So, your monitor has died or your camera is kaput and you take it in to the shop for them to look at. While waiting to fill out forms you do a little browsing and see the newer, sweeter, versions of your broken device. Do you repair your old devices, or do you just go out and buy new ones? Is is even worthwhile to spend $100 on an old item when a brand new one is better and is only twice the cost? Where do you draw the line between repairing an item and replacing it?
Sometimes I get so attached to my old stuff that I feel they work better than any other version someone else is using. So if it breaks down and I take it to the repair shop, if the cost of repairing is too high then I'd opt for a new monitor, camera - - whatever. The highest I'd pay for a repair is 20% of it's cost but if goes above that I'd buy something new.
I might try to repair old devices on my own - meaning cost 0 -, but if I can't I just trash them and buy new ones, sending old stuff to repair is usually not worth it because we repair something and the next week another part breaks down. Not to mention the costs of repair that sometimes are almost as much as buying new stuff.
If the cost of repair is not too expensive, then for sure I will have it repaired. But if the cost of the repair is like, 25% of the price of my gadget, then I'd probably just leave it broken and I will just save up to buy a new one.
It depends on the product. Some products like espresso machines and larger electronics are easy to repair. But smaller electronics are almost impossible if it's not a software issue. I repair all PC's I own myself though.
I always try to get my old stuff fixed but only if the price of doing so is not that high. In some cases I do the repairs myself, youtube is full of how to guides if you own the proper tools. I do this because of attachment and expenses. I can't always afford to buy a replacement thus repairs suit me just fine. This way of thinking is helped by the fact that I'm never tempted by the newer versions of something though.
I try to get my old stuff fixed but in some cases where the cost of repair is too high in comparison to the price of the replacement, I generally tend to replace it. This is due to the reason that I think that replacing a device is a better idea then investing in an aging device which is getting obsolete day-by-day. Also, in most of the cases you are able to recover a bit of a scrap value from the old device which can be used to contribute for a new device.
Electronic-wise, I normally just have it replaced. If I can fix it in the future, I would probably resell it for cheap or use it as a secondary system for something else. I don't think I have ever gotten an electronic device repaired before actually. I guess it really depends though. If it's a very expensive system with a relatively cheap repair, then I may do it.
When a gadget breaks down and it requires very expensive repair, I would consider that it has already reached the end of its lifespan. I wouldn't really spend anymore for any repair. However, I would not really throw it away because of sentimental value but I would neatly put it in one box together with the other devices that I keep.
Most electronics are very expensive to repair, so I don't bother. 95% of the time it's a new one for me, though if it's computers then I do try to find out what's wrong and change the part myself. That's only with computers though because I've worked in the industry in the past so I know my way around and even though my info is outdated Google helps.
I would think of it as putting that repair money towards newer hardware that is going to last me longer. When you are paying for something to be repaired, a good portion of those costs are going towards labor - you don't really have anything tangible to show for it, other than your repaired, but still used and worn item. When you instead put that money towards a new device, you are getting newer equipment that is less worn and should last longer, as well as a new warranty to cover you on repairs for at least the next year or so. It made sense to have things like computers repaired several years ago, when a mid range system would run you about $2,500 - spending $100 or so to have something fixed was more feasible than shelling out another $2,500 for a new computer. But these days when you can get a very powerful system for under $700, it doesn't make sense to pay someone $50-$100 per hour plus parts to work on your computer when you could put that money towards a brand new system.
It will depend on the extend of the damage. If the damage is much, then I would say simply write it off and get a new device. You will notice that with continuous repairs you might find that it is much easier if you just bought a new device. I will repair it only if it worth repairing but sometimes it is just better if you buy a new one.
Well, it depends on how long you've been using that old device, how attached are to it or how important it is to you at the moment. If you're device is just a year or two old, then I'd say repair it. It is still not that old, but if the reason why your device keeps on breaking is that because its too old to even function properly then I say go replace it with a newer one. If you're too attached to your device, say, a phone, then replacing it wouldn't be that easy, since you have to get used to the new one and transfer all your stuff. Also, the importance of the device, if you really need it at the moment, have it repaired first then fire up some cash to buy a new one.
Well, i think you should at least try to see if the repair of the product is cost effective. You don't want to pay 100 bucks for an old camera to be fixed when you can have a new with better technology for 120. On the other hand if it is cheap to fix it, i would go get it fixed! I love to bond with my old things and tell a story or two about how i got that picture back at 2002
