And prices of appliances go down through the yrs.
Do apartment complexes use top of the line appliances? I've rented a couple of apts in my life, had many friends that have rented apts, and I've never seen racks do with the OP is questioning.
Sounds like some kind of abuse to me.
My Maytag racks lasted about six years before they started rusting, and after eight years I replaced them. I don't think that I'm unduly hard on the dishwasher.
At only 3.5 years you might want to replace the racks if you can get them for under $200 at the source I got mine (pointed out in an earlier post). I don't recall any other dishwashers that I've had having the racks rust as fast as the ones on the Maytag, and they've been replaced for other reasons.
Chances are, they bent the tines to get something to fit in, breaking the coating, allowing water to rust the tines, causing them to break off as they weakened.
On 10 Aug 2010, "Larry B" wrote in alt.home.repair:
I had a Maytag dishwasher that the racks rusted badly in many places after about 8 - 10 years. I, too, was shocked by the price of new ones. I ended up buying some used ones off eBay. They lasted until the dishwasher broke for good.
I think the original racks were too thinly coated with plastic. The coating got nicked, which exposed the metal to water. I think they were poorly made - the coating was too thin.
On Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:41:41 -0700, SMS wrote Re Re: Dishwasher Rack Longevity:
I've had the rusting-rack with Maytag also; as well as other problems. My solution was to replace the Maytag with another brand last year.
Just wondering out loud here - -
Could you score some stainless rod, and, with enough measurements, cut it up to the right sizes for all the frame, runners, and 'bed of nails.' After all the pieces are prepared, bent, and tapered, take the stuff to a welding shop and have them construct a new rack?
We too have an inexpensive Maytag about 3 yrs old. Use it all the time. Racks look as good as when it was installed. I suspect gross abuse by the tenant. Maybe they got it all stained and tried to clean it before moving out with some corrosive liquid? Sounds like a good justification for withholding at least some of the additional month's rent you probably required when they moved in.
Magic word: TENANT
Tenants rarely care for appliances as if they owned them. I would bank on your former tenant having done every abusive thing imaginable to that dishwasher. If it even works, it would be a minor miracle.
They are defnately buying the new racks.
If you've got sheeple for tenants then they might not challenge you on taking that out of their security deposit. Maybe you had especially bad tenants, but no tenants I've had would have done anything out of the ordinary to damage appliances. The Maytag racks are poor quality even on their more expensive models, probably on the cheap models they're even worse.
I looked at my racks again VERY closely and I found two very small spots that are starting to rust. Looks like the ends of both of them weren't coated.
Here's a pic of one spot...crappy picture but the "problem" area is circled in red.
"Sheeple". That is funny. They were not bad tenants by any means. But these racks are wasted. Missing at least 8 tines along with another 10 that are getting there. I am not talking about tine tips and the likes. Seems like a lot. Earlier I made a comment about their having burned up some plastic dinnerware/containers in the unit possibly releasing plastic vapors that could have weakend the rack coating. Is that possible? Thanks for your thoughts.
I looked at my racks again VERY closely and I found two very small spots that are starting to rust. Looks like the ends of both of them weren't coated.
Here's a pic of one spot...crappy picture but the "problem" area is circled in red.
heh. I really have, nothing gets old greasy hubcaps clean like a dishwasher. I think the heaviest thing I have run through there was a water manifold from an old Packard V-8 though. I do have *some* amount of common sense and desire not to get in bad with female cohabitants.
nate
replying to Ron, Annie Weyerts wrote: I hope it last forever because the new Maytag dishwasher racks are changed and melt and swell and rust apart about 2 or 3 years! All my dishwashers have lasted and the racks always in mint condition. Until I gave my old one away because I bought a new one and what a big mistake I made. I don't wash knives or pots and pans and own The Brook Pink dishes (Made in England) by CHURCHILL a double set + and the new dishwasher is starting to ruin them if I put them near the spines that melted and now are rusting. They don't make them like they did 8-10 years ago. Very disappointed.
replying to Ron, Annie Weyerts wrote: I hope it last forever because the new Maytag dishwasher racks are changed and melt and swell and rust apart about 2 or 3 years! All my dishwashers have lasted and the racks always in mint condition. Until I gave my old one away because I bought a new one and what a big mistake I made. I don't wash knives or pots and pans and own The Brook Pink dishes (Made in England) by CHURCHILL a double set + and the new dishwasher is starting to ruin them if I put them near the spines that melted and now are rusting. They don't make them like they did 8-10 years ago. Very disappointed.
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