4 year old Appliances are now Obsolete?

[cesariojpn]

http://consumerist.com/2011/01/sorry-yo ... parts.html

New scrapping opportunities for some?

[Dr. Cadmium]

This is increasingly common with modern appliances.

Problems with control membranes and circuit boards are the cause of many "new" appliances found in scrap yards. These are complex and expensive parts that are also more sensitive to shock and the elements than most parts in traditional appliances. If they malfunction or fail they can be near impossible to diagnose, so the only option is to replace the entire board or membrane.

Most of these electronic components are manufactured overseas at the time of production with only a small amount of extras for parts. Appliances are constantly being redesigned, and a subtle control adjustment to improve efficiency or ad a new dazzling tone often means a whole new board has be designed and manufactured. The result is that any complex electronic part will not have a lot of overstock for replacement parts.

Usually when I have an appliance with a bad board or membrane I save the parts I can and then scrap the rest of the unit.

Alternatively, If for some reason you have a non-repairable unit with a perfectly good control board, you can often sell that part for a premium - especially if it's out of stock everywhere else!

[copperhead57]

Most modern appliances are garbage.

My mother has a 1940's GE refrigerator that still works.

[theirrationalist]

Most modern appliances are garbage.

Agreed