Was reading some IBEW reports and there was mention of Thompson and TLC (very large chinese electronic company) having negotiations. This was from about a year ago and am wondering if this was finalized.

How disgusting is THAT? An American company, bought by some Frenchys and now (?) owned by the chinese. Stop the world, I wanna get off......will settle for taking a ride in a time machine.

Anthony

Last I heard this happened within the last month or so; I could be wrong so don't quote me. I'll need to research this with news sites.
Tom

You think that's bad, last year I noticed that Revere, who's been in business making quality cookware here in America since 1801, is now manufacturing their products in China! So much for craftsmanship, tradition and pride.

Unfortunately, these days it seems the average consumer isn't willing to pay a little more for "craftsmanship, tradition and pride."

These days I'm trying to make my old TV's, cars, and anything else I own last as long as possible. I'm not buying anything new that I don't have to. I'm keeping alive an RCA CTC-140 that I've had since 1989, I've got a spare chassis and CRT for it now. I'm driving 3 Chrysler pre Daimler takeover vehicles and plan to keep driving them as long as I can bolt on new parts. There's soon to be a Zenith round tube set in my den as soon as I can get the new flyback I found on ebay in it. My stereo is a 1961 Magnavox Concert Grand with 16 6V6's for audio output, I have the Telechron alarm clock beside my bed I've had since I started 7th grade in 1960 and I'm wearing the Bulova watch I've had since 1963, I just keep it serviced and it keeps working. Beside my chair in the living room is a Zenith R7000 US made Trans-Oceanic and in my den a Zenith C845 AM-FM radio. I'd rather rebuild and keep repaired my things that were made years ago and still perform the functions that I need than to go to Wal-Mart and buy some piece of plastic that will be in a landfill in a few years because they are built as throwaway items....My question is how can you have a pride of ownership in something that was meant to be as disposable as a roll of paper towels? There are many new technologies that I have, ie CD player and this laptop computer that I have and use, but they are just a means to an end and will be tossed as soon as they fail, I have no more feeling about them than the roll of towels.....

Read it and weep: They're TTE, now. As of July 2004!
http://www.ttecorp.com/corp_profile.asp
http://www.thomson.net/EN/Home/Press/PressReleases/CorporatePress/PREN040129b.htm

Pride of ownership, Randy? People who care about what they buy are a dying breed. Pride is just what they don't want us to have. They WANT us to toss something instead of fixing it. It's what keeps them churning out more junk in a vicious circle. Ever notice how things are designed and built out of riveted or molded parts that simply can't be disassembled? It's built-in obsolescence.
And I simply hate it.
Tom

This crap coming from China (not counting the food, which I love), is the reason I will not buy a new TV when the FCC changes the television standard. I will, buy a converter so i can watch digital TV on my roundies and other tube sets. Wait, nobody will make converters. Since most of what is on TV is shit, like the modern sets themselves, I'll stick with DVD's.

I think it's a crying shame that our throwaway society continues. Isn't it ironic that the same society that preaches recycling also buys this cheaply foreign-made crap and tosses it when it dies? Our old tube sets, when properly restored, will outlive today's junk by leaps and bounds. I'll bet Sarnoff, the founder of Zenith and others are rolling in their graves. Many great companies have been destroyed due to corporate greed and the government. While solid state has some good qualities, nothing beats tubes.

I do blame the suits and our government, but technology is not blameless. I still feel a human touch is what makes a good product. A robot can't tell if a solder joint turned up cold. A robot can't see the air bubble in the neck of the tube, but we could. I could just see it now. A human worker and a robot from the same factory go to a bar after work for a few cold ones. The human passes out after drinking beer, while the robot passes out from drinking Pennzoil. I digress.

I collect old TV sets because they were made by hard working Americans. I take pride in what I do. There is nothing more satisfying than to soft atart a recapped TV and watch it come to life. What will our hobby be like in the next 50 years? "I switched out the motherboard and CRT. Damn, that black plastic cabinet looks great." I'll be dead by then. I will take my old RCA VICTOR and Zenith, real Philco and others any day. This rant is now over since I will respect the wishes of our moderators and keep politics out.

Agreed Tom.....
Way past time to take the "A" out of "RCA" Sarnoff must be making
about 5000 RPM by now.......

These days I'm trying to make my old TV's, cars, and anything else I own last as long as possible. I'm not buying anything new that I don't have to.

OMG :sigh: ! Did I write that?? Right down to the same thing about pre-Damnliar Chrysler's, Maganvox stereo and model of Zenith Trans-o radio??

If you have this sticker on the back of your '93 New Yorker, then I'm very afraid!! :yikes:

"The quality goes in before the name goes on."

That will now be "The quality runs out when the nameplate falls off"
:thumbsdn:

The older I get the more my attitude is hardening into one of a survialist.....not so much holing up in a bunker with canned goods and lots of ammo but more of being self sufficient and stocking all the replacement parts for my various "obsolete" devices to last till I breathe my last.

Pardon moi, but fuck the system that has sold us all out. Am so disgusted with hearing from all the experts that I don't understand basic economics and that sending all our manufacturing overseas will ultimately be a good thing.

GM killed off Olds and now there's serious noise of their doing the same to either Pontiac or even Buick....BUICK!! Ferchrissakes, GM was FOUNDED ON BUICK. My how the mighty have fallen. Greedy bastards.

Anthony

Heathkit, I agree with most everything you and others have posted. I just don't understand how in such a short period of time we in the US have lost manufactering and seem to have embraced the low quality throw-away junk that seems to be at every level. I did read a report on GM's problems and soon to be certain demise as we know it. As the report explained, it's because they have continued with too many name-plates, and have been greedy and throw so much junk our way that the consumer is fleeing. The report said that after 9/11 GM wanted to keep jobs going and started a massive rebate campaign to entice buyers. It seems that consumers would put up with the lower quality if the price was right. (which is what happened with electronics) But now consumers equate rebates and lower quality with GM and won't buy one at full price. GM should have worked on quality control to keep customers coming back, but didn't. I'm not picking on or have a "beef" with GM, but I am bummed on the low quality of todays American cars. I made the mistake of getting a used 2000 Ford last year after owning a Toyota for years and the Ford just feels like a cheap piece of junk after only having 49000 miles. I would hope that the US car manufactures will get with it, and start concentrating on quality, or we will soon be in further trouble automotive wise. The bad thing with electronics was that the US manufactures were putting out high quality product, and people just seemed to accept the cheap junk at a lower price. I am going to hold on to my older electronics which will outlast anything today and plan on ditching the crappy Ford for a 1960's GM or Chrysler product. I am sick of todays low quality import product at every level.

