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[Poll]

Repair or Replace?

Repair it

52% (12)

Give it a temporary patch

17% (4)

Replace it

26% (6)

Throw it out before it can break

4% (1)

Total Votes : 23

(last vote on : 5/7/2010 10:58:40 PM)
(Poll will run till: -- )

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Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 1:36:42 PM

MasterG2kTR

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I've been thinking about this for sometime now. I am curious to know what most of you do. I know this is a broad subject encompassing many variables. When it comes to pretty much anything you own, and once it becomes damaged/defective in some way, do you repair it or replace it?

We can be talking about something as simple as losing a button on your shirt to a broken wire in a lamp or something that broke into two or more pieces but can be glued together again.

One example I can personally throw into the mix is my hairdryer. A while back the switch was getting temperamental. I took it apart and found that the contacts in the switch were dirty (carbon deposits) from daily use. A thorough cleaning with some alcohol and a little fine tuning to the casing of the switch and it was as good as new.

Clearly there are some things that can't or shouldn't be repaired, but this is about the things that can be.

Post #: 1

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 2:01:53 PM

DarkSteven

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Neither. Make self a vague promise to get around to fixing it some day, and forget about it.

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Post #: 2

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 2:05:01 PM

SylvereApLeanan

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What Steven said. Unless it's a big-ticket item I can't ignore, like the car or a major appliance. Then I'll fix it unless it's more economical to replace it.

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Post #: 3

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 2:25:33 PM

girlygurl

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I don't dare try to repair something like electrical stuff.

In fact, if I have something that has stopped working or acting up I'll replace it asap.

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Post #: 4

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 2:52:37 PM

Titanium0Master

Posts: 35
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
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Most electronic stuff is not worth trying to repair because you usually have to send it off to someplace to get repaired. Mechanical stuff can usually be repaired with home equipment, but unless it is worth more than the time it will take me to fix it, I usually just buy another one. I rate my time as pretty valuable so I don't repair a lot of stuff myself, but your mileage may vary.

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Post #: 5

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 2:55:49 PM

Level

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If it costs an arm and a leg to replace, I'll try to have it repaired, but I once I lose faith in something, it usually has to go.

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Post #: 6

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 3:08:23 PM

MysticFireTopaz

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It depends on the item. If it is a tear or missing button on an item of clothing, I will definitely repair it. At one time, I made all of my clothes, so I'm still a fairly adept seamstress. One time, the sole of a shoe separated from the rest of the shoe. I used Gorilla glue with great success and went on to get a couple more years of wear out of the shoe.

As far as anything electrical goes or mechanical goes, I will usually replace it if it isn't very expensive (say under $100). If over $100, I will at least take it in for an estimate. If repairs cost more than replacement, I'll definitely replace. If not, I'll evaluate which option makes more sense.

Under no circumstances will I myself ever attempt to repair anything mechanical or electrical again! The few times I have done so were frustrating, disastrous, and definitely did not produce the desired result, LOL.

< Message edited by MysticFireTopaz -- 5/2/2010 3:10:13 PM >

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Post #: 7

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 3:22:09 PM

Phoenixpower

Posts: 8098
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Depends on the item...

If it is a clothing item which I am not bothered about then it has to go....whereas if it is my grey jumper (which I have since approx. 17 years) then it will get fixed (somehow I managed that it grew with me

)

now, when i know it is something I can't fix and I have nobody nearby who can fix it and I don't want the hassle to get the landlord in (eg when my washing machine broke down) then I buy one and get it replaced...

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Post #: 8

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 4:11:48 PM

soul2share

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Mostly, if the item isn't expensive, I'll just replace it. Most small electronics and appliances are almost throw-away items anymore. I had a vcr that broke years ago, long before the DVD craze, and took it to get it looked at...the guy was honest enough to tell me it's cost more to repair the machine than it would to just go buy a new one. If it's a big ticket item, yeah, I'll get it looked at to see if the cost factor balances out buying versus replacing. I'll use something til it falls apart,then replace it. I'm so technologically behind the times that by the time I get around to buying electronics, the prices are reasonable. Heck I still have a tube TV.....nothing's wrong with it, so I can't justify buying a new flat screen. By the time I got around to buying a VCR/DVD player, it only cost me like $45. And I only paid $30 for my dvd player.

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Post #: 9

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 4:16:14 PM

DesFIP

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From: Apple County NY
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It depends on the item and the knowledge level of the owner.

When my electric pencil sharpener stopped working I was all set to toss and replace it. He took it, unscrewed the thing and took a swiss army knife to clean out the spiral inside that does the sharpening. Ten minutes and it was fixed. He's repaired a laptop but can't fix the chargers as you can't get inside them.

