Georgia: My husband was a Sears mechanic for 36 years, and our 1956 washer, with a suds-saving option, did last for 50 years, with just a few new parts along the way. Pumps mostly. When we bought our new machine from Sears about 10 years ago, we told the salesman that our old machine lasted 50 years, and he said, "This one will not last that long."