The Vent and Rant Thread

[Freeshadow]

Hey Bianca I'm the first one voting "pro repairs" if it has sense. But in this case I'm with Cinisajoy. Energy efficiency is the keyword here. (e. g. I wouldn't want a plasma TV even as a gift, for just that reason) If you don't go for the cheapest dryer available you will see quite a nice difference on your e-bill.

I also usually use older than actual computers, but due to said effect I limit the degree of vintageness too.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

Hey Bianca I'm the first one voting "pro repairs" if it has sense. But in this case I'm with Cinisajoy. Energy efficiency is the keyword here. (e. g. I wouldn't want a plasma TV even as a gift, for just that reason) If you don't go for the cheapest dryer available you will see quite a nice difference on your e-bill.

I also usually use older than actual computers, but due to said effect I limit the degree of vintageness too.

I did go with a cheaper dryer and my e-bill still dropped.
.

[cromag]

We're fortunate in that the local electrical utility offers an optional repair plan for appliances that use electricity. Our 26 year old dryer is gas, but (obviously) uses electricity too, so it qualified. We've had three repairs over the years, which have more than paid for the cost of the insurance. The utility contracts with independent companies, but we've never had a problem.

They do have an "escape clause." Our oven (probably dating from the 1980s) could use a new thermostat, but the parts are no longer made. If there are no parts, the utility doesn't have to cover the repair. We dropped coverage for the oven and will probably replace it ... as soon as we can afford it. We don't use the oven very often, anyway.

[cromag]

Sorry to hear about your Subaru, ApK! My wife's car is a Forester, and she loves it. But especially with all wheel drive vehicles the transaxle is an expensive repair. If you have the option of sourcing the used transaxle from a local junker (that you trust) you might find one from a recent wreck, but that is a long shot. If I had to pick (and assuming I had the resources) I'd go with a rebuilt unit. I had a rebuilt engine put into a '70 Chevelle and it was better than a "new" engine, IMHO. YMMV, of course!

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by cromag

We're fortunate in that the local electrical utility offers an optional repair plan for appliances that use electricity. Our 26 year old dryer is gas, but (obviously) uses electricity too, so it qualified. We've had three repairs over the years, which have more than paid for the cost of the insurance. The utility contracts with independent companies, but we've never had a problem.

They do have an "escape clause." Our oven (probably dating from the 1980s) could use a new thermostat, but the parts are no longer made. If there are no parts, the utility doesn't have to cover the repair. We dropped coverage for the oven and will probably replace it ... as soon as we can afford it. We don't use the oven very often, anyway.

Here you go.
http://www.amazon.com/Oster-TSSTTVSK...onvection+oven
It will hold a 9 by 13 pan.

[cromag]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Here you go.
http://www.amazon.com/Oster-TSSTTVSK...onvection+oven
It will hold a 9 by 13 pan.

Thanks, but we're good. We have an Oster large capacity toaster oven and it's large enough and versatile enough for us -- although we rarely need the oven for anything other than frozen pizza. I do a lot of stir frying, and am a big fan of crock pots.

[Rumpelteazer]

My father seems to have agreed to buy a new dryer (yay), he does want to install it himself and he wants to execute the plans he's had for the utility room at the same time (help!). Most stores that deliver new appliances offer the service that they take out the old one (and take it with them) and put the new one in place. With my father's dodgy back we had hoped he/we wouldn't have to lug the old dryer down two steep stairs and the new one up to steep stairs. But he wants to pick up the new one today and do it all himself.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

Hey Bianca I'm the first one voting "pro repairs" if it has sense. But in this case I'm with Cinisajoy. Energy efficiency is the keyword here. (e. g. I wouldn't want a plasma TV even as a gift, for just that reason) If you don't go for the cheapest dryer available you will see quite a nice difference on your e-bill.

I also usually use older than actual computers, but due to said effect I limit the degree of vintageness too.

Howdy:

I tend to run to the uber-cheap on bloody CARS. I'm sorry, but when the price of the average car meets/exceeds the price of my first home....ya, not doing that. My current vehicle is just now 19; the Hubster's truck is 20. My theory is, it's a bloody tin can that takes you around from A-->Z. That's all they are. I drive them until literally, the car wears out.

