I just purchased a new refrigerator, because my old one bit the dust. I told the salesman I was disappointed with it because it had only lasted for about 16 years. He told me these new ones only have a life expectancy of 8 to 10 years. Can you believe that???? I didn't buy a cheap one either; I guess I better start saving up for the next one.

I had to get a new one last year...and heard the same thing...
and mine is a good one, too...

Mine is 16 years old too. I expect it to go to refrig heaven at any time. I hate to spend money on appliances. I'd rather by a sewing machine or fabric:)

I got rid of my old Kenmore at 17 yrs. It was still running fine, but we had just moved into a new house & I wanted a new one with water & ice through the door.......what a mistake! I hate this new one (well, it is 6 yrs old now). At first it was freezing all of my produce & when the service guy came out he stuffed a paper towel in some opening between the freezer & fridge. Well, that didn't work (what a surprise) & we didn't want that guy again, so my husband & I started experimenting with duct taping this opening & punching holes in it. We finally found a happy medium where our milk wasn't going bad & our produce wasn't freezing but come on! Duct tape on my new $1000+ refrigerater??!! It has worked fine until we came down to a flood 2 weeks ago so now the water & ice that I wanted so bad isn't hooked up any more. We will attempt to trouble shoot when we get back from our summer travels but for now we will keep the water to it off so we won't get flooded out when we are gone. I hate to say it but I look forward to this one conking out!

Don't tell my washing machine that. It's 24 years old!

A sad fact;things are not made to last and we all know that they could be!

This is called planned obsolescence. If they last like the old ones did the manufactures couldn't sell as many. It's all a money (greed) thing.

i just got rid of one at about 30 years old, replaced it with one a neighbor gave me that has only one door, you have to open it to open the freezer door. Works great.

I still regret getting rid of a waist high commercial ice cream freezer we had in the garage. Thought after all the kids left we wouldn't need it. Still miss it. We gave it to the yard man who had a lot of kids, and he said recently that it had finally conked out and had to take it to the dump. 
DH had it when we married in 1967, and we gave it away in about the 1980s....no idea of how old it was. When it was made they sure didn't know or believe in planned obsolescence, which I view as cheating.

My almost new gas range oven doesn't work unless the temperature is set at 435 or above. The four year old refrigerator freezes up in the back causing a solid ice formation under the bottom vegetable crispers at which time it starts spitting water all over inside the refrigerator. DH had to tear it apart twice and thaw out the back. What a mess! Appliance manufacturers should be proud!