Economic question

[dmccarty]

Yep... neighbors micro is Amana Radar Range from the 1960's... still works well...

My parents never bought the latest and greatest. Everyone had a microwave but us when I was younger and we finally got a microwave in the early 80's. Twas a big huge thing that was the size of our TV set. They got it at Sears and it was likely made by Amana. The thing was a TANK. When I went off to school they gave me the microwave to use and they bought a much smaller unit that fit the kitchen space. I used that big microwave for a couple of decades and donated it because it was so big. Worked just fine but it took up a huge amount of kitchen space.

One place I work has the very same microwave for people to use. It has to be getting close to 40 years old but it still works!

The over the stove microwave we put in in the house in 2005 might be going. Taking longer to heat water even though we heat the same amount of water. It is making a noise, not a bad noise, but a little noise it has never made before. Afraid it might be on it's last legs.

We have had to replace the dishwasher. The fridge has been replaced twice last year. :shocked: First replacement failed after six months or so and we had to get a new one. Lowes did an exchange but now we have a billing issue we should not have. Will give credit to Lowes because Whirlpool has some serious issues with their fridges. Homefully we don't have a real problem with Lowes with the bill. But we shall see.

We have replace two of the four major appliances in the kitchen after 13 years. One sound like it is about to go. I had to replace the top element in the stove and the stove is rusting because of the stupid design they have on the panels. I tried to put in stainless steel appliances but the wife want a color. The problem is the color is no longer available. The new appliances are stainless steel so we have a color mismatch in the kitchen. We have lived with it because we can't really see all of the appliances unless you are in the kitchen. But if the microwave goes we might have to but a new stove to match the new microwave.

The problem with a new stove, besides money, is that the guy who installed the cabinets did not measure correctly and the wall side of the oven space is tight. They got the stove in but the dealer had to tighten up the panels to get the oven to fit. We might have to move a cabinet to fit a new stove. All because of a failing microwave oven that is 13 years old.

Later,
Dan

 

[nap61]

UPDATE:

The repairman came yesterday and confirmed that the problem was an evaporator leak $650 to repair. I told him that was more than I wanted to spend and offered him $500.He said he contracted that work out and would ask if they would do it for $500.

Since the microwave was working, he checked the icemaker which makes plenty of ice but will not shut off automatically. He said it was the thermostat and gave me the part # since it is an easy DYI


TnAndy,

The freezer is 17.5 cu. ft. We bought it in early Dec. 2010 when we built our last new house. I figured my wife deserved whatever she wanted for putting up with me for 45 years. She ordered the freezer and a matching refrigerator. Unfortunately, she died unexpectedly (Pancreatic cancer) Dec. 26 before we could move in to the new home. Now I have to decide whether to fix the ole freezer or buy a new one to match the refrigerator. The new model is a little larger and a lot more expensive. If it was for the garage or shed, I would definitely get a $300 Lowe's special. I have no emotional attachment to the old freezer; I just want to make the right economic decision.


Norman

 

[ultrarunner]

I've come to realize that the Energy Star program is actually VERY environmentally unfriendly. The ratings should look at the lifetime energy cost and not the yearly use energy cost. It's certainly better for the environment to have a refrigerator last 20 years and use $85/year in energy than 5 years and $70/year in energy.

This ^^^ the elephant in the room and one that is dismissed... even the church ladies were telling Mom she needs to get rid of the old energy wasting appliances because the new ones are so much more efficient...

I said ask them their monthly kWh total before and after they bought new appliances... not a single one could answer.

Mom being at 12 kWh per day has me thinking spending a lot of money to replace perfectly working appliances would be penny wise and pound foolish.

 

[goeduck]

The repair guys rate has to include built in travel. Too bad you can not take them somewhere and only pay actual time.

 

[sd455dan]

The start button on our top loader 7-8yr old Whirlpool washer when out....I tried a work around or two, but not much success....you have to replace the whole control board. Junked the washer. Bought the LAST non-electronic control washer Lowe's had...the old mechanical timer type, and I'll fix it until parts are not available it something goes wrong with it. I've had it with overpriced 'control boards'.

YEP I think they did it on purpose,
Ours should have been recalled, since it will actually Turn itself On... and run a whole cycle with no clothes in it...
Wife has resorted to leaving the D.... door open -that way the lights go on and it can't start because the safety interlock.
The evac pump motor failed last year and had actually caught on fire, I had to chisel the plug out of it before replacing it with a different brand, figured it couldn't be much worse.
My mom still has her 2 late 1960's Maytag washer/dryer set and they are both still ticking.

 

[EddieWalker]

You guys reminded me of the microwave that we had growing up. I guess my parents bought it sometime in the mid 70's. It didn't have any fancy functions, just high, low and defrost. We kept it on high, and most things where too hot to eat after a minute or so. They still had it when I got out of the Marine Corps in 88, but then not too much after that, the hinges for the door broke and they where not able to fix it. I don't know how long it would have lasted if the door kept working.

 

[Egon]

We still have my Grandparents washing machine. Don't know how old it is but it's much older than myself.

 

[DrRod]

My dryer died and the repairman said it was so old that parts were no longer available. His advice was to buy the cheapest one I could find -- they are all built cheaply so there's no value in spending more [besides, I have no idea what all those fancy settings are for, its not like I'm drying silk suits].

I generally opt for repair over replace because of the hidden cost of "adaptation." It always seems that the new one won't fit where the old one was or the specs have changed so you have to replace additional plumbing, connectors, counter space, et al. Regulations change and so a new gas water heater becomes a major install job [and sorry but that closet its in now doesn't allow for the new venting requirements]. Even if the new dishwasher fits they need to rip out a bunch of plumbing [or the counter top] to accomplish the hook-up. And then there's the "while we're at it" which leads to scope creep in the $100's.

 

[DrRod]

And another thought, buying new is such a hassle anymore. I about went nuts with Sears between the all the little price deals, add-ons, discounts, contingencies, et al. It was so complicated that they made a mistake. So the warehouse wouldn't deliver. They wanted me to go back to the store to fix it. Then the guy they sent out wasn't certified to install gas appliances. The install kit wasn't compatible with my supply line, And no one took responsibility or gave a heads-up on any of this -- I had to manage it.

One other thing, I found the error codes for my washer on line and have since fixed it myself several times without the need for parts. Something to consider at the next breakage.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Maybe the CPAs/accountants can chime-in. I have a freezer and a microwave that are going/gone. They are only 7 years old. They are high end models. I have a repairman coming out next week ($95 just to say hello). At what price point would you replace rather than repair - 40%, 50%, 60%, or?

Norman

For a 7 year old microwave, you have about a 50/50 chance that parts will not be available, so you pay for a repairman to tell you it can't be repaired.