@Designer Kitchen and Bath Unfortunately we can't afford to buy another one or we would! If I actually saw the new stuff lasting 7 years I'd feel a lot better about it as it would have roughly the same $/life ratio as the SZ. Unfortunately I have seen, heard, read, too often about them barely making it 2-3yrs.

I am somewhat in the same boat. 25 years ago, we chose a built-in Sub-Zero because it made the kitchen design work much better. At this point, it is slowly dying. A few years ago, we had the local appliance gurus in for a minor repair, and they said that anything major would be unfixable. Apparently, the old freon type is unavailable, and the replacements authorized by Sub-Zero haven't worked in their experience. So any repair that requires draining and replacing the freon is only temporary. I haven't seen people in this forum addressing this issue, and it is something I'd like to see discussed.

BTW, I'm thinking when the thing does die, it will be replaced with something identical.

@Londinium

I would love nothing more than to be able to replace the SZ with another one, but we just don't have the money. The SZ was certainly a surprise when we saw the place. Lots of really good quality, but that was way over the top, particularly next to the 50yr old stove and oven. The microwave was also really nice. We think they never cooked, they just ate out and ate leftovers that they nuked :D I think a good quality fridge (not a budget one, just not the super high end SZ) would be OK.

@mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)

I haven't read much about old SZ being repaired either. I think I may get our appliance guy out here and talk to him more to see what options and opinions are.

I think I would opt to repair the SZ. If you do decide to go the new route I can tell you that the JennAir appliances I had installed in my kitchen when we renovated eight years ago are still going strong with not a repair needed. The same with my other JennAir appliances which included a double convection oven, an induction cooktop, and dishwasher.

We will be moving into our last ever home and renovating the kitchen there. I have to research appliances but when I went appliance shopping this past week I was surprised at how expensive the new Rise and Noir series is. Again, I will be replacing all appliances and I’m leaning Bosch for the dishwasher and JennAir for the rest based on how wonderful and maintence free my other JennAir appliances have been for eight years. I would go JennAir for the dishwasher also but refuse to pay $2200 for a dishwasher unless it loads and unloads itself.

We replaced our compressor about 5 years ago and still love my sub zero!

@Kate Did you replace it on an older freon model? Any issues? Could I ask approx cost?

@Holly- Kay Thanks for the suggestions. We got a Bosch dishwasher about 6 years ago. We've only had minor issues with it. The biggest issue we've had is with the seal, but it's because my wife and daughter load up the silverwear and don't pay attention when they close it and catches something in the seal. SO user error :D

Repair for now, but save up to replace with a new SZ later. Don’t replace with an inferior product that doesnt fit and would require cabinet alterations.

Don't buy a fridge for the potential future owners of your house. Every fridge I've ever had has lasted longer than 20 years, and I've never paid over $1000 for a fridge (granted, the last one I bought was 25 years ago, so that isn't today's dollars.) I realize new appliances aren't made the same way today, but seriously, get what works for you.

I put a new compressor in my 1989 SZ side-by-side when it was 16 years old and it lasted another 15 years before an unrepairable leak caused me to buy a new SZ. I know the authorized SZ repair people charge for a service call, but ask them if the compressor can be replaced in your model. If so, then it's worth the service call. If not, then you will have to replace it with something. At that point, you have to decide whether it's worth it to finance/buy a new SZ or buy something else.

I replaced a built-in KitchenAid in a rental with a push-in Samsung. I had a cabinet maker revise that cabinet so that the cabinet looked like it was always supposed to have a counter depth push-in model.

Dizzy149, yes it was a 15 year old model when it was replaced. Don’t quote me on this, but I think they replaced the compressor and it was about $2000. It’s been running great and I love it. I also had the front panel replaced with stainless rather than the white panel. I just went to a metal shop for that since it was cheaper.

I’m not sure what you’re reading that indicates new SZ fridges only last a few years. I’d say that’s misinformation. I’d repair yours. No way would I replace it with a cheap fridge.

@megs1030 No, NON-SZ fridges are only lasting a few years. Pretty much every industry bought into "planned obsolescence" in the late 90s and not is reaching a point where it's ridiculous. Cheaper parts are used, cheaper methods of assembly yet prices increase at a steady pace that far exceeds inflation (car market is a great example there). Yet, the items durability are less and less, forcing consumers to buy overpriced goods continuously. A few companies (ie Sub Zero) make a quality product that far exceeds normal durability standards. In the 70s that was normal, not an outlier, things were built to last, not to break, not to require maintenance every X months, not to require parts be replaced every year, etc.

</end rant>

One thing to keep in mind…the new SZs are way more energy efficient than the older models. In our former home, we had a 36” over/under SZ, which was still going strong at 25yo, when we sold that house. For the kitchen in the new (to us) home, we installed another SZ, this time a 42” FD. Despite the new house being twice as large, and the new fridge being larger, our electric bills are much lower, due in large part to the efficiency of the new SZ.

@darbuka Yeah, that is one thing I am painfully aware of. I'm a numbers guy though, and I'm trying to calculate where the breakeven point is on $2000+Additional Electricity vs $10k + Lesser Electricity.

A new 690 uses 748kwh, @ 0.15/kwh that's $112.20/yr

If mine uses 5x that, thats $460/yr more in electicity.

Take the $8000/460 and it would take 17 years to justify based on electricity alone.

I just went and found the info on my fridge.

Looks like I have a 650/S from 1998 using the old R134a refrigerant.

All I can say is, in our former home, a small ranch with a small kitchen (no eat-in area), we were young, with a very young child and on a very tight budget. The one thing I insisted on, when we could finally afford to make changes to the ancient kitchen, was a SZ fridge. We put in Formica counters, vynil floor, and a very basic range, with microwave above. The splurge, the one diamond in the room, payed us back many times over.

During Hurricane Sandy, our neighborhood was without power for two weeks. All of our neighbors had to discard their food within 2 days. Our Sub Zero was still cold 10 days later. Even the ice was still firm! Why? Because SZ has the best insulated fridges in the business.

In other words, I would pinch pennies everyplace else, in order to get a SZ.

Btw, that old SZ was from 1990.

I replaced my compresser 2 years ago and I'm glad I did. It was $1700 at that time. The repair guy said the older models were superior to the new models.

I have a close friend with a 35 year old SZ that she just now decided to replace. And since they are backordered, SZ is willing to keep fixing her current fridge until the new one is delivered in 2022. What a company . . . I'm impressed.

I had to have the freon recharged a year ago (18 year old SZ) and just recently the service light started flashing again. The SZ authorized service guy came out and said it hadn't depleted very much but he recharged and commented on something else about low pressure. So he warrantied his repair for a a year and said if the light comes on again he will replace the fridge compressor and give me a credit if that happens in less than a year. I asked about the price and he said the compressor is $160. His service calls have been $120. I wonder how one gets to $1700-$2000 for a new compressor.

Get another manufacturer. My new SubZero at $13,000 moans and groans despite 6 service calls and a "noise mitigation" device they put in. They should have replaced this "LEMON", but won't and can't fix it either. A most distressing situation---should have got a Thermador!!!

Two years later....what did you end up doing and how did it go? We are facing the exact same question.