end of the cycle. Not to mention that lint filter light! I was happy to see these leave when I returned them!

Bosch does take the majority on this forum, and there are happy Bosch owners on here. Bosch is pushed hard on here, that's one reason why I bought them first. Sometimes I wonder though if it just isn't the name they are happy with other than the products? In my opinion and experience the only thing Bosch has going for them is the way the heater works in each cycle.

I think the Whirlpool Duet Sport 8500 is known for its vibration control.

I own Bosch and have had great experience with them but our system is in the garage so I have no knowledge of its performance on raised floors.

Even though a store/salesman may sell different brands they often steer customers away from one and toward another based on profit margins or "spiff" incentives. They often have hidden agendas in their recommendations.

I think what wblynch says about some salespeople steering customers away or towards brands is true. Best advice on that one is...do your research so you don't have to rely on them!

I have the Whirlpool duet sport 8500 the 6 point suspension does do a good job. Every great once in awhile, depending on the load I have in it, I'll get little bit of vibration but not bad.

The speed of the spins, the weight, the design and style of FL's they just seem to be made for concrete or solid first floor floors. But there are some brands that do better on second floors, also depends on the floor. Hopefully more manufactures will continue to improve suspensions to help with vibrations on second floors. Not everyone has washers in basements these days. Or like the warm climate folks with them in the concrete floor garages. I don't think there is a perfect FL out there, they all have their problems, just go for the one you feel is best for your laundry needs and situation.

frankie57, there is no question but that you had real problems with your machines, and that they were not due to user error. However, you are one of relatively few Bosch owners on this forum for which this is true. There have been many examples on this forum of people changing from one machine to another and finding improvement, even in exactly the opposite direction as your switch. Different machines seem to have different resonant frequencies, and if one FL interacts badly with your house, there is every likelihood that another one will be much better not because it has a better suspension, but because it resonates differently.

sanborn5, whichever machine you choose, make sure you have a right of return without penalty if you have serious vibration or other problems. Also, make sure you have a trustworthy service network.

If you do not have a large family you might look at the Asko machines. These have a very unique suspension that is clearly superior than that on the other machines mentioned here. While smaller than the Nexxt and Sport, the Asko will still hold almost as much laundry as your Maytag. - DR

dross..Why do you get so defensive whenever someone makes a negative comment about a Bosch but not any other brand? It's like somebody says something bad about your kid ......it's freakin washer!!!

I'm just telling my experiences, giving my opinion just like you or anybody else. If you read my posts again you'll see that I did mention there are happy Bosch owners. And...I mentioned that it depends on the floor. Maybe different machines have different resonant frequencies but I do believe that the difference in suspension does clearly make a difference.....it did for me. Outside of my problem with the struts, every other issue, problem, frustration, complaint (whatever you want to call it) I have read others experiencing the same things I did and more.......vibration problems, cylces constantly adding more time on them, taking forever to balance a load sometimes ending in no final spin at all, tangled wad of a ball mess of clothes, suds problems, knocking drum noices, etc. I personally am glad I don't have to "babysit" the Bosch anymore. I can finally toss in my dirty clothes and walk out of the laundry room and return to a finished clean load. Exactly what I was looking for when my search first started for a new washer.

I also mentioned in my other post that...there isn't a perfect FL machine out there including the one I have now. They all have their issues, problems, complaints. That's why I said....just go for the washer that is best for your laundry needs and situation. Decided on what cylces you want, need and would use and buy one. They all use the same design to wash clothes.

Too bad all the manufactures can't get together, take all their ideas, styles, designs, special features, and make one great machine! Oh, and also solve all the quirks, issues, problems that FL's have.

frankie57, if you think that I am naysaying your experience, then you are misreading my post. Moreover, I would never gratuitously belittle a whole class of forum members, as you have in the last paragraph of your first post in this thread.

Gee, and to think that just a couple of weeks ago you were thanking me for a post about the Sport heater...:-) - DR

my bosch 500 set is in a closet in the "main" second floor bath which sits at the top of the stariway from a 2+ story open foyer (catwalk around second floor "opening" to stairs to thirs floor)... there is a wall at the top of the stairs and the washer sits directly behind that wall... the dryer "faces" the washer (door to door) in a closet, about 3 feet or so apart...

I have no vibration issues to speak of... there was "some" minor vibration with off balancing of a load with pillows ONE TIME... whick I opened the door and moved things around and fixed...

Oh yes... my garage is in my basement... I recall a poster on time saying that technically made my washer on the third floor???? I'm not sure I buy that logic as most or the rest of you have a "basement" while I have a third wall of my foundation with garage doors..... still counts as a "basement to me... anyway... my install works... my house is 2x4 built about 17 years old....

dross, yes I did thank you a couple of weeks ago and I am still very appreciative for your help in clearing up that matter for me. You have a lot of knowledge which is very helpful on this forum.