Have you checked the reliability reports on RCA products lately.
I did because my 25" RCA has been in for repairs twice in the last 2 years.
I previously never had an RCA product break down in less than 5 years. let alone 10 days after warranty expired, the first time.
They are and have been for some time the most frequently repaired equipment almost across the board.
And don't even get me started on GM.
The last decent GM product I owned was a 75 Impala.
Now that was a car (ok, maybe boat) !!!
The last GM I owned was a 87 Delta 88.
Motor had to be rebuilt at 115,000 km, Tranny at 125,000 km.
CRAP, that's what it was.
I know many people who work at GM in Oshawa.
The company makes no money on new sales, only repair/parts.
What the hell is that all about.
We have been driving Toyota's since the Delta.
I have over 160,000 kms on my 2002 Camry,
No such problems, or any problems for that matter.
I would love to purchase strickly North American, but I can't afford to with that kind of reliablity.

Last April, I was in the market for a new mountain bike, so I ended up buying a Schwinn from a bike dealer in a nearby village (I try to keep my dollars local when possible) I didn't even check - I *assumed* that a classic American brand like Schwinn was American made.

Nope, I discovered a week later that the bike was Chi-Com manufactured. That's the last money I'll give to Schwinn. I don't mind, even, if the product is South Korean, or Taiwanese, or Japanese. At least those countries are ALLIES of the United States.

So if anyone else is in the market for a bicycle, do some research - Trek, Cannondale, Univega, and Raleigh are all made in USA, to the best of my knowledge (and hardly an all-inclusive list). Let's keep our neighbors and friends employed, people, rather than slaves in Communist China.

Why-oh-Why does every one of these postings turn into "My uncle bought a used Hoyit-Clagswell tractor back in the 70s, and it was a piece of junk." Is anyone else familar with the term "Anecdotal Evidence"? If not, here's something to read:

http://www.cuyamaca.net/bruce.thompson/Fallacies/anecdotal.asp

First of all, buying something that's 5-years old and then complaining about how it "feels" is pretty much meaningless. To then extrapolate this "feeling" into a pronouncement about one entire nation's manufactured goods vs. another is beyond silly. Talk about jumping to conclusions! That's like downing a McDonald's hamburger, then deciding that "all the food in this town tastes like crap." Yes I can understand why you feel that way, but logic must overrule your arguement. It is not my intent to pick-on anyone here, but you should consider how it sounds.

On the other hand, this comment I agree with...

I don't mind, even, if the product is South Korean, or Taiwanese, or Japanese. At least those countries are ALLIES of the United States.

Although I would expand it by saying that I don't have a problem with purchasing goods from a "first-world" nation (whether they like us of not) which pretty much leaves US/Canada, the EU, the UK, Austraila and Japan. At least you aren't exploiting the workers of another nation, just to save a few bucks to waste on beer.

If I can believe the pointy-heads at my job, it costs 830% more to manufacture something in the USA, than China. That's after you factor-in wages, benefits, infrastruture, taxes, enviromental compliance, etc. Keep in mind that the US is (often) the LOWEST-COST 1st world manufacturer. Do you find yourself spending 830% less on durable goods in 2005 vs., say 1985?

Now this question goes out to those of us in the aforementioned first-world nations: Do you understand that your good, modern, easy, free, clean, and healthy way of life was made possible by those who went before you? Our way of life is made possible by the masses earning a decent wage, not the lowest common denominator made available by governments with maximum wage laws, child labor, no enviromental standards, no due process, and cozy corporate/govenment relationships.

Right now, we are living fat off the wealth of our parents and grandparents but the wolves are at the door, people. I see it in $2.50 gasoline and other natural resources like steel, aluminium, etc. at all-time-high prices. There will be no shooting wars, you'll just have to learn to due without and aquiesque to a culture that places greater emphasis on the elite and "state/group" good than the individual. Do you think medical advances come from this mindset? Education? Arts? Go ask the Romans just before and after the dark ages.

Knowing this doesn't change anything. :banana:

uh-huh...... I suppose my venting about a used Ford vehicle I purchased being a piece of junk after 5 years and 49000 miles, altho it has been dealer serviced since new by the previous owner and now by me, may not be the best example. I was just venting on how I do not want to see any of the US car companies fail like the American electronics companies did. (I'm also not basing my opinion on my experiance alone, but from many others I know that have the same gripe) We lost US made electronics by the mid 80's and now have Chinese crap filling our shelves, that isn't even made to last or service. I hear that Sony can't even afford to produce their sets in Japan. They manufacture in China as well, and their quality isn't what it used to be. I'm just venting on how the quality of many items we purchase isn't the same as what it used to be and that's sad.

I think part of the downfall was that people began to equate Japan with quality, & that was a correct assumption. But then they further figured that anything made in Asia would be just as good, & that is far from correct. I think Korea has caught up pretty well but it will be a LONG time before the Chinese reach even Korean standards.

Most Americans don't know a hill of beans about whats inside their TV set or where it came from. Some folks still think new tv sets use tubes (my father for one). They just naturally figure that a Zenith or Sylvania is American & will walk right past that Samsung, that really was made here. I am kidded a lot for always checking the label but it only takes a second. Sometimes you can't do anything about it, especially if you are on a budget. When I bought my wife a 35mm camera a few years back I had to get a Chinese one-every one the store had (in my price range) was Chinese. The only alternative was to go without. (I knew she wouldn't settle for using my Kodak Motormatic) When I bought a digital camera I wanted to buy Kodak but they were Chinese; I bought a Fuji, made in Japan. Japan is a very good ally of ours which has been through some tough times. Sometimes its a matter of "least offensive". Do I buy the junk electronic made in Mexico or Malaysia?

The days of "American" cars are numbered. Soon I suspect the "foreign" companies will be producing more vehicles here then the big 3. More & more are being assembled south of the border; GM's latest crop is coming out of Korea (ex-Daewoo) & the Chinese cars are coming, and fast. One Chevrolet (at least) is already being sold here with a Chinese engine. Buick's are very popular over there; if they get the bugs out why build them in the US? Ship them over, heck, the buyers don't know the difference. I doubt many of those big, burly guys driving $40K "American" pickup trucks know that their truck was made in Mexico. If you told them they might get hot under the collar but they would forget it by tommorow. They would then drive that truck to Home Depot & buy a DeWalt drill made in China, some plywood from some rain forest somewhere, then belly-ache because hours are being cut back at the plant.

I also hoard a lot of old stuff, & buy very little new. There is so much just plain JUNK on the market that it makes me want to just run towards my old, quality stuff.

