This is a short one. (See picture for the executive summary.)
Four years ago, before the entire housing industry crashed, I purchased my first home. Great move, I know. I was the face of adjustable-rate mortgage schemes. Let's just say, I didn't exactly get a deal on anything. I am, however, a rare example of someone who actually was able to refinance and keep my beloved farmhouse. (So far.) All in all, I have no complaints except for one...
My big splurge items were a new washer and dryer. My thinking at the time -- invest in a good brand, spend a little more and get rid of the energy sucking 2 units that came with the place.
Almost on cue, both stopped functioning as promised by the end of their limited warranty dates. The washer just blats like a hungry goat 30 seconds after being turned on with a complicated error message that we still can't decipher. The only solution is to turn it off and on again until the Frigidaire fairy magically restarts the system.
The dryer, on the other hand, is now permanently dependent on a 50 year-old stool to keep the door shut. My husband said that there was some sort of clasp or something that had fallen into hole. Apparently, the only solution is to call a repair service to fix it. ($$$$$$$)
My question to anyone who has insight: How do manufactures figure out how to design things to fail "just in time"?
My Conclusion: Someone made a damn good stool 50 years ago. Wish they had a brand I could promote.
My friend Mary (a different Mary who lives in the southwest suburbs of Chicago) and her husband built their dream home a little over 30 years ago, and bought a new Maytag washer and dryer. Both appliances were the then-popular "Harvest Gold" color. The washer has broken down only once in all that time, about 5 years ago. The repairman who came out took it apart, replaced one worn-out piece, and put it all back together. It worked fine after that---and still does today. And before he left Mary's house, that repairman turned to her and said, "Don't EVER get rid of that washer and dryer. They don't make them like that anymore--those things will last the rest of your life if you take care of them." Mary could tell he was not joking, and any thought of replacing those no-longer-trendy Harvest Gold appliances went out of her mind that day.
ReplyDeleteAnd now they are almost in style too, right? Love this post. This goes to heart of the issue. I hope the Maytag, and for that matter,Frigidaire marketing geniuses find this post someday.
ReplyDeleteI was actually going to leave my house and go to the local dump to find an idea for this weekend's post but, as you can see, I didn't need to. Sad huh? Thanks for posting Susan. If you have an idea and would like to blog it here, let me know!