Sears could use some feel-good stories right now to help its image. For $10, I'll give them pics and the story of the Kenmore fridge I bought for my Mom from Sears in 1982. Worked perfectly every day since, still installed & working when we sold that house this year. Yes, a 31+ year-old fridge still making perfect ice cubes.
How long does a modern fridge from Best Buy last, maybe 10 years?
Sears could use some feel-good stories right now to help its image. For $10, I'll give them pics and the story of the Kenmore fridge I bought for my Mom from Sears in 1982. Worked perfectly every day since, still installed & working when we sold that house this year. Yes, a 31+ year-old fridge still making perfect ice cubes.
How long does a modern fridge from Best Buy last, maybe 10 years?
I've got a Kenmore washer and dryer (although I think it was actually manufactured by Whirlpool) that I bought in 1986. Both are still running strong. Have replaced the mixing assembly (minerals from the water trashed it) and the drain assembly (the rubber flapper came off). The dryer has had many belts and idler wheels, one heating element, and last year I had to finally replace the motor. I like that Sears carries spare parts for many, many years.
I had a Kitchenaid dishwasher that was in the house when I bought it (1991) that died. I'm pretty sure it was the heating element, but I couldn't find a replacement anywhere. Replaced it with a Samsung, purchased through the Sears outlet store. It was new, but no longer in a box, so I got it at a substantial savings. I much prefer to fix-it rather than replace it.
When I moved into my house in 1983, it included a Kenmore washer and dryer that were already sooo oooold. I still have them. I've had to cobble together a urethane belt for the dryer drum, and the washer can only do half loads now without stalling, but both still work.
And you're right: the Kenmore brand was made by Whirlpool -- at least back then. Dunno about now.
Pffft 80s...I have an electric coffee mill from the early 60s and that thing is still milling like there's no tomorrow. :cool: Well, up to the 80s things were built to last forever, since then it's all about cost.
About ten years ago a friend gave me an old 20 gallon compressor that was sitting in his barn. I took it home, cleaned it up, changed the oil and plugged it in. Been working great ever since. It was built in 1944.
When my parents got married in the 60s, they got a Wilfa kitchen machine as a wedding present.
This has later had the bowl replaced at least once, the lid for the bowl twice, and I believe the motor or other 'important bit' inside also replaced once. And it still kneads dough with the best of them... (It uses a weird bowl with a central pillar to move the whisks or kneading hook, so the tools never poke up over the rim of the bowl. That way you could have a proper lid on it)
Yes, a 31+ year-old fridge still making perfect ice cubes.
How long does a modern fridge from Best Buy last, maybe 10 years?
True enough on the longevity front, but hopefully your mom doesn't pay SoCal Edison rates. A fridge that old has terrible efficiency compared to today's models. Some years back we switched out an older Kenmore top-load freezer for a new model, and saved $50+/month.
Maybe there's something in efficiency that makes them less durable, but it doesn't take long to save enough in electricity bills to just keep buying new refrigerators every five years.
Today I took my bike out to 11 Radio shacks in the Metro Boston area. Most of them were pretty picked over, but I need parts for a programming workshop that I'm teaching. Of those 11 stores 6 of them had something worth buying. Here's what I found:
7 Pings
2 LCDs
1 GPS
1 Altimeter
1 Nibbler (Radioshack)
4 Velleman Spinning LED wheel soldering kit
3 Velleman Christmas tree LED soldering kit
Total cost? $206.74.
Most of the stores also had Parallax Quickstarts and Parallax PIRs, but those were full Radioshack price.
Reading this thread reminds me of when Lafayette Electronics went out of business in the early 80's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafayette_Radio_Electronics
I remember going to my local Lafayette, when the liquidators were selling out everything in the store, including the store fixtures.
Reading this thread reminds me of when Lafayette Electronics went out of business in the early 80's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafayette_Radio_Electronics
I remember going to my local Lafayette, when the liquidators were selling out everything in the store, including the store fixtures.
I remember going to one of their stores: Store #11 on Gratiot in Roseville with my father. I still have a few parts from there in the original packaging that I should dig out and take a picture of. I think they are mini 7-segment displays and some chips.
There was also an Olson electronics store on Gratiot and at one point an RS electronics but both of those stores closed. I found a list online that talks about some electronics companies that disappeared:
So my new retirement plan is to hang out near the front door at various Radio Shacks, offering slightly lower battery prices and pocketing the difference. These days, most investors struggle to earn a reliable 5% return on their money annually. I'm targeting 10,000% on the money I front to buy the button cells.
Tell your friends, I'll be offering franchise opportunities to interested parties.
So my new retirement plan is to hang out near the front door at various Radio Shacks, offering slightly lower battery prices and pocketing the difference.
I'm starting to worry about you erco. I can picture you in front of a Radio Shack opening a trench coat with batteries pinned on the inside.
FWIW..you may want to recheck your Radio Shack stories for more clearance goodies.
I stopped by my local RS store that had been picked clean...and ended up buying numerous Arduino and Parallax items that had reappeared...for less than 5 cents on the dollar.