Sometimes you can't do anything about it, especially if you are on a budget. When I bought my wife a 35mm camera a few years back I had to get a Chinese one-every one the store had (in my price range) was Chinese. The only alternative was to go without. (I knew she wouldn't settle for using my Kodak Motormatic) When I bought a digital camera I wanted to buy Kodak but they were Chinese; I bought a Fuji, made in Japan. Japan is a very good ally of ours which has been through some tough times. Sometimes its a matter of "least offensive". Do I buy the junk electronic made in Mexico or Malaysia?


Kodak stopped making cameras in the USA in the late 80's or so (except perhaps some of their disposables). The last American-made Kodak cameras included such things as the first generation or so of VR35 cameras, and two rather long-lived "just-wouldn't-go-away" models, namely the Ektralite 10 and the Instamatic X-15F. If I remember correctly, even the Ektralite 10 production eventually moved to Brazil or something. After that, the two remaining manufacturers of mass-market cameras in the USA were Keystone and Polaroid, with the Polaroid Captiva SLR (discontinued ~ 1997) quite possibly being the last USA-made camera for the mass-market.

Yeah, it is kinda depressing when you see 'traditional' consumer products that were made by the same manufacturer in the USA for a long, long time suddenly switch to another country of origin. Other examples that come to mind include Toastmaster toasters and Westclox "Big Ben" alarm clocks. On a similar note, the Sheaffer Pen company was bought by BIC a few years ago, and BIC plans to close the old Shaeffer factory in Fort Madison, IA in 2006, so if you'd like to get a new American-made fountain pen, this could well be your last chance. :worried:
[...unless there is another American fountain pen manufacturer that I'm not aware of; I know Parker no longer makes pens in the USA.]

...But, that's how commerce works. These days, you can go to any discount store and buy a 19" color TV for under $100. How can any American manufacturer compete with that? It's not "bad", it's not "good", it just "is". It's just part of the way things work...

Unfortunately, these days it seems the average consumer isn't willing to pay a little more for "craftsmanship, tradition and pride."

Well, my buddy worked in retail for many years as I am doing now and his big complaint is "everybody wants everything for nothing." Yes, TV's cost less today, you can get a 25 incher, even if it is a BPC, for like $150 but when it dies, can you get it fixed? Even in you can, it gets tossed. I remember some here, I think it was Polaraman, found a perfectly working 1990 RCA ColorTrak that was due to be tossed. Well, myself, our 1982 Zenith 25 incher console, we bought that in 1983 for like $650 and it is still our daily watcher today. I have to say 22+ years, that is a bargain when you think about it. I think good made in Red China lack in quality and I know I'm delving into the political realm here but even though I've very conservative guy politically, I feel we are slitting our throats jobswise and building up Red China's war machine. I know here on AK, politics is frowned upon so I'll end it here but I admit when this topic comes up, it makes me think of the geopolitical situation. Getting back to the subject at hand, I think next time I see TV's put out I'll see if they work, I can always sell them at the flea market if I don't want them. :)

Kodak stopped making cameras in the USA in the late 80's or so (except perhaps some of their disposables). The last American-made Kodak cameras included such things as the first generation or so of VR35 cameras, and two rather long-lived "just-wouldn't-go-away" models, namely the Ektralite 10 and the Instamatic X-15F. If I remember correctly, even the Ektralite 10 production eventually moved to Brazil or something. After that, the two remaining manufacturers of mass-market cameras in the USA were Keystone and Polaroid, with the Polaroid Captiva SLR (discontinued ~ 1997) quite possibly being the last USA-made camera for the mass-market.

Yeah, it is kinda depressing when you see 'traditional' consumer products that were made by the same manufacturer in the USA for a long, long time suddenly switch to another country of origin. Other examples that come to mind include Toastmaster toasters and Westclox "Big Ben" alarm clocks. On a similar note, the Sheaffer Pen company was bought by BIC a few years ago, and BIC plans to close the old Shaeffer factory in Fort Madison, IA in 2006, so if you'd like to get a new American-made fountain pen, this could well be your last chance. :worried:
[...unless there is another American fountain pen manufacturer that I'm not aware of; I know Parker no longer makes pens in the USA.]


...But, that's how commerce works. These days, you can go to any discount store and buy a 19" color TV for under $100. How can any American manufacturer compete with that? It's not "bad", it's not "good", it just "is". It's just part of the way things work...


I know Kodak is making some of their disposable cameras in Mexico now. I looked at a few of them at work, I work in a drugstore photolab until something better comes along. I know BIC still makes pens in France. As to fountain pens, I still have one in a package that was made in "West Germany," I think the date on the package reads 1989 or 1990.

The older I get the more my attitude is hardening into one of a survialist.....not so much holing up in a bunker with canned goods and lots of ammo but more of being self sufficient and stocking all the replacement parts for my various "obsolete" devices to last till I breathe my last.

Pardon moi, but f*** the system that has sold us all out. Am so disgusted with hearing from all the experts that I don't understand basic economics and that sending all our manufacturing overseas will ultimately be a good thing.

GM killed off Olds and now there's serious noise of their doing the same to either Pontiac or even Buick....BUICK!! Ferchrissakes, GM was FOUNDED ON BUICK. My how the mighty have fallen. Greedy bastards.

Anthony

Deep down, I'm with ya. Again, I consider myself very conservative in a nutshell, but yeah, I get lots of flak from the free traders too. I dunno, I find myself reading stories from the Victorian/Edwardian Era muckrackers (another interest of mine is the fascination with that period in history as well as World War II and the Cold War) wondering if we are headed in that direction again? I'm reading a book by David Graham Phillips, one of the muckrakers of that time. Dang, all this talk has really opened me up, me and my stupid fat mouth and keyboard. ;)

Well, I guess I'll add some more vacuum tubes to my bunker. ;)

I'm not quite sure about the other companies, but I understand that GM does not make money in their manufacturing arm. They make no money there and it shows -- IMHO they've got the most mediocore and uninspiring products on the market. They get their money through their finance arm, GMAC. I have been told that they make $10.00 on each Chevrolet Cavalier. No, that decimal point isn't misplaced. The target customer for that car typically lands into higher-interest loans or longer-term finance agreements for that all-important Low Payment (tm). Witness the immediate $5000 rebates within two months of the new Malibu being released. The revenue is generated by "the deal" with 60 and 72 month finance contracts, leasing (they call it "Smart Buy"), and Onstar/XM, the subscription/service based cash cows. It is standard in all their vehicles due to the cheap cost of the hardware and the button-happy concierge customers that generate a fee each time the button is pressed beyond the first year that is typically part of the initial sale. It is in their interest to design a limited lifetime into their products. It requires the customer to get into another contract with their financing. Ignoring product content generally, Buick and Olds drivers tend to drive more gently, getting more time out of their vehicles. Their customers trade cars on average every 10 years. This puts them in the crosshairs of demise as Olds has already felt as they don't have the typical 3-5 year cycle that Chevrolet and Pontiac see in their customer.

