I get the the unexpected emails also and just delete them as far as calls go I just don’t answer them if I don’t know the number.
Besides pictures, that’s the nice part about a smart phone. On my flip phone I couldn’t see who it was until I flipped it open which answered it. Kicking and screaming we go.
I don’t have or want a SMARTER than me phone I still use a flip phone and in the settings I have it set any key to answer so just opening it doesn’t answer plus the screen on the outside will show who is calling.
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I was once offered an extended warranty on a vacuum cleaner I bought at Sears. I had a Eureka upright vacuum cleaner for the carpets that we bought in 1977 and we still use it. However, it was inconvenient to take the upright out to clean the car and there wasn’t much suction for the tools to clean the upholstery both in the car and in the house. I was walking through Sears and saw a canister vacuum on sale for $19.95. I thought that was a really cheap price, but I was told it was on sale because all I would get was the canister power unit and the hose. I took a chance because I reasoned that the tools from the Eureka upright would fit on the hose which they did. I hadn’t had my $19.95 vacuum for a week when I got a call from Sears offering me an extended warranty on my vacuum cleaner. The warranty was “only” $ 20 a year for each of the next five years. I decided I really didn’t need the extended warranty which didn’t include the disposable bags
What was frustrating about my $19.95 vacuum cleaner was that the bags weren’t available in the retail portion of the Sears store. I had to order the bags through the service and parts department. The bags weren’t even in stock there. I had the vacuum opened up and found a decal that it was made by Singer. I could go to the Singer Sewing center and buy the replacement bags for less than ordering the bags through Sears I often think this type of practice may have been part of the reason Sears is in trouble.
When I bought a car back in the early 1960s, a mechanic recommended that I buy a Ford or Chevrolet because parts were readily available. I think a similar advice applies to vacuum cleaners. Stick with the Hoover or Eureka. I can still get replacement bags and the belt that drives the brush at Walmart for my 45 year old Eureka upright. That vacuum cleaner didn’t need an extended warranty.
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Heh heh, you make me laugh. You and me on vacuums. I didn’t replace my 38 year old Sanitaire one, just letting it rest while I use a new one. Yeah and can still get parts for it. So that makes 5 I have. One I really like is the super duper shop vac with about a 10’ hose mounted in the garage.
One thing I always thought was stupid with Sears was why they felt it necessary to maintain their own brands? All their stuff was made by someone else anyway like Whirlpool, MTD, etc. so who did they think they were fooling? But the result was about a 10 digit number for every part and not cross referenced to the same part by the manufacturer. So yeah, if you wanted a new coil for the clothes dryer, you couldn’t just swing by a place with Whirlpool parts, but would have to order it from Sears. I think at the time they had two, yes two parts stores in the Twin Cities area. That’s for about 2 million people, but Whirlpool parts were just down the street.
My friend and neighbor bought a Sears snow blower and explained he got the Craftsman because it was quality. I didn’t say anything but it was likely made in the same plant as mine, just had a different number on it that was not searchable on the computer.
Whipping a dead horse. Doesn’t matter but I’m amazed at what can be found with the computer, especially if you have a part number. When I buy a new equipment item I try to download the parts list and more than once you can google the part number and find an otherwise obsolete part.
@bing One lawnmower repair shop I used to go to for parts had a big sign that said “We Do Not Repair Equipment Made By Sears”. When I asked the proprietor about his sign, he said that it was too difficult and took too long to get parts from Sears.
Since we’re discussing whatever we pull out of our butts, I present to you, the Mach 40 Mustang.
Tester
Last year I saw a greater number of customers with one of those TV advertised car warranties, but I don’t want to change the subject, that causes confusion.
I disconnected our phone from the land line, still have fax. Probably a lot of calls for car warranty. I tried answering them for a a bit, and the call would drop off before anyone came on the line.
I told one such caller I had a 1928 Porter (points to those who get the reference).
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Bingo! After I told him I had said car, I started singing the theme song.He seemed…flummoxed. 
While I wouldn’t attempt to defend someone who works in one of those thieves’ dens, if he was younger than… let’s say… 55, he probably never saw the show–and that would be a good thing.
I said “thank heavens, I’ve got 400,000 miles on my car and need a warranty”. Click.
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