People don't fix things anymore

[oilpsi2high]

I had this conversation with a neighbor a while back, older guy in his late 70's.

When non-BITOG people reach a point where their car needs new tires, brakes, suspension, or some other "costly" repair, they seem to resort to replacing the whole vehicle rather than the part that's worn out. They either finance the car or take out a lease, and repeat the cycle over and over again.

Also, iPhones and computers. People literally throw these things away when something fixable (like a button or camera lens) breaks. $ 750 vs. $ 20 in parts, and probably $ 100 to pay someone if you can't do it yourself.

TV's are another one. Remember the TV/electronics repair stores that used to be around? Non-existent in this day and age.

What else am I missing? I'll literally fix anything possible, until it is fully depreciated and the cost of the repair meets or exceeds the cost of replacement.

 

[Panzerman]

Too many people. People have to keep producing and making stuff to maintain society.
Why your washing machine only last 5 years now instead of your mom's that lasted 20.
They reverse engineer, put disposable parts in. Most TVs aren't even fixable. Why it's fruitless to buy warranties.
Alot of manufacturers don't even sell replacement parts.
Stuff is cheaper to replace than fix, Chinese and Indian labor.

 

[E150GT]

It depends. People defer their maintenance until they no longer can and then the cost is tremendous. I have sunk more in to my truck in the last year than I paid for it. Still runs good. I won't let it go unless it gets smashed.
If its a TV, it would probably be cheaper to replace it than fix it.
I am still debating on my computer. It's a 2011 macbook pro, and it needs a new battery and video card. Apple wants $575 to fix it. I paid $2k in 2011. Whats it worth? I don't know. Its a computer. I could get a new one (not a mac) for $300. Not sure if I am gonna fix it.

 

[oilpsi2high]

Originally Posted By: E150GT
It depends. People defer their maintenance until they no longer can and then the cost is tremendous. I have sunk more in to my truck in the last year than I paid for it. Still runs good. I won't let it go unless it gets smashed.
If its a TV, it would probably be cheaper to replace it than fix it.
I am still debating on my computer. It's a 2011 macbook pro, and it needs a new battery and video card. Apple wants $575 to fix it. I paid $2k in 2011. Whats it worth? I don't know. Its a computer. I could get a new one (not a mac) for $300. Not sure if I am gonna fix it.


I traded my old 2011 MacBook Pro in, broken, and got $ 200 for it.

Don't waste your time with a non-macbook if you are used to them. I made that mistake once already, never again. I hate to sound like an Apple fanboy, but trust me on that one.

 

[E150GT]

Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high

It depends. People defer their maintenance until they no longer can and then the cost is tremendous. I have sunk more in to my truck in the last year than I paid for it. Still runs good. I won't let it go unless it gets smashed.
If its a TV, it would probably be cheaper to replace it than fix it.
I am still debating on my computer. It's a 2011 macbook pro, and it needs a new battery and video card. Apple wants $575 to fix it. I paid $2k in 2011. Whats it worth? I don't know. Its a computer. I could get a new one (not a mac) for $300. Not sure if I am gonna fix it.


I traded my old 2011 MacBook Pro in, broken, and got $ 200 for it.

Don't waste your time with a non-macbook if you are used to them. I made that mistake once already, never again. I hate to sound like an Apple fanboy, but trust me on that one. [/quote
No, I know what you mean. I don't want to anything else but really I don't need another $2k computer and thats what a new pro costs. For now I am using my wife's air which is older than my pro.

 

[Brybo86]

Originally Posted By: E150GT
It depends. People defer their maintenance until they no longer can and then the cost is tremendous. I have sunk more in to my truck in the last year than I paid for it. Still runs good. I won't let it go unless it gets smashed.
If its a TV, it would probably be cheaper to replace it than fix it.
I am still debating on my computer. It's a 2011 macbook pro, and it needs a new battery and video card. Apple wants $575 to fix it. I paid $2k in 2011. Whats it worth? I don't know. Its a computer. I could get a new one (not a mac) for $300. Not sure if I am gonna fix it.


replace the battery and video card yourself. youtube is your friend

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
.

What else am I missing? I'll literally fix anything possible, until it is fully depreciated and the cost of the repair meets or exceeds the cost of replacement.




That's a common yardstick, but with cars I've never seen the sense of it.

Unlike with consumer electronics, its probably never going to be true for a new replacement, so you're talking used, with the associated unknowns. Would pretty much need to be unfixable (e.g. no parts) before that would make sense to me.

My car has no value over scrap and would be difficult to replace with the same model.

Recipe for a long, troublesome life?

 

[John_K]

With a lot of people I know it's the thrill of running and buying new.

 

[Greggy_D]

Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high

What else am I missing? I'll literally fix anything possible, until it is fully depreciated and the cost of the repair meets or exceeds the cost of replacement.




Just went there with my 11 year old Mazda 3. Front end suspension work, AC went out, and clutch was starting to slip after nearly 200,000 miles. The car wasn't worth the amount to fix everything and who knows what was going to go wrong next. I put the repair money towards a new car.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: John_K
With a lot of people I know it's the thrill of running and buying new.


I've had new company cars. They were very uninteresting, but at least I wasn't paying for them.