Not even the dealers make their money from the new sales. Most of their money is made in the used car section and in Service. Used cars have monster mark-up from their trade-in prices creating $3k and $4k profits in many cases -- unheard of in the cuthroat new pricing arena. In the service bay, they are paid by the factory warranty claims if not by the customer, and the markup on parts is unbelievable. Current cost on a wheel bearing for a modern GM full-size truck is $360. That's correct. It's a non-servicable assembly with the hub, spindle, bearing, ABS sensor attached to the upper and lower ball joint assemblies with three bolts (also non-reusable, they "stretch" when torqued properly, by design). GM classifies this assembly as a "wear item" with an expected lifespan of 25,000 miles. Read any Silverado/Sierra board for the details.

Face it folks, it's all about the money. We don't make products, we make contracts and intellectual capital these days. Physical items are made somewhere else.

"After that, the two remaining manufacturers of mass-market cameras in the USA were Keystone and Polaroid"

In the early/mid-90s I went looking for a basic camera for my then girlfriend, and I really wanted an American one. And, yes, I found what I was looking for, "the last place I looked", an old worn out Woolworths downtown. It was a Keystone, and a perfectly decent little 35mm camera. When I later went to find another one they were nowhere to be found.

I know myself, when I was a kid, I remember my parents trading in and getting new cars every 3 or 4 years. My parents had a 1961 Buick Special, then a 1965 Buick Special, then a 1968 Buick Wildcat, after that a 1972 Chevy Bel-Air (what a stinker), then a 1973 Pontiac Catalina. My parents divorced in 1976. Today, people get a new car at much longer intervals.

Heathkit, I agree with most everything you and others have posted. I just don't understand how in such a short period of time we in the US have lost manufactering and seem to have embraced the low quality throw-away junk that seems to be at every level. I did read a report on GM's problems and soon to be certain demise as we know it. As the report explained, it's because they have continued with too many name-plates, and

<snip>

was that the US manufactures were putting out high quality product, and people just seemed to accept the cheap junk at a lower price. I am going to hold on to my older electronics which will outlast anything today and plan on ditching the crappy Ford for a 1960's GM or Chrysler product. I am sick of todays low quality import product at every level.

Funny you mention going for a 1960s GM or Chrysler product. My newest car is a 1981 Mercury Zephyr, and oldest is a 1959 Ford Galaxie. Nothing newer will ever live in my garage as long as I have a say in the matter. Just for the record, I just turned 38 this month, so it's not like I'm a grumpy old man (present company excluded, of course). I'm just as sick of the cheap stuff coming from everywhere anymore.



Joe

Joe, HA! I just turned 39, and I don't consider myself a grumpy old man either. (but I may have turned into one) LOL! Anyway..... I'm sick of the cheap-o crap as well.

Was reading some IBEW reports and there was mention of Thompson and TLC (very large chinese electronic company) having negotiations. This was from about a year ago and am wondering if this was finalized.

How disgusting is THAT? An American company, bought by some Frenchys and now (?) owned by the chinese. Stop the world, I wanna get off......will settle for taking a ride in a time machine.

Anthony

Guess a name change is in order.
Real ChineseAssault

Kodak stopped making cameras in the USA in the late 80's or so (except perhaps some of their disposables). The last American-made Kodak cameras included such things as the first generation or so of VR35 cameras, and two rather long-lived "just-wouldn't-go-away" models, namely the Ektralite 10 and the Instamatic X-15F. If I remember correctly, even the Ektralite 10 production eventually moved to Brazil or something. After that, the two remaining manufacturers of mass-market cameras in the USA were Keystone and Polaroid, with the Polaroid Captiva SLR (discontinued ~ 1997) quite possibly being the last USA-made camera for the mass-market.

Yeah, it is kinda depressing when you see 'traditional' consumer products that were made by the same manufacturer in the USA for a long, long time suddenly switch to another country of origin. Other examples that come to mind include Toastmaster toasters and Westclox "Big Ben" alarm clocks. On a similar note, the Sheaffer Pen company was bought by BIC a few years ago, and BIC plans to close the old Shaeffer factory in Fort Madison, IA in 2006, so if you'd like to get a new American-made fountain pen, this could well be your last chance. :worried:
[...unless there is another American fountain pen manufacturer that I'm not aware of; I know Parker no longer makes pens in the USA.]

...But, that's how commerce works. These days, you can go to any discount store and buy a 19" color TV for under $100. How can any American manufacturer compete with that? It's not "bad", it's not "good", it just "is". It's just part of the way things work...

Its very much like how you cant get a Real Amana microwave anymore.

Something got fundamentally out of whack in this country, I think, when we started to make more money off of "Money" than we do from making "Things"...Think about it....-Sandy G.

Its very much like how you cant get a Real Amana microwave anymore.

Actually, believe it or not, Amana (which is now owned by Maytag, BTW) does still makes some microwave ovens in the USA..! ...just not for the general consumer market.

I've seen a number of new Amana "Made in USA" commerical microwave ovens appear in local convenience stores even in the last year.

Yes, they're considerably more expensive than your run-of-the-mill Wal*Mart special, but you can still get one. Google for "Amana microwave oven commercial restaurant" and you'll find a number of restaurant supply dealers that sell them. Also check out: http://www.amanacommercial.com

I don't know if all Amana commercial-grade microwave ovens are made in USA, but at least some of them are. Here's one dealer site I found that even specifically mentions that they're made in America:
http://www.all4cook.com/amana.aspx

In any case, at least by my experience it's quite easy to find a nice functioning classic Amana Radarange at garage sales and thrift stores and such. My 1978 Radarange RR-9T has been in almost daily use since I got it around 1992, and even then it was in pretty well-used condition. It just keeps going and going..! [knock on wood] Weighs a ton though, thanks in part to the fact that it's got a big power transformer instead of a switching power supply like modern consumer-grade microwave ovens.

Making money off of money is exactly what all those late night infomercials with get rich quick with real estate programs are all about. Total bull. The only ones getting rich in that instance are the hucksters shilling that junk.

I wish there were more Victor Kiams out there who would advertise "I liked the product so much that I bought the company!" and who boast about them being an American company with American workers. Wave the flag dammit and "shame" people back to reality about what damage they're doing to themselves in the long term by buying cheap crap made by slaves.

