Planned obsolescence vs routine maintenance

[juniper_ann]

Not only that...you should see the dirty looks I get when disposing of old oil and radiator fluid down the storm drain these days.

Sheesh.

Tokie

This is a joke, right? You don't actually do this?

 

[jon]

That's why when I get an iPod, I get the Apple Care Protection Plan, because it's not if it breaks, it's when it breaks.

I only wish I could get the same thing for my headphones because no matter what brand I buy, I know within 9 months to a year, the plug will malfunction and I'll have to either replace the plug or--given my level of mechanical aptitude--buy a new pair of headphones.

Michael

sure - but the price of these things falls fast enough that extended warranties often seem bad vfm. The MP3 player I'll need to replace eventually - I could replace a 20gb brick with a 160GB ipod for less than the brick cost new...

For headphone plugs, can't you find a friendly electronics store - soldering one on is 5mins work, so shouldn't cost much at all. Or how about using a cheap plug adapter all the time - so that breaks, instead of the plug...

 

[Esperdome]

You can't actually purchase the little thermal fuse by itself.

Yes you can. You just took the easy way out.

Enlighten me, cause I spent a little time trying to locate it separately and didn't get anywhere (by part number, discription, model number). Keep in mind the replacement must be of the same temp. rating and fit in a unique indentation. Buying in lots of a thousand doesn't count.

 

[bruto]

Funny I've fixed multiple computers by saying,"Let's start ripping crap out of this thing." It works too. I've found many a computer won't start because of a bad part.
Yes you can. You just took the easy way out.
Back then you had to be an electrical engineer/technician to know what you were looking at also... Nothing really changed between the CRT of yore and the CRT of today.

That fuse may exist, but it may well not be marketed by the appliance manufacturer alone, and there comes a point where hunting the part down is more trouble and expense than buying the kit.

As for tube TV's, I would have to disagree. Not only could any user test and replace tubes, but a reasonably handy person could often repair other parts of a hand-wired, discrete-component set, using relatively common how-to guides and some common sense. There were a good many "fix your own TV" books out in the 50's and 60's, with pretty good trouble-shooting tips for common problems that went well beyond the replacement of tubes.

 

[coalesce]

sure - but the price of these things falls fast enough that extended warranties often seem bad vfm. The MP3 player I'll need to replace eventually - I could replace a 20gb brick with a 160GB ipod for less than the brick cost new...

For headphone plugs, can't you find a friendly electronics store - soldering one on is 5mins work, so shouldn't cost much at all. Or how about using a cheap plug adapter all the time - so that breaks, instead of the plug...

The iPod warranty is only $60 and is good for two years. I've already used it once when I had to replace the last one after nine months, so it paid for itself in my case.

Insofar as soldering the plug, I've done that once already, too. Unfortunately, I got it backwards (hence my mechanical disinclination), so if I have to replace them once a year, so be it. Insofar as a plug adapter, I've found them t be too big and place too much pressure on the audio jack. I'd rather replace the headphones than the audio jack.


Michael

 

[technoextreme]

Enlighten me, cause I spent a little time trying to locate it separately and didn't get anywhere (by part number, discription, model number). Keep in mind the replacement must be of the same temp. rating and fit in a unique indentation. Buying in lots of a thousand doesn't count.

I'd probably be successful. In fact Im pretty sure I found the part for 2.00. Though the difference is that I don't think I'd care about it fitting into a unique indentation.

As for tube TV's, I would have to disagree. Not only could any user test and replace tubes, but a reasonably handy person could often repair other parts of a hand-wired, discrete-component set, using relatively common how-to guides and some common sense. There were a good many "fix your own TV" books out in the 50's and 60's, with pretty good trouble-shooting tips for common problems that went well beyond the replacement of tubes.

I doubt. I seriously doubt it. And why go back that far. All you need to do is go back to the eighties.

 

[bruto]

I'd probably be successful. In fact Im pretty sure I found the part for 2.00. Though the difference is that I don't think I'd care about it fitting into a unique indentation.
I doubt. I seriously doubt it. And why go back that far. All you need to do is go back to the eighties.

That part of the discussion wasn't about the 80's, though. It was about Tokie's dad taking the tubes out of the TV and testing them at the drugstore, a common event back in the days of tube TV's. A TV owner was pretty well expected to do this. Many drugstores, and any electronics store, would have a tube tester and selection of tubes. And yes, there were a number of popular books out back then that at least purported to give you troubleshooting advice for those TV's, and some of them did indeed cover more than just tube replacement.