Appliances, though--I admit, I tend to go higher-end. My experience is, and has always been, that some of the better manufacturers have products that last longer. I recently replaced the washer & dryer, and it was ouchy in terms of dough (ditto our air-conditioner, which should NOT have been looking in death's face, but was...) and we've seen a difference in our electrical (no gas). We're fortunate in that our house is remarkably well-insulated, so we pay less in this house than we did in our much-smaller former home, but yes: we are seeing a measurable difference with our new front-load pair. <shrug>. FWIW.

Hitch

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by cromag

Thanks, but we're good. We have an Oster large capacity toaster oven and it's large enough and versatile enough for us -- although we rarely need the oven for anything other than frozen pizza. I do a lot of stir frying, and am a big fan of crock pots.

I love my crockpots. Should I start a thread for kitchen gadgets?

[wodin]

[RANT]

Our water club here at work just went bust due to non-payment by many of the members. For the past 16+ years (longer than I've been here) we could pay $5 US per month to pay for unlimited access to bottled "Menehune Pure Hawaiian Water". It was great!

When our last water cooler gave up the ghost I paid forward by buying a deluxe hot and cold cooler for about fifteen months worth of dues. Three months into that, the club administrator got fed up with shaming people into paying dues, canceled the subscription and closed down the club.

Now I have this damned fine water cooler and no water is put into it!

[/RANT]

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I tend to run to the uber-cheap on bloody CARS. I'm sorry, but when the price of the average car meets/exceeds the price of my first home....ya, not doing that. My current vehicle is just now 19; the Hubster's truck is 20. My theory is, it's a bloody tin can that takes you around from A-->Z. That's all they are. I drive them until literally, the car wears out.

The most economical way to own a car is to buy a good quality car, maintain it according to factory specs, and run it completely into the ground.

A late friend would buy junkers and run them into the ground, thinking he was saving money. I thought about the problems his various vehicles had, and said "What value do you place on your time? The amount of time and effort you must put into keeping the junkers running vastly exceeds the savings you think you get by buying a junker."

A long ago girlfriend bought a used car. She and her mom did the research about which cars had the least reported recalls and problems, and she got a Dodge Dart that performed flawlessly for years. (And this was back in the days before The Internet Ate the World, and there weren't things like Google, so doing the research took a bit more effort.)

Appliances, though--I admit, I tend to go higher-end. My experience is, and has always been, that some of the better manufacturers have products that last longer. I recently replaced the washer & dryer, and it was ouchy in terms of dough (ditto our air-conditioner, which should NOT have been looking in death's face, but was...) and we've seen a difference in our electrical (no gas). We're fortunate in that our house is remarkably well-insulated, so we pay less in this house than we did in our much-smaller former home, but yes: we are seeing a measurable difference with our new front-load pair. <shrug>. FWIW.

In general, you get what you pay for, so buying quality is the preferred method. An old friend talked about contracting, and said "You toss out the high and low bids, and look at the stuff in the middle." The high bid will be more than you need, and the low bid will be low for reasons you will find out the hard way if you go with it. He was talking specifically about government contracts, but the strategy is broadly applicable.

Certainly, current appliances are all pushing energy efficiency. So is ConEd, our local electric utility. They are pushing energy efficiency and conservation hard, because the last thing they want to do is build another generating plant. That would be a political nightmare. First the question would arise of where to put it, and the answer from everyone would be "Not near me!" Then they would need regulatory approval to build, with reams of environmental impact statements. Next would come actually raising the money to do it, which would require bond issues and more regulatory approvals. (We are talking several $billion.) Next is actually building the plant and bringing it on line. And last but not least would be getting approval to raise the rates to pay off the bonds as they come due. They really don't want to go there. I wouldn't either.
______
Dennis

[Rumpelteazer]

We never get the very expensive appliances. We do, however, always get brands that have a good reputation for the quality of their products.

I have friends who do buy the most expensive appliances from the best manufacturers and they have to replace them every couple of years. The difference is that we take care of our appliances; clean out filters regularly, keep the dispensing trays clean, clean the rubber seals regularly and replace them if they get worn, etc. Our friends don't, I've known them for 15 years now and I think they are on their fourth or fifth dryer, third washer and third dishwasher.

In that time we've replaced two dishwasher (the previous one died due to smoke damage from the fire next door) and now one dryer.

[Katsunami]

Rumpelteazer, your father sounds like mine, to be honest.

