Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 3/8/2009

Question
One of two springs broke on my Waltham regulator 31 day wall clock.  Local repair shop said it couldn't be fixed.  Only repair was to remove mechanical movement and replace with battery.  Looking for second opinion.  Is the spring repairable/replaceable?

Answer
here is the spring:

http://www.timesavers.com/catalogmain2.asp?ProductID=14203&submit1=Search


yes of course it is replaceable.
Many folks who are quoted the price for the repair of their relatively inexpensive 31 day clocks are sticker-shocked and decline to repair them. Your local repair shop did not want to waste his time going through the usual scenario and jumped over allowing you a decision that he felt certain you would make anyway and cut to the ending where some folks go and he did not fear to tread.

Tell him you have $200 to repair it and his story will change quickly.

Unfortunately the repairs to a Yugo transmission take the same amount of labor as those to a Mercedes.