Author Topic: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...  (Read 6786 times)

vulgar_girl

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Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« on: February 27, 2015, 01:40:31 PM »
Just thought I would rant...  My Hoover Spin-Brush Carpet Cleaner's brushes are no longer spinning.  I went to the Hoover site to search for replacement parts, and didn't see what I was looking for so I gave them a call.  The representative told me that they don't sell replacement parts for motors to customers because of "safety reasons."  What I think she was saying is that they don't want the liability of selling something to a customer which could result in their electrocution, but come on!?  She gave me the number to two service locations.  I don't mind buying the parts from someone else, but it was kind of insulting/surprising...

Gone Fishing

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2015, 01:47:00 PM »
Ah yes, "The old you'll kill yourself if we let you do it" excuse.     

MikeBear

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2015, 02:06:37 PM »
Check Ebay to see if somebody sells them there. You might be surprised. I've bought some parts on Ebay for various appliances around the house, and got real good prices also.

vulgar_girl

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2015, 02:24:21 PM »
Thanks for the suggestion MB.  I found some more troubleshooting advice on the interwebs which I will try tonight.  If it doesn't work, off to Ebay I go!

Rezdent

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2015, 03:08:23 PM »
Whew!
I read the title as "can't sell your parts do to safety reasons" and I had visions of you trying to sell a kidney or something.

Hoovers are much easier.
If you can't find the parts then you could start scouting Craigslist and thrift store to obtain another one for use of parts - possibly for free.
We had two broken (free) Kitchenaids that we combined.  I use our "Franken Aid" several times a week.

SantaFeSteve

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2015, 03:33:40 PM »
You'll shoot your eye out!

vulgar_girl

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2015, 04:17:13 PM »
Rezdent, it is funny because Hoover's response would have been more appropriate if I was in fact trying to buy a kidney...

thurston howell iv

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2015, 10:09:07 AM »
shop around a bit. I regularly find parts sources other than the manufacturer for appliances that I repair. Hoover should not be a problem.

vulgar_girl

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2015, 12:02:59 PM »
So, I went to the service center Hoover referred me to over the weekend.  The guy said Hoover doesn't sell only that part, and that I would have to replace the entire base for $100.  Or I could buy a new machine for only $199...  I went online this morning and found the part I needed.  I should get it by the end of the week for $51 to my door.  I can't help but think this is some kind of ploy to get more sales.  Make it harder to get the parts so people will just give up and buy a new one. 

Not that it was hard to go online...  I guess I was a little unsure of myself, and wanted someone to confirm that I was indeed getting what I needed to fix my machine.  If I wasn't a mustachian in training I may have given up and gotten a new one.

Sid Hoffman

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2015, 01:14:19 PM »
I went online this morning and found the part I needed.  I should get it by the end of the week for $51 to my door. ...  If I wasn't a mustachian in training I may have given up and gotten a new one.

I've done the same thing, both for vacuum parts (where I only wanted a sub-part, not a whole unit, for example) and for replacement parts for a blender.  In both cases it was either impossible to get the sub-part from the manufacturer or was tremendously expensive to the point where it would be smarter to just buy a new unit.  In both cases it was Ebay resellers that came to the rescue.  I actually don't like using ebay for the most part because it's a lot of gray market goods but it worked for me too.

I agree with you completely on how satisfying it is to know that by being persistent, keeping at it and researching parts yourself can pay off in terms of extending the life of an otherwise perfectly working appliance.  Part of me just finds enjoyment from fixing something, regardless of the cost.  Knowing that I'm probably saving money in the long run by doing the repair feels pretty good too.

guitar_stitch

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #10 on: March 04, 2015, 11:47:33 AM »
I can't help but think this is some kind of ploy to get more sales.  Make it harder to get the parts so people will just give up and buy a new one. 

Surely you don't believe that major corporations would leverage inconvenience and the throw-away nature of modern society just to pad their pockets, do you?
</sarcasm>

Spork

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #11 on: March 04, 2015, 03:47:12 PM »

I had a similar problem at Lowes.... I was fishing through the thousands of plumbing fittings to fix an old stove.  When the guy that was helping me heard I was using it for --> gas!! <--- he said he wouldn't sell me any parts.

The guy at Home Depot, on the other hand, was retired plumber and had me hooked up in a matter of a few minutes time.

jml2307

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #12 on: March 05, 2015, 06:58:59 PM »
I recently bought a new chain for my chainsaw and the man at the counter asked me to sign a waiver releasing the store from liability if I injure myself with it.

I found this odd (even though I did get the chain).

Sibley

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #13 on: March 06, 2015, 09:47:25 AM »
I assume that any warning label or similar exists because someone did it. With that assumption, you can have a good laugh many times :)

vulgar_girl

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2015, 03:24:04 PM »
Well, I have successfully fixed my machine and now have a clean(er) carpet.  And I didn't kill myself in the process.  I feel really good about it, and I laugh in the face of the salesman who said "you can't fix it yourself."  Ha Ha!

It is sad that the general population is so litigious that we can't buy chainsaw blades, plumbing fittings, or motors without difficulty.  I wonder how many Hoover Steam Vacs are in the landfill because they were "un-fixable."  I am with you Sid, I definitely feel a sense of accomplishment, and I am going to make a concerted effort to repair rather than replace.

Sibley, your comment reminded me of a ridiculous story I read a while back about lack of warning labels on Nike shoes.  http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2014/01/nike_sued_by_portland_pimp_for.html.  I mean really....

MayDay

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Re: Can't Sell You Parts Due to Safety Reasons...
« Reply #15 on: March 10, 2015, 05:44:34 AM »
We also had the issue with gas plumbing. H researched it and found he needed to pop in a certain part. Said part could only be purchased by a licensed plumber, so H called the plumber and instructed him what part to bring.