How long should things last?

[grsthegreat]

The unnecessary and expensive ECM on my Kubota mower appears to be dead and:

1. it shouldn't exist, because its entire job can be done with components costing under $2;

2. it costs $340+;

3. Kubota provides no schematic;

4. Kubota has not given its mechanics a method of testing it, so the test is to put a new ECM in, and if the mower doesn't run, you just spent $340+ on a part you can't return because...it's dirty. Either that, or you can spend a week taking out every single wire in the mower and checking it for continuity.

I bypassed it so the mower starts, and I have the components (cheap) to force the mower to perform the ECM's lost functions. The important ones, anyway.

Generac has done the same thing to their new line of generators. I guess the EPA has forced them to get rid of the old mechanical magneto system and go completely electronic ignition. All parts are going to be expensive to repair, compared to cheap old mags. Alot more sensors to fail, proprietary bluetooth controlled instead of easy to read screen (i dont think a homeowner will even be able to see any info about their generator if theres an issue), all too complicated.

 

[ultrarunner]

Demand for older reliable and easy to service equipment is why they hold value…

Some were so good the only way to get rid of them is legislation…

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I inherited a Ford Explorer with a 3.5 engine. Very nice car, when it works.

Ford put the water pump inside the engine. I am not kidding. Replacing it is a major repair you can't do at home unless you're in the 99th percentile.

The water pump is expected to last something like 80,000 miles, or less than half the life of a well-maintained car. I paid $2,500 to have my water pump replaced, and it may fail again. Basically, Ford should have told every buyer, "The car actually costs $2,000-$3,000 more than you think you're paying, because the water pump will fail at least once."

A failed pump can send coolant into the wrong places, destroying the engine. Nothing like that was possible on my 1970 Buick.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

Ford's clever answer to the problem of coolant intrusion was to put a second gasket around the water pump. So when the first gasket fails, you are supposed to drive to a mechanic before the second gasket fails.

 

[grsthegreat]

Ford likes hiding pumps. My 2004 f350 had a second high pressure oil pump inside the engine.

 

[5030]

Longevity always depends on how you take care of something.

 

[ultrarunner]

I inherited a Ford Explorer with a 3.5 engine. Very nice car, when it works.

Ford put the water pump inside the engine. I am not kidding. Replacing it is a major repair you can't do at home unless you're in the 99th percentile.

The water pump is expected to last something like 80,000 miles, or less than half the life of a well-maintained car. I paid $2,500 to have my water pump replaced, and it may fail again. Basically, Ford should have told every buyer, "The car actually costs $2,000-$3,000 more than you think you're paying, because the water pump will fail at least once."

A failed pump can send coolant into the wrong places, destroying the engine. Nothing like that was possible on my 1970 Buick.

Incredible… self destruct and first I have heard of this…

I know more business people that lease because they refuse to own anything out of warranty and the lease expense is a business expense…

 

[dodge man]

We had a Samsung dishwasher that went bad at a young age. The bottom had a very slight leak and apparently it has leak detection so you don’t flood your house. We had someone in to repair it. The part wasn’t available but he found the price of one when it was available. He said it was over $700.

 

[Dftodd]

We had a Samsung dishwasher that went bad at a young age. The bottom had a very slight leak and apparently it has leak detection so you don’t flood your house. We had someone in to repair it. The part wasn’t available but he found the price of one when it was available. He said it was over $700.

My daughter went with Samsung appliances when they had their kitchen appliances replaced.

Two over stove microwave replacements before they got a decent one.

And the flat top stove was replaced once within a year. The oven on the second stove was eay off on temperature. But she got frustrated and gave up on it.

After seeing all the trouble she went through with Samsung appliances, I'll avoid them.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I bought a Samsung fridge for a rental house. I could not figure out how to turn it on. Go to the website. Do this. Do that. And it wasn't even a smart fridge. I left it alone, figuring the tenant would find the answer.

I hope their refrigeration branch goes bankrupt.

 

[dodge man]

We had problems with our Samsung stove also. It blew something during its cleaning cycle. Fixed under warranty for free and has been fine since. The fridge has been fine.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

Am I the only one who thinks it's weird that appliances are INFERIOR to the ones made in 1965? Is technology really supposed to to BACKWARD?

