Spares Availabilty

[Andy Champ]

Despite, or because of?

Andy

[Adam Funk]

I think this would be a great idea.

Something else I thought of would be requiring the label to specify a total cost of ownership over 10 years in normal domestic use (with an obligation to make good on it).

[Adam Funk]

Similarly, software companies should be allowed to copyright executables only if they lodge the source code with the relevant national library, who would release it in cases of "abandonware".

[The Other Mike]

Great idea, as a bonus it would bankrupt those producing s**te white goods.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Interesting idea, but I'd say difficult to enforce.

[Theo Markettos]

'Certainly Sir, we provide spares for 100 years, starting at $999,999.99 (increases at 50%pa)'.

Theo

[Dave Liquorice]

Bother, maybe I'm getting mixed up with cars? I sure there is some ruling somewhere on some parts that a maker has to provide for x years after manufacture stops.

Sort of surprises me as compressors etc are fairly generic, depends what bust of course.

Yeah, this attempt will fail though. Currently the heater is back in service with the spade terminals that connected to the time switch joined together with a strip of copper trimmed from the remains of an old HW cylinder. The hole where the timer should be is covered with gaffer tape to keep fingers out. If I can't repair or get another suitable timer it'll go back in as a nice hole filler and a plugin timeswitch used instead.

[Nightjar]

Not at all. I just didn't think it important to go into that much detail when I was only pointing out that manufacturers didn't really have much incentive to keep spares on the shelf for long periods.

Colin Bignell

[harry]

Probably made in China or somewhere. Things these days are not made with the idea of repair, they just want you to junk them.

Even when spares are available, they cost silly money.

[Bob Martin]

You omitted the 'i' from the penultimate word.

[polygonum]

I didn't say it was perfect!

You rightly point out one issue that would need to be addressed with the worst cowboys. But in many ways that is already an issue - how many of us check the prices of non-routine spares before buying products? So any company can already put a silly figure on any part. I guess that if there is a real parts operation they do actually want to push through sales rather than leave them on the shelves indefinitely.

[Mark]

Not sure about that but there has traditionally been a decent supply of spares for cars.

Electronic control board to control the grossly overcomplicated frost-free[1] freezer.

[1] Translated means it clogs up with ice and stops working.

[Huge]

IIRC, Ford only guarantee to supply trim parts for 18 months after a particular model goes out of production. Obviously, some parts may be available for lot longer than that.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Spare parts are always expensive relative to a new complete unit. Which reflects the cost of running a spares scheme.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It depends. Lots of car parts are service items which are expected to be replaced sometime in a car's life. Those which aren't can be very hard to find.

[Mark]

It's a matter of proportion though. I'm sure some spares could be sold at lower cost without the spares business being run at a loss.

[charles]

Dennis, the fire engine manufacturers, went bust becasue they had too much capital tied up in spares.

[polygonum]

And maybe, at least sometimes, simply providing information would be sufficient? E.g. that a particular screw has a certain spec. Or an O-ring is some diameter nitrile. Enough that you can go and buy a commodity replacement.

Then they would not need to have a stock of those items.

(Yes - I know it probably over-simplifies.)

[The Natural Philosopher]

I have this idea for a company called 'Toffs Tools'

"Have you ever wondered how the rich, stay rich? Its because when they buy, they buy something that last a long time: their furniture is handed down from one generation to another, their shoes last 50 years with regular mending, even their garden tools - if that's their hobby, dont break or wear out. Toffs Tools brings you stiuff that lasts longer than you, stuff that can be fixed when it breaks for less than it costs to buy a new piece of s**te."

etc..

[The Natural Philosopher]

I think these days you can in fact build a completely new frog eyed sprite from brand new spare parts.

Not that you would get it past emissions regulations with a couple of SUS and no catalyst..