Got to replace the old Potterton Combi boiler before the winter sets in.
A mate who's a plumber recomended either a Vokera 35HE or Worcester 37cdi. Never heard of Vokera but there's a £450 differance between the two (thinking used Seamaster for that price...). :D
Any thoughts?
I've heard good reports about Baxi. I had a Baxi back boiler in my previous house and never gave any problems for years.
I'm in a 4 room new flat now and if the Potterton that's in it goes I'll go for a Baxi.
They cost more but very efficient so you could make that back up :)
Rod
My uncle is h engineer. They have a Volkera i think.
I'll as him if u want.
Paul
GOT...TO...KILL...CAPTAIN STUPID!
Baxi is Which?'s favourite Best Buy.
My dad has just had a Vaillant installed. It seems very efficient but the timer cost extra.
Just about all the condensing type boilers will shock you if you remove the cover. Cheaply made and looking like a Fisher price toy. Worcester work well but look terrible. Vaillant look the best (if your hanging in a kitchen etc ) and their latest condensing types are good .
But no way in hell will they last like a old 980's boiler !
I know a few Heating engineers who have re conditioned old boilers and fitted them in their own homes as they know they will last a lot longer ! If you can, try and get a combi fitted It is possible !
Bit weary of a condencing combi, just more to go wrong!
Got a potterton in now and its just under 10 years old. They just dont make 'em like they used to.
We have a Baxi combi. It's crap. It's meant to have a how water pre-heat - it doesn't work very well - the initial how water is hot, then goes cold with the usual combi wait-for-the-hot-water-to-come.
It's now four years old. I've had the diaphragm in the expansion vessel replaced two years ago which required the whole boiler stripping down. It's just gone again. That'll be another £250. The diaphragm failed in the hot water flow switch earlier this year. I replaced that myself rather than have a £75 call out - at least the part was only a few pence. Now I know why Baxi wanted to sell me a D&G £99 a year service contract. The hot water temperature sensor failed in the first year and it took 3 or 4 visits for Baxi to sort that out under the warranty, so they didn't exactly install confidence in me. Wish I'd kept the old Bosch that was here.
For those of you who do not know, The latest boilers are the worst ever made. forget buying one and it lasting you for 20 years like the good old ones did etc.
What ever you do, keep your combi type boilers for as long as possible . Service them and have them flushed etc .You will regret changing over to a condenser type
Originally Posted by Driftwood
+1 My plumber told me the new stuff is rubbish, but what can you do I suppose?
Fit a cheap one and get insurance, I saw it very cheap recently I think it was on Martin's 'MoneySavingExpert'
Great, now cold and depressed!
The trouble with a non condesing combi seems to be the low flow rate.
Just have to get used to replacing a boiler every 10 years like a new car or telly .
Might go for the Vokera and spend the savings on a new watch......there, I feel warmer already. 8)
Certainly don't..we've got a potterton netaheat...its about 20 years old,still going strong with nothing wrong with it. It gets pulled apart and cleaned/serviced yearly and apart from looking a bit prehistoric just keeps going! (touch wood)
A new Worcester combi boiler was installed when the house was built in 1995. We moved in in 1997 and the boiler is still going like a champ without annual service (must get one though!). A few parts have been replaced over the years (and are still available), but otherwise, touch wood, no probs. I've found it very efficient but tend to take it for granted a bit, TBH.
Go for a worcester combi :)
We have a Vaillant and it really is very good. It's quiet and efficient, and I can't think of anything else it needs to be really.
We got it for a good price, but would have gone for a Viessmann otherwise, as they are renowned by some to be the best on the market. Often available for a good price at PTS - though prices vary by branch/ region.
At last a thread just for me.
Am an Engineer for British Gas, I would 100% go for the Worcester, I have X2 worcesters in my house and wouldn't consider anything else, fair enough you may pay a little more but us engineers at British gas call these boilers 'Fit and Forget. Plus we re-brand them as a british gas boiler.
As for Condenser reliabilty, you get what you pay for. Make sure the engineer flushes out all pipe work and try and add a Magnaclean.
Try not to install the Vokera, a lot of housing associations fit these as they are cheap and will do the job, for a while.
Some Baxi's are ok. AVOID "IDEAL" BOILERS :twisted:
Vaillant (in-laws have just had one fitted) and Veissmans are also reccomended, basically, BUY GERMAN :lol:
We had a new one fitted last year, a Vaillant. I am assured these are among the best and it does seem well up to the job. I was advised we couldn't have a Combi etc because they won't do large houses - and ours is quite big (three bathrooms, two kitchens), so we had to have a heat only - if I recall correctly. Don't know if that is any help.
Expensive things too! I kept thinking "I could by some very nice watches for what this is costing...". My wife disagreed with my assertion that warmth was a luxury we could all do without though...
So clever my foot fell off.
Right then, Worcester it is. Thanks for all your views chaps.
The Seamaster and Speedy will have to wait.
Vaillant 937 ecotec combi. Don`t know if you have a closed system etc,etc.
My ancient back boiler ideally needs replacing, last year we looked into it and the Vaillant Ecotech was highly recommended.
Cheers,
Gary
certain Vaillant models are as good as the Worcester. But all installs are down to the quality of the plumber/engineer
All depends on what property you have, amount of radiators, how much hot water you use in a day, room size etc. Lots of boring factors to take in to account. I have the Vaillant combi as well as a corvec brittany for the hot water.
Sounds like overkill but guaranteed hot water and heat with no issues. :)
Sandy1979 is the 3rd gas engineer to recommend a Worcester Bosch and they seem to almost universally get the thumbs up from friends that have them installed.
And another vote of confidence here.
My plumber is an old friend and he unhesitatingly recommended the Worcester Bosch we had fitted a couple of years back.
We have a fairly large detached house and the rads are hotter than we ever experienced with the old Potterton and the gas bills have dropped by a significant amount. Probably saved on the cost of the boiler already.
One of the best buys I have made in recent years.
Cheers,
Neil.
Good timing for me this thread as we're in the same boat.
Have heard very good things about Worcester and Vaillant.
Our plumber recommended a Dutch make with 5 year warranty but my wife managed to forget the name :roll: :lol:
Probably going to go for the Worcester.
Expected to see a watch clear-out in SC soon to pay for it :(
YOU BUNCH OF IDIOTS!!!
READ THE THREAD TITLE!!!
It says: BOLIER!!!
And yes... I think Bolier make lovely furniture, and I'd be happy to recommend them! :shock:
http://www.bolierco.com/
Mike.
:lol:
Heated furniture?
Well done miked10270 for spotting my deliberate mistake.....Shame on you all!
Agree - so good that Bosche bought them.
Andy
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
I have a potterton puma combi (12 years +) every time a plumber sees it they can't believe that it still works. Apparently the Puma has a reputation of beeing a bit of a dud, the circuit boards go, ours has, but the British gas service contract has been worth every penny. Next time I might go for a Worcester, they are always highly praised by the British gas engineers.
Funnily enough its a Potterton Puma that we have now. Its only 9 years old and been nowt but trouble since day one.
Going to bite the bullet and get the Worcester over the Vokera but its twice the price at 1100quid!
Just thinking about the watch I could have got for 550squid.....
If you are in a hard water area please do not get a Vokera - I had one installed in a house I looked after in Southgate, N London (very hard water) and it was forever failing and needing parts. Get a Worcester - the British Gas engineer told us that Vokera were unreliable and suggested getting a Worcester. The Vokera was breaking down every 6 weeks on average but luckily we had a maintenance contract.
Cheers
dunk
"Well they would say that ... wouldn't they!"
Another vote for Valient
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