Repair or replace: the 50% rule, and when it is wrong

The rule: repair when the fix costs under half of a replacement and the unit is under 70 percent through its expected life. Both conditions, not either one.

Why it works

A replacement costs the same whether the old unit is nearly new or nearly dead, but the value of keeping it differs enormously. Repairing a nine-year-old washer at year 11 of 13 buys you two years. Repairing a two-year-old one buys you nine. Same fraction of price, very different value per dollar.

When it is wrong

Known systemic defect. If the failure is a documented design flaw the manufacturer quietly fixed in a later run, you are paying to re-create the fault. Replace.

Scarce parts. On a discontinued model the part price is set by remaining supply, not cost. It rises, then disappears. Replace on the first failure, not the second.

Two failures in twelve months. The unit is telling you something. The second cheap repair is the deposit on a third.

Energy is a rounding error. A new efficient dryer saves a couple of dollars a month. Put the yearly saving into the calculator and let the payback period argue with the salesperson.