I've just come across this website: White Goods Help. According to the site, it's written by a guy who repaired washing machines for 20 years and wants to encourage people to get their white goods repaired rather than throwing them out and getting a new one. He has a lot of advice on getting things repaired and also on what to look for when buying new white goods. No idea whether he is legit or whether there is some sort of hidden agenda there (yes I am very suspicious) but on the face of it it looks like a useful website.