When the washing machine broke down, he switched the hot and cold line temporarily until the repairman could get here a couple of days later. He knew it was the solenoid but didn't have the time to do it, nor did we have the part.

Right now he's contemplating fixing the cam shaft seal on my VW or letting the shop do it. My choice of just checking the oil once a month has been vetoed.

But he won't touch gas lines. For that I call the propane company.

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Post #: 10

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 5:14:47 PM

MasterG2kTR

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From: Wisconsin
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S2S,

You struck a chord for me. When it comes to electronics you (and others) are correct that repair is generally more expensive than replacement. However I can think of two personal cases where that was not true.

1. A few years back I had a CD player then would not read disks every time one was inserted. It didn't matter if they were new or old. I popped the cover off did a little poking around and found that the laser lens was thoroughly caked with dust. A Q-Tip and a little alcohol and it worked great for another four years until something fried in the control panel.

2. A few months ago, my daughter was complaining about her DVD player not working (again not reading disks). This was a multi-disk player that I had bought her for christmas two years earlier. I said I would take a look at it, because I thought it might be the same problem (dirty lens). I opened it up and cycled it. I quickly discovered that it was not properly delivering the disk(s) to the drive platform. More correctly the drive platform was not swinging up under the disk once it was in position. Again a little examination and I discovered all it need was a small dab of grease between two components. Since my daughter had already replaced it she said I should keep it. I have it in my home office now and it works just fine.

Granted these simple fixes are not always the case, but I will generally look something over pretty well before I decide to replace.

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Post #: 11

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 6:16:47 PM

tigreetsa

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I only ever buy food, toiletries, cosmetics, detergents and some clothing new. I never buy other things new and where necessary I recycle.

If it's furniture or an appliance I leave it in the street for it to be recycled.

If it's a small appliance, electrical, a computer or clothing I usually repair it. If it's clothing which cannot be repaired I wear it around the home. If the damage is serious the clothing becomes cloths or rags for cleaning.

If I cannot fix it but know someone who can I may ask them offering cash, beer, vodka, whisky or bourbon or barter something in return.

I will also try to repair friendships rather than replace them.

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Post #: 12

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 9:11:12 PM

auditguy

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Joined: 3/7/2009
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I am what you would call a hoarder (maybe collector, that sounds less crazy), so I can't bring myself to throw something out, but then again I am also lazy, and so I can't find the time to replace it. I will usually try to get it to work again as much as possible and put off the full repair for later. This has led me to having a lot of stuff with electrical tape wrapped around it.

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Post #: 13

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 10:07:20 PM

petmonkey

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The dish i'm eating off of has been superglued, the jeans i'm wearing have embroidered squares over the knees and my media system is a hodge-podge of frankensteined parts. Guess this means i'm a temporary patcher.

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Post #: 14

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/2/2010 10:15:37 PM

WyldHrt

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quote:

Most electronic stuff is not worth trying to repair because you usually have to send it off to someplace to get repaired.

This reminds me of the time (long ago) that I took my VCR to a repair shop that advertised free estimates on repairs. The quote was more than I was willing to spend, so I took it home. On a hunch, I plugged it in and... lo and behold... the problem must have been pretty simple, because they had repaired it while they had the case off. They were betting that I would pay their inflated quote, which was just a bit less than buying a new one. I had that thing for 3 more years.

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Post #: 15

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/3/2010 1:01:29 AM

subwaythru

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Being obstinately stubborn, or stubbornly obstinate, I repair nearly everything, unless something catches my eye and I indulge my secret lust for the new and improved.

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Post #: 16

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/3/2010 5:35:43 AM

pegbundy

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I will repair it if I have the knowledge base to do so. If not, I will spend a good deal of time staring at it trying to gain said knowledge base through osmosis. If this does not work, it goes in the bin and off to WalMart for me.

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Post #: 17

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/3/2010 7:20:18 PM

auditguy

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Here is a little secret to repairing anything, and I mean anything. Giving it a good whack or kick usually fixes it.

It usually takes years of training and apprenticeship for repairmen to earn this greatest tool in their kit, you just learned it for free. However, if that doesn’t work, tossing it out the window has been known to do the trick.

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Post #: 18

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/3/2010 7:36:11 PM

pegbundy

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You don't think that staring at it until it is ashamed of itself for not working properly is a good plan? dammit!

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Post #: 19

RE: Repair or Replace? - 5/3/2010 9:20:06 PM

auditguy

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Ohh, by no means is that an unreasonable plan. Makes perfect sense to me; I'm just trying to give more options. Not everyone has the patience to go with the stare plan, which as good as it is does take a little more time then the whack it and throw it out the window plan. It's like the difference between Ketchup and mustard, both good condiments, but for different tastes.

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Post #: 20

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