Actually this has been known about in the industry for a couple years.
It's not really that there will be no more top loaders but that they have to meet certain water and energy saving requirements that are already easily reached with a frontload washer.
A few manufacturers have tried making lower water use top load machines with various results.

You might try Googling: 2008 clothes washer requirements
To see additional info

FALSE INFORMATION.

Conventional top loaders are not going to be banned!

As of 2007, top loaders have to use less energy, which means they add cold water to the hot cycle. There is no restriction on water usage.

I recall that to be "energy star" certified, washers will have to use less water, so it may mean the there will be no "energy star" top loader washers.

Most energy star products are poor values as you've discovered with your expensive and repair-prone washer. Compact spiral bulbs are also a rip-off. I bought several and many burned out after a year. So much for the 5-8 year supposed lifespan listed on the package.

And to the original poster, be sure to look into the Speed Queen top loading washers. That or a standard run-of-the-mill Whirlpool/Kenmore are the only washers worth buying today.

I didn't think Kenmore Oasis was highly rated.

Top loaders like tube tvs will in fact disappear. That is obvious. The latest consumers claimed TLs don't even clean well any more.

Unfortunately, the Maytag Neptune was the worse FL ever made. It really looked like they put a FL into a TL body. I would not let your problems with the Neptune turn you off from all FLs.

Oasis is junk..Took me a year to get Sears to change mine out so I got a HE2t and love it..

I saw many Neptunes last over 10 years. I have seen quite a few competition models go down in just a few years. Neptune was not the worst ever. There were many that failed due to abuse as well. In many cases Neptune was repaired well out of warranty by Maytag.. Try that with some of the competition out there. It had its problems but it also was the pioneer of modern day front loaders. Many potential problems of the competion were avoided by Maytags lessons hard learned. IMHO

I have the GE Harmony, an HE TL. I just love it. It has many of the features of the FL's but none of the hassles frequently described on this forum. If you're looking for a new washer but don't want a FL I would strongly recommend the Harmony.

Pioneer of modern day front loaders??? LOL Front loaders were being made for decades in Europe, etc. And in American, front loaders were also being made for years before Maytag entered the FL market. And none of the FLs made in America prior to Neptune ever put a FL into a TL body.

LG had been making FLs for decades in other parts of the world. Now they sell them in America also. What did Maytag teach LG? Frigidiere made FLs in American for years. What did Maytag teach them or anyone else. No one copied the way Maytag did it.

Maytag's Neptune clearly had more problems than any other model. How many other machines were the subject of a big class action suit? The only reason Maytag repaired and/or offerred any money was due to the class action. The reason the class action was filed was because Maytag left its consumers stranded and refused to do anything.

One look at the Neptune and you can see how cheaply made it was. It even looks cheap. Very basic functions. Any brand was better than the Neptune.

My neighbor bought a NEW Neptune last month. There are still two models of the "original" design available (although not for much longer), MAH5500 and MAH6500 (with water heating). The neighbor's is the 6500. I did the unpacking and install. There's nothing particularly cheap looking or feeling about it (although I will say that I've never used a Miele for comparison!). It runs quietly, no excess vibrations. Three cycles that cover the necessities (Regular, Delicate, Wrinkle Free), several choices for soil level/wash time, Stained option, supplemental water heating, longer spin and faster spin options, extra rinse, detergent/bleach/softener dispensers.

I also know someone who has one of the *ORIGINAL* models, with non-electronic control panel, and never any repairs on it.

I have a Maytag Neptune, purchased in 1999. It has never had a problem and runs perfectly! I guess I was one of the few lucky ones. Front loaders in the U.S. have been around since the 1950s. Maytag had a front loader washer-dryer combination machine in the 1960s. Westinghouse had the regular front loader in the 1950s as well as a combo machine. Take a look at www.automaticwasher.org and you will see the many types of washers and dryers since the 50s. This is a very informative site.

