I think the new technology is often easily repairable. It's just that most of the electronics is now manufactured overseas and it's incredibly cheap. A company makes more profit replacing an entire circuit board that costs $20 and charging $250 + 1 hour labor, than they do trouble shooting the board for an hour and replacing $.10 and $1.00 parts. For the company, time is money. Also, the customer unable to diagnose othe problem, is happy just to get the serviceman in and out.
Tom C. >From: "P. J. Alling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <[email protected]> >To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <[email protected]> >Subject: Re: Don't want to sound too alarmist but... >Date: Tue, 22 May 2007 14:40:39 -0400 > >Front loads have been around for a long time, even here. The old >technology is much easier to repair, and usually costs less than new >electronic devices, which seem to designed to not be repaired. > >Tom C wrote: > > Well I don't claim to be a rocket scientist. It usually take me 2 or 3 > > trips to the parts store or tool store before I get things right because >I > > learn as I go. I was happy to have saved at least $325. > > > > Two advantages of the newer front load washers (long popular in Europe >and > > only becoming popular in the USA over the last decade for home use) is >that > > they use about 1/3 the water as older top load washers and are much >easier > > on clothes. > > > > > > Tom C. > > > > > > > >> From: "P. J. Alling" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> Reply-To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <[email protected]> > >> To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <[email protected]> > >> Subject: Re: Don't want to sound too alarmist but... > >> Date: Tue, 22 May 2007 12:49:04 -0400 > >> > >> And it drys cloths no better than the 30 year old dryer I bought for > >> $25.00 12 years ago, and fixed for less than $10. Replacing all of the > >> temperature sensors and door switch in less than two hours. (I ended >up > >> giving it away 6 months ago as I had no place to store it). > >> > >> Tom C wrote: > >> > >>>> What all these problems really indicate is how cheap, low-spec most > >>>> of the electronic components being used are, even in high-end > >>>> cameras. Curiously, my 1966 RCA transistor radio that cost me $20 > >>>> (expensive back then!) is still going strong. > >>>> > >>>> Godfrey > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>> Likely planned obsolescence? > >>> > >>> On a side note, I just fixed our 2000 Maytag Neptune washer which had > >>> stopped spinning clothes in the spin cycle. If it had failed about >two > >>> > >> yeas > >> > >>> ago I could have gotten it fixed for free under the terms of a class > >>> > >> action > >> > >>> lawsuit. > >>> > >>> It was going to cost upwards of $400 for a service call, an entire new > >>> > >> main > >> > >>> control board, and an item called a wax motor which is essential to > >>> > >> locking > >> > >>> the door. I replaced the wax motor (ultimate source of the problem) > >>> > >> along > >> > >>> with a blown resistor and two transistors on the main board. In the > >>> > >> process > >> > >>> I ruined a metal 'leaf' spring that holds the wax motor in place and > >>> > >> super > >> > >>> glued a switch closed, until the new parts arrived. Cost of my repair > >>> including parts which I runied in the process was under $75 dollars, > >>> > >> though > >> > >>> I have about 10 hours invested in it. > >>> > >>> Tom C. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> -- > >> All dogs have four legs; my cat has four legs. Therefore, my cat is a >dog. > >> > >> > >> -- > >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > >> [email protected] > >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > >> > > > > > > > > > > >-- >All dogs have four legs; my cat has four legs. Therefore, my cat is a dog. > > >-- >PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >[email protected] >http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
