That $60 Maytag belt I cheaped out on cost me a whole Saturday

I had a dryer in Phoenix last month that was squealing like crazy. I figured it was just a worn belt so I grabbed a $12 off-brand one from the local parts shop. Three loads later the thing snapped and wrapped around the drum pulley. Spent 6 hours pulling the whole dryer apart to fish out the shredded rubber. Should have just paid for the OEM belt and saved the headache. Any of you guys had a cheap part fail like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

henrycooper23d ago

Yeah I used to be the guy who'd roll my eyes at spending 30 bucks on a little belt. Thought it was just a scam to upsell people. Then I had an old Whirlpool washer that started slipping and I got a cheap belt off Amazon for like 8 bucks. It lasted maybe two months before it snapped and I had to take the whole front panel off to get the rest of it out of the pulley. That Saturday afternoon I spent covered in dust and frustration changed my mind real quick. Now I just suck it up and pay for the good stuff, it's cheaper in the long run.

blairtaylor23d ago

Read that same thing happened to a guy on a car forum with a cheap alternator belt. He was stranded on the highway in the middle of summer. Saved 15 bucks and paid for it with a tow truck and a whole afternoon of sweating in the sun. That's the real cost of "saving money" on parts like that. The time and hassle always adds up way more than the few extra dollars you spent on the legit one. At this point I just figure the OEM part is the cheap option because it actually works.