Cost of replacement parts from OEM

[Gary Fowler]

Yesterday my brother in law asked me to look at his Craftsman 6500 lawn tractor. The starter was not engaging so after taking it off, cleaning up the bendix well and lubing it had not effect he decided to just buy a new one. Sears wanted $175 for a new one. His wife found one on line for $52 including shipping. I had the pressure switch go out on my Craftsman compressor and Sear replacement was $160 and I was ready to just buy a new compressor till I found 2 switches at Atwoods for $9 and $12 respectively.
Wifes Kenmore washer started leaking water so we called the Sears authorized repair facility. They found a leaking water control valve but didn't have one (same as always-it take 2 trips) but 2 days later they said the part was backordered and it would be at least 10 days before it comes in. The kicker is that they charged $156 for trip charge and my brother in law lives right next door and his Whirlpool washer also was on the fritz so they went (I went with them) and without doing anything other than looking, proclaimed the washer would be cheaper to replace than fix when all it needed was a $52 tub bearing. They said they had to replace the whole tub assembly in order to warranty the work and that was $600 minimum. They also charged him $156 service trip charge.

It is getting to where if you cant fix it yourself, you may as well just toss whatever in the trash to begin with.


Maybe JohnThomas has the right idea, when the warranty is about out, trade it off for a new one.

 

[CCWKen]

Sears sold their spare parts business years ago. After that, the prices doubled or tripled for everything. I wanted to replace a plastic pan for a dehumidifier and it was something like $49. I ended up just making one out of sheet steel and powder coated it.

Many appliance parts centers stock parts for all brands since most are built by the same three manufacturers. I bought a washer control timer for less than half it would be from "Sears" parts center.

 

[Ken]

Yesterday my brother in law asked me to look at his Craftsman 6500 lawn tractor. The starter was not engaging so after taking it off, cleaning up the bendix well and lubing it had not effect he decided to just buy a new one. Sears wanted $175 for a new one. His wife found one on line for $52 including shipping. I had the pressure switch go out on my Craftsman compressor and Sear replacement was $160 and I was ready to just buy a new compressor till I found 2 switches at Atwoods for $9 and $12 respectively.
Wifes Kenmore washer started leaking water so we called the Sears authorized repair facility. They found a leaking water control valve but didn't have one (same as always-it take 2 trips) but 2 days later they said the part was backordered and it would be at least 10 days before it comes in. The kicker is that they charged $156 for trip charge and my brother in law lives right next door and his Whirlpool washer also was on the fritz so they went (I went with them) and without doing anything other than looking, proclaimed the washer would be cheaper to replace than fix when all it needed was a $52 tub bearing. They said they had to replace the whole tub assembly in order to warranty the work and that was $600 minimum. They also charged him $156 service trip charge.

It is getting to where if you cant fix it yourself, you may as well just toss whatever in the trash to begin with.


Maybe JohnThomas has the right idea, when the warranty is about out, trade it off for a new one.

Gary over the past 50+Years of working on appliances Lawn mowers and battery power tools from
Sears there is always one part difference from other brands same manufacture.
Elec. drills there is a cheap plastic gear or bearing off sized only from sear to replace.
Battery's die quickly after warranty.

Lawn mowers the arbor and shaft to hold the blades cheap aluminum.

Years ago stopped in a Sears Store to purchase (Before I learned of the common built in defects) a washing machine and dryer. My name was tagged to some one in Calif . and then the dogs of Sears were turned loose, Sears a grams and phone calls and letters with repossession threats started.
so in 1974 cut up my credit card. told them to stop all mail advertisement . the catalog would be refused and returned by postman.
And who ever was worried about my account t could rest with out worry of ever having to deal with me again.

Then In Little Rock needed a flat bit drill I had broken to finish some work and sears was closest. drove the 1/4 mile walked into the tool area and sales man saw what I had in hand and said That is not a warranty bit . I walked to the area where the bit was displayed and took to counter same Dum Dum was ready to sell it to me told him I wanted some one with intelligence to wait on me. another clerk came over and paid cash.

