I miss Auntie Bel, where I would usually post something like this topic. Ah well . . . . We recently had a power outage, and when the power came on the power surge burned out the "mother board" in our refrigerator. We debated getting a new fridge, saw the cost of something comparable to what we have, and called a repairman. He did a great and quick job fixing the fridge, but he also said, "This may be an older model, but it's so much better than what they are selling now." He added that appliances are built now to last about 10 years, and the price and brand really don't matter. He recommended getting surge protectors (which we did). We asked him if there was something that could be done about the "through the door water" line freezing. He said that the manufacturer realized they had a design error, and there was a $200 fix to keep the line open. Or, we could open the freezer door for about 15 minutes and the line would thaw. The most heartening thing about this whole appliance repairman's honesty is that his company sells appliances! Do you have an older appliance that just keeps chugging along?
My stove is older than I am and still working like a charm! You are so lucky to have found an honest repair man MG! Sadly, most places are more about the money and selling you a new one. My husband is a marine mechanic, and while he is up to date on his certification, he specializes in repairing the vintage motors. He says the old ones will run forever and rants daily about how the new is built to break and that all this shoddy equipment ends up in our landfills. (And don't even get him started about the products in dollar stores!) While this really isn't about appliances, it just goes to show that they really don't make anything like they used to!
I've always like the older models better than the newer ones. We live in an apartment complex now and they come and repair stuff and we don't have to pay extra. They are pretty good about keeping things in good working order. We stopped at the office yesterday about the thermostat on our heat and we had just barely got in the door when the repairman was here. dooley
I had to call a repairman for our washing machine as it had a small oil leak underneath it. I don't know how long it had been leaking because..how often do you pull out your washer and dryer! Anyway, when the man came, he seemed quite excited that we had bought the last Maytag washer and dryer that Maytag made before selling out to another company. He said that Maytag had the easiest machines to work on and lasted the longest. I've heard that, with the new company making them, they have changed them now so they don't last as long. Anyway it was a minor repair and works good now.
2ofus, I went through two Maytag dishwashers in three years. The first was recalled because of a board problem that could result in a fire (thrilling news!). The "designated repairman" said it would take a couple of weeks to get the board since Maytag didn't have an inventory of them. Three months later I called a different repairman who arranged for a switch-out, which means the old one goes away and you get a new one. The new one lasted about 16 months. I will never buy a Maytag appliance. I'll wash clothes down by the river and eat off paper plates first! Hang on to that washing machine!
I have a Krupps food mixer that I got over 35 years ago. It's a little rough around the edges now but still works and the blender that came with it is just fine too. I don't have a dishwasher (unless you count Ian) or a spin dryer but my washing machine is ticking over just as it should and I honestly can't remember how old it is. I have had a couple of repairs done on it but nothing drastic and our repair guy doesn't charge a call out fee which keeps the costs down nicely should I have to call him out.
I had a Maytag washer and dryer and the washer was a front loader. It was when they first came out. Lucky for me I never leave the house with an appliance running because the front loader leaked all over the floor. Luckily I could mop it all up without it going through the lower lever ceiling. Plus the darn thing smelled...I had to wipe out the seal after every use and I still think it had an icky smell. Then I got a whirlpool...never again on that kind either. I bought a cheap, plain old speed queen and I love it. I have had it for a long time. I guess we all can get lemons and it doesn't matter what brand they are. ....My stove/oven is over 20 years old and it still looks great. Through the years I have only had to replace a heating element in it, it is an Amana. I don't know if I would find another one that I like as well as this one. ....No disrespect to Sears but when I had a maintenance agreement for my refrigerator they would come and supposedly clean out underneath ....never took the back of off, just under the front. Never tested the cold in it, etc. what a waste of money. Told me I had dog hair under it....well, I knew that...why would I clean it when they were paid to do it?...plus with having 2 dogs and a cat, I think there would be...
