Young People Can No Longer Fix Gadgets

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Damn whippersnappers can't do anything right anymore.

Young people in Britain have become a lost generation who can no longer mend gadgets and appliances because they have grown up in a disposable world, the professor giving this year’s Royal Institution Christmas lectures has warned.
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Doesn't surprise me. The 'disposable world' we live in is pretty darn unacceptable. Both on companies for skimping on repairability to save a buck in manufacturing (and to ensure that people always have to keep buying their products) and also for consumers for not caring enough to do their homework and spend a little money for something that would actually save them money in the long run. People that willingly buy into this disgust me.
 
I believe this to be a parenting issue. We don't take the time to show our children how to work on our cars, how to look thing up in a paper catalog, or do proper research to determine wants vs needs.

Its the "I want it now generation"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRTkCHE1sS4
 
My dishwasher was having problems: sewer smell and the front door started leaking. I replaced a drain hose to fix the sewer smell. The front door, wasn't sure about. I figured what the hell - take it apart and see what's in it.
Long story short, I fixed the leak and now have a working dishwasher again. Spending a few hours tinkering saved me cash and hopefully lets my dishwasher work for many years to come!

Some stuff is not easy to fix. I had a Panasonic plasma tv that failed. I found the repair manual and ordered a new board for it. It changed the error code, but I ran into another problem. I gave up. At that point, it made more sense to buy a new TV. I did not know how to troubleshoot the board - I looked for blown capacitors, but did not see any.

Moral of my story (I think): I do try to fix stuff and/or salvage it. A lot of the newer items are hard to repair - they are built to be disposable.
 
steakman1971 said:
My dishwasher was having problems: sewer smell and the front door started leaking. I replaced a drain hose to fix the sewer smell. The front door, wasn't sure about. I figured what the hell - take it apart and see what's in it.
Long story short, I fixed the leak and now have a working dishwasher again. Spending a few hours tinkering saved me cash and hopefully lets my dishwasher work for many years to come!
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Good on you. You deserve to save that money. People who just throw these things away without considering fixing them deserve to lose the money. It just sucks that the amount of repairable products available to people like you and I are limited via economies of scale because of all the idiots that refuse to use their brains.
 
the-one1 said:
Majority of people now don't even own a hammer or screwdriver.
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*shakes head in disgust*

One should have multiple hammers, and about a billion and a half screwdrivers and screwdriver tips. (and that only covers those items) There are really a lot of tools that should be considered critical to human life.

There's nothing worse than going to help someone fix something, and either they have one slotted screwdriver and nothing else, or they pull out a horrible little tool kit with bad screwdriver tips, cheap pot-metal pliers, etc. "Will this work?" they say cheerily as you try not to make them feel bad with your expression.
 
bucketlist said:
We might rule, but we're a dying breed. :(
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Agreed, kids these days can barely fix a sandwich. When I was a kid I learned how to take cheap broken down stuff and make it like new. Kids now can't look at something and see the potential of what it could become with some work.
 
Posting in a thread where people lament about how things were and how they perceive things are now in much the same way that countless people have done before in an attempt to make the future seem bleak to no avail despite all the moaning and groaning. :D
 
J3RK said:
*shakes head in disgust*

One should have multiple hammers, and about a billion and a half screwdrivers and screwdriver tips. (and that only covers those items) There are really a lot of tools that should be considered critical to human life.

There's nothing worse than going to help someone fix something, and either they have one slotted screwdriver and nothing else, or they pull out a horrible little tool kit with bad screwdriver tips, cheap pot-metal pliers, etc. "Will this work?" they say cheerily as you try not to make them feel bad with your expression.
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mullet said:
Agreed, kids these days can barely fix a sandwich. When I was a kid I learned how to take cheap broken down stuff and make it like new. Kids now can't look at something and see the potential of what it could become with some work.
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I grew up fixing cars and gadgets, etc.

I have so many tools I have nowhere to store them. :D

I also have so many projects waiting to be done, that I will probably never get around to some of them. :(
 
Well the way most things are made now, there is very little you can fix yourself without spending more than it would cost to buy a new one.
 
I have regularly fixed electronics for my friends and coworkers(recapping monitors, doing solder reflows on PS3s with the yellow light of death, etc). I also do my own car repairs, build my own furniture, and have repaired things by designing parts and printing them out on my 3d printer (including part of the shift linkage in my manual transmission car). Most of the people I know think I'm a fucking wizard or something. In reality, I'm just a cheap bastard with way too many hobbies. :cool:
 
delsydsoftware said:
I have regularly fixed electronics for my friends and coworkers(recapping monitors, doing solder reflows on PS3s with the yellow light of death, etc). I also do my own car repairs, build my own furniture, and have repaired things by designing parts and printing them out on my 3d printer (including part of the shift linkage in my manual transmission car). Most of the people I know think I'm a fucking wizard or something. In reality, I'm just a cheap bastard with way too many hobbies. :cool:
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I, too, can do these things and have a 3d printer ordered. Like you, there are some people who give me too much credit for the amount of things I can do. I simply use my brain, do my research, and I don't rush things. I can fix nearly anything (at least at a consumer level - I'm not about to attempt repairs on a nuclear power plant, haha) but definitely not anywhere near as quickly as the professionals in that field. Like you, I simply refuse to pay someone to do something I can do and for which the tools are affordable.