 

[Esperdome]

I'd probably be successful. In fact Im pretty sure I found the part for 2.00. Though the difference is that I don't think I'd care about it fitting into a unique indentation.

While normally I would have no problem adopting a 'near fit' to repair something, the fact it is a safety feature I wouldn't use anything but an OEM replacement or better. The kit I bought does have a lifetime warranty.

 

[joobie]

i listened to a conversation today where 4 or 5 people bemoaned the fact that they couldn't do the routine maintenance on their cars anymore, like they did in the 70s.

it was only towards the end of the talk one of them realized that cars last twice as long now as they did then.

(anecdotal!)

 

[Esperdome]

i listened to a conversation today where 4 or 5 people bemoaned the fact that they couldn't do the routine maintenance on their cars anymore, like they did in the 70s.

it was only towards the end of the talk one of them realized that cars last twice as long now as they did then.

(anecdotal!)[/QUOTE

Two things factor more than any others to bring this about, in my opinion.

Fuel injection. No more maladjusted carburators dumping gallons of raw gasoline into the engine.

High gear-overdrive transmissions. The less revs, the less wear.

I have gotten over 180,000 miles out of 1962 technology, but it is hard to do.(a six cylinder Chevy Biscayne with a 230 CI six banger and a two speed powerglide, 4.10 gears)

 

[Hokulele]

I remember my husband and I used to have a Chilton's book for each of our cars not all that long ago. It seems like everything these days is tied to a computer or placed in some inaccessible part of the engine bay, so I don't dare crack the hood other than to add various fluids to things.

 

[pipelineaudio]

i listened to a conversation today where 4 or 5 people bemoaned the fact that they couldn't do the routine maintenance on their cars anymore, like they did in the 70s.

it was only towards the end of the talk one of them realized that cars last twice as long now as they did then.

(anecdotal!)

Let me know in 2030 how many 2004 hondas are still running around. I'll be the one in the 68 roadrunner clone or the 73 340 duster

 

[Esperdome]

Let me know in 2030 how many 2004 hondas are still running around. I'll be the one in the 68 roadrunner clone or the 73 340 duster

Ha! Try to find a 340 these days! IMO Chrysler spent a lot of time and effort on the 383 and almost none on the 340. (not that the 383 wasn't an excellent engine) The reality was that Chrysler could make a 383 magnum way cheaper than it could make a 340 six-pack. And with less warranty issues.

I have heard of fleet operators getting 400,000+ miles out of 225 slant-sixes back in the day.

 

[Frontrunner91]

I see people replacing computers way too frequently when a minor repair could keep the old system running. People do not want to fix anything anymore the idea is that it is just easier to replace than repair. At the same time I see how expensive PC componants are at retail shops and I cannot believe they sell anything for those prices. A couple of years ago I had a power surge wipe out my power supply. My surge protecter did not trip. I had a 450 watt unit in my system at the time and I wanted to get it back up and running asap. I checked a couple of retail shops and decided that I could wait a couple of days and save 80% by ordering one online.
PC's are not the only thing I repair. I am 37 years old and have never paid a car repair bill. It is getting increasingly difficult to maintain that record. I may have to give in and allow someone to do some diagnostics for me at some point (not yet) but as long as I can turn a wrench I'll get in there and give it my best shot as far as the actual wrenching goes. I generally do as much maintainance around the house as possible for myself unless there is an overwhelming safety issue such as the large dead tree that was leaning towards my house that I had taken down this fall. I paid one of my coworkers who used to work for Asplundh to put that one on the ground and then I took over and cut it up. I guess I'm just stubborn or cheap or whatever. Or maybe I like doing things myself and take pride in fixing/repairing/ taking care of my own things.

 

[Frontrunner91]

6 pc's in the room now. This one and 1 more are mine. 1 is a Windows reinstall job. 1 data recovery job (they don't want the pc just the pictures that are on the hard drive which has gone south) Told them not to get their hopes up but I'll try because it's family. Another is a simple upgrade waiting for them to cough up the money for parts. and last but well yeah least too is a 10 year old laptop that won't boot, again family and a freebie. I guess I should get busy.

 

[pipelineaudio]

Ha! Try to find a 340 these days!

Luckily Ive got two The one that came with the car, sitting bagged, needs some work, and the 71 I was able to find which is recieving a stroker crank for my 413 small block project.

I know its blashpemy, but I use modern camshafts and such and will try a fuel injection system.