Anthony

Actually, believe it or not, Amana (which is now owned by Maytag, BTW) does still makes some microwave ovens in the USA..! ...just not for the general consumer market..
Maytags product line has really went down the toilet over the last
few years. They recently packed up and went to Mexico after being
located in Newton Iowa since the 1890s. Their original laundry products
are now gone. The replacement is nothing more than reworked Norge
which are a total POS. They fall under the names Maytag, Admiral and
Magic Chef. A lot of rent to own stores in the area were buying these
things. They are job security.
I've seen a number of new Amana "Made in USA" commerical microwave ovens appear in local convenience stores even in the last year.
Yes, they're considerably more expensive than your run-of-the-mill Wal*Mart special, but you can still get one.
These are still good units. I used to do the repair on some of these in
some of the local restaurants. They could take a pretty good beating.
Most of them were the smaller ones like the RCS10.

In any case, at least by my experience it's quite easy to find a nice functioning classic Amana Radarange at garage sales and thrift stores and such. My 1978 Radarange RR-9T has been in almost daily use since I got it around 1992, and even then it was in pretty well-used condition. It just keeps going and going..! [knock on wood]
You want hang on to that RR-9. Just pretend its a pioneer SX1250 receiver.
I had someone who spent over $300 on one because they didnt want
to give it up.
Weighs a ton though, thanks in part to the fact that it's got a big power transformer instead of a switching power supply like modern consumer-grade microwave ovens
Actually they still do use a power transformer. However their about half the
size they used to be. Think of it as putting AAA batteries in a D cell flashlight.

I love my RR-9. It's the best microwave I've ever used. The RR-10 is very similar, but with more digital functions.

This crap coming from China (not counting the food, which I love), is the reason I will not buy a new TV when the FCC changes the television standard. I will, buy a converter so i can watch digital TV on my roundies and other tube sets. Wait, nobody will make converters.

Yes, converters will be available to enable older analog sets to receive over-the-air digital signals. In fact, if you have cable or satellite, you will have nothing to worry about when the standards change from analog to digital, as all cable systems will have the capability to convert digital TV signals to analog; further, satellite systems already convert from digital to analog as well, so all you have to do is hook up your old sets to the satellite receiver (using a splitter if necessary), and you're in business.

I feel the same way you seem to about getting a new set when the FCC shuts down analog TV--I won't do it either, until or unless I have to. If my two analog sets are still working when that day comes, I will simply hook up my cable box to one of them and think nothing more of it. I think most people who worry about the switch from analog to digital TV really do not understand that if you have cable or satellite, the conversion will be taken care of at the cable head end and, as I mentioned, satellite systems already convert digital to analog automatically. Analog sets will still work with either system; not in HD, but you will still be able to receive the digital channels. (You will, however, need a converter if you want to receive over-air HDTV signals using an analog set).

However, if you use a cable box to convert digital to analog, or if you are receiving standard signals off the air with an antenna, you may have to tolerate a picture that appears not to fill your screen vertically, as most present HDTV pictures are being transmitted with a 16:9 aspect ratio (the analog TV system now in use has a 4:3 aspect ratio).

Maytags product line has really went down the toilet over the last
few years. They recently packed up and went to Mexico after being
located in Newton Iowa since the 1890s. Their original laundry products
are now gone. The replacement is nothing more than reworked Norge
which are a total POS. They fall under the names Maytag, Admiral and
Magic Chef. A lot of rent to own stores in the area were buying these
things. They are job security.

These are still good units. I used to do the repair on some of these in
some of the local restaurants. They could take a pretty good beating.
Most of them were the smaller ones like the RCS10.


You want hang on to that RR-9. Just pretend its a pioneer SX1250 receiver.
I had someone who spent over $300 on one because they didnt want
to give it up.

Actually they still do use a power transformer. However their about half the
size they used to be. Think of it as putting AAA batteries in a D cell flashlight.


I have a Sharp Carousel microwave I bought when I moved here six years ago. Still works like a champ and is in daily use, except I think the door switches may be wearing out or need cleaning as sometimes I have to close the door rather forcefully to get it to start. It must have a transformer in it as it weighs quite a bit, but I'm sure it doesn't weigh nearly as much as microwaves made ten years ago. My grandmother had a Sears Kenmore microwave (circa early 1980s) that weighed the proverbial ton, but I'd be willing to bet, if I were a betting man (which I am not), that microwave had a 50-pound (at least[!]) transformer powering it. Perhaps mine has a modern transformer with an aluminum core, whereas the Sears may have had one with the old-style heavy metal core, laminations, etc. :dunno: I'd also guess that today's Sears, et al. microwaves also use the newer aluminum-core transformers, which is probably why most microwaves these days are so inexpensive and weigh a fraction of what the older ones did (a full-feature model with all-electronic touch-pad controls and digital display can be had for much less than $100 these days, and they weigh a lot less than they once did).

BTW, I wonder if Sharp is owned by some other Japanese or Chinese, etc. electronics firm these days. Hmmm. :scratch2: It wouldn't surprise me if they are. Many once well-known brand names are not what they seem anymore. Witness what happened to RCA and GE televisions as well as Magnavox back in the late 1980s. RCA and GE sets are now manufactured by Thomson (TTE) of France, even though they still have "RCA" and "GE" logos at the base of the CRT mask; Magnavox is now manufactured by Philips of the Netherlands, even though the Magnavox name is still shown at the base of the mask; and the list goes on. The names are simply marketing symbols nowadays.

As to Maytag washers and dryers: The one laundromat in my town still uses Maytag commercial washers, although they are wearing out and are constantly breaking down. However, that could be because these machines were purchased used, not new, and are subject to much use every day as are all washers/dryers in any laundromat. I now use a laundromat in the next town south of here; it also has Maytag commercial washers and dryers, but these seem to be in much better shape than the ones in the local establishment. Then again, the laundromat in the next town is maintained much better than the local one (more attention is paid to machines in need of service, etc.).

I don't know if your reference to Maytag washers and dryers being "a total POS" refers to the company's commercial products or not. I would think, since the commercial machines get more use and take much more of a beating than any washer or dryer made for home use, that the commercial machines would still be built with heavy-duty parts meant to last much longer than those in consumer units. When I was growing up we had a Hotpoint clothes dryer (1950s vintage) which had been rebuilt with heavy-duty bearings, shafts, belts, etc.; the machine lasted some 30 years before it finally gave up. It was replaced some time in the '80s by a Sears Kenmore dryer which was still working some 15-20 years later, and may still be to this day (the house was sold six years ago, so I have no idea what happened to the dryer or anything else in the basement).

