Sick of the quality of new products

[71Chevyguy]

Just coming here to vent a bit about some things, I am sure many of you have realized the same things. The quality of new products that you can buy has been going downhill for a long time but I hope we are close to the bottom because I am not sure how much worse they can get. Anything you buy nowadays is just junk. Prices are not lower but quality sure is down. I can't think of too many things I have purchased in the past year that I still have. Most have already gone to the trash. I am very easy on stuff and take good care of everything I own.
Bought a new car, drives like [censored]. Window sticker said 35 hwy its best tank ever all highway with the cruise set is 25 mpg. Step on the gas sometimes it goes, sometimes it doesn't. Really nice car but for that kind of fuel economy I would have gotten an SUV if they would have told the truth about how much gas it uses. And as far as the gas pedal, I wish we could buy kits to make the cars drive by cable because those used to go when you pushed the gas instead of thinking about whether they should or maybe shouldn't.
Purchased appliances 2 years ago, they are horrible. Refrigerator has been repaired twice, once on my dime. Stove repaired once. Dishwasher makes dishes dirtier than they were when I put them in. New energy saving dryer dries till the clothes are dry then turns off right away to save energy leaving the burning hot clothes crumpled up to effectively iron in the wrinkles. Clothes come out looking like crumpled tinfoil. Washer saves water so the clothes that were in the center never get wet during the cycle and come out dry at the end. I don't imagine they are any cleaner than when they were put in.
What set me off today was a computer I bought around Christmas time, bad parts out of the box. Replaced the motherboard with one of a different brand. Used it about 6-8 times and now no sound. I bought the computer for the home theater which has been quite an investment so we are talking top quality stuff here. What good is it with no sound? Now not sure if it is the computer or Windows 8 that feels there needs to be no sound. That operating system is a total flop but there really are no working alternatives.
What I am getting to is why are companies allowed to sell such poor quality things for such high prices. I would be perfectly fine with paying 20 bucks for a computer and throwing it away 6 months later but these were all top notch parts. Same with the appliances and the car. Why do we as society accept such poor quality as ok? I think it may be time to start hoarding old stuff at flea markets and yard sales that still works so we can have it for the future because this new stuff is more than disposable. And any of you that have ever tried to deal with a manufacturer on something like a car or other expensive item know that all you get from them is "it seems to be working fine to me". It is sad how the big businesses get to play with the working class citizens effectively taking our money away from us for garbage.
Sorry for the long post and the rant. Probably made myself sound like a lunatic, but this stuff eventually gets to you and today was my day. I will say this motivates me to get to work on rebuilding the carb in the old 87 caprice ( 1 owner garaged old lady car). That car is comfy, gets 30 mpg hwy and shreds the tires if you mash the gas instead of just grunting and trying to decide if we will go or not. Really sad how these new cars drive. What will they come up with next? Thanks for listening and feel free to vent to make me feel better that I am not the only one fed up with all the Chinese stuff we deal with daily for top dollar.

 

[Mr Nice]

We live in a disposable society in which we buy new stuff every few years.

 

[badtlc]

I am one of the lucky ones. All the new, big $ items I have purchased over the last 3-5 years have all been great. The HE whirlpool sport washer/dryer has been awesome. The Maytag (whirlpool) HE dishwasher is light years ahead of what we replaced in cleaning ability and quietness. My high efficiency Amana heat pump has been a rock and a life saver with the electric bills. My recent computer builds have been completely quirk free (I couldn't say that as recent as 7 years ago).

It is a bit harder to sift through what is a quality product and what isn't, but I think it can be done with enough time/research.

 

[Trav]

You singing to the choir! Americans in particular have come to accept this cheap garbage as the norm. The average persons idea of quality is so far down the scale they wouldn't know high quality if it fell on them.

This is what you get when everyone even the welfare cases feel entitled to big screen TV x3 or 4, X Boxes, cars that are "loaded" and multiples of them also.
Cell phones, multiple computers, tool boxes with power tools only a pro would have is now desired by every DIY, these are all on the menu.

50 yrs ago only millionaires could live the way some people who make $10 an hour want to live, the Chinese and companies like Walmart and HF have obliged.
Quality is out there, buy quality once for quality money and forgo multiples of the same thing is the way i operate and the stuff last for decades.

 

[Kuato]

It all started when it became less expensive to buy new than to repair your old.

 

[heynow]

Inflation has driven the prices of quality products too high for most to afford. So to fill the void, cheaper and cheaper alternatives are introduced. Global free trade put the final nail in the coffin, allowing a product to be shipped halfway around the world and still be less expensive than local alternatives.

 

[Brandon Gatz]

Get an Apple computer, 80's Volvo brick, and Bosch appliances. Problem solved.

 

[antiqueshell]

Originally Posted By: 71Chevyguy
? I think it may be time to start hoarding old stuff at flea markets and yard sales that still works so we can have it for the future because this new stuff is more than disposable.


It's interesting you mention this.
I think many other folks (perhaps unlike us) on a subconscious level have noticed that "newer" might be better, but it isn't a durable, and doesn't work as reliably as the "old".

