Now we're cookin!

Yay! We finally fixed our oven. In case you didn't know, we've been without our oven for the last 3 or so months which really sucks because we've only had it for about 3 years. The stove top still worked but the oven was kaput! I was in the middle of baking cookies one day and it made this really horrible noise like something from the movies when they bring Frankenstein to life. Then it started smoking and then it was dead. (If you ask my dad it was all the cobwebs inside burning up) I was scared to death thinking it was going to be a super expensive repair so we waited a while till we had some extra money. But after talking to my mother in law who has fixed her oven many times we decided it was probably the heating coil. I was getting really annoyed at not being able to use it so I bit the bullet and I called and ordered one and was relieved to find out it was only a $50 part but of course it was on back order and ended up taking about a month to come in. Apparently it is pretty common for the heating coil to go our. (News to me but i guess I did grow up with gas appliances) So when we took it apart It was obviously burned up because it looked like a giant used up sparkler and it was broken into 3 pieces. Anyway we replaced that, turned it on, and still no heat. Great. $50 down the drain. So we called in a professional to come check it out. We (Greg) had a pretty good idea that the next step was the control board so we asked the repair guy to bring one with him which of course he couldn't until he confirmed that's what it really was because It was a special order part and couldn't be returned blah blah blah! Cha-Ching! Another $75 just for the Maytag man to look at it and say "yup it's the control board". We said okay order the part and we'll put it in. Cha-Ching $225 bucks! So after $350 dollars or so we are finally operational. (I found a new one on line for $389 but I won't even go there!) Everyone has put in their order for what they want. Greg wanted home-made pizza, Hayden wants meatloaf and Gracie wants cookies. I however just want someone else to do the cooking.
Now is the part of the post where I complain about Maytag appliances. Since we moved into our house 3 years ago we've fixed the dishwasher twice, the microwave has been overhauled twice then finally replaced with a new non Maytag one and now the oven has been overhauled. I guess we're being punished for not buying the extra warranty but when you're starting out with all new appliances and by the time you buy the dishwasher, microwave, stove, fridge, washer and dryer, we just couldn't afford the extra warranty on 6 new appliances. That's the whole reason we went with Maytag in the first place is because we thought it was a better brand and was suppose to be quality merchandise. We couldn't buy the most expensive models but they were mid-grade at least! One salesman even told us we didn't need a warranty because if something were to go wrong it would probably be in the first year or not at all and it would still be covered with the basic warranty. Well come to find out 3 years later, like so many other big companies Maytag was bought out by Whirlpool who owns other big names like Amana, Magic Chef, Jenn-Air, etc, and so all their parts are basically the same. So if you buy a Maytag it may as well be a Whirlpool or a Jenn-Air. One repair guy told us they just basically interchange parts anyway. I've definitely learned my lesson and although I'm sure there are great Maytag appliances we didn't get them. They just don't make things like they use to. My parents had the very first microwave they bough for at least25 years and the only thing that ever got replaced on it was the handle that opened the door! Phew! I feel better now. I guess I'll go bake some cookies and get over it finally! (Well maybe after I write a letter to the Maytag Corporation) And the next house we build we will be researching the appliances and definitely buying the warranty!!!!