How long should things last?

[ultrarunner]

Factory Service can fail miserably…

Bosch Dishwasher… not draining and Service tech said cost to repair more than new and to buy a new one.

I did a quick internet search and found a $28 part might cure… and it did…

Another is a washer dryer stack where unplugging overnight cured the issue at hand and no $400 circuit board needed or 6 weeks lead time.

 

[lman]

I knew that I shouldn't have read this thread. One of the drawer tracks on my 30 year old Whirlpool broke. No replacement part is available. I glued it back together but it probably won't hold. This is a great fridge other than this problem.

 

[grsthegreat]

Factory Service can fail miserably…

Bosch Dishwasher… not draining and Service tech said cost to repair more than new and to buy a new one.

I did a quick internet search and found a $28 part might cure… and it did…

Another is a washer dryer stack where unplugging overnight cured the issue at hand and no $400 circuit board needed or 6 weeks lead time.

My ge monogram refrigerator had an issue years ago with freezer door ice dispenser not working. I called ge repair and someone called me back telling me its a known problem and id need an entire new door. Very costly. I did internet research and found that there was a printed circuit board inside ice maker door that can go bad. New board was under $30 on ebay. Took about 30 minute# to repair. A few years later it happened again. Wouldnt you know, the board is no longer available. However one without night light switch was. Only needed slight modification to turn on light while dispensing ice. I bought 3 extra boards.

 

[Dftodd]

Sounds to me like it's time to hand him his walking papers.

Unfortunately once someone gets past the 90 day probationary period, it's next to impossible to fire them.

It's much easier to run them off.

I see lots and lots of dirty jobs in his near future.

 

[ponytug]

@grsthegreat nice job!

@Dftodd sorry to hear about the employee hassle. I don't know whether to hope he loves the outdoor yard work, or not.

All the best, Peter

 

[Dftodd]

@grsthegreat nice job!

@Dftodd sorry to hear about the employee hassle. I don't know whether to hope he loves the outdoor yard work, or not.

All the best, Peter

It gets to a point whether you smarten up, or your gonna get tuff

 

[Oaktree]

Factory Service can fail miserably…

Bosch Dishwasher… not draining and Service tech said cost to repair more than new and to buy a new one.

I did a quick internet search and found a $28 part might cure… and it did…

You lucked out. IF you're handy, and IF you can find replacement parts...a couple of big "ifs".
As others have noted, parts and service documentation can be hard to find, especially when models change as rapidly as they do plus so many modern appliances aren't very easy to work on. I have a friend who used to run an appliance repair business, sold it and retired a few years ago and figured he got out just in time.
Tough to even find someone who does that kind of work anymore.

Same deal with electronics. What typically fails in flatscreen tvs is the backlighting. If you can get the parts, and if you're willing to take it apart you might be able to repair it, but if you have to pay someone to do it you might just as well buy a new one.

 

[ponytug]

You lucked out. IF you're handy, and IF you can find replacement parts...a couple of big "ifs".
As others have noted, parts and service documentation can be hard to find, especially when models change as rapidly as they do plus so many modern appliances aren't very easy to work on. I have a friend who used to run an appliance repair business, sold it and retired a few years ago and figured he got out just in time.
Tough to even find someone who does that kind of work anymore.

Same deal with electronics. What typically fails in flatscreen tvs is the backlighting. If you can get the parts, and if you're willing to take it apart you might be able to repair it, but if you have to pay someone to do it you might just as well buy a new one.

So, true.

Personally, I like the challenge of finding problems, the proper parts or something I can make into a part, and repairing things. Same for building things.

Always have. No accounting for tastes I guess.

All the best, Peter

 

[ultrarunner]

You lucked out. IF you're handy, and IF you can find replacement parts...a couple of big "ifs".
As others have noted, parts and service documentation can be hard to find, especially when models change as rapidly as they do plus so many modern appliances aren't very easy to work on. I have a friend who used to run an appliance repair business, sold it and retired a few years ago and figured he got out just in time.
Tough to even find someone who does that kind of work anymore.

Same deal with electronics. What typically fails in flatscreen tvs is the backlighting. If you can get the parts, and if you're willing to take it apart you might be able to repair it, but if you have to pay someone to do it you might just as well buy a new one.

I’m comfortable with mechanical controls which often can be repaired with the tools I have…

Mechanical often means 20+ years or older and diminishing.

I find sourcing is better in the Internet age… no way without would I be able to source obsolete parts worldwide…

As to ability… once I hear it can’t be fixed or not worth fixing it’s my green light… both as a challenge and also nothing to loose except maybe my time fooling with it.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

The unnecessary and expensive ECM on my Kubota mower appears to be dead and:

1. it shouldn't exist, because its entire job can be done with components costing under $2;

2. it costs $340+;

3. Kubota provides no schematic;

4. Kubota has not given its mechanics a method of testing it, so the test is to put a new ECM in, and if the mower doesn't run, you just spent $340+ on a part you can't return because...it's dirty. Either that, or you can spend a week taking out every single wire in the mower and checking it for continuity.

I bypassed it so the mower starts, and I have the components (cheap) to force the mower to perform the ECM's lost functions. The important ones, anyway.