Quality to me means that a product lives up to what it is claimed to do, is durable (lasts a long time) and reliable as well.

Will those new appliances be working great without trouble 8 or 10 years from now like the old mechanically controlled units of 20 years ago or more, not likely at all. And if they do need to be repaired a decade from now do you really think it will be cost effective to repair expensive electronic controls that may not even be made anymore?

I do think that consumers are waking up slowly and that eventually companies will need to return more durability and reliability for the longer term.

 

[John_K]

Totally agree. Then we have my wife's 80 year old parents who criticize us for "not taking care of things" because we replace a 10 year old item. "Ours is 40 years old". Yes, and it was made in a era where things could last that long!

John

 

[S65AMG]

Trav makes a good point in terms of what the market will accept. In the US we're not interested in quality so much as quantity, so that's what you presented with. The average product is not as good as the average product of yesteryear.

But, over time, I feel that quality has in many cases improved but it is up to you to do your due dilligence and find those cases and buy those products, sometimes at a premium, and therefore reward those companies that produce quality products.

I would suggest using Consumer Reports for your purchases in future, paying attention to not only what they recommend but also their reliability surveys.

I've always researched products and have rarely had regrets about my purchases. Although price is important, I put that aside when it comes to functionality and quality, longevity and expected benefit of usage. My time simply isn't worth saving $x or x% on inferior products, not just on the initial purchase but also on every instance when the product is used and won't perform.

When I haven't been able to do research, eg appliances that come with a house, I've invariably been disappointed with what I've found. I have a GE Stainless Steel fridge freezer that apparently sells for $5k which is total junk. I've also inherited a high end double oven that doesn't cook anywhere near as good as a $300 oven I installed in another property based on Consumer Reports reviews which turned out to be spot on. That oven was absolutely perfect. Our washer and dryer have been fantastic for 5 years now. They were again recommended by Consumer Reports both for performance and brand reliability. Had no issues whatsoever with them being energy saving.

On other kitchen appliances, I've spent maybe double what I initially expected to spend after doing the research and afterwards been very happy that I did spend more to buy what was considered the best.

Having the mentality that anything you buy is an investment from which you need to receive the maximum return in terms of the results it gives you and the time it saves you is opposite from the gratification decision making style of most people.

 

[antiqueshell]

Very insightful and observant video about
"Planned Obsolescence"

 

[OVERKILL]

I've been incredibly frustrated with the China Syndrome, of which much of what you've observed can be attributed to.

I make it a point to seek out (and reward their manufacturers, through purchase) items made in 1st world nations. I bought a Bosch washer, made in the USA and it has been excellent! And I've found if I can't find an item that used to be made in the US and Canada, I can be guaranteed that I'll find one still made in Germany (went through this recently with a Snap-On tire pressure gauge, which is now made in Taiwan, so Trav hooked me up with a German one).

We have choices. Country of Origin is, in my opinion, an important part of the buying process. And often a quality 1st-world product isn't much, if any more expensive than its Chinese counterpart.

 

[PandaBear]

Once upon a time, things cost money, even before factoring in inflation the purchase cost of a lot of things were higher back then than today.

So you have to wonder, where do they get the "efficiency" from? I'm sure you can say there are fewer middlemen involved and more efficient transportation / logistic, but there's also less attention and parts quality when they build things with lower cost and lower selling price, so today's consumers with lower income (after inflation) can afford.

I remember the time when computer cost $2k to buy, so you can say they put in better parts and quality labor vs the ones that cost only $300 today. A $100 chassis is nothing in a $2k machine, but it would be ridiculous when it is $300, and you'll have to cut that down to $15 with spray painted plastic and paper thin metal that can't even hold its shape against a bump from the vacuum cleaner.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: Christopher Hussey
Inflation has driven the prices of quality products too high for most to afford. So to fill the void, cheaper and cheaper alternatives are introduced. Global free trade put the final nail in the coffin, allowing a product to be shipped halfway around the world and still be less expensive than local alternatives.

I think most could afford quality stuff, but the temptation that the cheap versions might last as long is strong. Plus now many items are virtually the same inside and only superficially dressed up to put them at a higher price point...
I learned my lesson with $30 day hiking boots/shoes at walmart... How hard is it to make a decent shoe I thought? Well whoever made those shoes didn't have it figured out. Now I get some with a decent name and not their cheapest model. They last and are comfortable.

 

[NHGUY]

Probably 50-60% of the parts store stuff I buy fails within a few weeks to a year or so.I now seek out vintage NOS Mopar parts exclusively.If they could last 20 years before being replaced,they have to be good.And everybody thought the 1980s was the era of terrible quality...nope,its today pure and simple.Back in the 1980s the cheap line stuff (NAPA Silverline...etc) was just in its infancy,the 1990s really got the 2nd line stuff in full force.I doubt Chrysler's suppliers (especially electrical stuff...relays,switches...) made 2 lines back then,and cut them decent wholesale prices on their usual line of stuff.Now you never know whats in the box,and how much profit someone made off it.

