Opuscula Do homework Before buying

MOST OF US DO AT LEAST A LITTLE homework before making a purchase of more than a few coins.

Most of the homework is cursory.

That’s not enough.

IF YOU REALLY WANT that Benz E350 and only care about flaunting your wealth, skip the homework.

But if you want something that won’t cost an arm and a leg later, do the homework.

The Benz may be perfect for some people.

My Second Born son used to buy – perhaps still does – Lexmark laser printers.

My Daughter bought a Canon MG2520 bubble jet.

Both printers have the same problem: the replacement ink costs more than the printer’s retail price.

Walmart sells the Canon for $25 and tax. ComboInk sells the printer’s two replacement cartridges (245XL and 246XL) for $36.78 and shipping.¹ The ink is not the more expensive Canon ink.

My son’s laser printers have the same problem: it costs more to buy the toner than to buy a replacement printer (albeit the replacement printer’s toner may not be as full as the replacement toner).

But the printers’ purchase prices look good and, in the case of Canon, the printers have a good provenance. (I have two Canon bubblejet printers that, like a Timex watch, take a licking and keep on ticking; I also have four Canon cameras – two film and two digital.)

I have an “inexpensive” car – Hyundai Elantra c 2008. It should be like my old (1956) Ford Custom: easy for a non-mechanic to do minor maintenance (such as changing a headlight).

While the Hyundai IS much more owner friendly than a 1990 Jaguar XJ6 (X40), it still is a pain in the patience to change the driver’s side headlight. In order to change a sealed beam headlight on the Ford, remove a few screws, remove the old lamp and install the new lamp. In order to change a headlight in the Jaguar XJ6, the entire grill assembly must be removed! To replace the bulb in the Hyundai, the battery must be removed (and then reset clock and radio). I no longer have the Ford or the Jag.

Never mind about the Benz.

To change windshield wiper blades – if the owner’s manual is to be believed – means spending more than $100 at a Benz dealer’s shop. This is for an E350. (I saw a receipt.) By contrast, a set of wiper blades for the Hyundai cost as little as $8, complete with “how to install” instructions.

The old and beautiful Benz 300SL gull wing’s engine compartment was so tightly crammed with metal that a mechanic had to have very small hands to access anything. The Datsun (now Nissan) 3000 with four in-line SU carburetors was roomier.

All the above is not to claim that today’s flivers are not more reliable. They simply are more difficult to repair . . . even minor things (e.g., headlights).

Computerization of everything has accomplished two things: greatly reduced troubleshooting time and greatly increased cost to repair. That statement applies across the board: cars, tvs, airplanes, stoves, and more.

I have a mechanic who, while he HAS the gear to connect to a car’s computer, his EXPERIENCE over the years has given him the knowledge to diagnose my car’s woes using only his senses: vision, hearing, touch, and – perhaps most important – common.

I once watched a mechanic near Okeechobee FL tune a car’s engine. He adjusted the timing, listened, and tweaked the timing until he was satisfied. THEN he got out the timing gun to confirm what he already knew. He was better than the mechanic that changed the timing belt on a Subaru Legacy with a timing light … the timing was way off.

While many prospective buyers read the spec (specification) sheets, few actually concern themselves with routine maintenance: changing light bulbs or printer ink/toner, power sources (AC, DC, 115± 10% - 230± 10%, NTSC/PAL (tv and video cameras), power requirements for electric tools and appliances (voltage, Amperage, Watts), fuel octane and more). Even mobile (cell) phones; what works in one country may not work in another.

If the product’s spec sheet fails to provide the information, ask the vendor. If the vendor lacks the information, perhaps there is an online user manual.

Doing your homework is more than just looking at a product and its purchase price.

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Sources

1. Internet prices as of 17 June 2018.

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