Thread Number: 50136
Gold Maytag Set
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Post# 723555   12/28/2013 at 17:30 (3,742 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)        

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The price came down!  Closer to what they're worth.



CLICK HERE TO GO TO goatfarmer's LINK on Southbend Craigslist




Post# 723560 , Reply# 1   12/28/2013 at 17:55 (3,742 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )        
what size of tub is the washer?

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would that be the smaller tubbed washer? or would that be the extra large load washer?? it looks like there are only 3 load size buttons? and i can't tell if it has the gentle & regular agitation speeds??

Post# 723564 , Reply# 2   12/28/2013 at 18:17 (3,742 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)        
Christina:

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I blew the photo up, and it looks like that washer is an A208. That means:

- One speed.
- Fabric-Matic delicate cycle (the washer agitates for a minute, stops for a while, agitates another minute, and so on, instead of using a low speed for delicates).
- Three fill levels, Small, Medium and Large
- Four wash/rinse temperature combinations: Hot/Warm, Hot/Cold, Warm/Cold and Cold/Cold.
- Bleach dispenser
- Softener dispenser
- Non-lighted control panel

My first Maytag was one of these, and it was a great machine. I presently have a TOL A806, and believe it or not, the A208 did everything the A806 does, though it does some things a little differently, like the delicate cycle. You would not be sorry you owned one of these.

The problem, of course, is that South Bend, IN, is a long, long way from you.


Post# 723573 , Reply# 3   12/28/2013 at 19:12 (3,742 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)        

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@HD:  On these washers there is a "blank" insert where the speed buttons usually go.  It says "Automatic" on it. 


Post# 723574 , Reply# 4   12/28/2013 at 19:28 (3,742 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)        

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Sandy, the washer is an A108.  The A208 was a two speed machine.  This is a one speed-machine which was known "in the trade" as Fabric-matic.  The lack of shading on the cabinets means these are from between mid-1977 to June 1980.  Here is the console of the A108.

 

The dryer, surprisingly, looks like it might be a DE608.  Somewhat unusual to pair a low-end washer with an electronic control dryer, but the presence of 4 buttons on the console points towards the 608 as opposed to a lower-end model. (During this time period only the the 608 and 808 had 4 buttons, the 308, 408 & 409 had two buttons and the 108 & 309 had no buttons

 


Post# 723575 , Reply# 5   12/28/2013 at 19:30 (3,742 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)        

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Here is the console of the A208


Post# 723576 , Reply# 6   12/28/2013 at 19:34 (3,742 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )        
danemodsandy & rp2813

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danemodsandy:

i have an A208 but it has 2 speeds on it (gentle & normal) agitation. could this mean that since it is a single speed, it is another model number? because mine is definitely an A208 and aside from the 2 speed, everything else you described, is exactly the same as mine. could it be an A108 (is that a model number?) i feel like a baby, just learning & learning, little by little.
hm hm hm....
and i do LOVE my maytag A208. the only "con" i would have about it, is the tub size. i would rather have the extra large tub so when i need to wash blankets & covers. other than that, i love the verstality you have with the different choices!!! what would be the equivalent to my A208 but with the extra large tub size?

rp2813:

i have seen that "automatic" button on some pictures of the maytag washers and have always wondered what that meant or why that was? so is that just like a decoration button/plate or can the "automatic" button be pushed in? but just doesn't do anything to or for the machine? curious minds want to know.

thanks guys. i look forward to reading your replies...


Post# 723577 , Reply# 7   12/28/2013 at 19:42 (3,742 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )        
kenmore71...

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thank you soooo much for posting the pictures of the control panels/consoles, of the A108 & A208.

GOSH! all of these model numbers is so confusing to me and i get confused trying to figure out what is what. at least, now i know that A108 is one speed, which is called "fabric-matic".

i personally like having the "gentle" agitation speed button.

thank you for the insight & the GREAT pictures of the control panels/consoles kenmore71.


Post# 723579 , Reply# 8   12/28/2013 at 19:59 (3,742 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)        
Mark:

danemodsandy's profile picture
Yep, I goofed! It's a 108, which is what I had, and I ought to know better.

Thanks for setting me straight.

Christina, the info I set down should be considered as being for the 108, not the 208.