I've never understood why other people aren't willing to do the same. I imagine I will never understand it. To me, the average person is simply unwilling to think about anything at all except Bud Light and football (and I mean this literally).
 
gwarren007 said:
I believe this to be a parenting issue. We don't take the time to show our children how to work on our cars, how to look thing up in a paper catalog, or do proper research to determine wants vs needs.

Its the "I want it now generation"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRTkCHE1sS4
Click to expand...

Most people can't work on modern cars even if they wanted to. Cars are now basically computers on wheels and they are designed to NOT be serviced by their owners but rather by the dealers only. This is happening more and more and until diagnostic equipment gets cheaper, then maybe that might change, but it's getting worse.
 
Methadras said:
Most people can't work on modern cars even if they wanted to. Cars are now basically computers on wheels and they are designed to NOT be serviced by their owners but rather by the dealers only. This is happening more and more and until diagnostic equipment gets cheaper, then maybe that might change, but it's getting worse.
Click to expand...

Almost any problem with a modern car is still easily user-repairable. Yes, electrical systems are getting harder, but the vast majority of problems with modern cars are still mechanical problems that are unaffected. Suspension stuff, brakes, clutch, fluids, timing belts, water/oil pumps, etc.
 
Lets not give them any ideas here. If people started fixing their stuff I wouldn't get cool stuff off Ebay that can be fixed for cheap.

Broken stuff is usually how I make things better on the cheap. My Vette for example was unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident. Course I wasn't the driver but anyway. Why have an autobody have all the fun? So in less then a month I was able to repair it. Had to learn how to weld thanks to YouTube, and already knew how to paint also thanks to YouTube.
47840656d1415994677-accident-allignment-img_20141026_112120.jpg


In the process I even gave the car an upgrade or two. A Ram air intake through VaraRam and a Android car stereo with reverse camera. Only reason it took a month was because RockAuto took a month to send me my body parts.
 
Methadras said:
Most people can't work on modern cars even if they wanted to. Cars are now basically computers on wheels and they are designed to NOT be serviced by their owners but rather by the dealers only. This is happening more and more and until diagnostic equipment gets cheaper, then maybe that might change, but it's getting worse.
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This is mostly true. The biggest problem is that using a standard ODB reader will only get you part of the error codes now. You have to have something that will read factory codes now too. My Volvo is like this. I eventually had to take it in to a local shop because my reader wouldn't read what I needed it to. I'm actually pretty tired of working on cars these days anyway, but for something as simple as a throttle position sensor, I should be able to swap it out myself. They code them now, so you have to reprogram after the new part goes on. :mad:

Oh well, it gives me more time to put into other things I'm interested in I suppose.

The biggest problem isn't that the cars are relying on computers. It's that they're using this to basically DRM their own brands of parts and services.
 
Volvo is the worst about electrical compatibility. Seriously. My most recent car was a 2009 S80. Most cars are not nearly as bad about having to get things programmed. Volvo even makes the programming a severe pain-in-the-ass for the dealers themselves. It's unacceptable and I am done with Volvo (especially since they are Chinese-owned now). A good friend of mine worked for a company that repairs various car parts and he also has told me many stories about how Volvo is the worst manufacturer to deal with by far. I personally wouldn't necessarily be against making it illegal to require parts to be programmed when there is no logical reason to do so, though ideally consumers would actually do some research, find out what car companies go out of their way to screw consumers over, and avoid those companies. Other car companies are generally getting worse as well, but again, Volvo is THE WORST at this.

But I used Torque on my Android phone with a very cheap (~$25) Bluetooth OBD adapter and it was actually pretty detailed with codes, and not just the engine ones but the various subsystems as well.

Still, even with Volvo these electrical problems are far less common than mechanical ones, even if more common than other brands and harder to fix when it is electrical.
 
My youngest will tear stuff apart to fix it. I taught him well. He'll watch YouTube videos and websites, and then fix his stuff. He replaced his own iPhone battery (and jailbroke his old iPhone).

For me, I'll fix anything I can. Other peoples stuff? If they are replacing it or throwing it away - I'll take it apart and see what I can do. Just make sure that it's a loss to begin with. It I get it working, it's a bonus. If not, it's still a loss.

