Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong

goeduck · Apr 23, 2024

It looks like that chain link triangle is on top of the bedrails, what stops it from sliding into wifey? Oh, wait, maybe that yellow strap goes though the cab so wifey is safe.

seville009 · Apr 23, 2024

Slowpoke Slim said:
Sometimes you just have to sit back and let Darwin do his job.

Darwin’s having trouble keeping up though……too many potential customers……

Grumpycat · Apr 23, 2024

BravoXray said:
Apparently, they could afford a probably several hundred dollar fridge, but not a couple of $10 ratchet straps.

Have you priced a refrigerator lately? "several hundred dollars" would be cheap.

WinterDeere · Apr 23, 2024

Grumpycat said:
Have you priced a refrigerator lately? "several hundred dollars" would be cheap.

We've been averaging about 2 years per kitchen refrigerator, recently. So, when I drop $2k on one, I just figure it's basically a $1k per year rental fee.

What's amusing is that it's only the big expensive kitchen refrigerators that keep failing. We have five other collegiate-sized refrigerators and freezers, some up to 25 years old, that are all running just fine. Go figure.

The last kitchen refrigerator "failure" was probably just a $30 cooling fan, and might have still been covered by warranty. But when it's a 10-day wait just to get a repair man out to evaluate the failure and tell you whether it's going to be covered by warranty, let alone the additional time required to order parts and execute the repair, it's just easier to replace the damn thing and get on with your life.

Code54 · Apr 23, 2024

"The last kitchen refrigerator "failure" was probably just a $30 cooling fan, and might have still been covered by warranty. But when it's a 10-day wait just to get a repair man out to evaluate the failure and tell you whether it's going to be covered by warranty, let alone the additional time required to order parts and execute the repair, it's just easier to replace the damn thing and get on with your life."

That is sad but absolutely correct. Something similar happened with our washer. The repair guy came out the next day and said it was under warranty but would take several months to get the control board (which was just shy of the cost of a new washer). That night we went to Home Depot to get a new one. 6 months later they got the part and fixed the old one and I sold it on Facebook to finally get it out of the way. I guess they thought my wife would be good with not washing clothes for a few months.

WinterDeere · Apr 23, 2024

Full-disclosure, 2 or 3 refrigerators back, I did "stick it to" the manufacturer and made them replace a failed compressor, just so I could resell the thing on Craigslist.

I had already replaced the refrigerator at that point, it's hard to go more than a day or three without your main kitchen refrigerator, but I was getting my money's worth out of the manufacturer.

I think the refrigerator was 1 year 10 months old, when the compressor failed. Totally unacceptable.

ning · Apr 23, 2024

WinterDeere said:
Full-disclosure, 2 or 3 refrigerators back, I did "stick it to" the manufacturer and made them replace a failed compressor, just so I could resell the thing on Craigslist. I had already replaced the refrigerator at that point, it's hard to go more than a day or three without your main kitchen refrigerator, but I was getting my money's worth out of the manufacturer.

I think the refrigerator was 1 year 10 months old, when the compressor failed. Totally unacceptable.

We have two fridges in the house. First one we got at a ding&dent store "cheap" for our house in '93; there's a scratch on one of the sides (which I've only seen when I moved the fridge to a different house x3 or if I pull it out to clean). This fridge has literally never had anything go wrong with it. (Kitchenaid)
The second fridge we got in 2000 or 2001; it's had a few things go wrong - the solenoids for the water dispenser failed at one point so I disabled those as we don't care about ice cold water. Issues with the ice maker - I replaced it twice over the last 10 years and gave up. Worst was the louvered door between the freezer & fridge part which regulates the fridge temperature - part of the actuator broke and replacement isn't available. I bubba'd a fix with epoxy and it's still working 5 years later. Last year the cooling fan behind the fridge was making noise and I got a replacement... ended up being the wrong one but it was making noise against a bunch of crud, cleaned that up while I was there, and next time I pull the fridge I'll install the new fan just because but it's no longer making noise.

I dread the future of buying a crap fridge that'll only last a couple years, they're what $3000 now for a bigger one? The one in our kitchen is a 25 cubic foot - not that unusual now - but it's also counter depth.

JCoastie · Apr 23, 2024

WinterDeere said:
The last kitchen refrigerator "failure" was probably just a $30 cooling fan, and might have still been covered by warranty. But when it's a 10-day wait just to get a repair man out to evaluate the failure and tell you whether it's going to be covered by warranty, let alone the additional time required to order parts and execute the repair, it's just easier to replace the damn thing and get on with your life.

Was it an LG by chance? That happened to us, and they actually didn't even sell the replacement part.
I had to buy a Whirlpool part and modify it. The LG refrigerator was about a year old at the time, and still under an extended warranty from Home Depot, but they did not sell the part! Crazy!

BigBlue1 · Apr 23, 2024

These appliance failures are generally the result of tightened efficiency requirements and restrictions on materials that can be used (refrigerants). For instance, with the LG fridges of late the compressor has to work very hard due to the energy and refrigerant situation. So if the ventilation isn't great (think dust/pet hair clogging vents under and on back) the compressor overheats and dies.

Stop and think about it for a minute... Years ago a fridge would last for 15, 20, 25 years. Now we have 'efficient' and 'environmentally friendly' models that die after 2-4 years and have to be replaced. Just how much impact to the environment and to the overall energy sector do you think there is to create that many more new appliances because of the failings?? Which one do you think is lower impact over 20 years? This is the kind of insanity that gov regulations nets us.

As for me, any future appliances I buy like fridge, washer, dryer, etc. are coming from Costco where they can be returned at any time for any reason. Not going to deal with manufacturer warranties and service wait times. $3000 fridge fails... It's going back and I'm coming home with a new one. If that happens enough maybe Costco will pressure manufacturers to do better over time.

JCoastie · Apr 23, 2024

BigBlue1 said:
As for me, any future appliances I buy like fridge, washer, dryer, etc. are coming from Costco where they can be returned at any time for any reason. Not going to deal with manufacturer warranties and service wait times. $3000 fridge fails... It's going back and I'm coming home with a new one. If that happens enough maybe Costco will pressure manufacturers to do better over time.

Those days are gone:
Must have lost that fight with the manufacturers and were losing too much money.

Electronics: Costco will accept returns within 90 days (from the date the member received the merchandise) for Televisions, Projectors, Major Appliances (refrigerators above 10 cu. ft., freezers, ranges, cooktops, over-the-range microwaves, range hoods, dishwashers, water heaters, washers and dryers), Computers, Touchscreen Tablets, Smart Watches, Cameras, Aerial Cameras (drones), Camcorders, MP3 players and Cellular Phones (return details will vary by carrier service contract).