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Iwant2kssuallovr
62 / female
Bendover, Florida, US
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Built to Last
I have a friend who is having to pull out some heaters, to heat his home. I still have my grandfather's old plug in heater. It still works! I have the old popcorn popper, a fan. My grandparents had a Edison phonograph..still works.
I grew up driving a '62 Corvair, an old Oldsmobile, and a '57 T-Bird.
These things were meant to last, and really stand the test of time. Unlike, many products we buy now which should include the expiration date. New fan, lasted 3 months. Dad's new remote control fan, one year.
Why don't more things last?
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| January 22, 2011, 23:52 |
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alwaysnaked
65 / male
Sandy Beach, Florida, US
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Re: Built to Last
That why garage sales, with old school tech work ethic [to build the best.] In auto plants, which i worked in decades ago, all workers had to Sign off of their work. Of course today, it's All about The Money, ship work overseas/cheaper labor/contaminated drywall, lead paint...ya'll git it. Next time a garage sale item, like a 15 yr old Hoover vac. i picked up for $6. works great/better like a car wash suck..why does that excite me? recycling? sure,but innovation is needed by the younger...a. my Dad's '57 Ford Fairline 2dr w/312 T-Bird motor, even my 1993 Jeep Cherokee 2dr. is still strong.
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| January 23, 2011, 00:46 |
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perveman
111 / male
Tucson, Arizona, US
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Re: Built to Last
So true, a-naked. Take car parts: I did tire/mechanic worrk for year's. Used to be, could repair (car/truck parts). Now, they, as in most any product, have a time stamp. Only made to last "forever". I used to repair parts, and go. Now, made to replace, and CANNOT repair anything. Doubt if I could figure, or trouble-shoot any malfunction, with out a 10 million dollar scope. Damn good thing I retired way early. 
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| January 23, 2011, 01:17 |
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ashkats
65 / couple
crystal falls, Michigan, US
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Re: Built to Last
yepper everything is disposable, like my profession went,and for car well they only last 8 years anyway. and it won't be long we will all be driving chariots anyway the way the fuel keeps going
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| January 23, 2011, 05:53 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Built to Last
it is all about the money. EVerything use to be built to last. Then companies figgered out that they could sell more if it failed sooner than necessary.
Cars, household appliances are two prime examples. The clothes dryer that I had was made in 1973. I replaced it a few years ago because the drum bushing was wore out. It let socks go behind the drum and start on fire.
Cars, they've defiinately improved the durability and longgevity of the engines. Transmissions, they went to nylon gears in the manuals and prehaps the auto too. Fuel injection is a definate improvement over the carb and the suspensions are a great improvement over what we use to have.
The toaster, fans, window mounted ac, console tv and other things I have, I bought over 10 years ago. So, not doin' too bad. The snowthrower I now have is one my parents bought in 1970. After sitting 9 years, it started and works great!!! It's been a good year to have it too. 
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| January 23, 2011, 13:30 |
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ashkats
65 / couple
crystal falls, Michigan, US
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Re: Built to Last
yep it has but not so good a year for mine, i have a Hahn and i blew the wheel bearings and bent the axlewhen i sucked up a rubber foot matte at the church, the last one was made in 73 and there are no more parts to be found
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| January 23, 2011, 17:20 |
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Grandelf
64 / male
Northern, Michigan, US
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Re: Built to Last
So true, years ago, many products lasted decades..cars actually had metal in them. I was in my folks garage not long ago and there sits a box fan, that we had when I was about 8 years old, and it still works...Now many things we buy today are cheaper to replace than repair.."throw aways" as we call them. A gps, you can but a new one for less the upgrading the maps on the one you already have often times..things just ain't like they you'z ta be.....whoah that sounded old, lol... 
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| January 23, 2011, 21:15 |
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Mooant
41 / male
New Britain, Connecticut, US
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Re: Built to Last
Its actually something that companies learned back in the 70's when almost everyone stopped going out to buy stuff. Why buy a new fan or toaster oven or tv when the one you bought 10 years ago still works perfectly fine and serves its purpose well?
Its not that they design stuff to break now, they just don't put the quality into it so its something that you'll need to buy again. They've also been pushing the new technology route, which I will point out the complete uselessness of the 3D TVs, but they're the new big thing in TVs so they're being pushed. And when they come out with technology to do the 3D without glasses, that will get pushed even more.
It all comes down to generating that need to buy something again.
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| January 23, 2011, 21:22 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Built to Last
An old electric perculator will outlast many a new Mr.Coffees'
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| January 26, 2011, 00:53 |
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kamarel
60 / male
Alexandria, Louisiana, US
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Re: Built to Last
Yeah, if you know how it works!
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| January 26, 2011, 01:06 |
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Iwant2kssuallovr
62 / female
Bendover, Florida, US
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Re: Re: Built to Last
QUOTE (Chazzy @ January 26, 2011, 00:53)An old electric perculator will outlast many a new Mr.Coffees'
I do, I know how it works. We had one growing up, and my Aunt always kept one brewing. When she passed, I'd hoped my brother, (who inherited EVERYTHING) would consider giving it to me, but no. Everything is HIS. He and his Mrs. don't even know the value of these items, or an family significance. They simply throw things away.
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| January 26, 2011, 02:03 |
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perveman
111 / male
Tucson, Arizona, US
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Re: Re: Re: Built to Last
QUOTE (Iwant2kssuallovr @ January 26, 2011, 02:03) QUOTE (Chazzy @ January 26, 2011, 00:53)An old electric perculator will outlast many a new Mr.Coffees'
I do, I know how it works. We had one growing up, and my Aunt always kept one brewing. When she passed, I'd hoped my brother, (who inherited EVERYTHING) would consider giving it to me, but no. Everything is HIS. He and his Mrs. don't even know the value of these items, or an family significance. They simply throw things away.
That really sucks Iwant2. 
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| January 26, 2011, 02:30 |
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ashkats
65 / couple
crystal falls, Michigan, US
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Re: Built to Last
well i do know Mr coffee pots , we went Thu 4 of them things now in the last 8 years it seems , they stop working and leak all over the counter top. and now their slow as hell too
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| January 26, 2011, 06:16 |
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