GE Ripoff

[Bob]

At least it seems to me to be a rip-off. We have a GE (electric) stove top we put in when we built the house ten years ago. It has been satisfactory, but one of the cooking elements does not heat. I exchanged it with another and the same location does not heat, but both elements heat in another location, so it isn't a bad element.

I assume it is the control that is bad, but have not checked it. I called GE to order a new control, figuring it would be perhaps at max, $20. Boy was I wrong, it is $57.55. Oh well, I guess you gotta bite the bullet. But the next shock was that they charge $16.82 for shipping, bringing the total to $74.37.

Sure seems to me that almost $17, is a bit overboard for mailing a small part. I did not order it. Am going to do some trouble shooting first, and if I do need the control, see if I can find a generic part.

Anyway, it sure seems to me to be a rip-off, both on price and shipping.

Guess I'm just blowing off steam and not asking any question, unless someone knows if they make generic parts.

Bob

[Edwin Pawlowski]

There is no such thing as a $20 part these days, from any manufacturer. I can tell you lots of stories of items that cost 10x or 20x from the parts department.

You may want to try

or your local dealer.

[mm]

That's a lot of money. If you see a stove the same brand as yours in the trash, you can get one there for free. Carry a few tools in your car. I was late to work once and I passed up a stove just like mine. Later I needed the broil/bake switch which cost 35 dollars. Boy was I annoyed.

Not only that, I'd make sure that I didn't just need the socket the element plugs into. That's all I needed.

Not sure about your case, but I could tell because when it wouldn't go on, I could twist the burner a bit and then it would go on. Maybe I heard a tiny click (a spark at the socket) when it went on in this manner, I'm not sure. I was busy so I let this go on for a few months until it was too annoying.

Maybe you can test the socket by removing the burner element, sticking probes in the two holes, and then turning on the burner. IIRC it has

240 volts AC so set your meter to the right scale.

But a better test might be lift the top of the stove and touch the probes to the place where the wires meet the socket. Unless you have alligator clip probe(s), I think this would take three hands so get someone to turn the stove on for you.

If it's only the socket, they have them everywhere for 10? dollars iirc. There are two models, based on the brand of your stove. You sort of have to assemble two out of three parts, but it's fun and not too hard.

[trader4]

Check the online appliance parts suppliers. You'll likely find that you can get it for less, maybe saving 20%. But, in general, this is nothing new. The prices manufacturers charge for replacement parts is many X what you would think they should cost. If you put an appliance together piece by piece, it would cost 10X what a new one costs.

A friend bought one of the ceramic flat top ranges last year for a vacation house he occasionally rents out. Bad idea. Within a couple months, a someone dropped something on it, making a quarter size chip and a crack serveral inchs long. I checked online for a replacement and it was $300+. The whole stove cost him $350 new. Luckily, it still works, so he's just living with it. His other mistake was returning the security deposit before he found the damage.

I symphatize with you, but just something we have to put up with.

[Joseph Meehan]

Those prices don't sound so bad to me. I guess I am use to them.

[David Martel]

Bob,

Replacing parts that are not broken will not fix your problem so try and diagnose the problem before you order parts. This could be a bad wire or connector. Why do you want to pay shipping? There's probably an appliance parts store that accepts retail business in your phone book. I think you'll find that they sell the part for less than the part & shipping price that you were quoted

Dave M.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

I have an ancient stove whose brand doesn't matter. A local parts place has helped me keep the thing alive CHEAPLY until I can afford to replace it. His suggestion: Always check the sockets first, before looking at any other cause of burner malfunction. His tip: Unplug stove from wall. Choose a flat screwdriver whose entire blade is NOT thicker than the prongs on the burner. Unplug burner, carefully insert screwdriver. If it feels and sounds rough, it's rough. You'll probably see some crud come out when you remove the screwdriver. Replace the socket. I've replaced two. If I recall, they were under fifteen bucks each.

Open the yellow pages and find a local parts place.

[HeyBub]

My son spotted a sunroof on the curb. He scarfed it up. Turns out it was for a late-model Corvette.

Sold the damn thing on Ebay for almost $400!

My best score was a military, 5-gallon jerry-can. Stenciled on the bottom is the legend:

"3-A - Sep 44"

My can was at Bastogne.

It's fun being an urban faire.

[Chris Friesen]

Look for a used appliance guy. You should be able to get the stove repaired (or at least get the parts you need) very reasonably.

Chris

[Steve B]

I had an oven door timer die on me. I looked around on the Internet, then went and paid $20 more locally so that I could match up the part.

Now the oven works perfectly while before it stayed locked.

What's the gripe? Go get the part and fix the stove.

Maybe you CAN get one at Home Depot and pay $6 for it, but you will likely be replacing it soon. That is IF you can find someone to wait on you.

Steve

[Bob]

Thanks for the advice. I know I need to troubleshoot the problem before I oreder any parts, but I just didn't expect the darn thing to cost that much, so I was going a hunch.

I assume it is the control that is bad, but have not checked it. I called GE to order a new control, figuring it would be perhaps at max, $20. Boy was I wrong, it is $57.55. Oh well, I guess you gotta bite the bullet. But the next shock was that they charge $16.82 for shipping, bringing the total to $74.37.

Sure seems to me that almost $17, is a bit overboard for mailing a small part. I did not order it. Am going to do some trouble shooting first, and if I do need the control, see if I can find a generic part.

Anyway, it sure seems to me to be a rip-off, both on price and shipping.

Guess I'm just blowing off steam and not asking any question, unless someone knows if they make generic parts.

Bob

[lp13-30]

$75 for a regular infinite control is a tad on the high side, considering that for the price of 4 of them, you can buy a new stove. Check it out and find out exactly what you need-- the trouble is one of three things-- the socket, the wiring, or the switch. I have a Wards (Tappan) stove that I am going to get rid of. Everything on itwas working . The controls and possible the socket are probably interchangeable. They are yours if you need them. Just EMail me. I won't charge you $17 for shipping either lol -- won't cost you a cent. BTW, if you do change the control,they are usually easy -- there are 5 wires: the 2 230 volt line wires, the 2 to the element, and one going to the indicator light. The only thing you have to watch is that if you reverse the 2 power wies, and if there is only one indicator light for the elements, when you turn it on along with another burner it will have a dead short and probably fry both controls. Larry

[dnoyeB]

perhaps its a deterrent to get you to buy locally.

dnoyeB

[John McGaw]

All I can say is, nobody is holding a gun to your head forcing you to buy the part directly from GE are they? If you know the part number or at least the model number of the stove there are sources on line which will probably be cheaper.

I have had excellent luck with

but they are not the only source out there.