I have a 37" LCD that I got for free, replaced a couple blown caps for under $5 and it's still running after 4 years. TV's, game consoles, phones, computers... Cheap or free and fixed.
 
Ur_Mom said:
My youngest will tear stuff apart to fix it. I taught him well. He'll watch YouTube videos and websites, and then fix his stuff. He replaced his own iPhone battery (and jailbroke his old iPhone).
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If I have kids (cue half this board saying I'd better not have kids), they will quickly learn that they will either try to fix things on their own (even if it involves me having to teach them how) or they will be going without those things. Not sure why so many people think that parenting simply means whipping out the credit card every 5 minutes.
 
Yeah, this is my first and last Volvo. It's a 2000 C70. I just needed a car, and this one was pretty nice for the price. My Boxster just wasn't cutting it with 3 of my 4 kids going to school now. :D I've owned a lot of Porsches, and while the parts can be pricey, they were always quite easy to fix, and pretty straight-forward overall (provided you had a few specialized tools.) They could even be somewhat fun to fix in some cases. Not sure which direction I'll go after this Volvo. A lot of research is definitely in order though.
 
Ashbringer said:
Lets not give them any ideas here. If people started fixing their stuff I wouldn't get cool stuff off Ebay that can be fixed for cheap.

Broken stuff is usually how I make things better on the cheap. My Vette for example was unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident. Course I wasn't the driver but anyway. Why have an autobody have all the fun? So in less then a month I was able to repair it. Had to learn how to weld thanks to YouTube, and already knew how to paint also thanks to YouTube.
47840656d1415994677-accident-allignment-img_20141026_112120.jpg


In the process I even gave the car an upgrade or two. A Ram air intake through VaraRam and a Android car stereo with reverse camera. Only reason it took a month was because RockAuto took a month to send me my body parts.
Click to expand...

I applaud the effort, but welding is a skill that takes some real time, practice, and supervision for feedback.
If done wrong, the value of your car is shot. More importantly, if you can't prove it was done right by a pro, the value may be shot.
Even if there was no police report, it's only fair to disclose that the car was in an accident, and there will be questions about who did the repairs.
 
Methadras said:
Most people can't work on modern cars even if they wanted to. Cars are now basically computers on wheels and they are designed to NOT be serviced by their owners but rather by the dealers only. This is happening more and more and until diagnostic equipment gets cheaper, then maybe that might change, but it's getting worse.
Click to expand...

I'm just talking about replacing the air filter, know how to change the oil and maybe a tire.

I'm not asking them to know the difference between a MAF / MAP sensor or what speed density is.
 
dandragonrage said:
Almost any problem with a modern car is still easily user-repairable. Yes, electrical systems are getting harder, but the vast majority of problems with modern cars are still mechanical problems that are unaffected. Suspension stuff, brakes, clutch, fluids, timing belts, water/oil pumps, etc.
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And the for get the BIGGEST one of all Over Maintenance :eek:
 
I'd have to say I'm guilty of this myself. When it comes to cars my main excuse is no proper place to work on it though. I really don't want to be doing anything on my car when it's cold out, or too hot in summer. My dream home involves a very large heated and air conditioned garage. I'd probably buy an old car and try to fix it so I can learn.

For electronics it's mostly a lack of knowledge. I've been wanting to learn more though. I have a dead UPS that I'd normally throw out but kept since I want to try fixing it just to learn.
 
pgaster said:
I applaud the effort, but welding is a skill that takes some real time, practice, and supervision for feedback.
If done wrong, the value of your car is shot. More importantly, if you can't prove it was done right by a pro, the value may be shot.
Even if there was no police report, it's only fair to disclose that the car was in an accident, and there will be questions about who did the repairs.
Click to expand...
I had practice welded before I did it to the car, at least two days worth of practice. Stick welding was what I used. My biggest problem was welding with stainless steel rods instead of regular steel. I eventually gave up and used regular steel cause the stainless rods were a pain to get started. The whole point was to keep the welds from rusting, but that's ok cause afterwards I gridded the weld flat and used POR15 to keep it from rusting.
 
J3RK said:
One should have multiple hammers, and about a billion and a half screwdrivers and screwdriver tips. (and that only covers those items) There are really a lot of tools that should be considered critical to human life.
Click to expand...

That's me. And, I no longer loan my tools out.I have about a dozen hammers (6 of them are claw hammers), several dozen screw drivers (a few in each size), hundreds of sockets (different sizes, drive sizes, metric/standard, impact, deep, shallow...). Quite a bit of one off tools, too (clutch alignment tools, Honda specific tools, etc.). Then, the ones my Dad gave me.... He used to be a heavy equipment operator/mechanic, so there are some big ones that I'll probably never use, but I keep around just in case.

Still, I need more space. I can never find what I need. 2 rolling tool boxes, a couple carry tool boxes, a tool belt, a tool carrier that can fit in a 5 gallon bucket.
 