Post# 723581 , Reply# 9   12/28/2013 at 20:03 (3,742 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)        
Christina: Fabric-Matic

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Christina:

I was skeptical about the Fabric-Matic delicate cycle on my 108; I didn't really think that starting and stopping the agitation would do as good a job or take as good care of delicates as a two-speed machine.

Well, I was flat-out wrong. Fabric-Matic did everything I asked of it, and it took very good care of my late partner's surgical hose, which he wore for the last couple of years of his life. Those hose are very delicate and prone to snagging, and they cost a lot to replace.

Fabric-Matic got them clean and never snagged a one. You will never hear me say anything bad about Fabric-Matic. It works, trust me.


Post# 723592 , Reply# 10   12/28/2013 at 21:05 (3,742 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)        

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@HD:  The "Automatic" insert is mounted permanently in the pushed in position.  It's just there taking up space that would otherwise be occupied by real working buttons on two speed models. 

 

We had an A206 for a number of years and it did everything we needed it to as far as cycles and speeds were concerned.  The only thing it lacked was tub capacity.    I don't know the difference between the 06 and 08 suffixes, but I presume an A206 was the same as an A208 except perhaps for the model run period.


Post# 723595 , Reply# 11   12/28/2013 at 21:27 (3,742 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)        

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The A206 was 1966-1972

The A207 was 1973-1976

The A208 was 1976-1980

 


Post# 723608 , Reply# 12   12/29/2013 at 00:17 (3,742 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)        

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Thanks Mark.  Do those suffixes apply to models further up the line during the same periods?


Post# 723653 , Reply# 13   12/29/2013 at 09:41 (3,742 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)        

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Yes for the "06" & "08" suffixes (with 2 minor exceptions).  The "07" and "09" suffixes were used to indicate models introduced after 1966 for the "07" suffix and after 1976 for the "09" suffix.

 

If you want the nitty gritty on Maytag model year production go here:



CLICK HERE TO GO TO Kenmore71's LINK

Post# 723673 , Reply# 14   12/29/2013 at 13:10 (3,742 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )        
danemodsandy/fabric-matic...

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danemodsandy:

i know exactly where you're coming from, about being skeptical of the fabric-matic cycle. i kind of am too. the description you gave of how it agitates & stops, is kind of like the "gentle" cycle on my mom's newer whirlpool. and i too didn't feel it was washing/cleaning the delicates that great. and that is the exact reason why i got a vintage maytag with the 2-speed motor/normal & gentle agitation buttons. which i am very happy with!!

thank you for your insight into how well the fabric-matic cycle does cleans& care for delicates, like the surgical hose. that is definitely one very delicate piece of laundry that i would be afraid to wash in a regular agitation cycle! so, i might be changing my opinion about the fabric-matic, but i still LOVE my 2-speed & getting to push the buttons in, to select "normal" or "gentle" agitation.

thanks again for sharing your opinion & experience with your maytag A108 fabric-matic.


Post# 723674 , Reply# 15   12/29/2013 at 13:18 (3,742 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )        
rp2813/automatic "button"....

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rp2813:

thank you for answering my question & letting me know that the "automatic" button was permanently mounted in the pushed in position. here's a dumb question but now i'm wondering, did that automatic "button" light up?? that would have been really cool if the button lit up when the washer was running/turned on. but i'm guessing that the automatic "button" was probably made of solid plastic that wouldn't have been able to illuminate with a light behind it?


Post# 723679 , Reply# 16   12/29/2013 at 13:37 (3,742 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )        
kenmore71/model suffix numbers...

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kenmore71:

thank you for sharing the information about the model suffix numbers with the years they were made. and also for posting the years & model numbers.

but maybe you can answer my question about the extra large capacity washtubs?? which maytag washer model would be exactly like the A208 features but have the extra large washtub? i'm probably going to butcher the model numbers here (remember, i am barely learning about maytag washers), but would it be the;
A406
A408
A606
A608
A806
A808

if this information would help you narrow it down to an exact model number, i wouldn't need the control panel to light up (like the really old maytags), and i prefer the clear plastic/diamond looking control knob (which i am guessing only came on the maytags with the gold-colored lower panel on the console/control panel?). do you know which maytag model i would need to find??

i remember seeing a maytag chart list with the different model numbers and different features each came with. but i've tried to look for it again, but i can't seem to find the message thread anymore?? was it you that posted that maytag models chart list, showing which features each model came with?

sorry for the long message here. but i would really like to find out which maytag would have the exact same features as my A208, but with the extra large washtub.

i'll be waiting to find out.

thank you in advance.....


