Broken Isn't An Answer!

Today’s the day New Zealand’s Parliament contemplates amendments to the Consumer Guarantees Act that will prevent manufacturers simply “opting out” of any obligation to provide either parts or repairs, or both. It’s long overdue and reflects changes both in the US and Europe, to help improve product lifecycles, reduce repair costs and turnaround times, and cut down on waste.

I’ve written extensively about this issue before. It’s crazy how “planned obsolescence” and consumerism is creating needless waste, and effectively taxing consumers with unnecessary replacement costs. The perception that getting a repair will probably cost as much or more than the replacement, is also crippling, but there’s some truth in that. If something is made so cheaply that it’s not worth investing an hour or two of labour to repair, then that’s something that we should all consider when we’re making this purchase decisions.

I’ve been a fan of iFixIt.com for a long time. They’ve been a community sharing tips and tricks for repairing stuff, and even branched out into toolsets and parts.

What originally triggered me was a broken lens. The manufacturer told me outright that it wasn’t economic to repair. I replaced it, and it sat on the shelf at home for almost a year, until one rainy Sunday I decided I’d take it apart. A few minutes in, the problem was apparent — and all the parts were still trapped inside the lens. A good shake, and I had everything I needed to restore it to perfect condition again. To make sure it was no fluke, I stripped it again, and this time created a manual for the repair of that lens. Most of it is common to other lenses from the same manufacturer. It’s been downloaded every few days for 7 or 8 years now.

Proprietary lock-ins are a hidden cost of ownership that you should be able to opt out of. If the amendment to Section 42 of the Consumer Guarantees Act passes, it’s consistent with the lawsuits and consumer protection legislation that have come out of the likes of John Deere — and even McDonalds notoriously unreliable ice cream machines.

Next time something stops working, ask yourself why? What’s the cause?

I’ve lost count of the stuff I’ve repaired over time. The list ranges from Apple watches to cars, motorcycles, hifi and washing machines. Mostly it’s all about having the confidence to start. It’s like any other challenge in life. A repair is nothing but the result of a good process. Critical thinking. A scientific process. Understand HOW something is supposed to work, then you’ll understand why it’s failed … and how you might be able to fix it, given the parts.

Few issues are ever truly unique. Search YouTube, take a look at iFixit.com, see people who've encountered the same problem — and fixed it.

Let’s hope New Zealand falls into line with this legislation. Notwithstanding your confidence, you SHOULD have the right to demand a repair — or fix it yourself. It’s an important step in reducing our environmental footprint, and reducing the cost of ownership of some of our most important purchases.