Washing machine & dryer bundle.

Colin4444 said:
The new EU law about fixing products I dont think is going to make much difference
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The real win will likely be in forcing manufacturers to make parts available for 10 years after the life of the product. Parts are currently readily available from a number of specialist suppliers for the main brands. there are also guides and videos online explaining how to troubleshoot and replace parts on the most common appliances. I've replaced heating elements and pumps over the years at very little cost.

For things like washing machines where parts have been in good supply, I think the challenge is more societal, people got out of the habit of trying to have items repairs, taking the excuse to buy newer models instead.
 
Leo said:
The real win will likely be in forcing manufacturers to make parts available for 10 years after the life of the product. Parts are currently readily available from a number of specialist suppliers for the main brands. there are also guides and videos online explaining how to troubleshoot and replace parts on the most common appliances. I've replaced heating elements and pumps over the years at very little cost.

For things like washing machines where parts have been in good supply, I think the challenge is more societal, people got out of the habit of trying to have items repairs, taking the excuse to buy newer models instead.
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I would not be proposing ppl repair electrical items themselves, especially ones that involve water...
societal or not, I enquired about getting a Hifi amp repaired a few years back. HDMI board needed to be replaced, amp cost 320 brand new, and 270 for repair... whats the point?
I have a feeling this is what its going to be, so will not improve a thing! pointless..
 
Colin4444 said:
I would not be proposing ppl repair electrical items themselves, especially ones that involve water...
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If you can't undo a few screws without puncturing a nearby pipe, washing machine repair isn't for you, otherwise it's simple DIY, and the online videos make it even easier.

Colin4444 said:
HDMI board needed to be replaced, amp cost 320 brand new, and 270 for repair... whats the point?
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The new laws requiring more modular designs with more easily replaceable parts should address some of the issues that affected the likes of HiFi and TV equipment where full integration and heavy usage of surface mount components meant parts were so expensive or required specialist equipment that repairs often didn't make economic sense. It was that issue the laws were introduced to combat. Opponents, mainly the manufacturers who love that people have come to accept replacing these items every few years cite the added cost that the required design changes will require as the main argument against them.

It'll be a few years before it really becomes clear whether the regs as they stand have been successful overall of course.
 
getting_on said:
Especially when you hear that all the appliances, whatever the brand, are built in the same factory in China anyway
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You hear incorrectly so. The BSH group (Bosch, Neff, Siemens) manufacture in Germany, Spain, Poland and Turkey. The Beko group which includes Hotpoint, Indesit, and Whirlpool manufacture in Turkey, Romania, Italy, & Poland.
 
Leo said:
got out of the habit of trying to have items repair[ed]
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Yes and no.

I don't think its just a question of 'habit'; its often too expensive to pay someone else to do repeated repairs.

If you are willing to have a go yourself, yes there are savings to be made.

However, I'm frequently dumbfounded by the number of people I meet who can't sew, fix a plug, or use a drill.
 
getting_on said:
I exaggerated. Nevertheless it is true that machines coming off the same assembly line just get different branding applied, (even in the case of premium brands), even if it isn't just one factory in China.
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Much like car brands under the same group, some components will be shared, some will be exclusive and the quality of those will reflect the price point the models are targetted at. To suggest that all machines under a group simply get a different brand stamp is very demonstrably untrue. Just go look at the spares catalogues and you'll see what parts are shared and which are not.
 
getting_on said:
I'd be worried that there might be insurance implications if a self-repaired dryer caused a house fire.
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Never heard of it being an issue now, how would it become more so under legislation that protects the right to repair?
 
DannyBoyD said:
Ah here!

Give me strength!
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I might have a go at repairing a tumble dryer if it lived in an outside shed but in the house no way. I physically unplug it after every single use. They're one of the leading causes of house fires as far as I know.
 
Leo said:
Never heard of it being an issue now, how would it become more so under legislation that protects the right to repair?
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I'm not a lawyer but I think the issue would be that while you can repair something, you have an obligation to do it to what would be deemed a reasonable standard.
 
Leo said:
Much like car brands under the same group, some components will be shared
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The example of that I've most heard mentioned was Audi A4, VW Passat and Skoda Octavia. All pretty much the same car under the skin.
 
I am qualified and capable of working on electrical equipment and appliances. So I do not incur labour expenses. But I would also support the buy cheap strategy. The cost of spare parts is excessive. Something like a door switch or a heating element might be an economical repair, but if a washing machine bearing or motor fails it's definitely not an economical repair, even if its DIY.

My last washing machine is a Beko entry level model.
Over 5 years old and no faults so far.

The new import rules for non EU deliveries is definitely not in the spirit of encouraging repairing items. I have been a regular purchaser of parts from China. Electronic components and bicycle spares for example. The new €3 levy will make this strategy difficult. In many cases I would just buy one spare or component to see if it is suitable. In some cases the part is no use. Up to recently I could order a mix of inexpensive items up to the total value of $10 and get free postage. Now this mix of items would probably incur about $15 in levies and not be economical to take a chance on. Also AliExpress has increased its prices and postage charges in tandem with the new EU levies.

In many cases I have not been able to source suitable parts and components in Ireland. Even if I can the cost is usually exorbitant.

Another annoying thing about the EU levy is that it also applies to items purchased from the UK.
 
Couple of questions if I may about this "right to repair"

What is the liability period for the right to repair and when can the repairer charge me for the repair??
As in is it FOC while under warranty and after I have to pay or does it extend to the 6 years of protection I have under consumer law

After a repair does the new extended warranty cover the whole product or just the repair??
 
getting_on said:
The example of that I've most heard mentioned was Audi A4, VW Passat and Skoda Octavia. All pretty much the same car under the skin.
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Well the A4 is built on the MLB platform while the others share the MQB platform. Yes they share many components, even engines, but they are not the same product simply rebadged. Hey, modern Lamborghini's share VAG group parts, not too many would consider the Gallardo a rebadged R8.
 
getting_on said:
I physically unplug it after every single use. They're one of the leading causes of house fires as far as I know.
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They are, but the fires are usually caused by failure to clean the lint traps as per the instructions. Electrical faults cause a minority of fires, but these happen when turned on and in use. Leaving one plugged in while not in use poses the same level of risk as most other appliances that people usually leave plugged in all the time.
 
Robovac rider said:
Something like a door switch or a heating element might be an economical repair, but if a washing machine bearing or motor fails it's definitely not an economical repair, even if its DIY.
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As a curiosity I looked up the Bosch Series 2 washing machine, the motor can be bought for ~€60, bearing and seal kits for ~€100. These regs should reverse the trend of that the Bosch group started where the drum and bearings were a sealed irreparable unit that certainly meant the end of the machine.
 
Leo said:
Leaving one plugged in while not in use poses the same level of risk as most other appliances that people usually leave plugged in all the time.
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Our current model (perhaps rather worryingly) specifically mentions unplugging/disconnecting it from the mains after use.
 
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