I am 39 and glad to know I'm not the only one my age who seems to prefer the way things were done and made years ago. Maybe it's something to do with our generation being old enough to remember what things were like before the world got so messed up. I recently finished restoring a 1937 Philco radio and I am amazed at the performance of the technology back then. That set easily outperforms much newer equipment. There definitely was pride in workmanship back then.

I know making money has always been a factor but it seemed to be a byproduct of quality rather than a substitute for it.

I won't be at all surprised if I have to repair or replace my new TV before the old philco radio even needs a tube.

... Maybe it's something to do with our generation being old enough to remember what things were like before the world got so messed up....

I'm not sure I would go that far. Some things have gotten worse, but there are plenty of things that are much better now than at any other time in recorded history. I like to pick and choose the best things I can get from the past and present.

No one will ever make a microwave as good as my Radarange and I love my 45 year old KLH speakers. However, I certainly don't want to use a PC from 25 years ago even if it is built like a tank! I also like that my modern car has done over 80,000 miles with no major repairs and it still starts on the first try when it's 10 degrees outside. Classic cars are beautiful and have a quality of workmanship and materials not seen today, but for reliable, safe economical transportation, cars have never been better.

As far as the drive train Andy is correct. As far as the other parts of the car, the trim, etc, a lot of it today is plastic junk. This stuff (including the radiator) started falling apart on my wifes car after 5 years. The same trim, radiator, etc, has lasted just fine on my 23 year old truck and 37 year old Mustang. What they should have built was an older type car(metal parts) with fuel injection, air bags, antilock brakes, and crumple zones. These are the main items making todays cars operate better than the old ones.

The problem with all of these quality surveys, such as JD Powers is that they only cover 3 years or so. A lot of the cars made today are great for this period of time, but after this, the plastic crap begins falling apart.

A lot of the cars made today are great for this period of time, but after this, the plastic crap begins falling apart.
Im a mechanic, and can agree on this. Foreign cars have much better fit and finish then american cars do, however even they have a lot of plastic in them. But you know why? weight savings = better fuel economy. Plus the obvious cost savings that has already been mentioned. Its a tradeoff unfortunaty. That being said i have a 1994 Saturn as a daily driver that runs like a champ with over 182,000 miles on the original unrebuilt engine and transmission, but just about every plastic interior piece broke well before i got the car at 90k. Its at the point now where if something on the interior breaks i just thow it out and not even try to glue/tape/wedge it back where it went. And im sure car manufacturers could design all this better, best of both worlds so to speak. Craftsmanship of old with the reliability of new, but like was mentioned earler people have gotten used to cheap and will settle for halfass design to get it.

I am a big fan of vintage electronics.
I am not a fan of today's North American cars.
I am driving a 2002 Toyota Camry (4 Cylinder).
I have 205,000 km on it and have only had to perform regular maintenance on it.
The rotors have been changed out once, pads about every 80,000 kms.
Every piece of plastic in my car is still working, no breaks or malfunctions.
As a matter of fact we have never had a wiper motor, door handle, temp. knob or anything else ever break on any of our Toyota products.
Only ever performed normal maintenance.
Everyone I know that has a North American product has a broken/replaced door handle, wiper motors/arms, window/temp. knob, steering rack, head gasket, etc.
A lot of them (particularily GM owners) have to replace rotors an average of once a year regardless of how little they drive, ie:25,000 km/year.
Why is that ?
It's because they're crooks, that's why.
I'm tired of giving my money to car companies that have designed in defects/shortcomings so the auto company can make more of my money !!!!
That's my money and they're not getting any more of it !!!
If you want to see a more historical view of how different manufacturers stack up, check out the Lemon Aid guide.
You can find it at your local library for free or go scope a copy at your local book store.
Toyota and Honda (a poor man's Toyota in Japan) have 40% of the after sale problems that GM has, and GM is the best performing North American product out of the big 3.
If everyone read this stuff, we would all be driving Toyota or Honda.
And don't give me that crap about supporting our local economy.
Why does GM own 40 % of Toyota, but were not supposed to take advantage of a better product out of a misplaced loyalty to manufacturers who obviously could care less about us.
In the next 2 years Toyota will hire more people in North America than any other major company.
How's that for local.
If only I could get my 73 Charger or my 75 Impala back, I'd be happy with a north american product. Those were the days......
Have a nice day

The thing I like about the older equipment is that it is designed to be repairable and the components for the most part are sturdy enough to make the repairs feasible. As far as cars are concerned, you can get most parts to repair, say a 1978 Grand Marquis at the local auto parts store. Even on, say a Model A Ford or an Allis Chalmers tractor many of the parts are still being made today....and if it's not made, a machinist can make it. Same thing, with say Wurlitzer jukeboxes. It's all electromechanical so that even if an original part is not available it can be made (and still could be made 30 years from now).

While modern cars have a lot of improved features I forsee some trouble for anyone who wants to repair one say in 30 years. I saw this with a 1977 Cadillac Seville with multi-port fuel injection that someone I know had. All of the ECU computer technology, sensors etc was obsolete and very hard to come by and it was next to impossible to get it running right.

I don't know if your reference to Maytag washers and dryers being "a total POS" refers to the company's commercial products or not. I would think, since the commercial machines get more use and take much more of a beating than any washer or dryer made for home use, that the commercial machines would still be built with heavy-duty parts meant to last much longer than those in consumer units. When I was growing up we had a Hotpoint clothes dryer (1950s vintage) which had been rebuilt with heavy-duty bearings, shafts, belts, etc.; the machine lasted some 30 years before it finally gave up. It was replaced some time in the '80s by a Sears Kenmore dryer which was still working some 15-20 years later, and may still be to this day (the house was sold six years ago, so I have no idea what happened to the dryer or anything else in the basement).
Very good point, Jeff.
This reminds me of the fact that my parents bought our Amana electric range in 1999 back when defense contractor Raytheon owned the company. So far so good, seven solid years without a hitch. Now that Maytag bought Raytheon's appliance line (including Caloric, I think) I wonder how it's gonna be trying to get parts for what I have now.
Tom

There's the rub: parts. You'll probably need more parts more often on US stuff, but parts for imported things usually cost enough to make up for that. So pick your poison.

With my car I'd rather have to make a few expensive repairs than a lot of minor repairs. If I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere on a cold night I don't feel much better knowing it's only a broken shifter cable. If minor problems strand me too often, I'll get a new car!

Anyone in the future collecting today's cars will certainly have a harder time, but they will find a way if they really want to. I don't know about cars, but with other electronics, the impossible to find digital ICs rarely fail. I suspect that a lot of the "dead" computers in cars could be repaired. Bad caps, bad soldering are still the cause of most of the trouble I've seen in modern electronics.

Remember that Maytag has now been bought out by Whirlpool, which I'd say is an improvement.

