Swapping a Worcester Highflow for a Baxi Duotec

[mikej2005]

I posted a few weeks ago about trying to sort the ventilation issues with my mother-in-law's Worcester Highflow 3.5/4.5 floor-standing combi.

Well in the meantime, after having a problem with the pilot light, she's decided that she wants a new boiler and got British Gas in to give her a quote - they want £3800 to swap her Worcester Highflow for a Baxi Duotec 40HE.

NB. Existing boiler flue goes up through the ceiling of the airing cupboard and out through the roof - the new boiler will do the same. I think they also included a powerflush in their quote.

In my opinion, her current Worcester boiler works perfectly well - it delivers virtually instant hot water, thanks to the in-built HW storage and at a fantastic pressure too - her shower feels like a power-shower ! This recent issue with the pilot light is the only problem I've known her have with it in the last 10 years. She lives alone in the house for the majority of the time and, even with the constantly 'on' HW storage, her gas bills aren't high.

She has heating cover with BG and I think they've tried to persuade her that they'll struggle to get parts for the boiler so that, along with the pilot-light problem (not sure what that involved, but they fixed it easily enough) and ventillation issues (which I can solve for her, given a chance) has persuaded her to go with their quote.

I think she's spending money unnecessarily, so I wouldn't mind opinions on :

1) Whether getting parts for a Worcester Highflow 3.5/4.5 floor-standing combi is likely to be an issue now or in the future

2) Whether a Baxi Duotec 40HE would be a worthy swap - ie. are they reliable / would the flow rate be as good ? etc

Cheers.

 

[westbrom]

Whoa.......never accept a BG quote, its invariably higher than any other company by a long margin

Having worked on various BAXIs over the years including the Duotec and having worked alongside 2 ex baxi/pot engineers I can confidently reccomend that you go for a Worcester or Vailant Boiler

A worcester Bosch Accredited installer can offer a 5 year parts and labour warrantee for no additional cost and the after sales is second to none IMHO

go to the WB website put in your postcode and get a quote from installers in your area..its not going to work out at 4k........

 

[diverdee]

cant speak for the worster boiler thats up to you.but duo.tec is a cracking boiler and has proved very reliable our firm fit ten a week and we swear by them

 

[westbrom]

your obviously an installer and not a Breakdown engineer.

Baxi are not in the same league as Worcester or Vailant and especiall not at that price and there after sales is renowned in the trade for being tepid

to quote our man from Baxi...The last decent thing to come out from Baxi was the 105.

An installer once told me what a great boiler the ideal isar was.............I rest my case

 

[namsag]

S o how good is Vaillant and worcesters after sales service and how do you know

 

[westbrom]

Cos I am WB registered installer..and I also fit Vailants...Pm me if you want anymore details and Ill speak to you in the C chamber

 

[diverdee]

am a breakdown engineer been off the tools for years and i agree past baxis have been very poor but they got it sorted with the duo tec.sorry but they so simple to fix n reliable.ask any big time installers aka the staywarm installers they choose duo.tec over worster or ideal everytime.

 

[namsag]

Why speak about it in secret . Its a simple question how do you know they have good after sales why would this have to be spoke about in CC

 

[westbrom]

Interesting your down as a sparky on your profile....

The reason they choose Baxi over other makes is cos of cost...simple as

 

[westbrom]

Simple answer then I have never known a customer dissatisfied with the time required

for a warrantee call out, or appointment phone call on any Worceter Bosch

Vailant not so good...but still a damn site better than baxi/pot

If you ask scary questions you get scary answers..........

 

[namsag]

Always find it funny how people who boast how good Vaillants and Worcesters are follow it up by saying they hav eexcellent back up service . If these boilers where that good you would not know how good the back up service was. Does not add up in my eyes,
I don`t want to know how good a manufacturers back up is as this would mean an un reliable appliance. basic

 

[westbrom]

Predictable....digressing from helping the op are we not

what do you fit then

 

[namsag]

Why was the reply predictable would it be because you regularly call manufacturers out to your chosen appliances,

I mainly fit 105`s and in 7 years have called them out no more than5/ 6 times which for approx 250 boilers is not bad. I also fit worcester CDI and SI and the vaillants now and again . The build quality and performance are no better than a 105 or for that matter the cheaper still potterton 30
And in a previous life i done national recalls on both vaillants and worcesters so doknow what im talking about.

 

[mikej2005]

Thanks guys - I've been reading this forum long enough to know that choice of boiler manufacturers was always going to be a contentious issue

I've had a bad experince with a Baxi combi in the past, which is why I went for a Worcester Bosch CDi combi myself last year.

I also appreciate that a BG quote was likely to be the highest.

If anyone could answer my question about the availability of parts for a Worcester Highflow 3.5/4.5 combi (probably around 15 years old) then I'd really appreciate it.

Ignoring the outrageous quote, I can't help but think that she might have more problems with the new Baxi than she will with the older Worcester.

 

[westbrom]

the gentleman protesteth to much..................

well agree to differ then, on your choice of boilers

you have more warrantee callbacks to your boilers than me then and I have put more in than 250 ............