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"They don't make 'em like they used to!"
RepairClinic.com asks "Is this true for appliances?"
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You've probably
heard, or even said yourself, "They
don't make 'em like they used to!"
People exclaim this when talking about almost
anything, including cars, houses and of
course appliances.
Is this necessarily a bad thing? After all,
cars today are better engineered, last longer
and have more features. The same is true
for appliances. However, while cars have
become more mechanically complex and increasingly
difficult to repair, appliances today have
simpler designs and are much easier to repair
than they were 20 years ago, according to
RepairClinic.com President Chris Hall.
"Furthermore, the cost of appliances
has remained pretty flat," says Hall,
"while the cost of cars has gone way
up."
So if repairing appliances has gotten easier
and the cost of appliances has stayed flat,
why do people have the perception appliances
are not as durable as they used to be?
"If you paid $800 for a refrigerator 10 years
ago, a repair, including parts and labor,
may have cost you $120," says Hall.
"However, you can buy a refrigerator today
for $600, but a repair might cost you $180
- the increase mostly attributable to rising labor
costs."
So the cost of a repair today, with parts and labor, is a larger percentage of the cost of the entire appliance.
Therefore, says Hall, when faced with repair
bills adding up to a third, or in some cases half, the cost of the
appliance, people are more likely today
to just replace an ailing machine and conclude
-- often incorrectly -- they're not made as
well as they used to be.
When you combine the fact that appliances are easier to repair today than 10 years ago with the fact that appliance repair labor costs have gone up much faster than appliance costs, it makes good sense -- and cents -- to try to repair your own appliances. And hey, that's what RepairClinic.com is all about. We'll help you every step of the way, from helping you troubleshoot problems to finding the exact part you need.
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"Do
you know the lingo?" appliance repair
vocabulary quiz
Match
the lettered terms to the correct numbered
definitions. |
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a
- chill plate
b - drain pan
c - bimetal
d - mullion
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1
- A panel used to collect condensation
from a refrigerator's evaporator during
a defrost cycle.
2 - The stationary part of a structure
between two doors.
3 - A part made of two metals bonded
together to form a single metal strip.
Each metal on the strip responds differently
to changes in temperature. This response
acts as an actuator in switches.
4 - An evaporator in the refrigerator
compartment that defrosts each time
the thermostat cycles off. |
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On Sale Now: 10%
off refrigerator condenser brushes
Clean
the coils under your refrigerator for extended
life and improved efficiency. Refrigerator condenser brushes are On Sale
Now.
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Appliance fun
fact
Cool it and save money. Up
to 90 percent of the cost of washing clothes
comes from heating the water. |
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 Appliance
maintenance calendar
We've put together a maintenance calendar
to help you figure out what needs to be done
and when. Add the page to your favorites,
or print it out and keep it for reference
throughout the year. You can find the appliance
maintenance calendar
here. |
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Tell a Friend
about RepairClinic.com and WIN a prize
Tell a friend
about RepairClinic.com and win a quality Klein
5-in-1 screwdriver. Just complete our "Tell
a Friend"
form before Sept. 23, 2002. We'll
randomly draw 5 prizewinners from all entrants.
NOTE: Other than the "Tell a Friend" email,
your friend will not receive any un-requested
emails from RepairClinic.com. For a complete
list of rules, click
here. |
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