Is A TV Worth Repairing

 

Is it worth repairing a TV?

You need to consider these factors-

1. How old is the TV? 
2. Was it expensive 'Top of the range' when you bought it or a cheapo?
3. What will the estimated cost of the repair be?
4. What was the picture quality when working? Sound quality?
5. There is no guarantee that another fault won't develop after this repair.
6. How long will it take to repair? 
7. How long is the repair guaranteed for?

If the repair is straightforward and the cost is considerably less than buying a new TV, then probably it is worth getting it repaired. Some people get used to the style and functions of a TV and don't like the idea of looking for a replacement, or it may be desirable to keep it going as long as possible for sentimental reasons. In this case, a repair at a reasonable cost would be the answer.

Keep in mind that televisions are becoming more difficult and uneconomical to repair. It is also a problem obtaining parts, replacement boards are mostly second hand, harvested from scrap TVs with a broken screen, so reliability cannot be guaranteed. 

  Bigger TVs 

Many people now have TVs over 50″ -75″ , 80″ + These are a problem to transport and handle. With a larger screen, there is a greater risk of the screen being damaged, which would write off the TV if it happened. Not much fun having to break the bad news to a customer ! Not many engineers that are left will touch anything over 50″. 

  Cheap TVs 

 Unlike most other things, TVs seem to be getting cheaper, so more customers are opting to buy a new TV rather than a repair. You do get what you pay for, the quality of new TVs, even ‘good makes’ is not as it was compared to even a few years ago.

  Buy Insurance

 If you are buying a new TV, especially a large screen, it is worth taking out a 5 year guarantee. I  had countless customers  complain that their TV that had gone faulty was ‘just out of the guarantee’ – that’s after just one year ! This suits the manufacturers and retailers as you will have to buy a new one – Throwaway or what ! Costco have a five year guarantee on TVs. Richer Sounds also have a long guarantee, as does John Lewis, who give a five year guarantee on all new TVs. It used to be that the usual cost to repair a TV was less than taking out insurance and so it was worth taking a chance. Now, I would recommend anyone spending over £500 to consider breakdown insurance, even better, insure against accidental damage especially the screen. Well worth it for peace of mind.

  The Good Old Days

In the 80s and 90s, TVs were still relatively expensive so people would rent or buy second-hand. There were many TV shops around that sold second hand TVs. These were mainly acquired from the large rental companies such as D.E.R., Visionhire, Granada, etc as they replaced old stock. Almost any TV could be repaired as parts were readily available. If the original part from the manufacturer was too expensive, someone somewhere would make a pattern part that would be cheaper. Even if the tube, or CRT had gone, you could get one that had been refurbished. Not like TV screens today, if that goes, the TV a write off. You could even get a replacement cabinet if it had been damaged, or if it was a wooden cabinet, it was worth paying a polisher to come in and make any damage to the wood veneer like new. There used to be one that went around the Liverpool area called ” John the Pol “ Sadly, those days that lasted a few decades have gone. Technology has transformed the humble TV into a super computer that connects to the outside world, but when it breaks, throw it away!