If it isn't one thing. . .

[Passepartout]

It's another. Not a good time for the electronics around here. A month ago, my DW dropped her cell phone, cracking the screen and rendering it dead. It took ordering 2 and sent one back. My cell phone had rapidly filling memory, so I ordered a new one. Within a week it rolled craps, and had to be replaced. The 2 year old home router had to be replaced. Over this past weekend, I wanted to take pictures of a Pipe & Drum band, and the DR card in my new phone was bad. Went to Best Buy, and even though the return period had passed (remember this, late resissionists!) They swapped memory cards with me!

Today, I pressed the power button on my 3 y.o. Lenovo laptop and was met with silence and a dark screen. Nothing I tried could coax it back to life. So it's gone to a repair shop (not Geeks).

We're off to a TS week shortly, and I just travel with a tablet, but I suspect there is a visit to the ol' computer store in my future. Unless (fingers crossed) the shop finds an easy fix on the old one.I

I know that in the overall scheme of things, these are minor catastrophes, but they do give you pause.

Jim

 

[easyrider]

You should be very happy that its always something. Makes life kind of interesting.

Bill

 

[DaveNV]

I know that in the overall scheme of things, these are minor catastrophes, but they do give you pause.

Jim

Totally relate. Stinks, doesn't it? Hope you can get it sorted out.

I don't know if I've shared this story here, but we remodeled our kitchen a few years ago. On the same day as the kitchen appliances (stove, fridge, dishwasher, and over-the-range microwave) were removed and hauled away, the washer quit. Too expensive to repair, so we ended up replacing it. Had to buy a matching dryer, of course, because they were a stacked set. On the day the new washer and dryer were installed, the vacuum went POP! and quit working, about a month after the warranty expired. The next day, the microwave oven in the family room failed. So within a few weeks' time, we replaced the stove, fridge, dishwasher, kitchen microwave, washer, dryer, vacuum, and family room microwave. If memory serves, I think somewhere along in there the coffeemaker also failed.

I firmly believe the appliances were all in cahoots with each other. They had a suicide death pact, or something. It was very odd. I don't know why it happened, but I know it was an expensive remodel!

Dave

 

[PigsDad]

Solar flares?

 

[dsmrp]

Things aren't built quite as well as years ago, when things were built to last forever.
Either that or the appliances were envious of the other's upgrades

Same thing happens to us with cars...no sooner than DH fixes something, another car has problems...

 

[jimf41]

I don't know if I've shared this story here, but we remodeled our kitchen a few years ago. On the same day as the kitchen appliances (stove, fridge, dishwasher, and over-the-range microwave) were removed and hauled away, the washer quit. Too expensive to repair, so we ended up replacing it. Had to buy a matching dryer, of course, because they were a stacked set. On the day the new washer and dryer were installed, the vacuum went POP! and quit working, about a month after the warranty expired. The next day, the microwave oven in the family room failed. So within a few weeks' time, we replaced the stove, fridge, dishwasher, kitchen microwave, washer, dryer, vacuum, and family room microwave. If memory serves, I think somewhere along in there the coffeemaker also failed.

I firmly believe the appliances were all in cahoots with each other. They had a suicide death pact, or something. It was very odd. I don't know why it happened, but I know it was an expensive remodel!

Dave

Dave, the appliances are not in cahoots with each other but there is a reason that this stuff happens to married men. Years ago Earth was only populated by one human species, MEN. About a thousand years ago there was a spaceship that was traveling through the galaxy and it broke down in Earth's atmosphere and it's been circling ever since in a very high orbit. It has a cloaking device so that we can't easily detect it. This spaceship was inhabited by a species called WOMEN ( pronounced WHOA- MEN). They had to get their ship fixed so they could continue on but they were incapable of fixing things or making their own parts. So, they beamed down and started co-mingling with the men.

Not much progress was made for a few centuries because the MEN didn't really make much that could be used in a spaceship. Until the Industrial Revolution. That changed everything. Think back to when you were single. You owned a toaster and it lasted forever. Same with your TV, Stereo and probably even your electric shaver. All this stuff never broke. Then you co-mingled with one of the WOMEN. That's when things started to change. All of a sudden you started needing new appliances on a regular basis. Stuff that used to last decades now mysteriously broke weeks after you bought it.

Well Dave, that's because when you put your head on the pillow and fall asleep they, the WOMEN, beam back up to the ship with appliance parts for repairs and get instructions on how to deal with you the next day. Don't believe me? Why do you think they wear socks to bed? It's because the space ship has metal floors and their feet get cold.

