Winter would be a lot easier if our equipment didn’t keep breaking down! I don’t understand it at all. We take really good care of all of our equipment. It is supposed to be built well, yet it seems that the equipment is constantly breaking down! I’m tempted to buy brand new stuff because then the warranties would cover the costs of repair, but it is hard to justify the extra expense. Sometimes even having the repairs covered under warranty isn’t enough – breakdowns incur lost opportunity costs, not just repair costs.   Built in obsolescence is the villain here, of that I am certain!