We had a storm yesterday, and must have had a power surge. The dishwasher and garbage disposal stopped working at the same time. They are on two different breakers, but neither were tripped. The disposal was an easy fix, as it was just pushing the reset button on the outlet.
The dishwasher did not have a reset-type outlet. Husband did his best to work out the problem, and confirmed that power was going into the dishwasher. He called a repairman, who said it was most likely the control panel. He said that it would cost as much for him to come out, order the right part, and replace it, as it would to buy a new dishwasher.
So the dilemma we face is to order the part ourselves and attempt the repair, or buy a new machine. The dishwasher is a 12 year old Kenmore, but has been a great washer for us, quiet, fast, and an excellent cleaner. The part to repair costs $157 plus tax and shipping. A quick Google search shows that a refurbished machine would cost about $350, and a new one $500 and up.
I am leaning towards attempting the repair, because the dishwasher has been a good machine, and it's cheaper. But, I have to pause. What if the control panel is not the problem, or not the only problem? Then we're out the money for the part, and still have to replace.
I know that a lot of you have more knowledge and experience with repairs. What would you recommend?