Hi Kelly, Yes everyone here hates seeing vintage appliances that could be fixed get scraped, but bitching about it does little good.

You could learn to repair appliances and either work go for a company or start an appliance store that specializes in reselling good used appliances.

We are always in need of people that want to get into this business repairing and rebuilding appliances, almost every town and city in the US has openings for people that want to work on major appliances.

Call Me, John L.

You can't keep them all.

 I get in probably 30 a month or so.  What should I do with the ones that aren't worth fixing? Front loaders with bad bearings, or the electronics are out? Maytag Neptunes that have had a rough life, and are not worth saving? BD Whirlpool and Kenmore machines that no one wants? Do I pay to warehouse them, hoping that years from now, someone would want them? 

 I have a Kenmore BD set, got them several months ago, that I've offered FREE to anyone on here. No takers. Just picked up a vintage Hotpoint machine. No idea what to do with it, but I couldn't let it go bye. BOL Maytags, like a A106, that no one wants.

What should I do with them? Any of those machines pictured are FREE to anyone who comes to pick them up. When can I expect you?

Refrigerators are the stand-out tragedy in this situation.  It doesn't take a whole lot of special equipment or scientific knowledge to repair or restore a washer or dryer, but that's not the case with refrigerators. 

Beautiful refrigerators in excellent shape are sent to the crusher every day because the average DIYer doesn't have the skills or tools to change out a compressor.  Try getting any refrigerator repair person to replace a compressor -- on a professional level or as a side job -- and you'll get one or all of these three responses:  1)  A quote in the 4-figure range,  2)  No guarantee whatsoever,  or 3)  Crickets, usually in that order.  So you end up with a fridge, pristine as it may be otherwise, that has been totaled. 

Nobody without the ability to repair it wants a dead refrigerator, but parting one out more often than not wastes time and does more harm than good, usually resulting in valuable parts being broken because they weren't designed for easy disassembly.  And so the whole thing gets sent away.  Storing parts for some day that may never come just doesn't make sense.  Most of us don't have that kind of room.

Steve Gyrafoam has it right. Many times I hear people lamenting about old machines, how someone "needs to save this", and "I wish it were mine", etc. But I've seen examples of the same people commenting on a Craigslist post "if it were only closer", when it's an hour away. How bad do they really want something?

 With a full time job, and other responsibilities, checking a newer machine out to see if and how it runs, tearing it apart, looking up part numbers, listing said part  on eBay, hoping someone who can work on these machines gives me $40.00 for it, instead of going out and buying new, and if they do buy said part, boxing up, and shipping said item, ain't gonna happen. I'd have machines stacking up all over. 

 Yes, Northern Indiana is where I live. Logistics is another problem for many, but again, how bad do you want something? I've had people from several states away stop by, and pick up machines. I've shipped a Maytag 806 washer to California. Others went to Missouri.

 I gave a late 40's Philco 'fridge to my cousin's neighbor, to make a smoker out of it. It killed me to do it, I could see the potential. But it was covered in rust, huge dent in the door, only 1 shelf inside, no freezer door, wiring was original and crispy, no idea if it worked,  you get the picture. I guess that makes me the "hated scrapper".

 I can live with that.

Good thing you're willing to drive, many are not. As to parting them, for the reasons I listed. Plus  I would have to have to stockpile parts that may or may not sell. Much easier to send them to their final resting place,

"If people knew the "true value" of these machines they wouldnt be going for $50 on private ads. "

 

The "true value", for the most part,  is what someone is willing to pay for it. You might think you're vintage washer is worth north of $500.00, but when trying to sell it, the only offer you get is $100.00, what is the value?

 When I still had a store, I could sell vintage washers and dryers to landlords. But very seldom got more than $100.00 for a set, and most times I didn't mess with selling them on the retail market. You have to offer a warranty, and you don't know how they will be used. Something breaks, and then what?

I have been steadily downsizing throughout the years. The reality of space and far too many projects starts to take away the joy of the hobby. Add to that a grumpy husband and well, the writings on the wall. Most of my appliances went on to live in other homes, although a few, sadly, had to be scrapped. As it stands vintage wise, I have 1 washer, 2 refrigerators, 1 dryer, 1 stove, 1 dishwasher and assorted kitchen appliances. This is in addition to vintage radios, phonographs, irons, fans, telephones, Christmas decorations and the like. The strict philosophy now is, if it doesn't fit in the closet, I don't get it.

I could always sell newer machines, like you say, depending on what it is, for much more. I used to sell the cr@p out of GE FF's to landlords. They were dependable, for the most part, easy to repair, they loved' em. Those are the ones that I would get $100.00 for the set. Those and Maytags are pretty much the only vintage machines I would sell to the general public.

 I have it pretty good WRT haulaways. I have to drive an hour each way, but I can buy 12-15 machines (fridges, laundry, ranges) from a dealer, who sells me what they don't go through themselves. He charges me $40.00 for a load. Usually half of them are worth fixing. Some give up parts for others, many just go on the truck to the scrapyard.