This is the absolute truth as related to me by a Navy Tomcat pilot in the Corpus Christie O'Club in 1974.

 

[VacationForever]

Power surge?

 

[DaveNV]

This is the absolute truth as related to me by a Navy Tomcat pilot in the Corpus Christie O'Club in 1974.

HAHAHAHA! I just KNEW it had to be something!

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Power surge?

No, I don't think so. Just a twisted coincidence. The TVs and other electronics were fine. Computers and printers were okay. It was just "household appliances" that all went out around the same time. Since then, after replacing everything, it's all been working normally. So strange.

Dave

 

[WinniWoman]

This always worries me in the back of my mind- that we will have to replace an appliance(s) just as we are approaching the time to put the house up for sale- or make some other kind of expensive repair.

 

[x3 skier]

Well Dave, that's because when you put your head on the pillow and fall asleep they, the WOMEN, beam back up to the ship with appliance parts for repairs and get instructions on how to deal with you the next day. Don't believe me? Why do you think they wear socks to bed? It's because the space ship has metal floors and their feet get cold.

This is the absolute truth as related to me by a Navy Tomcat pilot in the Corpus Christie O'Club in 1974.

It was a Tomcat RIO who verified all that for me at the Miramar NAS O’Club. Especially the socks in bed part. Always wondered about that until then.

Cheers

 

[Passepartout]

This always worries me in the back of my mind- that we will have to replace an appliance(s) just as we are approaching the time to put the house up for sale- or make some other kind of expensive repair.

Yeah. I forgot to mention the wall mounted furnace/air conditioner (just like those common in hotel rooms) in our family room. The original was put in in 1961. It crapped out last year at the same time as the main furnace. The new furnace was not too dear, we used the existing a/c, but the wall unit needed a carpenter to install it. It beat up $3,000 all in.

As Gilda Radner said, "It's always something" .

Jim

 

["Roger"]

In order to promote low prices, the big box stores had the appliance makers start producing cheaper grade products. If you went somewhere else, the dealers said that in order to compete with the prices at the big box stores, they had to start selling poorer quality appliances (like what was being sold in the big box stores). Higher prices for better products? People would just go buy the cheaper model with the same brand name at a big box store thinking that they were getting a deal.

This is from some honest talk at a very reliable appliance dealer that I know. He is disgusted with the quality of some of the appliances that he currently has to sell, but has no choice. Otherwise, he just loses business to the big box stores. It is somewhat akin to everyone chasing the cheapest airline tickets and then complaining about the service. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies.

 

[WalnutBaron]

Personally, I like Jimf's theory. Much more enlightening than the notion that manufacturers are building cheaper, less reliable appliances. Perish the thought.

And DaveNW: when the Appliance Death Star hit your household a few years back, did that mean one less trip to Hawaii that year? Just curious.

 

[DaveNV]

And DaveNW: when the Appliance Death Star hit your household a few years back, did that mean one less trip to Hawaii that year? Just curious.

Nope. Trips to Hawaii make living on the Mainland bearable. The travel budget is completely separate from the household budget, for very good reason.

Dave

 

[turkel]

Is this why my husband always complains my daughter and I are hard on equipment?

Loved the story!

 

[Passepartout]

In order to promote low prices, the big box stores had the appliance makers start producing cheaper grade products. If you went somewhere else, the dealers said that in order to compete with the prices at the big box stores, they had to start selling poorer quality appliances (like what was being sold in the big box stores). Higher prices for better products?

Another thing that's shortening appliance life are the 'Energy Star' ratings. Back in the day, the compressors in refrigerators had lots of extra capacity, and just loafed along. New ones have thinner walls, less insulation, and their smaller compressors have to work flat out to keep up. Same things with the smaller heating units in water heaters.

So it goes.

 

[DeniseM]

I feel your pain - my modem and computer power cord both died last week.

 

[Passepartout]

I feel your pain - my modem and computer power cord both died last week.

Failures always happen in threes. Beware of what's next.

 

[easyrider]

As Gilda Radner said, "It's always something" .

Jim[/QUOTE]

I think Bill said this on post two, lol.

I have been very lucky it seems regarding things going to crap. I do take care of my stuff. I think I first learned this behavior from my mom. Then again while in the Army, starting with my boots and m-16, in the back woods of Kentucky. These lessons have served me well.

For me, it doesn't matter what goes to crap as long as its not me.

Bill

 

[ace2000]

As Gilda Radner said, "It's always something" .
Jim

I think Bill said this on post two, lol.

That's the problem around here... nobody EVER listens to that guy!