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 Stupid refrigerators.
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| derF |
Posted on 08/30/2009 01:08
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 Major Member  Posts: 1143 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
As many of you know. Or, at least, one or two of you might have a distant memory of the fact that my wife and I bought a completely remodeled condominium about 4 years ago with all new appliances. Top of the line crap too. I'm talking Kitchen Aid, Bosch, Amana, Maytag, Yugo.... No, wait, nothing made by Yugo or Fiat. Mostly just good quality brand name stuff. So, anyway, after a mere four years of service my Amana over under refrigerator freezer develops a fatal congenital heart failure. In other words its compressor coughed up a lung. Called in a repairman who actually stood beside the fridge (as we call them over here) and after about ten minutes announced that it probably needed a compressor and most likely a condenser and that parts and labor could well run up to nearly $1000.00 bucks. I have no idea what that equates to in Euros because the values seem to change daily. To add insult and expense to injury the cheeky bastard had the audacity to charge me $85.00 bucks for the five minutes he stood next to my expired fridge. He said he would check the model number and serial number and get back to me on Monday. (This being a Friday.) And, just as a final jab on his way out he notified me that there would be guarantees on the parts and labor for only thirty days. ! ! He never got back to me. My wife, Suzanne, who will not throw away a napkin until she is sure she cannot ring one more wipe out of it, was adamant. There was no way she was going to throw that kind of money at a product that had already proved it's unreliability. So we began our search for a replacement. We decided to upgrade and so were looking for an icebox (fridge) that had an ice and water dispenser. Hoy! We couldn't touch anything like that for less than twice what the Amana cost. The last store on our list that carried large appliances was Best Buy. It was a new store and had yet to fully stock its showroom. They were bringing in the latest line of Electrolux refrigerators when we arrived and we sort of stood around like spectators checking out the new products. They had just uncrated one of their top of the line models and as the guy who operated the fork lift moved it out of the way he put a small scratch in the side of the fridge. Needless to say the department manager hit the roof, and the fork lift operator was trying to remember what other options he had for other employment. Finally the GM was brought onto the scene and had to decide what to do. He couldn't show it on the showroom. He couldn't ship it back to Europe and so he opted to whole sale it to some cut rate dealer of damaged merchandise. I told him I would take the unit as is for $1200.00 if he would deliver it and he eagerly agreed. He also agreed to honor the original warranty and hall away my old fridge. It is now in my kitchen and seems to be working perfectly but it has so many damn functions its probably going to take me weeks to figure out all the shit it does. Now, if I were a religious guy I would think that god or the fates or whatever had smiled upon me. As it is I see it as a poorly built piece of crap that was about as reliable as the weather which I might have replaced with another appliance that was so cheap that the retailer still felt good about selling it off at half it's suggested retail price. I'll keep you posted. I'm giving five to one odds that I edited this post. (I know this isn't about high tech technology, but it still applies.) Edited by derF on 08/30/2009 01:33 I'll drink to that. Or anything else for that matter.
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| Bob of QF |
Posted on 08/30/2009 15:27
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 Senior Member  Posts: 1791 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
Amana, hunh? I've not any direct experience with Amana brand myself, but they are *supposed* to be superior crap (as opposed to inferior crap...  ).But 4 years in? Most of the stuff I install (A/C) has as a minimum, a 5 year warranty on the compressor-- typically 10 years-- true, only a year for the fan motor, etc, but those parts are relatively cheap to replace (<100$ us) -- the compressor is not worth replacing *unless* it's a warranty job. I am seriously surprised your Amana refrigerator was *not* still under a 10 year warranty....! Quantum Junction: Use both lanes
Reality is that which is left, after you stop believing. |
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| catman |
Posted on 08/31/2009 01:23
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  Posts: 3621 Joined: 08/03/2008 |
I have an Amana refrigerator. It's at least 15 years old and I've never had any problems with it. Maybe I've been lucky.