I actually can't stand the sight of some new products out there, specially when it comes to cars. Seriously, whatever they are selling now, is nothing but plastic panels (recycled from garbage) which are glued together and placed a cart with 4 wheels - Another fact that I am honestly very very deeply disgusted with, is that before all you needed to fix a car was a 12 volt test lamp, a screwdriver, pliers, and an adjustable spanner (a ratchet set was something of a luxury item when I was a kid)... Yet today, with that goddamn EFI (electronic fuel injection), which is now integrated with an equally useless and annoying so-called "electronic security system" (that keeps acting up from time tot time), things in my opinion really can't get any worse... And on top of this, now there is also "satellite" car tracker and immobilizer... Yeah right, satellite tracking my a** - All that they have inside is nothing but a GSM cell phone SIM that is connected to the car's electrical system, (which only keeps texting your GPS location to the so-called security company). So when they have to immobilize your car, all they need to do is send a text to that same cell phone SIM installed in your car. There really is no 2 way satellite communication taking place, they are only depending on the cellphone communication network - They just use a 2 dollar GPS chipset (to get your location), but give the impression as if your car is constantly being watched by many satellites up above... To go around all this so-called "high security" is actually child's play! All one needs is a pocket size cellphone jammer like these [ http://cellphone-jammers.com/ ], after which your car will become totally blind, and also will not be able to report back (via cellphone text) to the security company. So under this invisible bubble of the cellphone jammer, a thief can do anything he or she likes with the car! See this video of a reformed car thief, now giving an interview on TV: The video is in Urdu, but easy to understand what this reformed car thief is explaining... First he takes a cigarette lighter (the jet kind, not the ordinary one). With this he now melts the plastic and ribber cover of the cord which is pulled from the inside to pop open the hood. Once the insulation is burned off and the stable cable exposed, he pulls it to open the engine compartment. However he says that sometimes there is a sensor switch underneath the hood, so his partner keeps the hood repressed until the locate that switch. After this he opens the hood, and starts to disconnect the different security system components one by one, (starting with the hooter) - All through this the cellphone jammer is active, and so even if the car's security system is able to sense something, it will not be able to alert anyone by that so-called "state of the art" satellite car tracking and immobilizing system... Next he now gains entry into the car by breaking one small window, which he says is very easy to do these days as all parts and panels of cars are made of cheap plastic and rubber which is just glued together (not screwed or welded like in the old days). Now at 2 minutes and 50 seconds into the video he mockingly shows off the cellphone jammer, and boasts that none of this would have been possible without this! After which he says that he and his accomplices push the car away to a safe distance (away from the owner's sight), and from there they will either hot-wire the car (meaning to start it forcefully, by overriding the security system with their own portable ignition system). Or they very quickly have it towed away to their secret workshop (all the time under the invisible bubble of the cellphone jammer) - After which they will now take their own sweet time to take apart everything. All of this by the way happens in 2 minutes or less... But whenever they see an older model car, (those built in the 80s and 90s), all thieves say to each other: Let's go elsewhere, as that thing is going to give us a lot of trouble... Really, cars of today are so poorly constructed, and are so easy to break into, that I actually feel insulted riding in them! Furthermore, I have seen brand new cars die in heavy rain, while 20 to 30 year old cars keep going on and on and on... But the main reason why I'll never give away my car, is that vintage cars are very easy to fix, and they have enough space in the engine compartment for our hands to freely move around! Sometimes getting spare parts can be a problem, but these days it is becoming easier and easier to have parts custom made! Anyway, to understand the whole issue, (regarding why so many new products are today so poorly built) - One only seeds to watch this documentary. Yes it is about an hour long, but well worth it! Yes, before things were made to last long, and to give proper service. Yet now they are designed in such a way that they don't last longer then a few years. Forcing you to buy something else again, and again, and again - There is actually a word for this, and it's called: Planned-obsolescence... Anyway, on a personal note, this is actually the exact reason (one of the main reasons) why I became what I am today. And I really have sworn to myself, to NEVER EVER design anything that will be playing a part in this planned-obsolescence game. I would rather drown in my own vomit before I ever designed anything of that nature! PS - I give a full 10 out of 10 to Marlingardener for starting this thread!