That's when my grandparents built their house. Never changed the washer, dryer, oven, stove, either deep freeze, or the USED refrigerator they put in their basement.

They never stopped using the automatic Sunbeam toaster they bought in the Sixties. You put two slices in, and in a couple of minutes, they pop out, perfectly toasted.

 

[Oz_Kioti]

Back in the 70's we bought a Wilkins Service (English brand) front-loading washing machine, primarily because of its low water consumption. Front-loaders were a new thing then, and it was always funny to see people's reactions when they saw it, and wondered what held the water in!

But I digress - it was a wonderful (and HEAVY) machine which worked well for years and years until it started going ga-ga. The problem was in the large mechanical switching mechanism, where a geared motor-driven & very complicated cam opened and closed switch contacts at the appropriate time in the sequence. All done with a chip now of course. Anyway, being a tinkerer (my workmates named me "The Phantom Fiddler"), when I dismantled it, I found that rather than filing the contacts (as in an old distributor) the contacts could be reversed. A truly fiddly job, but - it worked!

It kept the (by now) quite old WS going for a good many more years, until it happened again. That switch box was not available, so that was the end of that marvellous machine. I guess it lasted 25 years!

Our current Miele is 15+ years. I'll report back in 10 years!

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

Longevity always depends on how you take care of something.

Unless it's designed to fail, like the Ford water pump.

 

[ultrarunner]

Am I the only one who thinks it's weird that appliances are INFERIOR to the ones made in 1965? Is technology really supposed to to BACKWARD?

That's when my grandparents built their house. Never changed the washer, dryer, oven, stove, either deep freeze, or the USED refrigerator they put in their basement.

They never stopped using the automatic Sunbeam toaster they bought in the Sixties. You put two slices in, and in a couple of minutes, they pop out, perfectly toasted.

Lifetime purchases…

Grandmothers 1950’s appliance still live… Norge refrigerator and a Philco.

 

[Torvy]

Samsung cooktop has been outstanding. Liked the first one so much, I insisted on another for the new house.

Had a door issue with LG fridge as house was almost built. They sent a specialist from Shreveport (85 miles away) to install the replacement and make sure it was perfect. He gave me his card to call directly if we have future problems.

Builder messed up and bought the wrong microwave. It's a Whirlpool. Works OK, but it plays some tune when it's done and I can't disable or change it. I didnt want to delay the house over a nuker.

Our old fridge was suppose to come with us (GE), but the bottom freezer failed about a month before we moved here...maybe 6 years old? We use it as a spare fridge for holidays.

 

[grsthegreat]

Oh well..l my 2004 Husqvarna riding mower is now towed up to my shop. Looks like idler pulley brook on drive system. They still make the part, but they all look like chinese aftermarket. Oh well. At least i can hopefully get it back running. 21 years and still going

 

[ultrarunner]

Some of the Big Box Retailers have gone to 48 hour appliance return policies…

Can’t say if nationwide or only at local Lowe’s?

They really want to sell those extended warranties.

 

[sd455dan]

Ford's clever answer to the problem of coolant intrusion was to put a second gasket around the water pump. So when the first gasket fails, you are supposed to drive to a mechanic before the second gasket fails.

My guess is there will be a slew of those submerged wet belts driving the oil pumps failing in the future. Of course outside of Fords warranty and a real pain to replace and that is assuming the driver shuts down the engine before the main, rod, and cam bearings seize do to oil starvation. On the 2.7's the engine has to be retimed since the cam chains gears have to be removed first. Brilliant.

Not that any engine never fails, Just had to pull the head on the Wrangler 4.0 and fix a bad seat and exhaust valve at only 204K.

 

[sd455dan]

Unless it's designed to fail, like the Ford water pump.

The mid 1980's Honda engines were considered very long lived if clean oil and service dates for cam belts and water pumps were followed, unfortunately some folks would change the cam belt but not do the water pump at the same time. When the bearings go on the water pump unlucky owners engines cams go out of time and being interference engines valves get smacked all over not just replacing a water pump.