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Old 03-30-2013, 07:33 PM
Telecolor 3007's Avatar
Telecolor 3007 Telecolor 3007 is offline
I love old stuff
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Bucharest, Romania
Posts: 2,079
Let me tell you stories about the "good" Romanian home made apliances.
Somwhere in the late '50's, when the (Communist) economy of Romania begun to grow and the wages (sallaryes) increased a little bit we started to manufactured washing machines. It was even an "automatic" model (for switching from washing to spining mode you had to remove the agitator). They wheren't manufactured in large number and they wheren't use for more then 10-15 years.
We also made non-automatic washing machines at I.M.S. (Întreprinderea Metalurgică de Stat/State Metalurgical Enteprise) from Sibiu (Hermannstadt). They where named <<Perla>> (<<The Pearl>>). They where better made. I think some where used for 20 years. I know somone who's parent's still use an <<Perla>> 2 from 1964! and I found one for sale.
But then we started making washing machines at U.M.C. Cugir (Uzina Mecanică Cugir/Cugir Mechanical Plant) - that also is manufacturing weapons (arms). I.M.S. Sibiu and U.M. Cugir made in paralel for some time washing machines. The ones made at Cugir where called <<Albalux>>. But they wheren't luxury washing machines at all... they where simple models, non-automatic. The post mid 1970's models where pain in the ass - usually they dind't last more then 15 years (in some case 10). They had leaks and the water was droping on the engine (many people died electrocuted on these bloody things). Later on, they stared to put plastic in stad of paint!, normal steel in stad of inox (stainless stell)... I can't tell how some one nicknamed them.
I don't know how where the ones made in the '90's.
In the '80's we started to manufacture automatic washing machines. At U.M. Cugir. They had mechanical (clockwork) timers and where made under Yougoslav licence (the timer was Made in Yugoslavia). They where pice of crap too, but they where easy to repair. I don't know how the newer models where.

Since the new washing machines are pice of crap, I'm dreaming on gettin me an pre 1999 German "Miele".
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Last edited by Telecolor 3007; 04-25-2015 at 06:13 PM.
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