I sure miss Montgomery Wards in Little Rock. But Sears bought out the computation

As Bill Clinton stated when any one asked him for help I sure Feel your pain.

ken

 

[Coyote machine]

So planned obsolescence is something new?:shocked: We have bought appliances from Sears for years because they were mostly the only game in town with choices. We'd get the extended warranty on everything up front, then we bought a gas dryer and it was never run 'till we had a guest in my barn apt. Would spin but not dry. Brand new, no extenda warranty. Electrolux told us to pound salt, Sears gave us a warranty but we had to wait a few weeks to use it. Guy came out, diagnosed it. Went away. Came back, wrong part. I'm on fire by this point. Let the Sears idiot have it, read riot act and told him if he came back again without the right part and fix, Sears was done with our home, FOREVER.

When they came out to finally fix it the problem was a broken gas igniter, just like on a gas grill, a cheapo maybe $10 part. Three trips to my house, the second of which they brought all the igniters except the one we needed.:confused2:

I don't see how they keep any customers; they carry NOTHING on the truck, can't seem to figure out what part they need without several trips, the whole process is ludicrous. And their prices are off the wall. I've had them tell me the freezer wasn't being loaded right, and that was why we had frosting all over our frozen food! I threw that guy out, the next one remembered that LG often forgot to put the thermocouple back into the freezer compartment after assembly at the factory. Problem fixed. Two service calls.

We had one 'energy efficient' fridge/freezer that had a recall because the specs did not meet the efficiency guidelines. LG offered a check for $5.02/year, for 15 years, (the useful life of the unit), or a fix, or a one time check for the whole thing. I chose FIX IT! The guy came out replaced the board, after I had to call in to verify the offer, and order the parts to be sent to my house before the fix it guy would show. He 'fixed it'. We didn't use it- it was a spare for the apt. We started using it, the warranty was up, same routine, cheaper to add a warranty, then they came to fix it. Freezer wouldn't cool. By this time there were additional recalls- the interior light stays on ALLways, etc., etc.

So they order a buttload of parts and box after box arrives. I told the fix-it guy to just Lemon law the stupid thing. He winds up burning something having to do with a heating pad for the defrost cycle. Then he gives up and Lemon Law's the unit.

Long story short. New unit arrives, door dented at factory. Won't replace just one door. Have to get whole new unit. New, new unit arrives. Tons of my time wasted. Sears services/parts: PRICELESS! Literally.

There's more stories about them, but who has the time to read them all? Fact is now when Sears calls I don't answer the phone. I tried to get them to stop calling, but no luck, they just keep calling, and calling and calling....

BTW, the ONLY Sears within 50 miles of us just pulled up stakes and went out of business, YAHOO!!

 

[Gary Fowler]

We have normally had good service from Sears and their Kenmore appliances but now it does seem to be slipping but that is true with everyone. My BIL/SIL bought their Whirlpool appliances from Lowes, we bought all ours from Sears. We had a $2500 double oven that worked but the thermostat wouldn't shut down the coils when it got to temp. It got so hot that it melted the ceramic in the bottom of the top oven (the coils are under the bottom sheet metal. The service guy came about halve a dozen times replacing parts (thermostat twice, computer controller, heating coils, entire inner surfaces and finally gave up as no way to fix it. They agreed to replace it but wanted us to return it to where we got it (Houston Sears Outlet store) which I refused to do. They finally agreed to take it back at the local Sears but we had to pay the difference between what we got it for and what it was selling for here. We did and they brought out a new oven and installed it. No problems since at least with that oven
Our top of the line Kenmore microwave had meltdown after 3 years. I do mean meltdown, the inside caught on fire. It was a short in the high voltage transformer. I replaced it with a $99 managers special of the same size and type but not quite the same externally. It works now with about another 3 years on it.
Generally speaking, almost everything we buy today is throwaway because they are built that way. No more repairs unless you spend a fortune getting them made and even then some things are built to destruct at warranty end and cant be repaired so we just keep buying more CHINESE made products to replace them.