When did you first notice a change in quality?

[Dennisthemenace]

I'd say early 90's was when the quality of smaller equipment in my industry (Refrigeration) turned bad.

 

[Gord404]

Its too bad some of our "eco-friends" can't figure out that building things to last is more environmentally friendly than buying throw away junk.

The new stuff is still repairable, but they don't make it easy!!! I changed a $5 relay in my oven by removing a circuit board and changing out the relay. If that didn't work it was going to the dump. I am still using that oven 3 years later. I saved myself $500 and stopped it from going to landfill. I think that makes me an environmentalist!!!!

Thinking the same thing about saws, - they concentrate so much on emissions, (so they say), that the before and after the POS fails should be of more of a concern.

 

[rob066]

Since they put plastic cage bearings in a chainsaw. Example the 372 XTorque. Do not tune above 12500 or a possible kaboom. Dont slip the clutch on a inboard clutch saw or the cage will melt. You know what IM getting at.

 

[rob066]

Ford vehicles enough said

 

[joe25DA]

It’s been steady for a long time. But I’d say the crap quality/lousy materials really took hold some time right after the millennium. Prior to that 90s and back you got pretty good quality off the shelf. Now, you have to really seek out quality items and pay a premium. Or like others said go the commercial route.
Take this mower for example. Found it on the road for free. Put fresh mix in, washed it looks and runs/cuts like new. It’s 30 years old. 1990, Suzuki 2 stroke, thick cast aluminum deck, nice chrome handle. This was a consumer mower back then. Now, it would be a $1200 commercial machine.
As I found it and once I washed it.

 

[sean donato]

Ford vehicles enough said

I have a brother in law that works for a chevy dealer. Most the mechanics that he works with don't own chevys, and his is constantly giving him crap. This last bust was the super duper wonderful Allison puking on the way up to my place.... had to laugh a bit when I went down to tow him back to his work with my 3/4 worn out 96 ford. He wasn't real quick with the junk Ford comments then. Point being just pick whatever pile of crap you think is gonna last and keep fixing it, cuz how I see it none of the big 3 have made a truck worth a hoot in quite a few years.

 

[drf255]

I owned a 1958 Ford 801 tractor. The amazing part of it was that nearly every single part of the machine, down to the power steering pump and the hydraulic cylinders, were repairable by the average guy with the average tools. In some cases, like the 3 point hydraulics located under the seat, the manual even told you how to make a tool to remove the main piston.

Now everything is throwaway garbage.

 

[joe25DA]

Interesting point about quality/ease of maintenance. The two are parallel. Not always but as stuff has been made cheaper, it’s also more difficult to repair. My Wheelhorse 3/12-8 can be completely taken apart with a 1/2” and 9/16”. Same is true of my 84 C30. The new Bobcat Toolcat at work seems like it was purposely engineered to infuriate a mechanic (me)

 

[mountainlake]

These company's like Polaris used to have management that built a good product. The present day management only want to make money NOW by using cheap parts and no R@D with no thought about ruining their reputation. WAY too many company's like that, shame on the management now days . Steve

 

[2broke2ride]

It's not just the manufacturers, people do it to themselves as well. I am on a Facebook page for Troy Bilt tillers and daily, people are posting about repowering them with the chinesium predator motors. These tillers came with cast iron block Tecumseh engines that can be rebuilt for less money than a predator motor but everyone wants cheap and fast!!!

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[joe25DA]

Another area quality has suffered. Toys. When I was little and the 80s and into the early 90s toys were made much better.
RC cars are junk, unless you go to a hobby shop (we have an excellent one in town) or order online. But those are $500+. I got a tyco turbo hopper in 1987 for my 6th birthday. Too much speed for me. Made in Japan and made very well. Also not cheap. In 1994 I bought an r/c truck from radio shack. Also made in Japan and high quality. I still have it and it still works. I also still have and use my NES that Santa Clause brought for Christmas ‘88. I replaced the 72pin connector and it works perfectly. My kids play it now. Will the new electronics go 30+ years? Doubt it.

 

[sean donato]

It's not just the manufacturers, people do it to themselves as well. I am on a Facebook page for Troy Bilt tillers and daily, people are posting about repowering them with the chinesium predator motors. These tillers came with cast iron block Tecumseh engines that can be rebuilt for less money than a predator motor but everyone wants cheap and fast!!!

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That's not a 100% true statement these days. Last tec I rebuilt eas a 10hp in my sears suburban. Parts consisted of a .010" over piston, rod, governor assembly and gasket kit. All oe parts. Cost over $200.00 in parts. Pistons was bought as a kit, supposed to have wrist pin, circlips, and rings. It came as just a Poston. So more money shelled out. All said I could have went out and bought a brand new Briggs for close to the same money just in parts. Could have rebuilt a k series or magnum for half that. Any more I take them off and toss them. Just not worth the effort to rebuild them.

