[Lurkinanloomin]

That will probably last forever. Mechanical controls don’t fail like electronics.
I always advised customers to buy the most basic, least electronic product they could find. Switches and timers last far longer than boards.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

You've told most of the end story of Maytag of Newton, IA.
Maytag made sturdy washers and dryers for decades until their “research” department went after the threat posed by Korean imports. They created a knock-off that didn't work and resulted in complaints, lawsuits and even recalls.
Then they hired a president who didn't want to live in a mostly rural part of the country and had to be chauffeured every morning from his home in Des Moines.
There were other issues that contributed to killing off Maytag, including an unsympathetic union and an executive arrogance (WE...are MAYTAG!)
Today the Maytag name is just another brand and the plant and jobs in Newton are gone.
I was a supplier to Maytag for many years and saw this happen...