I did not write that paragraph in my first post intending to belittle anyone, I was talking about a washer not people, sorry if I offended you. I didn't think anybody would get their feelings hurt because I said something negative about the washer they might own. Don't get so defensive remember....it's just a washer! I should bite my tongue and not say this but I can't resist....if it'll make you feel better to say something negative about my washer, sport 8500, go ahead. I am not emotionally attached to it, it is just a machine that washes my clothes, you won't hurt my feelings.

The reason I wrote that was because it seems to me from reading posts on this forum and others that the same issues/problems with the Bosch are written about over and over that being......adding more time to cycles, very picky balancing, take forever to find that balance which sometimes ends in no final spin at all, tangled clothes, suds problems, prone to vibrations more than other brands, and probably some others that I forgot. Anyway, it just makes me wonder and am curious as to why people buy and put up with these when they wouldn't have to with other machines......therefore that's why I made the comment....is it the name, not the product that people are happy with.

Like I said, there isn't a perfect front loader out there, yeah the IWH on the Bosch is nice in the way it works, but not worth putting up with the other frustrations if you ask me. IWH and maintaining that "perfect" temp for each cycle is nice but what did we all do without them on the top loaders before front loaders? Were we all wearing dirty stained germ infested clothes? I think most of us just want a washer that is dependable, cleans our clothes and hopefully do that job for serveral years.

Frankie-

I think you have figured out one of the major sources of Global Warming!!!

This thread kills me. LOL! Thanks for the laughs, guys.

Well...I completely disagree that Bosch is worse on the problems you mention than other brands, the assertion is certainly NOT supported by the posts on this forum, nor is it supported by JD Powers customer satisfaction statistics. (I agree that people on this forum have had some issues with the dryers, which is why I was surprised at the JD Powers results on dryers.) If anything, most Bosch owners seem to get their problems resolved much more successfully than owners of other machines.

Most such complaints apply (or not) generically to all FLs, and are a matter of owner negligence rather than actual machine problem.

Complaints about various models tend to go in waves, for example back when you first bought your Bosch there were Sport owners discussing a lawsuit against Whirlpool because of pump problems. It is hard to draw conclusions from the frequency of such posts without information on market penetration for various brands.

Were we all wearing dirty stained germ infested clothes?

Yes.

I think most of us just want a washer that is dependable, cleans our clothes and hopefully do that job for serveral years.

For this only the classic washtub will work. - DR

frankie57:

You are right! Like talkshow host Bruce Williams always said..."Don't love something that can't love you back!" It's only a freakin washer!

Don't make your buying decision based on JD Powers surveys. JD is under the power of guess who? The manufacturers...and from what I have read on some other sites regarding JD Powers, the surveys are tailored according to the manufacturer's needs.

Some of the forum members are so defensive of Bosch, they could be Bosch marketing/sales reps.

All I can add is that we had a Bosch front loader for about 2 1/2 years. We had nothing but trouble with it. I think the repairman was at our house about 10 times. What's worse, I'm the husband and I talked my wife into buying it! She never let me forget it.

We now have a Whirlpool front loader and my wife loves it. When the wife is happy, everyone's happy.

Oh boy, .... now you did it!!!!

chev39:

In my years dealing with service issues on Bosch Laundry appliances, I have found them to be big on dealer profit margins and sales spiffs, but offer the consumer little to no advantage when it comes to build construction, performance and maintenance. Your Whirlpool replacement story is not unfamiliar to me.

Haven't had any personal experience with the actual performance of Bosch, but as I've been browsing around the last few months, I've encountered a trend that made me wonder if there wasn't something going on - something that could be explained by the comment about dealer profit margins and sales spiffs.

As soon as I tell a sales person I am looking for a compact W/D (only have 29" of closet depth to deal with), I have found that almost without exception, the sales person immediately tells me that I should buy the Bosch set. (This includes stores that also carry the Asko and/or Miele brands.) Until I ask them how they feel Bosch compares to the Asko and Miele models, they don't even mention them as options.

It would be one thing if they said there were 3 primary alternatives, but that they felt that Bosch was the best choice because of price, quality, features, or whatever, but they seem to just want to point you toward the Bosch and hope you will buy without considering any other brands.

I'm not suggesting that Bosch isn't a good brand or that there aren't excellent reasons to buy it, but me thinks something else is behind sales people's enthusiasm.

Some people are so critical of Bosch they could be disgruntled EX employees...

Is Chev39 yet one more SVCMGR alias?

Funny how his pattern keeps repeating itself. Newly registered aliases with little imagination in their names... Jenni5Volts, Chev39.

Ah well... at least he has someone to talk to.

wblynch:

I am glad others are finally stating their opinion and buying experiences with the Bosch family of appliances. Good to hear from some new/different members rather than the usual cast of characters.