He doesn't mind spending $1000 or more if he wants something (and he *easily* has the money to spare: he has a pension I can only dream of, in another 35 years or so), but regarding (household) appliances, he keeps jacking around with old crap. Hot water is provided by a geyser. (Is it called like that in English? Something like this).

It's a a 50 year old (or older) piece of crap, installed even before he bought the house in '69. Now he's always jacking around getting it to fire up again, complaining that it shuts off when he's in the shower, that kind of thing.

"Why should it be broken?" (Because it's over 50 years old, with virtually no maintenance in the last 20 or so?)
"Do you know what a new one would cost?!" (So what? You spend hundreds and more on stuff you DON'T need.)

It's not only this thing; it's the same with all appliances. He has a flatscreen-TV (2007, bought only because the old TV failed and became unrepairable), with two settop boxes and thus three remote controls, of which two have been dropped so often that half of them don't work; so they have been replaced with a universal remote. The universal remote actually controls everything, but he insists on using all four of them (including the parts of the two that are half broken).

Now he's always jackassing around with 3-4 remotes, the picture and sound makes you cringe, as the settop boxes are over 10 year old; at least from before the Full HD time, and it all only causes stress and anxiety.

Replacing that pile of half-broken, heavily outdated tech and cable-spaghetti with a new €750 TV, which uses a CI+ CAM Module and only one (1) remote, not to mention the new TV being smaller and using 50-75% less energy?

No way. Just keep messing around with the old stuff until it finally, totally breaks or explodes.

I'm not one to replace stuff without need, just to have something new, but if keeping old tech in use becomes unfeasible because it's just not keeping up anymore or is actively breaking down, then that's the limit for me.

I wonder why older people are (apparently) willing to torture themselves by not replacing old or broken stuff, even if money isn't the problem.

[ProfCrash]

We are awful about maintenance but have not had any issues with out appliances. We bought a new refrigerator, washer/dryer, and dishwasher 8 years ago and no worries. We bought known products, with a good reputation that are in the high/middle price range.

Some folks look for any reason to replace things. I know folks who buy a new car as soon as they finish paying off the old one. The car is still running fine but they want a new car every 3-5 years. My husband is driving the car I bought in 2003. We are hoping that it safely lasts until we have the new mini van paid off. We have every intention of driving the mini van into the ground as well.

I see the same trend with appliances. We want the latest and greatest and trendiest appliances. I just want stuff that works and lasts.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Rumpelteazer, your father sounds like mine, to be honest.

He doesn't mind spending $1000 or more if he wants something (and he *easily* has the money to spare: he has a pension I can only dream of, in another 35 years or so), but regarding (household) appliances, he keeps jacking around with old crap. Hot water is provided by a geyser. (Is it called like that in English? Something like this).

It's a a 50 year old (or older) piece of crap, installed even before he bought the house in '69. Now he's always jacking around getting it to fire up again, complaining that it shuts off when he's in the shower, that kind of thing.

"Why should it be broken?" (Because it's over 50 years old, with virtually no maintenance in the last 20 or so?)
"Do you know what a new one would cost?!" (So what? You spend hundreds and more on stuff you DON'T need.)

It's not only this thing; it's the same with all appliances. He has a flatscreen-TV (2007, bought only because the old TV failed and became unrepairable), with two settop boxes and thus three remote controls, of which two have been dropped so often that half of them don't work; so they have been replaced with a universal remote. The universal remote actually controls everything, but he insists on using all four of them (including the parts of the two that are half broken).

Now he's always jackassing around with 3-4 remotes, the picture and sound makes you cringe, as the settop boxes are over 10 year old; at least from before the Full HD time, and it all only causes stress and anxiety.

Replacing that pile of half-broken, heavily outdated tech and cable-spaghetti with a new €750 TV, which uses a CI+ CAM Module and only one (1) remote, not to mention the new TV being smaller and using 50-75% less energy?

No way. Just keep messing around with the old stuff until it finally, totally breaks or explodes.

I'm not one to replace stuff without need, just to have something new, but if keeping old tech in use becomes unfeasible because it's just not keeping up anymore or is actively breaking down, then that's the limit for me.

I wonder why older people are (apparently) willing to torture themselves by not replacing old or broken stuff, even if money isn't the problem.

Was your father alive during the depression? That could account for part of it. Or it could be the way his parents raised him.