Right now there are many parts that you can get quite easily for a car from the sixties but good luck finding them for something from the eighties. Thats just because lots of people are in love with 65 Mustangs or 69 Camaros, but hardly anyone is left driving an 82 Omega or a Lincoln Versailles.

Im a mechanic, and can agree on this. Foreign cars have much better fit and finish then american cars do, however even they have a lot of plastic in them. But you know why? weight savings = better fuel economy. Plus the obvious cost savings that has already been mentioned. Its a tradeoff unfortunaty. That being said i have a 1994 Saturn as a daily driver that runs like a champ with over 182,000 miles on the original unrebuilt engine and transmission, but just about every plastic interior piece broke well before i got the car at 90k. Its at the point now where if something on the interior breaks i just thow it out and not even try to glue/tape/wedge it back where it went. And im sure car manufacturers could design all this better, best of both worlds so to speak. Craftsmanship of old with the reliability of new, but like was mentioned earler people have gotten used to cheap and will settle for halfass design to get it.

I have an Aussie made Ford Falcon from '92 & the plactic interior parts are already begining to disintergrate & the head lining is also beginning to sag as the foam that is used to hold it to the base meterial is disintergrating as well, I had an '86 Falcon & the same thing happened to the interior plastics as well.

The type of plastic used to make these parts is designed to break down after at least 8 to 10 years of age, The plastic used is ABS PS which has a so called planed mortality built in.

I had to replace the cabinet on my Grundig TV for the very same reason as the plastic rear cover was disintergrating when the set was about 10 years of age.

I've seen cases of very brittle ABS plastic, but I don't think it's normal. I suspect it's caused by a defect in the plastic, or possibly a particular environmental condition. Every so often I see a TV, or monitor that has a very brittle case, but others of the same model are fine. I've seen plenty of much older sun faded cabinets that were still strong.

Ozone could be a culprit. This would show up in areas of high air pollution...or in a tv set in some cases. (or around some air cleaners)

For all the wonders of Hondas, my mom's Acura wasted it's first transmission at 40,000 miles and #2 isn't doing so well now either. My dad's Honda minivan? We're crossing our fingers but it's showing signs of crapping out...

1st and last Hondas we'll ever own.

Worst Domestic transmission? Chevy Vega. lasted *only* 150,000 miles before a rebuild.

Maybe one day honda will figure out how to make an automatic that shifts right and lasts 200,000 miles like any other modern automatic does. I'm not gonna be their guniea pig though...

Sagging headliners seemed to be a big problem with American made cars in the 1980s, but they seemed to have solved that problem. My wifes car in the 1980s had the problem, but her present car is 15 years old, and the headliner is still up. Also, her dash has no cracks. FYI, we live in Texas where we get a lot of sun and heat and her car is outside all the time. The problem has been plastic hubcaps and plastic/aluminum radiators. These began failing about 5 years after the car was built. I have had to replace all 4 hubcaps by now and the second set is now failing.

My truck, a Ford Ranger with a German designed/Mexican built 4 cylinder, went 280000 miles before any engine problems, the transmission, a 4 speed standard is still going strong, so Americans can build long lasting cars if they want. The hubcaps are original and the all brass radiator has never leaked in 24 years.

My wife's car has a Mazda drive train with automatic transmission. Neither the engine or transmission has given any trouble in 161000 miles.

One other item that bears mentioning in comparing my wifes car to my truck is the radio/sound system.

My truck has a simple AM/FM radio which works great after 24 years of daily use. My wifes car has a stereo system with 4 speakers. Well, after around 5 years the front channels begain failing with distortion. Now only one rear channel works with the other being intermittant. She does not use the radio, (Only I do when I drive the car), so I have not bothered to have it fixed.

This could be an example of the fact that simpler items tend to work reliably for a longer period of time than more complex items.

Don't get me started, I hope the sale of Thompson/RCA sale to the Chi-Coms is just a rumor. I get into it with a bunch of free-traders all the time on naother site, talking to them about the loss of jobs, quality, pride, American craftsmanship, etc., is like talking to a brick wall. I'll just leave it at that. Like many here, I'll try my best to keep the old stuff running.

Chuck

DE KA3WRW

Remember that Maytag has now been bought out by Whirlpool, which I'd say is an improvement.

Well, I'm not sure the folks who live in Newton, IA (home of Maytag) would necessarily agree... :( It'll be interesting to see what becomes of that town if Whirlpool closes the Newton Maytag plants and offices as has been generally speculated.

On automobiles: I'll add another Saturn story to Keefla's-- I used to have a 1994 Saturn SW1, and it still ran fine after over 250K miles with little more than routine maintanance. Great car. Replaced it with another Saturn. :)

Speaking of Made-in-USA, it occurs to me-- does anyone still make toasters in the USA? About five (I think) years ago, I went shopping for a toaster. I was really in the mood for toast for some reason, but I only had a toaster-oven at the time (almost an oven, and almost a toaster, but isn't all that great at either job), so I thought I'd pick up an inexpensive toaster. I wanted a Toastmaster for semi-historical reasons (since they were pretty much the first company to introduce the modern automatic pop-up toaster), and because they were still made in the USA. ...or so I thought. To my dismay, while browsing at a local Target store, I found that all of their Toastmaster toasters were now made in China or Mexico, and no other toasters they had were made in USA. No American-made Toastmasters at K-Mart either. Just to make sure, I checked Wal*Mart too. Ah, yes, they indeed had a couple models of Toastmaster toasters still made in the USA! They appeared to be of recent manufacture, so I guess this was a "transition" time for Toastmaster. I think they also had some American-made Proctor-Silex toasters if I remember correctly. So, for about ten bucks, I got a brand-new USA-made Toastmaster (which included a free box of Pop-Tarts packed in with the toaster!). It's still a fine li'l toaster, at any rate.
Anyway, checking the shelves several months later, I found that even at Wal*Mart all of the Toastmaster toasters were now of foreign manufacture. Does anyone still make toasters in the USA? Perhaps Proctor-Silex? Somehow seems sad to think that we can't even make a *toaster* competitively nowadays... :(

Why does GM own 40 % of Toyota, but were not supposed to take advantage of a better product out of a misplaced loyalty to manufacturers who obviously could care less about us.