If I found myself even considering a toploader again I would just go find myself a good condition Maytag 712 like the one I owned for nearly 20 years and completely recondition it and it would last till I die.
People fuss about the energy savings of modern machines but the repair costs and early demise of them seem to quickly erode the savings to a loss. IMHO

FL in general isn't any more problem prone than that Oasis. Miele and Whirlpool have made a pretty reliable set for plenty of years, and while not perfect so has frigidaire and LG for the most part. Your neptunes were probably the biggest issue but the majority of the issues had to do with the gasket problems they never really got straight.

Actually curriosshopper is wrong...
Both engery usage and water factor are part of the new standards

Here is the information from the DOE.

Clothes Washers On December 20, 2005, DOE released the final clothes washer criteria revision for 2007 that includes a minimum Modified Energy Factor (MEF) of 1.72 and a maximum water factor of 8.0. The criteria change will apply to both residential clothes washers and residential style commercial clothes washers. The new ENERGY STAR criteria for clothes washers will go into effect on January 1, 2007. Per the federal energy bill (EPACT 2005), the ENERGY STAR criteria for clothes washers will be revised by January 1, 2008 and will go into effect on January 1, 2010.

Also if you've been watching the national news thare are several citys, Atlanta, Los Angeles, to name a couple, that are considering severe water restrictions, raising the price of water, and restricting the sale of products that don't meet certain water factors. Several areas of the country are in deep drought and we need to start considering our water usage for everything.
I can't find the article now but I think I remember reading that if 10 families of 4 switched from a top load to a front load that the water savings would fill an Olympic size pool in less than a year.

Here is a link that might be useful: DOE Energy Star info

Actually, curiousshopper IS correct. The MEF of 1.72 and WF of 8.0 ONLY applies to Energystar rated models. Non energystar washers have a federally mandated MEF of 1.26 and NO water factor requirement.

The traditional toploader will be around for many years to come.

My Maytag is at least 12 years old. I replaced the dryer belt last month ($45 with labor) and the lid switch on the washer ($45). Service guy doesn't even fix new machines. He told me these are workhorses and I believe him. I read so many people buying washers and dryers on here and saying this or that is junk, or I took it back to Sears, or the bearings are shot. I'd be afraid to buy a new washer. They seem half plastic and half junk!

Actually I would never buy another Maytag anything. My sister's TL Maytag lasted only 2 years. I need to buy something and am interested in Miele. We were recently on a cruise ship and the laundry room had brand new Miele washers and dryers (the ship is brand new). I did 4 loads in those machines and was impressed. (I know, who does laundry on a cruise) How is the reliability on those? BTW, despite all the problems with my neptune I never had to pay for any of the repairs.

dgmarie,
The 12 year old Maytag you have is full of plastic.
In the early 90's Maytag started using plastic gears in their orbital transmission and they also went to a plastic outer tub around that time. Not to mention the plastic agitator or subtop.

Mechanically a most front loaders are less complex.
A speed controlled motor, a belt, a tub, and a pump.

Top loaders have multiple gears, clutches or clutch belts, in addition to all the other things that a frontload has.

The electronics are what make the F/L's more complex but the T/L's are also getting more electronics so they are catching up fast.

ssauer,

You might also want to look at Staber washers. They build top-loading horizontal-axis washers that are very simple by design.

So simple, in fact, that most repairs can be done by the owner. If you get stuck, telephone assistance from Staber can supposedly talk you through repairs. All mechanical parts on the machines can be accessed by simply removing the front panel on the washer.

I don't have any first hand experience with Staber (I'm a highly-satisfied Miele owner), but the concept and simplicity of their products seems quite reasonable.

BTW, Consumer's Reports magazine doesn't have much good to say about the cleaning abilities of any of the new top-loaders meeting the latest energy saving requirements. You might want to have a look at their latest Buyer's Guide. I don't always agree with Consumer's Reports, but thier observations often prove useful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Staber Industries Washers & Dryers