the economies of repair...

[454697819]

Now I know we live in a "throw away society" where we are encouraged to buy new shiny things, from phones to cars to replace those which all still work well, and the manufactures don't help with making things last longer...

Take for example my pressure washer, it is an entry level karcher which costs £60, the pressure manifold has split due to frost damage it would appear so it now leaks..

5 minutes later the manifold is removed and some googlefu'ing later it would appear its replaceable but the manifold is £35, hardly worth repairing with the risk it could go again due to frost.and it differs from the units which are £300 so its a completely disproportionate spares cost..!?

It would be much better if the part was £10, I would happily repair the thing and take the risk but instead they make the part so expensive I am not prepared to risk repair and actually move on to a different make?

Why isnt it part of manufactures green polices to supply spares at reasonable rates which will elongate the product life...

grump....

[timwilky]

When my karcher had ice damage, it cost me about £5 for the appropriate part, where are you looking for the spares.


I used espares (http://www.espares.co.uk/parts/pressure-washers/elbow-joints/karcher/p/1631/877)

[BoltonSte]

As you've both Karcher experience,

My Dad has a 9030 and thinks it's lost pressure, he's had it a while now. All I can find online is that the nozzle may be blocked or worn. Any of you had similar experiences and any idea on fixes?

Ste

Yeah, sorry for derailing.

[johnnyrod]

Know what you mean, I always try to fix stuff but often there's no real way you can because they're made to be binned.

Does everyone who buys a pressure washer have trouble with it? I don't know anyone who hasn't!

[dizzyblonde]

Our microwave conked out one day, a simple plug fuse didn't mend it. I thought it would need throwing in the skip and replacing. Little did I know that there was an internal fuse in it, but peg did, and for 50p it works again :)

They don't tell you that do they

[454697819]

When my karcher had ice damage, it cost me about £5 for the appropriate part, where are you looking for the spares.


I used espares (http://www.espares.co.uk/parts/pressure-washers/elbow-joints/karcher/p/1631/877)

Thats where I got the price from, its a £35 spare... on a 300 washer it would be worth it, but not on mine.

The Nilfisk apparently have a metal manifold which would be better and they start at £50 so ill get one of those pay day Dependant.....

[454697819]

Know what you mean, I always try to fix stuff but often there's no real way you can because they're made to be binned.

Does everyone who buys a pressure washer have trouble with it? I don't know anyone who hasn't!

probably if you leave water in it like i did and leave it in -10 weather in the shed..

[davepreston]

dont knock the throw away society it just got me a near mint sv650 for 400 quid, via la insurance assesors

[maviczap]

probably if you leave water in it like i did and leave it in -10 weather in the shed..

Did you read the instructions?

Says to purge any water in the system before storing, to prevent frost damage :).

If you get the Nilfisk, don't chuck any of your Karcher tools away, as I could use them, just in case they're not compatible with your new machine. :D

[thefallenangel]

Worse thing is they are making things so you don't want to repair them too. £100 for a new pump or 4 hours labour for someone to overhaul it.

But people with a bit of sense see there is money to be made as Dave said.

[Dicky Ticker]

In my book there is a difference in repairing and fitting replacement parts.
I don't know what the part looks like but what about liquid metal to repair it.
I have used it on manifolds and water jackets,even engine blocks and heads successfully on every occasion

[thefallenangel]

what about Compression tape which is rated to 180 PSI?