 

[2broke2ride]

That's not a 100% true statement these days. Last tec I rebuilt eas a 10hp in my sears suburban. Parts consisted of a .010" over piston, rod, governor assembly and gasket kit. All oe parts. Cost over $200.00 in parts. Pistons was bought as a kit, supposed to have wrist pin, circlips, and rings. It came as just a Poston. So more money shelled out. All said I could have went out and bought a brand new Briggs for close to the same money just in parts. Could have rebuilt a k series or magnum for half that. Any more I take them off and toss them. Just not worth the effort to rebuild them.

These specific tecumseh motors can be completely rebuilt for right around $100.

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[joe25DA]

These specific tecumseh motors can be completely rebuilt for right around $100.

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We did a valve job on my 1980 toro 8-26 snowblower. 8hp L head Briggs, 14 years ago and runs great. I have a buddy who strictly Does older tractors WH, IH, JD, Gravely etc. Nothing newer than early 90s. He will rebuild the magnum and K series Kohlers. Send the blocks to be punched out and oversized piston. I’d do that before I put a commie clone on any American equipment. I don’t care if they can squeeze 45hp out of one.

 

[ironman_gq]

I owned a 1958 Ford 801 tractor. The amazing part of it was that nearly every single part of the machine, down to the power steering pump and the hydraulic cylinders, were repairable by the average guy with the average tools. In some cases, like the 3 point hydraulics located under the seat, the manual even told you how to make a tool to remove the main piston.

Now everything is throwaway garbage.

Worked on a lot of old equipment, maintenance stuff can usually be done with a pair of pliers and a butter knife

 

[Bret4207]

I agree with many of the sentiments posted here. But I have to say, we did a lot of this to ourselves. Think back the cars and trucks of the mid 70's-mid 80's. There was a very, very good reason Toyota and Honda surpassed US brands. I put over 300K on 2 Toy pickups and never did a thing other than brakes, exhaust, belts, etc. Why do Honda motors have the rep that Briggs, Kohler and Tecumseh used to have? Why are the Huskies of today not what the Huskies of the 80's and 90's are? We shop, in large part, based on price. But we also shop based on return on investment. There's also the fact that our $$$ just don't go as far as they did once. I haven't had a vehicle payent since 1995. I simply can't afford new or low miles used anymore. (I have a neighbor who has an $85K pickup truck!!!!) But yeah, quality isn't what it used to be, and part of that is because workers priced themselves out of a job, because taxes and regulations (and HEALTHCARE!) cut into the profit margin of the makers too much and because people will buy cheap if they can. In short, Briggs (for instance, insert whatever concern you want) didn't stop making high quality engines because they forgot how. They did it to stay in business based on what people seemed to be satisfied with.

 

[joe25DA]

I agree with many of the sentiments posted here. But I have to say, we did a lot of this to ourselves. Think back the cars and trucks of the mid 70's-mid 80's. There was a very, very good reason Toyota and Honda surpassed US brands. I put over 300K on 2 Toy pickups and never did a thing other than brakes, exhaust, belts, etc. Why do Honda motors have the rep that Briggs, Kohler and Tecumseh used to have? Why are the Huskies of today not what the Huskies of the 80's and 90's are? We shop, in large part, based on price. But we also shop based on return on investment. There's also the fact that our $$$ just don't go as far as they did once. I haven't had a vehicle payent since 1995. I simply can't afford new or low miles used anymore. (I have a neighbor who has an $85K pickup truck!!!!) But yeah, quality isn't what it used to be, and part of that is because workers priced themselves out of a job, because taxes and regulations (and HEALTHCARE!) cut into the profit margin of the makers too much and because people will buy cheap if they can. In short, Briggs (for instance, insert whatever concern you want) didn't stop making high quality engines because they forgot how. They did it to stay in business based on what people seemed to be satisfied with.

I agree. People have accepted **** quality. Go to Lowe’s or depot to purchase lumber or tools…not caring that the quality sucks, the manufacturer has specifically made that tool to meet a price point. That is made possible by making the tool cheaper likely communist country using borderline slave labor and the cheapest materials possible made in “just close enough” parameters. Unfortunately both sides are to blame. Liberals made it hard for businesses to make a profit with taxes, fees, epa, and other barriers. Conservatives saw the bottom line saving money by taking advantage of overseas manufacturer’s. In the end it’s bad for Americans.

 

[Miles86]

Look at my old hometown, Baltimore, much less industry on the waterfront equals much less good jobs for locals equal loss of hope equals today's sad state. I just try to remember the good days only.

 

[KASH]

15 years ago I bought a .020 over piston for a Kohler 301 price 219.00 for the piston alone.

Kash

 

[sean donato]

Kohlers were never cheap for oe parts.