Crazy prices for appliance parts

[tvguy]

I broke off a knob on our GE electric stove. Just the knob, not the switch.
Replacement knob is $52 . Just the little 5 cent piece of plastic.
That would be $260 if I had to replace all 5 knobs.... a whole new stove is only $525, delivered!


I had to replace the bottom element a few months earlier, I didn't think $22 was too back for that part. And the switch the knob goes on is only $17.
But the parts guy says all stove knobs are crazy expensive. I even looked online, I could find aftermarket knobs, but those were still $25.

Thank god for epoxy. I was able to fix it for under $5

 

[DizMe]

Oh, you're telling me! I did have luck with my stove by calling the company directly. They actually sent me new parts for free (the little ceramic disks on gas stove burners).

Did you try ebay? I've had good luck with them. I got the heating element for an old oven for $2 plus $2 shipping. The parts places wanted $20+.

ETA: appliances are made to last a very short time these days, and I think they just figure you'll go buy a new one when the parts start to go. I think that's a horrid waste. Quality went out the window some years back and everything is conspicuous consumption now.

 

[tvguy]

Oh, you're telling me! I did have luck with my stove by calling the company directly. They actually sent me new parts for free (the little ceramic disks on gas stove burners).

Did you try ebay? I've had good luck with them. I got the heating element for an old oven for $2 plus $2 shipping. The parts places wanted $20+.

ETA: appliances are made to last a very short time these days, and I think they just figure you'll go buy a new one when the parts start to go. I think that's a horrid waste. Quality went out the window some years back and everything is conspicuous consumption now.

Ebay was where I found the knock off knobs. I agree about conspicuous consumption, I just don't know how people can afford to replace stuff so often. I work with people who are on their second or third $1000 flat screen TV, and my $400 1997 tube TV keeps chugging along.

 

[Belle0101]

Ebay was where I found the knock off knobs. I agree about conspicuous consumption, I just don't know how people can afford to replace stuff so often. I work with people who are on their second or third $1000 flat screen TV, and my $400 1997 tube TV keeps chugging along.

We almost always buy knock-off replacement parts. Just last week a part in the overhead garage door motor broke and had to be replaced. I forget how much DH said it would have cost through the company but I do know it was $2 for a knock-off part. And, he replaced it himself so we didn't have a service call or labor fee.

As to affording, our neighbor always buys their appliances and TVs on the "same as cash" plans. Those can be ok, but only if you actually pay in full before the term (90 days, 6 months, etc) is over.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I broke off a knob on our GE electric stove. Just the knob, not the switch.
Replacement knob is $52 . Just the little 5 cent piece of plastic.
That would be $260 if I had to replace all 5 knobs.... a whole new stove is only $525, delivered!


I had to replace the bottom element a few months earlier, I didn't think $22 was too back for that part. And the switch the knob goes on is only $17.
But the parts guy says all stove knobs are crazy expensive. I even looked online, I could find aftermarket knobs, but those were still $25.

Thank god for epoxy. I was able to fix it for under $5

Oh I know what you mean. The little plastic "washer" shaped thing that holds the wheels onto the bottom rack of our dishwasher broke. Not only could we not just buy that one part, but the wheel assembly was around $60 + around $10 to ship. The dishwasher was just beyond the warranty so we had to just pay it. Shortly after that, another piece broke for the top rack. We could still run it but only had the lower rack until the new part arrived. Again it was some ridiculous amount for a little piece of plastic.

Looks like they found a new way to gouge people.
Our dishwasher is a Kenmore Elite. The only elite thing about it is the price of the parts.

 

[leebee]

The dw was just beyond the warranty

I read this as "the dear wife was just beyond warranty…" Too much time on the DISboards, I guess! Time for that second cup of coffee!!

 

[penn19]

I read this as "the dear wife was just beyond warranty…" Too much time on the DISboards, I guess! Time for that second cup of coffee!!

Haha. I read it the same way!

 

[D&D's Mom]

Crazy, isn't it! Our washing machine died last week. Diagnosis was failed rear bearing, which necessitated replacing not only that part but also the inner and outer tubs. Parts cost alone was $702. We bought a new washer for $629.