 

[Kool1]

Engines rebuilt by a local machine shop are being replaced by crate engines. The do-it-yourselfer is being replaced by the throw it away and buy a new one generation.

Unfortunately I think the low quality of many aftermarket auto parts make the do-it-yourselfer sick of doing jobs over and over again. This problem contributes to the throw it away and buy a new one mentality.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: Greggy_D
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high

What else am I missing? I'll literally fix anything possible, until it is fully depreciated and the cost of the repair meets or exceeds the cost of replacement.




Just went there with my 11 year old Mazda 3. Front end suspension work, AC went out, and clutch was starting to slip after nearly 200,000 miles. The car wasn't worth the amount to fix everything and who knows what was going to go wrong next. I put the repair money towards a new car.


No you didn't.

If the cost of those repairs " meets or exceeds the cost of a new replacement. " you're either paying too much for repairs or you've got a source of very cheap new cars.

Increasingly this is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy though, because new cars are not built to be fixed.

Another reason (for me) to try and stay off the treadmill for as long as possible.

 

[E150GT]

Originally Posted By: Kool1


Unfortunately I think the low quality of many aftermarket auto parts make the do-it-yourselfer sick of doing jobs over and over again. This problem contributes to the throw it away and buy a new one mentality.

Tell me about it. I accidentally broke the ECT sensor on my truck, so I got a BWD replacement at the parts store. I have had to replace it twice in a year and the new one is already throwing codes. I haven't tested it yet but I assume it will be out of whack. I am going with a motorcraft next. mY fan clutch I put in works well but its awfully close to the radiator. The aftermarket shroud fits around the fan and the top clips work, but theres no way to secure it at the bottom other than drilling holes and zip tying it to the truck. I have been through a few radiator caps and oil filler caps too. How hard is it to make a cap that doesn't break?

 

[earlyre]

at the gas station i'm working at, they're getting ready to replace the Card readers on the pumps,upgrade to Chip readers.
manager was talking to the techs, the only difference between the old and new readers, is software. the old units already have the hardware, and basically just need a reflash to activate them.

instead, they'll just pull one module, throw it in the trash, and replace it with an identical module, with different software.

 

[Andrew1972]

Cars I agree most folks replace and others pick up there leftovers. New vehicles financed are the biggest enemy of folks building any wealth.

TVs/electronics you throw them away, long ago they were very expensive now relatively cheap.

Phones not sure, I have no had great experience with "repair" I tend to trade them in if something went amiss.

 

[CKN]

A service call for a washing machine is $100.00(or more) Then it's parts for whatever is wrong with it. A new one is $300.00

If your not a do-it-your-selfer the choice is an easy one.

 

[E150GT]

Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: Greggy_D
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high

What else am I missing? I'll literally fix anything possible, until it is fully depreciated and the cost of the repair meets or exceeds the cost of replacement.




Just went there with my 11 year old Mazda 3. Front end suspension work, AC went out, and clutch was starting to slip after nearly 200,000 miles. The car wasn't worth the amount to fix everything and who knows what was going to go wrong next. I put the repair money towards a new car.


No you didn't.

If the cost of those repairs " meets or exceeds the cost of a new replacement. " you're either paying too much for repairs or you've got a source of very cheap new cars.

Increasingly this is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy though, because new cars are not built to be fixed.

Another reason (for me) to try and stay off the treadmill for as long as possible.

I see what you mean and tend to think that way, but time is also a factor. A car that is broken all the time may not necessarily cost a lot of money, but a lot of time and thus its better to replace it. Cars wear out. Plain and simple. Any reasonable person would have tossed my truck to the side years ago, especially since it was neglected. I would not under any circumstances daily drive that as my only vehicle. Sure its generally cheap to repair, but sometimes I just don't have time. It was broken from January to April before I had time to diagnose the two separate problems that occurred simultaneously which prevented it from running.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: madRiver
Cars I agree most folks replace and others pick up there leftovers. New vehicles financed are the biggest enemy of folks building any wealth.

TVs/electronics you throw them away, long ago they were very expensive now relatively cheap.

Phones not sure, I have no had great experience with "repair" I tend to trade them in if something went amiss.




If buying new cars is the deciding factor whether your build wealth or not-your doing something wrong. Does it help not to buy new cars? Yes. But as I mentioned-it shouldn't be the deciding factor.

Most who are anti new cars here on BITOG can't afford them. OR-don't want the payments. Yes-there are exceptions.

I spent my early years building wealth-and always drove newer cars.

 

[E150GT]

I drive new cars and I will tell you its nice to not have to work on them. I don't go crazy though. Im not in a $70k super duty with a diesel although I'd love to be.

 

[jeepman3071]

Most people simply have no motivation for DIY'ing. Fixing things is a hobby of mine. I like taking broken things and giving them new life. Many times I can save money by doing so, other times its just because I like seeing how things work.

Yesterday I fixed my mom's mixer. The wiring got loose inside the motor and it kept shorting out and turning off. It worked very well prior to that and is at least 10 years old. I popped the screws off, pulled the covers apart and soldered the wires back together. Works good as new.

I'm surprised at some of the stuff people throw away. I think people fixed things years ago for two reasons. 1. They were built well enough that they could be fixed, and 2. They did so to save money.

People these days would rather just go buy new and add to their debt.