Throwaway appliances

[klondike]

Mostly if some white goods appliance goes wrong outside warranty I'll check it to see if I can fix it myself. Some things are easy if parts are available like a heater, switch or belt. If it's something wrong with the main circuit boards I'll bin it and buy new. Many just bin things without even checking. A reapair is likely to be costing at least half the price of new and you still have a mostly secondhand machine.

I came a across an interesting short video on YouTube by a German. Apparently the EU were determined to put an end to this wasteful throwaway culture and introduced legislation. All white goods (and possibly other stuff) has to be fixable for 10 years with the responsibility put on manufacturers to achieve this.

Obviously coming from the EU the system is highly bureaucratic. She was talking about an expensive €800 washing machine. Yes it can, in accordance with EU regulations, be repaired. Only a manufacturer certified repairman can do the job using certified and often digitally encoded parts (like cars these days the internal software won't run with fake parts - well unless a fake repairman can cheat the system anyway). There is quite a delay getting the certified repairman and then any needed parts) In her case the repair would have cost €650 so naturally the machine went to recycling (or landfill) and she bought a new one. The result of the legislation is small repair companies not longer exist and most whitegoods still end up in the skip on their first major breakdown. Plus all the costs to the manufacturers for stocking spares etc. has put up new prices.

[Scrumpy]

I agree.. We buy ' throwaway goods that can be repaired'..
A ten year guarantee would be great.. At the moment goods are only guaranteed for two (usually)..
  It is fine if you have knowledge of these repairs and how to fix them.. 
But... many of us do not.. 
Klondike .. I wish you were my next door neighbour.. and a friend..

[klondike]

I don't fix much now. I used to have to but now I bung things out.

And that isn't a 10 year guarantee. If it was stuff would likely be triple the price.  Even having to stock parts pushes prices up. Making stuff with automated factories is cheaper than having somebody repair it.

[Scrumpy]

Ahhh!   Fixable for ten years.. 

Firms would compensate that by charging more to repair.. 
Most things are only worth fixing if one can fix it themselves.. 
Call out prices are ridiculous.. and that is just for starters..

[Mups]

Ahhh!  Fixable for ten years..

Firms would compensate that by charging more to repair..
Most things are only worth fixing if one can fix it themselves..
Call out prices are ridiculous.. and that is just for starters..

I agree with that.    I too,  wish I had a friendly neighbour that could mend things, Scrumps.

Just over the last few months I had to have a new heating element in my cooker,  a new kitchen light,  then a few weeks after that the other kitchen light went,  and to finish it up,  an outside light over the back garden packed up.
That's without the boiler service, car service, MOT,  and veterinary bills.

I'm too old to sell my body,    so am considering maybe a sugar daddy.  

[klondike]

You think you've got problems - looed at the damned open sign today - it's only a tad over a month old too.

[Mups]

You think you've got problems - looed at the damned open sign today - it's only a tad over a month old too. found your ladders I had hidden,  so as to stop you fiddling with it.

I can only assume you found your ladders I had hidden to stop you fiddling with it.