[OKDXA] Speaking Of Replacing Household Electronics

[AC5UP]

Yo... Mister Day...

I had a lightning strike about two years ago and the damages totaled up 
around $600 assuming normal retail. Have a $500 deductible on my 
homeowners insurance and opted to not collect the ~ $100 lest they raise 
my rates for having a claim.

Anyway, on routine items like phones, DVD players, clock radios, 
microwave ovens, etc. BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR LOCAL GOODWILL / SALVATION 
ARMY / WHATEVER before you pop for new and in the box. No Kidding. I've 
had very good luck with thrift shop appliances and new donations come in 
all the time. I regularly use a $15 microwave that works FB, $5 
phone(s), assorted $15 AM / FM stereo receivers, $20 TV's, etc. Back in 
March the compressor went out in my six year old refrigerator with a 
five year warranty and I ended up with a very clean Whirlpool for a 
shade under $200 (total delivered price) that actually works a bit 
better than the box it replaced.

The trick with thrift shops is to check in regularly, know your prices, 
and eyeball the goods as best you can before you take it home. Most 
people will not donate seriously broken goods but you may find some 
items that need a little TLC. Dirty switches, scratchy volume controls, 
lost wall wart or remote, etc. I fixed a cordless phone a few years back 
that was like new except somebody pushed a bit too hard on the coaxial 
power plug. Cracked the solder joint to the PC board. Easy fix. On 
things like blenders, clock radios, etc there will usually be an AC 
outlet where you can take 'em for a spin before you buy.

OTOH: I have a 2005 model year Becker car stereo / CD player with a 
Mercedes-Benz logo on the label that I picked up last month for $10 at 
the H.O.W. Store. Helluva' Deal, and it probably works FB... Hung it on 
a 12 volt power supply and it turned on, indexed the CD player head, 
then asked for the unlock code.

GD theft guard. Might swing by the M-B dealer to see if I can smile my 
way into an unlock code, but there is no way I can prove it wasn't 
stolen... Or Stollen. The M-B web site will supply the code for $30 plus 
a copy of the registration to prove I own the car that matches the radio.

Sheisse.