Quote:
Originally Posted by 1990C4S
Just look at appliances. What sells in volume? Cheap refrigerators from Korea or Mexico. Do they last? No. Can they be easily repaired? No. Do they sell millions of them? Yes. Do people complain every day about them failing prematurely? Just look online for reviews.
How many people pony up for a Sub-Zero that will last 25 years? A very small minority.
Why is Toyota cutting costs (and quality)? Because cheap Chinese and Korean cars are taking their business.
We do this to ourselves.
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Refrigerator chat. The cost of repair labor far outweighs the cost of manufactured units. Earlier this year my Samsung french door refrigerator failed. I checked the boards ($150+ if a technician did it right there) and found that the compressor was at fault. I spoke with a local repair technician who said "unless that thing has sentimental value just get a new one", as the price to replace the compressor and recharge the system was going to be around $1,000. My wife and I bought a brand new stainless Kitchen-Aid for under $1,400 delivered.
The finances of long term maintenance just don't make sense when new units can be made so cheaply.