"If I owned both Hell and Texas, I'd live in Hell and rent out Texas." - General Sheridan
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| Hypatia |
Posted on 08/31/2009 15:08
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 Posts: 2398 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
Oooooh, Cat - looove the new avatar. Carry on.  |
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| derF |
Posted on 08/31/2009 23:15
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Major Member Posts: 1143 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
My problem was that our condo had been completely renovated with all the niceties. Double paned windows, glass brick shower stall and very high quality appliances. Just one little problem. No one registered the appliances and by the time we had purchased the place it was too late. I must say our Bosch dishwasher, and Kitchen Aid convection oven and Maytag washer and dryers are flawless. Aww well, such is life. Just had to blow off some steam. :upsetw:I'll drink to that. Or anything else for that matter.
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| Theory_Execution |
Posted on 09/01/2009 09:04
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Senior Member Posts: 1478 Joined: 08/30/2008 |
Iv never purshased a fridge-freezer in my life, but I have learnt that a popular brand of them over here, SMEG are utterly useless. The doors do not close properly at all. I dont think there is much call for ice dispensing, water filtering/cooling units over here in the UK, we just had our three days of summer and were back to the rain and wind and night chill. The sad fact with electrical goods is that manufacturers have no interest in making devices that last longer than the warranty they are willing to place on it or have to uphold by law. Over here that seems to be a legal requirement of 5 years, 5 years and a day and youll find yourself in the shops. I have been told though, that when it comes to refrigerators (we call them fridges over here too) you should be cleaning them out every month. That means emptying it, switching it off for a day with the door open and cleaning out the drain and wiping it all down. I cleaned the one in my house the other day, it seems to wok better now too, but every month is a tall order for a lazy kid like me. I think of all appliances my parents have gone through washing machines the most, probably related to the heavy loads and high use. I have all of this to look forward to in the future, a slave to your belongings. |
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| JohnH |
Posted on 09/01/2009 13:58
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Major Member Posts: 1116 Joined: 10/09/2008 |
My experience with appliances is that more modern ones are not as sturdy as the older ones. Personal recent experience includes a 10 year old stove and oven now needing either significant repair or replacement. The replacement option probably being the cheaper. I think part of the problem in those two cases is the over reliance on electronic controls rather then making them as simple as possible. Even in the case of the most simple I have had bad luck recently. I had to replace the oven ignitor in a very basic stove after only 3.5 years. Basically like a lot of modern devices appliances are not made to last, it is a simple fact of capitalism that what should be long life items are in fact disposable. It makes more money for the manufacturer. I have over the course of my life used many appliances most of which were old or older. None of the newer ones have held up as well as the older ones. |
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| Bob of QF |
Posted on 09/01/2009 15:47
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Senior Member Posts: 1791 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
derF wrote: My problem was that our condo had been completely renovated with all the niceties. Double paned windows, glass brick shower stall and very high quality appliances. Just one little problem. No one registered the appliances and by the time we had purchased the place it was too late. I must say our Bosch dishwasher, and Kitchen Aid convection oven and Maytag washer and dryers are flawless. Aww well, such is life. Just had to blow off some steam. :upsetw:US Federal regulation: they cannot renig on the warranty, whether you register or not. The most they could do, is force the start of the warranty as the manufacturer's date, instead of the install date-- typically all you loose is 4 to 6 months off the total. Quantum Junction: Use both lanes
Reality is that which is left, after you stop believing. |
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| derF |
Posted on 09/01/2009 22:20
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Major Member Posts: 1143 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
That was the problem it had been over a year and they hadn't bought the extended warranty.
I'll drink to that. Or anything else for that matter.
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| Bob of QF |
Posted on 09/02/2009 17:01
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Senior Member Posts: 1791 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
derF wrote: That was the problem it had been over a year and they hadn't bought the extended warranty. 1 year on an Amana? Strike that brand off my list, then.... a refrigerator ought to have 10 years at the least....they are just not that complicated. Quantum Junction: Use both lanes
Reality is that which is left, after you stop believing. |
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| Skeeve |
Posted on 09/02/2009 18:17
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  Posts: 2742 Joined: 08/01/2008 |
FYI, moving this thread to the appropriate fora
"The world is my country, and do good is my religion." - Thomas Paine
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| derF |
Posted on 09/02/2009 21:35
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Major Member Posts: 1143 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
Refrigerators fall under the category of science and technology. It was in a appropriate forum. Now if it had have been about butter churners I might have agreed with you.
