When to Fix and When to Replace. And Why It's Important to Know the Difference.

My refrigerator light wouldn't go off. I know this not because I camped out inside the chill chest to verify stated condition, but because the plastic housing around the light bulb had begun to melt. And the temperature of my Bosco was starting to rise. Time to call the appliance repairman.

 And as I hung up the phone after being told the first appointment available was 3 days away, I really started to feel ticked off. This is no old junk fridge. I bought it two years ago, and thought for sure given its 3 doors and all stainless exterior that the $2500.00 I shelled out bought me a superior product. Uh, I guess not so much.

I ate peanut butter sandwiches until the "guy" arrived later in the week.

"Yep. Here's your problem right here!" he said with a smirk. "You got yourself a bad board".

"Actually, I have a light that won't turn off when I close the refrigerator door and it's heating up the inside of the box", I corrected him ever so politely.

"Yea..like I said …it's a bad board".

With that he opened up the back of my refrigerator, disconnected and removed what appeared to be a mother board with enough microprocessors to actually have this appliance launch itself into at least a low level orbit and return home safely.

The job took 10 minutes. The light went off. The refrigerator cooled down. And I was $300.00 lighter in the wallet.

And I didn't gripe one bit. Because I understand. All too well do I understand.

I used to fix cars. I mean, I  really "fixed" them and made them like new. If your car didn't start, I could replace the solenoid on the starter. Now the whole starter assembly has to be replaced.

Nowadays, if an alternator goes bad, we don't test the windings or the regulator, we replace it. You get the point, of course.

So then: Why should you care?

Well the answer is we should ALL care because this type of component based manufacturing has gone a long way to taking the "skill" out of skilled labor. We used to troubleshoot cars. Now we "read" set computer codes. And while it may take far less time to do this work, you actually end up paying MORE!

That's right. And the reason is that the hardware and software that now needs to be used to "fix" your car (or your refrigerator) is expensive. Very expensive.

Back in the day when you paid a technician to fix something he came with valuable assets. His tools, of course…but also his brain; his ability to use logic and the rules of deduction.

Now we get the guy, for sure. We get his tools. But it seems we also now need to pay for his artificial intelligence as well.

Look at it this way: I have no doubt it costs a lot more these days to run a grocery store than when I was a kid. The checkers certainly make more, but ostensibly do less. They scan, they push the food, but they don't read labels. And they, as we all know, don't even have to know how to make change.

So now we pay the human for doing less, and add on the extra cost of the technology used to replace the very task that we eliminated.

For what it's worth, the whole thing is mystifying to me. And if it's ok, I may just ditch all of these scanners, computers, and online tutorials and just grab a wrench and go back to work. And I promise to pass the savings along to you…you see…when you get me, I'll  promise to also throw in my brain that God graced me with. But that's just me.

Doug Brauner is the Owner/Operator of The Car Czar Auto Repair in Sacramento and Citrus Heights, CA, as well as the host of The Car Czar Show seen on CW31 every Sunday morning at 10:00 am.

Store information and COUPONS for FREE auto repair can be found at www.thecarczar.com and at facebook.com/thecarczar.