How to Decide Whether to Replace or Repair an Electronics Product

The cliché "they don't make 'em like they used to" is, unfortunately, usually true, even with electronics. However, while quality has generally declined, performance and functionality have improved. You must weigh the trade-offs to decide whether to replace a product that was reliable until now.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer Magazines
• Stereo Magazines

1. Find out if the product is covered by the manufacturer's warranty or an extended service agreement.
2. Find out the cost of a replacement product.
3. Get a free estimate on repair, if repair shops in your area will provide one. If not, find out the hourly labor charge. Expect to pay $60 to $80 per hour for labor in U.S. cities, with a one-hour minimum charge.
4. Find out how long the repair is warranted. Most shops warrant repairs for 60 to 90 days.
5. Consider the resale value of the product if it is repaired.
6. Consider the portability of the broken product and how far you'll have to haul it to the repair shop.
7. Remember that you might have to spend time learning how to use a new product.
8. Ask a repair technician if any additional parts are likely to need replacement in the near future.
9. Learn about features on current products that your product lacks.
10. If applicable, make sure your software will work on new hardware before abandoning the broken product.
11. Repair the product if the category no longer exists (such as a Beta VCR or eight-track tape player) or you have an old software collection that is valuable to you.
12. Replace the product if you can benefit from upgrading to newer technology (such as from a VCR to a DVD player).
13. Remember that manufacturers must provide at least a 90-day limited warranty for new products sold in the United States.

Tips & Warnings

• Expect a good repair shop to take several weeks to repair your product. Also, manufacturers can be slow to send proprietary parts, or may no longer stock them.
• Audio and video tape decks have minor variations in speed; if you replace one, your tapes are likely to sound "wrong" due to variations in pitch.
• New tape decks lack microphone inputs and once-popular forms of noise reduction.
• Most new turntables won't play 78 RPM records.
• If you choose to replace the product, try to find a way to dispose of the old product that is kind to the environment.

Who Can Help:

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