David Weston wonders whether he should repair an iPod or buy a new one. “The logic board on my iPod video failed and will cost $140 to repair. I can buy a new iPod classic with more memory and newer features. Am I better off buying a new one or paying for a repair that is about half the price of a new one?”
Consumers often struggle between replacement or repair of electronic equipment. From an environmental standpoint, it’s usually better to reuse something than replace it. But from an economic standpoint, that may not make sense.
As a rule of thumb, repair when the cost is reasonable-or when the cost is less than 50% of replacement price. That’s because all repairs are a gamble: You could pay to have something fixed, only to have another, unrelated part fail days later. In addition, you have to consider the energy use. While it’s not a factor with iPods, it may be if you’re considering repair or replacement of a TV or computer, for instance.
Technophiles, of course, use product failures as an excuse to upgrade. If you want to replace an old product with a new model, then the question comes down to whether you can afford it without breaking your budget or going into debt. But what if having the latest model is only minimally important to you? Technology changes rapidly, and even the newest models of electronics today are often out of date within weeks or months, at best.
One good option, in the case of Apple brand products, is buying a refurbished unit. Apple sells refurbished iPod classics on its website for $209-a savings of about 20 percent over the cost of a new one. They units come with the same one-year warranty, so you have some assurance about your investment. In addition, you’re giving new use to an existing product, instead of taking a brand new one out of the box.
1 response so far ↓
1 edkosarin // Oct 2, 2008 at 6:10 pm
I bought a 61 inch plasma TV made by Pioneer. It was purchased on Sept. tst 2006. I called for service several weeks ago, and since I purchased an extended warantee eith the TV, it is covered until 2010. The problem is that the plasma screen itself is bad and needs replacing.The picture is very dark, and if I watch it the lights have to be out in the room. I was told that if the set can’t be repaired it will be replaced. I have been getting the run around from Best Buy, and so far they have done nothing to replace the 7 thousand dollar TV. What should I do? It cannot be repaired!
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