My latest conspiracy theory

[rik_uk3]

My latest conspiracy theory = Domestic appliances are programmed to self destruct when the warranty runs out.

In the last twelve months, fridge/freezer, washer drier, printer and today flat screen TV...all kaput within weeks of being out of warranty; so, my bad luck or is it a conspiracy to make us buy more

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

I agree Rik

we had our dishwasher die. got a new one then the cooker went. luckily the cooker only cost me £20 for a new element that i fitted myself. Always happens just when you dont need the expense too

 

[Shewie]

My plasma TV did the same, three weeks out of warranty and it's now 40" instead of 42"

I've refused to buy another one just yet so we've been putting up with it for the last twelve months. Panasonic want £100 just to look at it


On a similar note, I once spoke to a guy who worked for a large well known US outdoor clothing manufacturer, he reckoned their stuff was only meant to last a couple of years before delaminating or failing at the seams etc, it's their way of keeping the punters coming back for the latest styles and fashions.

 

[resnikov]

Total agree with but its not just appliances. I had a 307 (never buying a french car again), they gearbox went one week before warranty. Shows how bad the french engineering is, they couldnt even get it break after the warranty. Some very heated agruments with the deal. "oh its a real exepensive part so we cannot replace it" ***??!!! They did in the end though.

 

[rickyamos]

don't know how true this story is but I was told once that an alarm fitting company (can't remember the name, but some local firm up north) would fit a house alarm and installed a chip or something that would force the unit to stop working a few week after the warranty ran out. They would come in after a service call, remove the chip and charge the earth for the repair, don't know how true this is but I suppose its posible.

 

[andybysea]

Im with you on this weve had far to many appliances go boom not long out of warranty!

 

[dwardo]

Last year we had a problem with our washing machine. First it was the belt so i fixed it, then it was the motor housing so i fixed that too. Then it was the drum mounts and after 3lb of epoxy and make shift bolts I repaired it for another few months until finally the whole thing sheared its footings. This time i gave up and bought a new one.
Two months later i got a letter through the post asking me if i wanted to carry on with my extended warranty

 

[rik_uk3]

One of the joys of retirement is taking my grandson up to school two mornings a week, coming home, making a breakfast tray up and going back to bed to watch the TV for an hour, read the paper etc, total decadence. My son has phoned and told me he's picked up a new telly from Argos but I could have done without the blooming expense to be honest

 

[British Red]

Its called "built in obsoloscence" not a theory - a manufacturing process and design requirement in some fields

 

[wicca]

An automatic steering device I had on a boat failed and as it was well out of warranty I decided to strip it down myself. I found it worked on a sort of rack and pinion arrangement, the rack was stainless steel, the pinion plastic...I took it to a local dealer hoping to find a spare part and said to him.."If they made the pinion of steel too there wouldn't be this type of failure because of plastic on steel wear, they would last for years" He just looked at me and smiled and said, " That's the problem"....

 

[Outdoordude]

I have often thought about if manufactures could make it so that an appliance would break just after the warranty expired. Maybe its true?

 

[abominable_scouse_monster]

Its called "built in obsoloscence" not a theory - a manufacturing process and design requirement in some fields

True that, if you look at computer's for example. We have a old DEC system running flawlessly for over 20 years. Now servers 5 years old fall to bit's (literately in one case).

What really annoys me about the designed life is it's applyed to a fair number of things that are supposed to last more than a year as they are big ticket items, Fridges and Washing machines are prime examples of this.

 

[slowworm]

If you've got time to write a few emails you should be able to at least get money off a new appliance as a replacement. The warranty is largely meaningless, items should last a reasonable time. A TV for example should last at least 5 years (many shops give you a free 5 year warranty on them).

Have a look at the sale of goods act on the Which? or MSE site.

 

[Shewie]

If you've got time to write a few emails you should be able to at least get money off a new appliance as a replacement. The warranty is largely meaningless, items should last a reasonable time. A TV for example should last at least 5 years (many shops give you a free 5 year warranty on them).

Have a look at the sale of goods act on the Which? or MSE site.

My Panasonic warranty was 4 years, mine failed 4 years and three weeks after buying it. I've got nearly £2k in it but the equivalent today is around £400, to say they want £100 just to look at it is just a cheek.

I might have a look in the January sales but we hardly watch TV much anyway

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

My Panasonic warranty was 4 years, mine failed 4 years and three weeks after buying it. I've got nearly £2k in it but the equivalent today is around £400, to say they want £100 just to look at it is just a cheek.

I might have a look in the January sales but we hardly watch TV much anyway

have you tried just answer Shewie

this guy got a diagnosis and link to a new part by following the experts advice. got to be worth a shot

http://www.justanswer.com/tv-repair/6rvvr-vizio-42-inch-plasma-tv-one-morning-watching.html

 

[slowworm]

My Panasonic warranty was 4 years, mine failed 4 years and three weeks after buying it. I've got nearly £2k in it but the equivalent today is around £400, to say they want £100 just to look at it is just a cheek.

I might have a look in the January sales but we hardly watch TV much anyway

Ah yes, sorry, I had assumed 1 year warranties. As you say, probably not worth doing anything about at that age - unless you can fix it yourself.

As an aside, I've found PCs I bought with 3 year warranties last longer than those with 1 year. Impossible to tell if there's anything in it but I have wondered if the longer warranty units are build with more care.

 

[Shewie]

have you tried just answer Shewie

this guy got a diagnosis and link to a new part by following the experts advice. got to be worth a shot

http://www.justanswer.com/tv-repair/6rvvr-vizio-42-inch-plasma-tv-one-morning-watching.html

I'll have a look at that cheers Paul

I did a lot of digging about when it first went dodgy and it was quite a common fault apparently, something about a connection working loose along the top of the plasma panel when it warmed up and expanded.

 

[Shewie]

have you tried just answer Shewie

this guy got a diagnosis and link to a new part by following the experts advice. got to be worth a shot

http://www.justanswer.com/tv-repair/6rvvr-vizio-42-inch-plasma-tv-one-morning-watching.html

Just posted it up and got an instant reply, but the guy wants £21 if I'm satisfied with his answer

I'll give him £21 if he comes round to my house and fixes it

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Just posted it up and got an instant reply, but the guy wants £21 if I'm satisfied with his answer

I'll give him £21 if he comes round to my house and fixes it

lol. good call. im not sure they aren't in the USA. Tell him you will pay if he can fix it from there lol

 

[Shewie]

It looks like it's their policy for any questions ..

Experts in the TV Category typically expect a deposit of £21 to answer questions with the specified urgency and detail. You will only pay the Expert if you are 100% satisfied– our honor system is risk free!