Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Environment suffering because of high service costs?

Options
  • 22-04-2005 5:44pm
    #1
    Zaph0d
    Closed Accounts Posts: 756 ✭✭✭


    My family have stopped fixing anything.
    Lawnmower breaks - new lawnmower
    Dishwasher gives out - buy a new one
    etc

    Recently my washing machine developed a fault. It came with a lifetime parts guarantee but when I asked, the cost of labour was €100/hour. Result: trip to electrical retailer and an excuse to purchase a machine with new sexy features. But the additional result is that I am making more frequent trips to the dump with nearly working objects that aren't worth repairing.

    I think this is because the cost of labour is becoming very high in comparison with the cost of goods. I remember 15 years ago seeing people dumping perfectly good furniture on the street in the USA because they had bought a new sofa and there was no market for the old stuff. I furnished my flat for free just by driving around the suburbs for a day with a van. Now I have become like those americans and I would leave outmoded furniture on the street outside my house if my neighbours let me.

    OK so my question is: what's to be done?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,831 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    welcome to the consumer society

    You must have heard of fridge mountain..
    http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/photogalleries/photos/246.html?7
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/4037821.stm


  • Options
    #3
    Doper Than U
    Closed Accounts Posts: 534 ✭✭✭Doper Than U


    You must have heard of fridge mountain..

    Oh.My.God.


  • Options
    #4
    DublinWriter
    Registered Users Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭DublinWriter


    Zaph0d wrote:
    OK so my question is: what's to be done?
    Besides a massive levy on white goods, effectively nothing.

    I'm a child of the 70's and 80's, we had everything repaired, from toasters to transistor radios and TVs.

    It galled me to throw out a fridge recently when the motor burnt out. I also had a fantasic little portable TV from 1985 that I just parted company with this weekend because the buttons wore out - it was a Luxor (Swedish) and had a better picture than any comparable Sony Trinitron that I bought in the last few years.

    These days we are all cash-rich and time poor. Even if I could find someone to fix my white-goods, it would mean that I would have to stay at home, wait for them to call out, etc, etc. It's hardly practical when everthing is so relatively inexpensive these days.


Advertisement