 

[wiigirl]

Ebay was where I found the knock off knobs. I agree about conspicuous consumption, I just don't know how people can afford to replace stuff so often. I work with people who are on their second or third $1000 flat screen TV, and my $400 1997 tube TV keeps chugging along.

lol...I have never had a tube TV fail. They don't make them like that anymore.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I read this as "the dear wife was just beyond warranty…" Too much time on the DISboards, I guess! Time for that second cup of coffee!!

Haha. I read it the same way!

Sorry! I'll edit.

 

[mrsklamc]

We got a good deal on shocks for our washer on amazon of all places.

 

[tina.tina]

A heating element for our dryer is $130 at an appliance parts store 50 miles from here. Thank goodness for Amazon who is a help to people in rural areas! I got it for $20!

 

[runsandjumps]

One buttoning our dishwasher got fried and to replace the whole panel and necessary pieces was $300. We bought a new dishwasher instead.

Ana

 

[pjlla]

I feel your pain! I broke the inside panel of glass in my oven door (I think it got shut hard up against the handle of the cast iron pan I store in there). The stove is 20 years old and probably due to be replaced in the next year or two, but not yet....so I looked up the part and you CANNOT BUY just that inside piece of glass (although I KNOW it can be removed easily).... you have to buy an entire "inside door kit" for a grand total of about $300!

HECK, brand new this stupid stove probably cost us that (albeit 20 years ago). I even called a specialty appliance repair place in the nearest city that came heavily recommended and they couldn't help and neither could a glass shop (since it is special high heat glass).... so for now, I am living with it. The glass is there, just heavily cracked and it probably means that my oven temp isn't quite as accurate as it should be... oh well......................P

 

[SamSam]

It's why we're called 'disposable society', nothing is made to last and repairs of anything, small or large appliances, cost a fortune. Just makes more sense to buy a new 'whatever', rather than pay $$$ for a repair.

I grew up in a time when even a broken toaster was taken to a repairman to fix it. Now...well, the cost would probably be more than a new toaster.

 

[juliebug]

I feel the pain! my dishwasher broke a tiny plastic piece. but that darn plastic was 20.99 to replace. i ordered it and just fixed it! appliances are soo expensive to fix!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

lol...I have never had a tube TV fail. They don't make them like that anymore.

DH and I were lying in bed watching TV one night, surrounded by cats when we heard a loud POP! Cats scattered the four winds and the tube TV was deader than a doornail.

This is the only reason we have a flat screen in the bedroom.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

A few years ago my parents replaced all 4 knobs on a 1988 GE gas oven. A month after they bought the knobs the oven wasn't holding temp, so they replaced it. I put the knobs on Craigslist and someone from almost 2 hours away bought them. No way were we sending those off with the old stove! They were knock-offs and still very expensive!

 

[Handbag Lady]

Not an appliance story, but a car story with the same theme.

I bought my Pontiac new in 1995. I took great care of it and kept up with all of the service points and oil changes, etc. About 7 years into ownership, the power window failed. It was the little plastic clip that held the glass in place that broke. But they don't sell the clip, you had to buy the entire mechanism AND pay installation for a total of $550...for a $2 clip!

I only replaced the driver's window system when it failed. I let any passenger know that if they complained, THEY could pay the $550 themselves.

Still, that car lasted me 15 years.

 

[luvdzne]

Oh I know what you mean. The little plastic "washer" shaped thing that holds the wheels onto the bottom rack of our dishwasher broke. Not only could we not just buy that one part, but the wheel assembly was around $60 + around $10 to ship. The dishwasher was just beyond the warranty so we had to just pay it. Shortly after that, another piece broke for the top rack. We could still run it but only had the lower rack until the new part arrived. Again it was some ridiculous amount for a little piece of plastic.

Looks like they found a new way to gouge people.
Our dishwasher is a Kenmore Elite. The only elite thing about it is the price of the parts.

We had the same problem. We were able to zip tie it and several other broken pieces back together. I've learned duck tape and zip ties fix almost anything.