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almost certainly it will cost as much or more to replace as to repair. However, I am of the school, as Mr. Lake and I were discussing last week, that I would rather replace an oven than clean it, or wallpaper rather than wash a wall, so my opinion on this subject is suspect!
The only exception might be if it is a significant and difficult to repace item, such as an Aga.
and I could either fix it myself or know someone who would do it for me, I would fix it.
If you have to depend on the yellow pages for repairmen, forget it. Buy a new one from a place that guarantees next day delivery.
Appliance repair is a rip-off nearly all the time. They quote you an estimate price and claim it applies to the repair if done. Then they charge your eyeballs out for the first hour and add it on to the initial price. Good racket. I often thought about getting into it, myself.
If you fix one thing, something else is going to break on it. The one exception was when we had a 30 year-old chest type Sears Coldspot freezer. My mother called Sears and they came out and told her it was a minor, inexpensive part, easily replaced but due to the age of the freezer it would take three weeks to get it. My mother farmed out the frozen food to various sisters and brothers and waited for the part. It did come in when it was supposed to, was fixed inexpensively, and it chugged on for another 10 years.
It really just depends, but here's a prime example of how they just don't make things like
March 22 2008, 5:17 PM
they used to.
I'll defer to Okie & Towanda's smawt mama.
She obviously felt that a little $ could go a long way.
I usually take the cost of the repair into account & how long I predict the appliance will last. Say it's a $200 repair & I have the feeling it will last 4 more years after that. Well, that's $50 a year & in 4 yrs, I can buy a new one if needed and not so unexpectedly.
This has saved me a $#!+ load of money over the years. The 2 recent most was my Central A/C, who's frame is really is on it's last leg, I know I have to replace it, but a $180 repair last summer has kept us cool while we have had the time to shop around for a low interest loan to replace the unit when needed by a reputable guy that Schatze recommended & is down the street from us to boot! No one wanted to repair the A/C but one guy convinced me he could do it or I didn't owe him a dime! Still going strong! That was absolutely worth it.
It's going to be about $8K - $10K to replace.
Another is a couple of yrs preK, my dryer had a little trouble. Paid a guy to fix it & he did, but said it could last a few weeks to a few years. It lasted a few days. So I went to Sears & bought a new one. Delivery guy brought it & installed. I inspected it & wholly mackeral, found dents in the inside drum and scratches on the outside as well as dents & rust. After he left. So he has already carted off my old dryer (12 yrs old Kenmore). Sears had me call the delivery guy direct to set up delivery of a another new machine. He had me inspect BEFORE he took it off the truck. He unboxed it before my eyes & it had a huge dent & rust on the corner (which was heavily protected) among other spots of dents & rust. I looked at him & he knew not to go any further & asked if I wanted to call Sears to see if they had another in stock.
"NO WAY", I said. Why would I want another one if these 2 showed up in this condition & told him I was cancelling the order. I think he could tell at this point I was a person who wouldn't rat him out to Sears & said, "I can repair your old dryer & bring it back to you & install it for $125 total - with a year's guarantee. I jumped on it. That was almost
5 yrs ago & it is still going strong. I wash a ton of sheets and clothes almost every day.
I am not one to "just toss". And I would rather repair if it makes sense to do so.
I would probably not repair a TV.
So what kind of appliance is it, Schatze?
This message has been edited by Isabella..Maja on Mar 22, 2008 5:19 PM
My philosophy is that at some point, I have gotten my money's worth and 20 years is absolutely my cut off point. I have sucked up the fur of 8 dogs with that baby and it deserves a decent good bye. I have 2 other thoughts. One is I want to move and new appliances are a plus for buyers. Also I would like the biggest, strongest sucking power I can afford. As bad as the last Vin Diesel movie. Vacuuming is my life. Spousal thinks we should spend $$$ to fix it. I don't want to spend a few hundred dollars to find out it's a goner.
I have a brand new, still in the box Oreck that I bought with AmEX points that were going to expire. Had to get the middle of the road unit that is not the allergen sucking one.
I want to return it for an upgrade to the allergen sucking model.
So, I'm probably not the right person to ask!
All in all, I know those units are expensive, but if it were me, I'd want a new one that sucks up allergens. Heck, you could be in that house 5 more yrs!
Definitely buy a new vacuum system!
Your health is worth it!
and it was easily reparable, I'd fix it rather than replace it. There's almost no new appliance that will last 20 years - they don't make 'em like they used to.
Whenever I utter the word "exercise" I will rinse my mouth with chocolate!
Spousal took it apart and declared the motor dead. I have found one with the sucking power of a bad movie. I am bereft that I cannot vacuum till it arrives and is installed. It's a shame, isn't it?
