Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[UKdave2002]

Me and my brother have spent this week clearing out my Dads house in Chester, thinking that there is stuff we will keep, stuff for the charity shops and a bit of stuff we would throw away.

It hasn’t quite worked like that, and what has really struck me is how little value many used items have today, for example;
His living room furniture comprised of an 80’s three piece suite, although in good nick, with little use, no one wants it (we tried to giv it away!), TV’s VCR Stereo, Microwave, all in perfect condition and less than 3 years old, took them to a couple of charity shops, was told “can’t except electrical items any more due to Health & Safety” !! Had a quick look on eBay, these things fetch so little it’s not worth the hassle of selling them. We end up putting them in a skip. I feel guilty a) because it was my Dads hard earned cash that bought these things, and b) It just can’t be good for the environment.

So a combination of legislation and our throw away culture, plus that fact that many things are in real terms cheap today, means we are scrapping a good proportion of his positions, folk don’t buy or even want FOC, 2nd hand stuff these days.

And that in turn means that in 20 or 30 years time there will be very few artefacts from our current time because they will all have been thrown away,.......... or has it really always been like this but I have never experienced it?

Dave

[buzzy bee]

Hi

Might be worth offering it to a council, they surely must need everyday things like microwaves and sofas when they are setting families up in a council house/flat, I am sure they would be more that appreciative of something to sit on and watch etc. Just an idea?

Cheers

Dave

[Rick]

a lot comes down to fashion doesn't it - go around any car boot sale and you'll see rucks of working kitchen goods, being replaced simply because they are now the wrong colour to match the new kitchen. This stuff is so cheap to buy new, that fashion rather than need leads to stuff being chucked simply because it doesn't fit in with the decor. Making used stuff worthless almost overnight. Mad.

Of course a lot of stuff gets binned early on simply because, due to indifferent build quality, a tiny component wears out and renders the entire machine u/s. Plastic, where once metal would have been used, is often the cause of these early breakages.

When my folks bought their first home together, they were glad of secondhand stuff to equip it. When we set up in '98, we did the same - s/h 3 piece suite and so on, only the cooker was bought new because the previous owner took it with him! Now first time buyers seem to expect new everything, and often go and get it - usually on credit.

I wonder if, with university leavers racking up huge student loan debt, coupled with mega mortgage repayments, perhaps used goods (I'm thinking of the expensive stuff to buy new, rather than cheapo electrical goods) will come back into favour???

R
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[bigstraight6]

What a picture of our consumer led society, being relentlessly fed by goods produced in vast numbers and very cheaply in Oriental sweatshops I have however heard of websites where you can advertise items you wish to dispose of free of charge, as long as the 'buyer' collects but I can't remember the name of the site....

[giggles]

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I can't see myself spending a ruck off cash for new goodies, much prefer a old chair, I have that much old stuff, I can't put it anywhere. I would much prefer to have second hand tools, or a second hand tele than news ones like my mates, then buy a new car part, or put it towards a bike, or car, old of course!

Oe thing that is springing up alot at the moment is clean posh clothes. I bought a load of jeans, but now I have worn them they either have oil or grease on them. I couldn't care less if I have ripped clothes or what ever, I am happy, so why should it matter to other people?

Hmmmm

Cheers

Dave

[alfanut]

bs6, is this what you are thinking of:
http://uk.freecycle.org/
It seems agood idea to me. As to electrical appliances, wouldn't they be ok for a charity shop to sell if they were tested under the PAT (portable appliance testing) regulations, or can they just not be bothered.
The main problem with new things is that they are assembled on production lines, often by robots, without any thought of how they can be dismantled and repaired. My local tv repair place shut down a little while ago for this very reason.

Geoff

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I may have a look at that site! Could be dangerous though! hehe

To do demos in public we were required to do pat testing, we used to walk over, give it a quick tap (or a pat) and then say yep passed! hehe

No I did PAT testing at college in the insulated booth and the rest of it, but I can't remember much about it now.

Cheers

Dave