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But you bought a home, likely at a premium price too, BECAUSE the former owner cared
enough to install the higher quality appliances and likely twenty other design choices. .
Higher quality or just more expensive? Some of the "premium" brands don't have a very good reliability record.
Well, remarkably enough I've been able to live a rich and fulfilling life for 60 years, including preparing and eating a lot of very tasty home-cooked meals, while relying on a series of ordinary Kenmore, Whirlpool, GE, etc., standard white refrigerators.
When your Sub Zero goes t!t$-up, you're spending all kinds of money and deciding ”spend vast sums to fix this old fridge, or spend even vaster sums to replace it with a new one?”
When my GE fails, I go down to Lowe's or Gold Star and order a replacement for $800, a few days later a guy in a truck shows up, wheels the old dead one out and wheels the new one into the kitchen. 10 minutes to connect the icemaker and it's all done! And yet, remarkably enough, that sub-$1000 fridge keeps my frozen foods frozen, my cold foods cold, gives me ice cubes, and lasts for years and years.
Might be time to ask that child over there about the true nature of the emperor's new suit.
Me, I'd yank the ultra lux fridge out, go measure some normal fridges of a capacity that suits you, then modify the hole to fit one of those. I bet the bit of trim carpentry PLUS the normal fridge will be cheaper than repairing your fancy fridge that keeps food cold just like all fridges - and you'll have a modern efficient unit - and then 20 years down the road you'll be able to replace it quickly and for short money.
That much to repair a refrigerator.....................I think you could easily buy a decent new one for that amount of money?!?!?!
So just from my POV, it makes zero sense, financially or otherwise, to put that kind of money
into repairing that fridge.
Granted, your “POV”…
But, let’s be sure there is a clear perspective- this is an American-made luxury appliance. And generally they are of a size that you won’t find in a typical residential fridge (GE, Whirlpool, etc.). The most common size used in most residential settings is the 42”. All the homes that I have done where people wanted Subz’s were the 42” models. I had one client that went the “component” route- a separate fridge unit and separate freezer unit- both were side-by-side. The rationale could be several scenarios- but I could definitely see an advantage in what the OP is going through.
Since you can't afford a new SubZero, I would fix the current one. It will keep your kitchen with the same look which is why they designed the kitchen around the Sub. $3,000 isn't that much. You'll probably get another 30+ years out of it and by then you won't care.
Look up what refrigerant does your fridge have and how much of it : it should be on the label somewhere inside the fridge - perhaps on the side behind the drawers or in the back.
According to them you have R-12 refrigerant.
R-12 is eliminated from the manufacturing due to bad effects on the environment.
In this case - the refrigerant must be purchased by EPA certified technician from the re-conditioned old refrigerant.
Ask your repair person if he is certified to buy the R-12
Then what would you do if something else breaks like a compressor?
Before committing to repairs- check your door insulation gasket - it could be past its prime too.
Sometimes the magnets in the door get de-magnetized so it doesn’t seal properly.
Not easy to fix
Price that out too.
Do you even need this huge fridge? How much electricity does it use?
You could buy counter depth German fridge - very little electricity use -instead of your huge behemoth and explore changing the space occupied by the fridge to a pantry, baking center or just more cabinets?
If you use 30” - standard size but something tall -then you could add 12” wide storage for a glass ware, etc
Think that subzero makes it non-standard 42” on purpose - as it forces people to replace it with the same overpriced fridge
Y'all just "Gelous"- 'cause he's "gellin' like a felon!"
Not really. I like responding to the OP with thought, not just repeating what I did in my own house with my own budget and tastes.
Anyhooo.
OP, you might be surprised at what's available out there that would fit your kitchen space with minimal modifications or finish work. Thermador (kind of high-end-adjacent), KitchenAid for two examples. There's something striking me not quite right about a 2023 "full guts" replacement of a 1989 unit. I can't speak for Subzero, but lots of brands have gotten downgraded but keep the same badge.
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and it's a statement of 'look how rich I am.' (I'm looking at you, Dave B.)