American cars cost less, thats why people buy them. 90% of people who buy cars dont say, gee that Nissan Maxima with its 260HP engine and silky smoothe shifting automatic is a great car but ya know what, ill take my cavalier anyday. They take the cavalier casue its about 10 grand less and you get the new car smell. And outsourcing parts isnt as new as some people believe. the Big 3 have been doing it since the early 80's. A lot of GM cars use a lot of parts not even made my GM. The Pontiac Vibe is a Toyota Matrix, The Saturn VUE uses a Honda engine and transmission (the V6 one they are having all the tranny troubles with BTW). The Chevy Prism is a Corolla. Suzuki makes the engine for the Chevy Metro. The Chevy Aveo is a re-badged Daweoo right down the the engine. If you have a late 80's early 90's Pontiac Lemans with the smaller 1.8l engine you have a daewoo engine under the hood. Geo Storm anyone? Isuzu engine and transmission. Isuzu also made a very few engines for the older S10's as well. GM isnt the only one tho. Ford Probe(V6), Ranger (4cyl), some older Escorts(late 80's to mid 90's), and a handfull of other ford cars use Mazda powerplants, and even Dodge outsourced some of the first Omni/Horizon engine manufacturering to VW back in the early 80's. If you got a turbo Plymouth Lazer/Eagle Talon you have a Mitsubishi Eclipse with a different badge on it, but if you have a non-turbo Mitsubishi Eclipse of the mid 90's you got a Dodge Neon drivetrain.

Something to think about when people say that american cars all suck.

EDIT: Just wanted to say we are wayyyy off topic here. I dont mean to piss anyone off with my comments either, just an observation in the way things work.

I'm sorry, Keflla, by will off-topic too.
I hate the dumb people who buy new products, thinking they will last forever.
A lot of dumb Romanians buy "Philips", "Schenider", "Grundig", "Panasonic", "Sony", "Sharp", "Toshiba", "J.V.C." sets thinking they are still Made in Holland, Germany or Japan (or unless, the components are made there); of course the sellers have no intrest in telling the truth (they are a few sellers who are telling the truth if you ask them); and my mothers bothers me because she wants to buy new products (I agree to buy a new computer, because, unfourtnley a new computer is better then an older one), with all that the new products are CRAP (from where do you think my expresion "OLD, but ORRIGINAL, NOT Made in CHINA" cames( :tears: Well, I better pay for repearing an old set, thean give money to those gready manufacturers! :pistols:
Somehow, the consumers are to blame for this sitution: they want new, new, new products, every few years (or less), they are willing to give theyr life for them.
I have an October 1994 "Panasonic" 15'' P.C. monitor, which is Made in Taiwan; I tought that, in the past the Taiwan made thing where good; but after a time I had a hunch; when I opened the back case of the monitor my hunch was confirmed: the C.R.T. was Made in JAPAN! :yes: I sow that 2 capacitors are Made in Japan too! :thmbsp: The monitos is still working (but with small problems - sometimes the image gets brither, sometimes darker); I will have to get it out of use, beacause I can't put a refresh rate higher than 75 Hz - so my eyes hurt me if I saty too much with eyes on the screen; if I hadn't had this problem, I will still have used the minitor for the years to come. :tears:
The youngs are wanting cell phones every year. I have an 5-7 yrs old "Nokia" 5110 cell phone (the old oner repaire it before when it had it, I bought for it a new battery); Am I dieing because I use an old cell phone; those bloody producers are using yet another dirty trick: they are asking you a lot of mony for spear parts, so they will determinate you to buy another new junk; the guys from "Nokia" asked me 1,500,000 old lei (the minimal wage in Romania is 3,100,000 old lei/310 new lei) so I bought an Grece made battery.
Talking about the cars: if you see the lates "Dacia" model, the way it looks tells you that that car will not last as an pre 1980 "Dacia".
I called those "Chevrolet" made in South Koreea "Căchelet" (something like "ChevroletShit" - brown shit, if you know waht I mean); the engine is not bad, but to give the name "Chevrolet" (in the past, when you sad "Chevrolet", you meant qualty) is a B.I.G. CRIME!
Anyway, check this out:
http://www.euroncap.com/images/results/small_family_cars/car_250_2006/Chevrolet%20Aveo%20Datasheet%203.pdf

These days I'm trying to make my old TV's, cars, and anything else I own last as long as possible. I'm not buying anything new that I don't have to. I'm keeping alive an RCA CTC-140 that I've had since 1989, I've got a spare chassis and CRT for it now. I'm driving 3 Chrysler pre Daimler takeover vehicles and plan to keep driving them as long as I can bolt on new parts. There's soon to be a Zenith round tube set in my den as soon as I can get the new flyback I found on ebay in it. My stereo is a 1961 Magnavox Concert Grand with 16 6V6's for audio output, I have the Telechron alarm clock beside my bed I've had since I started 7th grade in 1960 and I'm wearing the Bulova watch I've had since 1963, I just keep it serviced and it keeps working. Beside my chair in the living room is a Zenith R7000 US made Trans-Oceanic and in my den a Zenith C845 AM-FM radio. I'd rather rebuild and keep repaired my things that were made years ago and still perform the functions that I need than to go to Wal-Mart and buy some piece of plastic that will be in a landfill in a few years because they are built as throwaway items....My question is how can you have a pride of ownership in something that was meant to be as disposable as a roll of paper towels? There are many new technologies that I have, ie CD player and this laptop computer that I have and use, but they are just a means to an end and will be tossed as soon as they fail, I have no more feeling about them than the roll of towels.....
Wow; ever see" Mosqiuto coast " woith HArrison Ford? Youre post reminded me of that charecter!

Wow; ever see" Mosqiuto coast " woith HArrison Ford? Youre post reminded me of that charecter!


I am replying to this, as well as your other topic that is now locked from replies... There are plenty of reasons I like to keep and appreciate vintage electronics and other stuff. My 1972 Zenith 25" TV will perform just as well as any new LCD set, with the cable signal I have. And it heats the room much better too :thmbsp:

And I like old cars, and while some people pay $1500/month for a new SUV, when you count insurance, car payment, license, and maintenace. For about $60/month, I have a fleet of vehicles, all in A-1 shape, licensed, insured, and more interesting to be seen in! And beyond that, my daily driver Toyota Hilux Diesel 4x4 has been converted to run on used cooking oil. Let me see any hi-tech hybrid go 70 mph down the highway without using one drop of Osama fuel?!?!

We like what we like for all kinds of reasons. I respect your views the same as anyone elses', so no offense intended... Just offering mine.

Charles

I don't believe there is much of any "small appliances" built in the USA anymore with the probable exception of Kitchen Aid stand mixers. Even their hand mixers are now being made in China just recently. Their top of the line "Pro Line" blenders, toasters, coffemakers etc, each costing more than $250 to $500 a piece are naturally made in China as well. Same with JennAir, Cuisinart, the lot. all made in China. Thankfully I have scads of toasters, blenders, mixers etc, all pre-China, all working beautifully.