This is a parenting issue. Helicopter parents are ruining the next generation by their inability to allow their kids to actually learn life skills.

Granted, some of the new tech is impossible for a regular person to fix. But as mentioned, cars and such should be fixable by the owner, to some degree.

Millennials actually kind of make me mad at how inept they are and how it will get worse before it gets better.
 
dandragonrage said:
If I have kids (cue half this board saying I'd better not have kids), they will quickly learn that they will either try to fix things on their own (even if it involves me having to teach them how) or they will be going without those things. Not sure why so many people think that parenting simply means whipping out the credit card every 5 minutes.
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If you're ready for kids, they are amazing. I love kids. Some people shouldn't have them. But, if that's your outlook on how to parent - you'll do good. Teaching them is a huge thing, and they seem to like it more than just whipping out the credit card.

Teaching them how to fix things is huge. My Dad taught me lot (and oddly, my Mom taught me how to solder), and I remember those moments more than I do than when they bought me stuff.
 
I dunno about $25 (maybe if you use SuperTech or some other garbage oil) but I agree that a grand is absolute robbery. I usually do my oil changes for around $75, though I use expensive Amsoil Signature Series oil and decent filters (i.e. not FRAM) and I buy new gaskets/crush rings for the oil drain plug. Might get it done for around $20 cheaper if I went back to Pennzoil Platinum.
 
bucketlist said:
Holy fuck, a grand for an oil change?
$25 tops and an hour on a day off for me.
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I heard from someone that does their own oil changes all the time that he tried to change his oil in his newer VW and found that it required a trip to the dealer to do it. There was no way to do it yourself...
 
This thread reminds me of Dana Carvey as Grumpy Old Man

"I'm old and I'm not happy. Everything today is improved and I don't like it. I hate it! In my day we didn't have hair dryers. If you wanted to blow dry your hair you stood outside during a hurricane. Your hair was dry but you had a sharp piece of wood driven clear through your skull and that's the way it was and you liked it! You loved it. Whoopee, I'm a human head-kabob. We didn't have Manoxidol and Hair Wings, in my day if your hair started falling out when you were 16 by 19 you were a bald freak. There was nothing you could do about it. Children would spit at you and nobody would mate with you so you couldn't pass on your disgusting baldness genes. You were a public menace, a crome dome by age 20 and that's the way it was and we liked it! We loved it. Hallelujiah look at me, I'm a bald freak oh happy day! Not like today, everybody feeling good about themselves. I hate it! In my day we didn't have these thin laytex condoms. So you could enjoy sexual pleasure. In my day there was only one kind of condom. You took a rabbit skin and wrapped around your privates and tied it off with a bungee cord and you couldn't feel nothing! And half the time you didn't even know your partner was there. And we used the same one over and over again! 'Cause we were ignorant morons! Just a bunch of hairless, head-kabobs standing around with rabbit skins on our dinks and that's the way we liked it!"
 
Ur_Mom said:
I heard from someone that does their own oil changes all the time that he tried to change his oil in his newer VW and found that it required a trip to the dealer to do it. There was no way to do it yourself...
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Did he say what about it required a trip to the dealer? Was it to reset the computer to realize the oil change had actually been done? I've never seen a car - including Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo and others - where you couldn't easily do the change yourself. Sometimes the drain plugs are hidden by the aero panel on the underside of the engine (name for the panel varies per manufacturer). I have heard of many people accidentally draining transmission fluid (because they didn't drop the panel and didn't see the engine oil drain plug so they drained the only one they saw which was the transmission) and then overfilled the engine. This seemed to be fairly common among idiot owners of Audi A4s, which I owned once upon a time. I support their decision to fix their own car, but they clearly did not do enough research. Some of them blew their engines because they didn't even check the oil level after they did the job, which is ridiculous. I'm pretty competent with cars and even I make sure to always double check fluid levels when I mess with fluids.
 
Koolthulu said:
Well the way most things are made now, there is very little you can fix yourself without spending more than it would cost to buy a new one.
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And this is the real problem, along with poorly made products that are designed to fail after just a few years.

When I'm buying a product like an appliance, car, etc., I check the ratings and try to buy a reliable product that will as long as possible. It's worth paying a little more to not have to deal with the problem, or to get something that will last a few more years.

I finally had to replace my Washing machine this year. After 30 years of usage (and a couple minor repairs), it just wasn't worth fixing due to age and rust.

Sold my last car after 11 years. It was never in the shop except for oil and tire changes. The few minor problems it had I repaired myself.

Repairing items (assuming you can do it yourself) is usually a lot cheaper than buying a replacement. However it you have to pay someone to come out and do the repair, usually it's not worth it, due to the high cost of labor. Nothing worse than spending over $100 for someone to tell you it's not worth fixing.
 
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