05-02-2018, 06:06 PM
Excellent Mark
Your dedication is second to none.
Being quite honest I'd have thrown in the towel a long time ago. When you consider the hours spent on it, looking for help on two forums and no doubt other places is it really economic? I could have repaired plenty of other items rather than spending fruitless hours on an unknown, sound business in my mind.
Latterly I made up my mind that after the customer leaving the unit and paying a £20 non returnable deposit (sorted out the time wasters or those that wanted a repair for a fiver) I then did straightforward firstline checks, i'd enquire if a manual was available and of course spares. Gradually it got worse, even companies like Samsung and even B&O were getting more and more less helpful to even their own dealers.
If I thought I couldn't turn around a repair in under 14 days then I'd return it.... yes and keep the deposit, it took me time to dismantle the unit, enquire about service info and parts etc, also the running costs of the workshop, feed the family and pay the mortgage.
The other thing is that a lot of us older chaps that have worked for small retailers will not be properly trained, the many advances over the years will be pretty well foreign for many engineers, I was lucky before I went self employed having worked for multinationals and Sony too, the training was second to none.
My advice is stick to what you know or retire and enjoy your remaining life, i'd not like to be stuck in an windowless cellar fixing modern crap, enjoy life and get out of this God forsaken trade.
Your dedication is second to none.
Being quite honest I'd have thrown in the towel a long time ago. When you consider the hours spent on it, looking for help on two forums and no doubt other places is it really economic? I could have repaired plenty of other items rather than spending fruitless hours on an unknown, sound business in my mind.
Latterly I made up my mind that after the customer leaving the unit and paying a £20 non returnable deposit (sorted out the time wasters or those that wanted a repair for a fiver) I then did straightforward firstline checks, i'd enquire if a manual was available and of course spares. Gradually it got worse, even companies like Samsung and even B&O were getting more and more less helpful to even their own dealers.
If I thought I couldn't turn around a repair in under 14 days then I'd return it.... yes and keep the deposit, it took me time to dismantle the unit, enquire about service info and parts etc, also the running costs of the workshop, feed the family and pay the mortgage.
The other thing is that a lot of us older chaps that have worked for small retailers will not be properly trained, the many advances over the years will be pretty well foreign for many engineers, I was lucky before I went self employed having worked for multinationals and Sony too, the training was second to none.
My advice is stick to what you know or retire and enjoy your remaining life, i'd not like to be stuck in an windowless cellar fixing modern crap, enjoy life and get out of this God forsaken trade.
