Is it just me??? It seems that everything I buy that has a technology aspect to it is failing.
2004 Minolta Dimage digital camera $400 - lasted three years, autofocus problems, company bankrupt.
2005 Garmin 2620 GPS unit $705 - lasted two years, gps problems, reloaded software, etc., $275 for bench job, no way. (this unit has been used due to my caravans, garmin junk)
2004 Dell computer $1259 - cd burner made it out of warranty.
2006 Olympian Cat Htr $325 - worked for two seasons, $75 to have a bench job done.
2007 Paralax Temp assure converter $225 - worked one season, boiled one battery this spring, was out of warranty by the time I came off my caravan in June, Randy suggested I buy a different brand. I have not contacted the factory yet.
Granted most of the stuff is made in china or taiwan.
Is it just me??? It seems that everything I buy that has a technology aspect to it is failing.
2004 Minolta Dimage digital camera $400 - lasted three years, autofocus problems, company bankrupt.
2005 Garmin 2620 GPS unit $705 - lasted two years, gps problems, reloaded software, etc., $275 for bench job, no way. (this unit has been used due to my caravans, garmin junk)
2004 Dell computer $1259 - cd burner made it out of warranty.
2006 Olympian Cat Htr $325 - worked for two seasons, $75 to have a bench job done.
2007 Paralax Temp assure converter $225 - worked one season, boiled one battery this spring, was out of warranty by the time I came off my caravan in June, Randy suggested I buy a different brand. I have not contacted the factory yet.
Granted most of the stuff is made in china or taiwan.
Am I the only one having these problems????
Hi wingfoot; No, this cannot possibly be happening, you must have had a bad dream. However now since you are awake, WELCOME TO THE THROW AWAY SOCIETY ERA. In reality it is our own fault for patronizing the stores which sold this junk. Instead of purchasing our domestic product which was priced according to the built in value, we were purchasing junk for twenty percent less. What we failed to see that in order to use it for 10 years we need to buy one every year. What a deal, twenty percent cheaper made us feel like a winner. Our manufacturers in order to compete, first started to implement cheap foreign components. This was still not enough, so they moved out of the country to remain in business. Next, we were happy to see the Wall mart opening its doors in the neighborhood with free overnight parking for campers. The free overnight stay is not free either. It is a invitation to stay and browse through the store and buy junk on a whim. I too patronize Wall mart but only when I need a Fishing License. This throw away craze is not going to go away unless we make it go away, but that will take years of our careful consideration prior to making a smallest purchase.
If you are looking for examples here is one; I am in a process of building a custom Air boat which I have designed. The prop is driven via 2.5" wide cog belt. Since I could not find a US made belt tensioner, for a $175.00 we got Chinese made. It works on the same principal as torsion arm on Airstream axle. After the installation, we proceeded to adjust tension the belt by placing a large adjustable wrench on the 2.5" housing. The cast iron housing split open exposing the brown cast iron. My first thought was that it was pre-cracked although the entire cracked surfaces were brown not silver. Putting a large hammer to the remaining piece produced more brown casting. Example of a product proudly made in China by US own company. Two and half hour later we installed one proudly made in Norristown Pa, which will outlast the motor which is driving it. I, being in the mechanical field could give you enough examples which would leave me only one hour per day to do the actual work. A year later I would most likely run our of complaints due to a very limited time to perform work. Thanks, "Boatdoc"
...for their warranty to (nearly) expire, that is.
Only a month after Silvergate had a failed power converter on his newer coach, mine is exhibiting the same symptoms this morning. So there you have it: empirical evidence suggests (to me) that these things are disposable -- right about when the factory warranty expires. Nice.
At least I still have a week or two to scramble for a warranty repair...
Good Morning, jd... Sorry to hear about your converter having a similar problem... Our factory Airstream orders were done close to the same time period... Perhaps a bad batch of Parallax 7300 series converters?
Or is this a trend as wingfoot321 suggests?
Earlier this year my brand new Nikon D40 contained a clump of dust that attached itself to the image sensor which was then cleaned under warranty service.
Glad your converter symptoms turned up now while still under warranty. And as you know, my problem was remedied quickly by Southwest Coaches, Irvine, CA.
Here's a little tip: read your CC Terms & Conditions
Some credit cards offer an interesting wrinkle, which you may or may not have noticed: if you purchase an item that offers a warrantee/guaranty period (never understood the difference between those two words) it doubles the effective warrantee life. There's a max, I think it's two years, but I could be wrong.
In other words, say you buy a DVD player that comes with a 1-year guarantee, if you used one of those cards you get a 2-year guarantee.
Or a shaver with a 90-day guarantee, now it's 6 months! Fairly interesting difference, IMHO.
I bought my daughter and her husband a TV that failed outside of the 90 days, my CC company had the dealer fix it at no charge, somehow.
Now, one of the cards I have that gives me that is the green one that has the guy in a Roman soldier's hat, and it costs me an annual fee. But it tells me I have been a Member Since 1974!
The only other card I have is a free (no fee, none at all) card from a major bank, and, as well as the "double your warantee" feature, it also gives me free points.
The real reason I keep the second one is because the Snooty Green one isn't taken everywhere, the retailers always mumble about high discount taken by the CC company. My bank called up one day and talked me into taking it.
Oh, and with either card, if you lose the bill they will get it for you N/C, or at least my two companies will.
Today's consumer swims with the sharks. You have to be on guard and sweat the details even on the stuf you can barely read without a magnifying glass!
The things that haven't broke on my 'stream are the remaining original items...
The Statistics allow us to show what is over built...
And where we can cut back to save money...
but they don't show where we mis-interprepted the Statistics...
I have a scum bag pal that sends a warranty complaint on EVERY major purchase 1 month prior to the end of warranty... and ends up with extended coverage
I'm startin' to think he might be the smart one...
__________________ Hi Ho Silver RV!
Vernon, Sarah, Mac the Border Collie and- 'Epiphany' the 29' Airstream
Is it just me??? It seems that everything I buy that has a technology aspect to it is failing......
Am I the only one having these problems????
$800 LCD HD TV developed a hum in the audio just after warranty expired.
$35 transistor radio stopped working on battery power just after warranty ran out.
Cheap LED flashlight died right after the batteries went in it.
There are several other smaller items that I can't remember right now. One guess where all of these things were made. It's only gonna get worse folks. I had to buy some electrical tape today to replace the Chinese made junk that I had been using. The glue just came right off on my hands and got all over the work I was doing. Cost difference? $2.67 for the made in America 3M brand, 67 cents for the Chinese crap. I'll bet the 3M will still be there 5 years from now. You bet I'm paying attention to where my dollars are going these days.
Just my twisted 2 cents.
Jim
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Still true about are technology today.
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