Marc, we, too, have Whirlpool Top loader that is 15 years old...we're looking so I wrote to whirlpool and their response is as below...
Thank you for visiting the Whirlpool website, we appreciate hearing from you.

There is good and bad to the newer front load washer. The good is they can clean allot of clothes in one wash and wring them out well so that they don't take long to dry.
The bad is that they are made in Germany so many of the parts, when needed, have to be shipped overseas to us here. We make them in our plant in Germany.

Although we continually strive to use the best components available in all our appliances, any electrical/mechanical component can malfunction, and it is impossible to predict just when this might occur. To protect our consumers against the possibility of a defect in materials and/or workmanship at the time of manufacture, we provide a warranty with our productÂs that states that we will repair or replace any part that proves to be defective within a specified period of time.
It has been our experience that manufacturing defects will appear and should be reported well within warranty, at which time repairs are made at no cost to our customers.

Top loaders have a much better track record. All our top loads are manufactured in our OH plants. You can't fit in as much clothes but they are the dependable ones. The transmissions are allot stronger than they used to be. If you choose a top load washer, go for the WTW5900S or WTW5800S. These washers have a three speed motor. If you want a delicate wash, you'll get it with a three speed motor. Let me give you examples on the speeds:

One speed- 180 strokes per minute
Two speed- 180, 120 strokes per minute
Three speed- 180, 120, 90 strokes per minute

I wish I could make the decision for you but ultimately, you have to get what is best for your uses. Whirlpool does stand behind all our products with a strong warranty. We assist customers out of warranty many times for different situations. No other manufacturer does that.
We hope you'll choose one of our products and stay a member of our appliance family!
Have a great weekend!

Again, thank you for contacting Whirlpool with your shopping questions! If you have further inquiries, please feel free to reply to this email or visit our website at http://www.whirlpool.com. Whirlpool's web site offers several on-line services, such as product information, dimensions guides, owner's manuals, and installation guides, for our consumers 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

End of quoted letter...I posted some of this information on this thread and someone responded that it's not all made in Ohio but in China/Mexico...I don't know why they would tell me differently when they admitted Germany for the frontloaders..but this may help in your information gathering! :)
Tara

The statement "Made in the U.S." or "Made in Ohio" refer to the assembly of the washer. The person who posted that the washer was not completely made in the U.S. refered to the plastic parts. I think most manufacturers nowadays aquire parts from all over the world. The country of origin on the label just refers to the assembly. For example, the Bosch washers are assembled in NC, but Bosch admitts that they use "high quality parts" imported from other countries. The Bosch washers have been engineered in Germany.

It is crazy if Whirlpool doesn't keep parts for the FLs stocked up in warehouses in the U.S. Just because the washers are actually assembled in Germany doesn't mean the German manufacturer (Bauknecht) isn't able to supply enough parts. And even if they do have to order a part from Germany, you can have it shipped via Express mail. It's expensive, but the item would get here on the next day...or after two days at the most. Most repair people don't even schedule an appointment any quicker than that.

It is interesting, but sad, that Whirlpool tries to steer people toward buying TLs. I guess they don't really care about cleaning performance, gentleness and energy efficiency. Most people who have experienced a FL would never switch back to a (traditional) TL. I am glad that tbey don't even sell these TLs in Germany...

One word of advice on the Duets. I bought the 9400 Pewter set for my mom. The install instructions specify a "dedicated circuit" meaning nothing else on the circut! I tried to tell my mom this but she won't listen and won't plug it into a surge supressor. Many many forums full of people replacing control boards. Sure enough after 22 months, my mom's control board burned out. These new machines are loaded with delicate electronics and need to be surge protected in my opinion *and* on a dedicated circuit.

Even the machines with more traditional knobs and such on top loaders are filled with circuit boards, so don't be fooled. Just get a surge suppressor and you shouldn't have to worry too much. They make tiny single appliance surge protectors available at Lowe's \ Home Depot.

As far as other parts of the machine, if you are handy, they are easily fixable. I had the whole machine taken apart to replace the baffles which fell out. Apparently the screws which held them in were never installed at the factory. Duh, even the repair guy didn't know they were held in with screws. He said, you just slide 'em in. Too funny. Not to worry, those baffles fell out from machine abuse, not lack of durability. And duh! on my part as the baffle screws are easily replaced by removing a small tube on the top of the tub. I tore the entire machine apart to do it.

We have had a Whirlpool Duet for over 5 years My hubby says it is the easiest appliance he has ever had to work on. The only repair we have actually had to do is replace the drain pump. I called and the part was here the next day. I had to take laundry to the laundromat to finish up when the pump went out and used a TL--- it sure made me appreciate my FL. I would NEVER go back to a top loader for my home machine. My hubby says the same thing... especially since the water/sewer charges in our area are astronomical!

I have to agree with iasheff's hubby, everything that is likely to fail is very easily accessible. The only exception would be the motor as it is in the bottom of the machine at the back of the drum. I have not heard of anyone having troubles with these motors, though. Main concern is the "brain" or control board. This part is so easy to replace, I think a 5 year old could do it, so no worries there!

I'm thankful that I came across this thread before disassembling the machine to install the screws to secure the new drum baffles... Kudos to sssnetboy26.

Getting to the "small tube at the top of the tub" is a piece of cake: take three screws out of the back of the lid, remove the lid, gently pry the tube loose from the tub, and voilá, there's the exact spot on the inner tub that you need to access to install the screws.

Good for Whirlpool to put that tube where they did!

Shame on Whirlpool for not using it to install screws on the factory-installed baffles, which apparently are falling out all over the place.

Word of warning to do-it-yourselfers venturing in there: it's very easy to drop one of those precious screws between the plastic outer drum and the metal inner drum... I know, because I did... I'm hoping it won't damage the drain pump on its way out. Hopefully, it will quietly rest in a safe spot somewhere at the bottom of the outer drum.

Whirlpool rep. was not lying or misleading. In fact, some Whirlpool Duet FL washers are made in Germany and some in Mexico. The smaller Duet models and the Duet Sport models are made in Mexico. The Duet 9400 and new 9600 are made in Germany.

Like many autos, appliances of different brand names often same parts from the same manufacturers-- and just to keep us guessing, corporations change manufacturers all the time. Whirlpool corp. is the largest U.S.-owned corporation that markets washers and dryers. They bought Maytag in 2006 and also own Amana. Whirlpool uses plants in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, and other locations in Europe and Asia. A single machine might have components from many locations. Whirlpool also makes all the Kenmore washers and dryers. (There are no "Kenmore" factories, only Kenmore labels on machines coming out of Whirlpool factories.) Whirlpool/Kenmore/Maytag parts are often available at regional warehouses.

Since the earlist days of FL machines, They have top performance, but leak at the door seal. Computer based electronics will always be higher maintenance than mechanical controls. Water and electronics do not mix.

That letter is a HOAX...top loads are made in clyde, Oh;
HE3,HE5, Duet are made in Germany and HE2 is made in Mexico. FL are HE washers they are better than top loads (even the HE top loads). They save water, and beat up ur clothes less, so clothes last longer. If one wishes to have a top HE washer then there are the Cabrios, Bravos, and Oasis. All the parts are readily available at Whirlpools service parts warehouse near IL/IN. Ive ordered numerous parts there. Also distribution warehouses are set up all over the US for service parts. ALL applaince mfg have to guarantee service part availability for at least 5 years after product build date.....