I'll drink to that. Or anything else for that matter.
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| Skeeve |
Posted on 09/02/2009 22:26
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Posts: 2742 Joined: 08/01/2008 |
derF wrote: Refrigerators fall under the category of science and technology. I completely agree! Except this was posted in "Technical problems" in the Members Area  Technical problems Having trouble with the site? Check here first for an answer, or create a post and let us know what's going on. Moderated by RayvenAlandria, seeker, catman, cheshiredragon hmmmm, buuuuutterrrrrr "The world is my country, and do good is my religion." - Thomas Paine
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| catman |
Posted on 09/03/2009 01:42
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Posts: 3621 Joined: 08/03/2008 |
Danke schoen, Hypatia. As for refrigerators falling under 'science and technology', welll...sorta. I'd put them under 'consumer goods that use a lot of power and heat up the kitchen', if there were such a forum.
"If I owned both Hell and Texas, I'd live in Hell and rent out Texas." - General Sheridan
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| Hypatia |
Posted on 09/03/2009 14:49
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Posts: 2398 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
Ditto. I don't even want to talk about them, because they quit working when we can least afford to have them repaired - and none of ours are under warranty any more. How's that, coming from one of the least superstitious people you'll ever know? lol. Sorry for your fridge troubles derF, but glad you were able to get a deal on the new one. |
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| catman |
Posted on 09/03/2009 16:55
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Posts: 3621 Joined: 08/03/2008 |
Hypatia: That's not superstition. That's Murphy's Law, one of the building blocks of the Universe.
"If I owned both Hell and Texas, I'd live in Hell and rent out Texas." - General Sheridan
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| Hypatia |
Posted on 09/03/2009 17:41
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Posts: 2398 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
Thanks Cat - I needed that little reminder right about now. In the last six weeks we've had a t.v. go out and the pump on the air conditioner too. Fortunately we have two other televisions in the house, though that was the large t.v. that went. But it seems like when it rains it pours, as those haven't been the only things that we've had some kind of problem with, and at this point I almost feel like I'm at the 'knocking on wood' point. Oy. |
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| Bob of QF |
Posted on 09/07/2009 11:03
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Senior Member Posts: 1791 Joined: 08/04/2008 |
Hypatia wrote: Thanks Cat - I needed that little reminder right about now. In the last six weeks we've had a t.v. go out and the pump on the air conditioner too. Fortunately we have two other televisions in the house, though that was the large t.v. that went. But it seems like when it rains it pours, as those haven't been the only things that we've had some kind of problem with, and at this point I almost feel like I'm at the 'knocking on wood' point. Oy. Isaac Asimov wrote an amusing essay about knocking on wood. He firmly advocated knocking on plastic, instead. I'll see if I can locate it via Goog.. hmmm. The essay's title seems to have been Science: Knock Plastic. Wiki mentions it under Isaac Asimov (way down, under Popular Science ) Hmmm....can't seem to locate an on-line version of the essay. Too bad. Quantum Junction: Use both lanes
Reality is that which is left, after you stop believing. |
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| Skeeve |
Posted on 09/07/2009 11:18
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Posts: 2742 Joined: 08/01/2008 |
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov[/url] ?
"The world is my country, and do good is my religion." - Thomas Paine
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| catman |
Posted on 09/07/2009 15:08
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Posts: 3621 Joined: 08/03/2008 |
I don't see it there. I read most of the entry, thpugh, since I am a great admirer of Isaac Asimov. The Foundation Trilogy is my favorite science fiction.
"If I owned both Hell and Texas, I'd live in Hell and rent out Texas." - General Sheridan
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