Rant: Modern household appliances are of poorer quality

[check]

I used to think Jenn air and Maytag were excellent products. Then several years ago, they bought out by Magic Chef and built in the same factory. They don't seem as good anymore. Not sure Jen Air is still made.

Back then, you could buy a $400 appliance and get a part for it for $20.
Seems today, you can buy the same appliance for $1100 and a simple switch will cost$300.

I put in a new HVAC system last year. The furnace has a variable speed motor. The furnace cost $1200. I was told the cost of the motor if I needed to replace it was $900.

I was told something similar when my furnace started making a strange buzzing vibrating noise. The service people said I had to replace the fan motor. It was under warranty otherwise it would’ve been well over $1000, but even after the warranty deduction they still wanted $500. I went here on tractor by net for advice, and even posted a video with the buzzing noise, and somebody came up with the idea that it was simply some loose metal furnace tape. Lol. In fact, it was the A coil vibrating against the Plenum. I whacked it a couple times, and haven’t heard that sound ever since.

They also replaced the little drain pump and reservoir that drains the condensate. It pumps the condensate up to the exit of the drain which is above the floor level of the furnace. I was suspicious, so I tried out the old one, and it worked just fine. I sent a video of the old one still working to this repair service, which was supposed to be a popular, reputable dealer, and they said “OK never mind you don’t have to pay for the new one”. LOL again. I don’t trust any of these guys anymore.

 

[Jstpssng]

I had a fiend who was sitting with his family in the kitchen...

Any story which starts out like this is bound to have a bad ending.

 

[duffer]

Bought new appliances when we built our house 5½ yrs ago. A few months ago, our frig had the evaporator coil go out.
"Reputable" repair shop said they had to take the frig to the shop, install a new coil, and check it all over. Wanted $1,500.

I went to the manufacturer's website and ordered the part ($87). Had to wait 6 weeks to get it, but so did the repair shop. Had a buddy with access to a vacuum pump come down and we installed the new coil in less than 2 hours (incl the hour we waited for the vacuum pump to evacuate the entire system). Paid $6 for a small can of refrigerant, another $15 for fittings, and it's been perfect ever since.

So I spent ~$100 and did it myself, instead of getting raped for $1500

 

[tom3]

Bought new appliances when we built our house 5½ yrs ago. A few months ago, our frig had the evaporator coil go out.
"Reputable" repair shop said they had to take the frig to the shop, install a new coil, and check it all over. Wanted $1,500.

I went to the manufacturer's website and ordered the part ($87). Had to wait 6 weeks to get it, but so did the repair shop. Had a buddy with access to a vacuum pump come down and we installed the new coil in less than 2 hours (incl the hour we waited for the vacuum pump to evacuate the entire system). Paid $6 for a small can of refrigerant, another $15 for fittings, and it's been perfect ever since.

So I spent ~$100 and did it myself, instead of getting raped for $1500

Yeah but you don't have any overhead like the shop does. The owners wife's new Escalade SUV cost over 100 grand these days, and that condo in Florida is half a mil at least.

 

[JasperFrank]

When out one time to see if I could get a picture of a lightning strike on the nearby transmission lines.

Woke up flat on my back looking up at the sky, and had no idea who, or what, I was. Took about ten minutes, of recovery, to figure out I had been hit by lightning.

 

[MossRoad]

Any story which starts out like this is bound to have a bad ending.

 

[MossRoad]

Any story which starts out like this is bound to have a bad ending.

That reminds me of trivia night we attended a couple weekends ago. There were categories like music, sports, geography. Then, with it being at a Catholic school, one round topic was religion.

Everyone at my table moved away from me, fearing a lighting strike.

To get back on topic, they had 3 stainless side-by-side refrigerators and a freezer donated as silent auction items. One had a $4K price tag on it. It went for less than $1000.

 

[MossRoad]

When out one time to see if I could get a picture of a lightning strike on the nearby transmission lines.

Woke up flat on my back looking up at the sky, and had no idea who, or what, I was. Took about ten minutes, of recovery, to figure out I had been hit by lightning.

YIKES!

 

[ponytug]

Yikes is right!

 

[groundcover]

Was Talking to a woman yesterday that had a lightning story. Her father, a contractor, was inside working and a storm hit. He was on an aluminum ladder with a corded drill, remember those ?! Lightning struck nearby and went through the power cord, jumped into one arm,went through his body and came out the other arm ! He was thrown from the ladder . Had three vertebrae destroyed, they fused him back together with material from his hip. Ended up with a slew of other health issues and was never able to return to work, was in his 40's .