 

[Jim 5]

I totally agree.

I would buy a Honda, Toyota, GM or Ford refridgerator made with parts made in Japan or America (or some other 1st world nation). I would pay as much as double to get a fridge/dishwasher/stove that would last 15-20 years with a 6 year warranty before I'd pay half for an item with a 1 year warranty that will fail every six months leaving you fixing it until it's not worth it anymore.

These products are technically/economically referred to as "Durable Goods" which is a throwback to a term used when they were.

I really think people are seeing the folly in spending several thousand or hundred dollars on something that's good for 6 months to a year and a half.

I truly think if Toyota, GM or another company sold a fridge with a good warranty made out of quality parts, built to last a lifetime, it would truly be cheaper to buy that at double the price of today's prices.

That's not even considering the wasted time, energy (on all accounts) of building, buying, repairing, trasporting and throwing these things away every 2 years.

I would love to see a north american company make a really good quality product and back-it up with a real warranty and see how they do in this new economy.

 

[eljefino]

I've had real good luck with appliances. Though I hate that the only decent sized fridges ALL have ice makers/ water dispensers. I bought one under duress (guess what kind of duress!!!) from Lowes, so I assume something's been cheapified. So far so good. Though the energy saving is miniscule, I have a lot more space.

What gets me is my dishwasher takes 100 minutes to do a load of dishes. It spends a lot of time with stuff damp with tepid water waiting for the food to soften and fall off on its own. There's a "one hour" mode if you need the dishes sometime today, and the manual says it uses MORE energy. The manual goes on to say you need 120 degree water going in, b/c it sure isn't going to heat it much itself and void its pledge to save energy. Supposedly if you give it cold water it goes on strike...

When I was a teenager though I washed dishes at a restaurant that had this Hobart machine with a big locking T-handle. Each cycle was 45 seconds and it was done in a couple minutes. The water was around 190'F and there was a cool little gauge underneath. Even if it had 220 volt service I have to imagine this monster got stuff done with less power consumed.

My employer's kitchen faucet has this goofball aerator that cuts flow so much I have to wait 2 min for hot water. My time wasted washing my hands is worth way more to my employer than their water bill. (Though the time invested in not getting myself or coworkers sick is worth it.)

Cars, I've looked underneath. They don't rustproof like they did in the 90s. Cars waste more space to give high, flat floors so there's all sorts of odd cavities down there that trap water. I thought Pontiac was the king of tacking plastic junk on rocker panels, fenders and whatever but Toyota and Ford do it too. Great way to trap salt and rot a car out. Saturn figured out a great shape for a floor pan on a cheap, cheap car and I still see 90's s-series clattering around.

 

[jrustles]

I totally agree. It's a sad day. When someone said 'new' you would instantly associate that with 'better'. That little psychological tidbit is now being used to screw us all, royally. It's called greed. That period of delay that it takes a population to come to terms and accept the 'double cross' is not only highly profitable, but growing longer and longer and longer......
it began with greed.

Our food products are shrinking and shrinking in the most clever ways, where the package is manipulated to look larger or the same size, and this happens in increments. Ah, incrementalism. Influence 'change' slowly enough, and you'll eventually have a man cutting his own arm off for a free meal.

 

[Brons2]

About the only thing I have a problem with that I have bought in the last few years is my microwave, its not very powerful. I should have spent the extra $70 to get the sensor cooker that also had a higher wattage, that's my fault.

My front loader washer and dryer are great. LG brand, lower end. There is a wrinkle guard setting on the dryer to keep it from doing what you describe. Maybe yours has one too?

My Kia is not as nice as a Honda or Toyota, but then again I didn't expect it to be. It gets me from Point A to Point B, pretty much. Going to try to keep it at least another 5 years. I would drive it across the country tomorrow if I needed to.

I just sold my 2007 vintage laptop for $150 and the person that bought it is happy with it.

Put Mythbuntu on your media center PC, that is a great alternative to Windows 8.

Lastly, yes I do agree that stuff costs more now, but I attribute it to qualitative easing and higher fuel prices.

As always, YMMV.

 

[BISCUT]

Originally Posted By: gr8gatzby
Get an Apple computer, 80's Volvo brick, and Bosch appliances. Problem solved.


My first ever Mac (3 months ago) worked for 1 day. Phone tech no good had to take to Apple Store. They told me 3-5 days and we will get it back to you....told them to go screw! Called my IT director in front of the manager and said hey, I know you said no MAC's and I made you get me one...it [censored] the bed can we return or am I stuck? Return it was. This was a chance for Apple to get inot a small city gov't. They blew it. If they would ahve replaced with new all would be good. But to tell me a day later we will hae to fix it and get it back to you? It was 2800 purchase.

My Bosch dishwsher isn't near the 900 it costs....never again. My GE Momogram range hood and over are fantastic. 7 years and as if new. The Monogram fridge and microwave have been huge POS. Fridge especially. 4 repairs and still has issues.

We got some of the first versions of the HE Whirlpool's washer/dyer's about 9 years ago. They ahve been fantastic. Not an issue and clean very well.