Burnt round holes in washing!!

[Homekeeper]

My Hotpoint WM34 Aquarius 1200 is about 10 years old. It was filling up slowly while not in use. The noise is loud when spinning and the last wash I did ended up with lots of small round burn marks. Am I to assume that the bearings have seized, and the heat has caused the drum to burn my clothes through the holes in the drum?
I think it may be time for a new machine
Any suggestions on fixing or should I just get a new machine, and if so what is a good make these days? I hear that German makes are difficult to get spares for. Can I guarentee it's made where it says it's made?
All help urgently needed.....big family to keep clean
Thanks

 

[fido]

Those 1200 spin Hotpoints to tend to self-destruct more than the 800 or 1000 spin models so you have probably done well to get 10 years if you wash for a big family. I tend to recommend Zanussi these days but it is also worth considering Bosch/Siemens. The Bosch group spares are more expensive but are not difficult to get and you can identify what you need then order it online at the Bosch website. There are plenty of these machines around but I do relatively few repairs on them so I conclude that they must be pretty reliable.
No, you can't tell from the brand what country the machine is made. For example, if you buy an integrated Hotpoint washing machine it will probably be a re-badged Indesit made in Italy. Similarly, for several years Hoover and Candy have been the same make and I don't think Hoover are made in Wales any more.

 

[Homekeeper]

Thanks for that info. What exactly do you think caused the little burn holes, as we have taken the machine apart and cannot see anything between the metal drum and the outside drum. Last time I used it I was out when it finished, so don't know what happened, noise wise, etc..... I'm scared to use it now incase it causes a fire. I'd be very interested to know your theory on the holes (all perfectly round and in rows).
What do you think of AEG O-KO Lavamat machines (particularly the 76669 model, 1600 spin)? Seems scarce on the net.
I have tried the doors on the Bosch models and found them a bit difficult to close, they were not as positive as AEG, Hotpoint or Zanuzzi.
Thanks again.

 

[sut]

I had the same thing with my Zanussi when it was not filling properly with water (the sensor tube was blocked). The element was not covered with water whilst heating, hence my favourite cardi got damaged by heat. The element blew shortly afterwards. Replacing it was a fight but I did it and my Zanussi still lives. I bought it 2nd hand 15 years ago, when it was at least 15 years old. The old Zanussis were built to last, but don't expect that from the new machines. Keep the old machine going if you can they were built to last much longer.
Suzy T

 

[Homekeeper]

Thanks Suzy T
I will check it out and hope for the best.
Lets hope it lasts for a while so that I can save up and buy a new one before anything else happens!
Thanks