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The right to repair
Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 8:02 am
by daveuprite
Very interesting article I read this morning:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... -to-repair
Politicians and lobbyists are now having to fight for people's right to repair their consumer goods. Many manufacturers profit by engineering their products to deter repairers, even to the extent of sabotaging their own goods so that parts break if repairs are attempted! Law suits are being brought by the manufacturers to maintain their exclusive ability to replace components or whole products rather than permit buyers to repair themselves. It's the ultimate manifestation of our capitalist disposal culture.
Would be interesting to hear what members think. Well worth reading the article first...
Re: The right to repair
Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 8:10 am
by Chalky723
I've repaired a couple of things in the past for literally pennies!
My Sony soundbar stopped working & I was looking at £98 for a replacement. A bit of googling took me to a site which told me to open it up & look at capacitor #129 (can't remember the exact number) - it would be blown. I did this & what do you know! Capacitor #129 was blown. The article told me which replacement to order & I got 4 on Ebay for £2.30.
Bought myself a decent soldering iron instead of the Aldi special I'd been using & swapped it out - all good!!
I've replaced the keypad on one of my kids phones too (in the days when they had keypads) - it's always having a google or looking on YouTube as invariably someone has already done what you're trying to do!!
YouTube has helped me with Car, Bike, PC, Washing Machine etc........
D
Re: The right to repair
Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 10:50 am
by Hugh
Greetings,
It is the camaraderie of repair knowledge that makes sites such as ABR so appealing to many of us.
By sharing our experiences and knowledge we improve our own understandings and for many save money too. I particularly enjoy reading the technical posts, even though I may never own such motorcycles nor products. Perhaps it goes back to childhood memories, items relatively cost a lot of money back then and folks did not have such resources to replace so had to repair things. Financial and self worth values that many of us still cling to, especially now that we realise how our current society with it's throw away mentality is screwing things up around the world.
TTFN
Hugh.
Re: The right to repair
Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 3:30 pm
by daveuprite
I'm a fairly incompetent mechanic, electrician, plumber, gardener, DIY-er. But I always have a go. Living in rural France on a modest income necessitates it. I hate throwing anything away when there's a chance of fixing it. I was close to breaking a bike for parts recently in exasperation that the alarm immobiliser had broken and deactivated the bike. But research and perseverance brought a solution and the bike now lives on as a complete working machine.
As resources and carbon-based energy are rationed in future, it will be imperative that everyone can repair and stretch out the life of products. The days of built in obsolescence must end.
Re: The right to repair
Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 4:55 pm
by bowber
My thinking is that if it's broken why not try to repair it, I'm talking about sensible stuff here such as a phone or electronic appliance, not a broken brake lever.
I think part of the problem may also be the litigation society where a person might have a go at fixing something, it fails again and they or someone else is hurt of killed resulting in some bizarre twisted logic in court resulting in the manufacturer being held responsible. (Or is that just me twisted logic)
We had this discussion recently when I was throwing away all my socks with holes in, my mum said how she used to repair them years ago, now they are thrown away for having a hole in the toe.
Steve
Re: The right to repair
Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 5:29 pm
by DavidS
You should have cut your toenails more often.
Actually, darned socks were darned uncomfortable, as far as I can remember.
Re: The right to repair
Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 5:38 pm
by Tonibe63
Our tumble dryer is like triggers broom after 15 years of belts and tensioners to keep it going. A couple of months ago the rear shaft finally gave way and I was on the verge of throwing it out but a quick Ebay search found new shaft and flange for £4 delivered. Fitted it, changed the phosibronze bush for a roller bearing and the jobs a goodun.
For 20+ years car manufacturers have tried to outlaw pattern parts in order to close down the diyers and small garages but so far they've failed so I can't see the home appliance repair market changing, Ebay/Amazon etc are just too big to shut down the sale of parts.
Re: The right to repair
Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 6:59 pm
by Dansin
Try getting a Tesla repaired anywhere other than Tesla. There are now a very few places (worldwide) that can help with repairs but at the potential wrath of Tesla then no longer supporting the car, even if in warranty. Until recently, they would not supply anyone with any spares. Meaning out of warranty repairs are often with used parts if you can find someone other than Tesla to do it.
For out of warranty cars that they deem as unfit for repair (such as repairable write offs). If they discover the car has been repaired they can (and do) dial in and disable fast charging.
As their numbers increase and the dealer network doesn’t, even getting Tesla to repair one in a timely fashion will become difficult. This is already the case in the USA.
I looked getting a Model 3 for my wife as she does very few miles each week. After a bit of research I bought elsewhere.
Re: The right to repair
Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 7:13 pm
by daveuprite
Dansin wrote: ↑Fri May 10, 2019 6:59 pm
Try getting a Tesla repaired anywhere other than Tesla. There are now a very few places (worldwide) that can help with repairs but at the potential wrath of Tesla then no longer supporting the car, even if in warranty. Until recently, they would not supply anyone with any spares. Meaning out of warranty repairs are often with used parts if you can find someone other than Tesla to do it.
For out of warranty cars that they deem as unfit for repair (such as repairable write offs). If they discover the car has been repaired they can (and do) dial in and disable fast charging.
As their numbers increase and the dealer network doesn’t, even getting Tesla to repair one in a timely fashion will become difficult. This is already the case in the USA.
I looked getting a Model 3 for my wife as she does very few miles each week. After a bit of research I bought elsewhere.
The Tesla situation is a crying shame. Electric vehicle sales will outnumber ICE cars within 15 years - it's vitally necessary and inevitable. So everyone welcomed Tesla's innovation and how capable the cars clearly are. But it's a company dominated by a capricious and opportunist owner/CE who does not really share the sustainable energy values that normally drive his industry. I'm not sure that Tesla has ever turned a profit - it lives off market speculation rather than any eco-ethics. However the battery tech they have developed is cutting edge and important. I just hope that Elon Musk doesn't queer the pitch for the next generation of electric cars. Best bet is to just buy an E-Golf and you can't really go wrong.
Re: The right to repair
Posted: Fri May 10, 2019 9:36 pm
by garyboy
I suppose the issue is Intellectual Property
This is what the US-China trade war is about.
As products grow more and more complex, repairs would give access to development secrets if access were easy.
I think this is ok as long as products remain as relatively cheap as they are.