And purchased several more Weller soldering stations and Panvises for cheap.
I built my first Velleman kit from the Radio Shack blowout, an LED Christmas tree. Cute kit, easy 20-minute assembly. Pity they ended up not being a prime mover for the Shack. But this guy bought five from somebody in 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmTKiAsMYYU
Comments
Pretty sad. I didn't even know Sears was still in business.
On this note...if anyone happened to get an extra one of these and wants to part with it, please PM me. Thanks!
How long does a modern fridge from Best Buy last, maybe 10 years?
They're all over Ebay, go figure. This seller had 4, 2 left. $35 BIN free ship...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PanaVise-Combo-Model-301-Standard-Vise-NEW-in-Box-Made-In-USA-FREE-SHIPPING-/131013047584?pt=Clamps_Vises&hash=item1e80fc7520#ht_397wt_924
I've got a Kenmore washer and dryer (although I think it was actually manufactured by Whirlpool) that I bought in 1986. Both are still running strong. Have replaced the mixing assembly (minerals from the water trashed it) and the drain assembly (the rubber flapper came off). The dryer has had many belts and idler wheels, one heating element, and last year I had to finally replace the motor. I like that Sears carries spare parts for many, many years.
I had a Kitchenaid dishwasher that was in the house when I bought it (1991) that died. I'm pretty sure it was the heating element, but I couldn't find a replacement anywhere. Replaced it with a Samsung, purchased through the Sears outlet store. It was new, but no longer in a box, so I got it at a substantial savings. I much prefer to fix-it rather than replace it.
And you're right: the Kenmore brand was made by Whirlpool -- at least back then. Dunno about now.
-Phil
This has later had the bowl replaced at least once, the lid for the bowl twice, and I believe the motor or other 'important bit' inside also replaced once. And it still kneads dough with the best of them... (It uses a weird bowl with a central pillar to move the whisks or kneading hook, so the tools never poke up over the rim of the bowl. That way you could have a proper lid on it)
Well, Mr. Sears, there's your problem right there. You built too many things to last too long.
True enough on the longevity front, but hopefully your mom doesn't pay SoCal Edison rates. A fridge that old has terrible efficiency compared to today's models. Some years back we switched out an older Kenmore top-load freezer for a new model, and saved $50+/month.
Maybe there's something in efficiency that makes them less durable, but it doesn't take long to save enough in electricity bills to just keep buying new refrigerators every five years.
7 Pings
2 LCDs
1 GPS
1 Altimeter
1 Nibbler (Radioshack)
4 Velleman Spinning LED wheel soldering kit
3 Velleman Christmas tree LED soldering kit
Total cost? $206.74.
Most of the stores also had Parallax Quickstarts and Parallax PIRs, but those were full Radioshack price.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafayette_Radio_Electronics
I remember going to my local Lafayette, when the liquidators were selling out everything in the store, including the store fixtures.
I remember going to one of their stores: Store #11 on Gratiot in Roseville with my father. I still have a few parts from there in the original packaging that I should dig out and take a picture of. I think they are mini 7-segment displays and some chips.
There was also an Olson electronics store on Gratiot and at one point an RS electronics but both of those stores closed. I found a list online that talks about some electronics companies that disappeared:
http://audiotools.com/dead_o.html
My latest Ebay purchase was FIFTY 357 batteries for $3 shipped. Total. http://www.ebay.com/itm/50-x-AG13-LR44-SR44-L1154-357-A76-Button-Cell-Battery/190890152792
That's half the price of ONE $6 cell at the Shack: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11511156 So fifty cells from the Shack would cost $300. Repeating, I paid $3. 100 times less.
So my new retirement plan is to hang out near the front door at various Radio Shacks, offering slightly lower battery prices and pocketing the difference. These days, most investors struggle to earn a reliable 5% return on their money annually. I'm targeting 10,000% on the money I front to buy the button cells.
Tell your friends, I'll be offering franchise opportunities to interested parties.
I'm starting to worry about you erco. I can picture you in front of a Radio Shack opening a trench coat with batteries pinned on the inside.
"Hey lady, need some batteries?"
I stopped by my local RS store that had been picked clean...and ended up buying numerous Arduino and Parallax items that had reappeared...for less than 5 cents on the dollar.
And purchased several more Weller soldering stations and Panvises for cheap.
It was a very good day...
Good question...for some of it the answer is no one.
In many areas of the country, commercial rental vacancy rates are still at an all time high as the Country crawls its way out of the Crash of '08.
Possible candidates...those who specialize in distressed properties..like Harbor Freight and the various dollar stores.
I do appreciate the killer prices of the Velleman 8055 interface kits that I got..but as has been noted earlier that is the past.
What is worse is that it says he sold 2 at that price ???
Bean
Maybe..maybe not.
The seller can sell himself two units at any price and make it look like they are selling.
PT Barnum also was correct when he said there is one born every minute.
Also heard from a manager another Great Radio Shack Purge is coming similar to the recent one...my guess..after Christmas.