I think this is very bad but don't think Sears has done anything wrong.

Everyone else keeps saying that these new washers are having all kind of problems but my family has one and really like it a lot. I can do a lot more laundry in it than I ever could in the old kind.

Why should a company just cover something because the new owner thinks they should? I think Sears would be smart to work with the customer like saying they would still apply this amount paid for the cost of going out last year. I don't think they would have to do this though.