Oh boy, is this a familiar scenario!
I've lost count of the times I've tried to explain the economics of the situation, that replacement parts cost me 50 times what they cost the manufacturer, etc.
The problem with so many dsomestic appliances nowadays is that they're not really built with servicing in mind in any case. How many times have seen a cheap sandwich toaster or something similar where the only way to get into it would be to practically destroy the casing?
Sadly, more and more complex pieces of equipment are gradually falling into the "uneconomic to repair" category.
Remember when a VCR cost hundreds? A repair bill of £20 or £30 was accepted then. Now that people can go buy a VCR for £49.95 in the supermarket, many of them will do that and get a new warranty rather than repair an existing unit.
It's only the high-end stuff now that's worth repair to most people, plus more specialist items, such as vintage equipment enthusiasts (of which, as you know, I am one!).