Post# 723689 , Reply# 17   12/29/2013 at 14:33 (3,742 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)        

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Mark, thanks for the link.  Looks like I'll have it easy if I ever decide to go after a Maytag set.  They'd be 806's -- unless the 606/608 dryers had electronic control like the 806, in which case I could bump them down to an unlit panel series if I wanted.  That would depend on whether they were auxiliary machines on my covered patio, or daily drivers in the laundry room, where TOL would be my preference.

 

HD, sorry but there is no bling in 208-ville.  That blank stays dark just like the operable buttons.


Post# 723695 , Reply# 18   12/29/2013 at 14:59 (3,742 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)        

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The A606 & A608 would be the same as the A206/A207/A208 WITH the addition of a brief "soak" cycle.

 

There were only two significant difference between the "06" & "08" series washers.  They were:

1.  All "08" machines got a non-timed bleach dispenser.

2.  The 108, 208, 408 & 608 got an extra water temperature button which was "Hot/Cold".  On the "06" machines a hot wash always got a warm rinse.

 

 

Secondly about the dryers, the 600 series dyers were identical to the  800 series dryers in their respective sub-series.  The only difference was that the 800s had lights and the 600s did not (panel & tub). 

 

Here's the panel of an A606


Post# 723696 , Reply# 19   12/29/2013 at 15:07 (3,742 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)        

kenmore71's profile picture

Here's the A608


Post# 723780 , Reply# 20   12/30/2013 at 00:44 (3,741 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )        
hey kenmore71...

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thank you for them great pictures kenmore71!!!

the A608 would be the one that is exactly just like my A208, with the exact same features + the extra large load size.

but i also do like the A606 because it has that little light above the center dial. i think i would like to see that little light lit up. but then again, it's not like i would be sitting in front of my washer while it was washing, just to see that little light on. so, maybe that little light wouldn't be such an important decision maker for me?? LOL.....

thank you for answering my question, as to which model number would be the same as the A208 (but with the extra large load size). i am going to bookmark this message thread so that i will have that information for future reference. thank you so much!!!

i have another question for you:
now from what i'm understanding, do all the A806's have the lighted control panel?? that's what it seems like to me, but i could be wrong. but it seems like all the pictures i see of A806's, they all seem to have the lighted control panels. is this correct??
and are A806's the only model to offer the "suds saver" option? me personally, that isn't a feature that would catch my eye or attention. i don't think i would use that option, if i had it myself.

i think i would be very happy with an A608! ;o)



Post# 723819 , Reply# 21   12/30/2013 at 07:00 (3,741 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)        

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All 806's had a lighted control panel, not all had the light in the tub.

 

I 'believe' Suds Saver was available across the entire line.


Post# 723913 , Reply# 22   12/30/2013 at 15:19 (3,741 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )        
goatfarmer.....

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thanks for chiming in and letting me know that all A806's had the lit up control panel. something that i thought was very cool at first. but now, not that important of a feature to me. just like the "suds saver" feature, not a high priority on my list of features.

i am thinking maybe that the A608 is going to be the next machine for me. it is exactly what i am looking for & found in my GA208. with the A606 running close behind it. thanks to kenmore71 for clarifying the model numbers for me :o)

thanks again goatfarmer for letting me know that all A806's have the lit up control panel.


Post# 723922 , Reply# 23   12/30/2013 at 16:33 (3,740 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)        

goatfarmer's profile picture

You're welcome. BTW, if you find a Maytag that you like, but it doesn't have a suds saver, they can be added for not too much work. You need a diverter valve, which I probably have, and the switch.


Post# 724023 , Reply# 24   12/31/2013 at 01:51 (3,740 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )        
goatfarmer.....

hippiedoll's profile picture
thank you for the offer on the "suds saver" option. if i decide to go that route, i will know who to message & ask!!! :o)

thank you again goatfarmer.

with love,
hippiedoll



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