i was gonna say it's probably just the points need cleaned... that saved mine the last go round.
the time before that i had to re-wire/solder one of the wires to the heating element.
Regardless of the brand or reputation, an electric lead pot is no more complex than a toaster - like you put bread in. Design and "build quality" are almost difficult to mess up. The rest is quality of components and actual assembly. Hard to mess up too badly on assembly on something so simple. Yes, it can and does happen.
As components go, the element and the control means are the main components which can (and WILL, eventually) go wrong, and are good candidates for spare-parts purchases when the unit is bought new. These parts will not degreade with age - only with use, so there is no worry that they will "go bad" sitting in a drawer for thirteen years. They will be a lot cheaper now than in thirtten years, AND will be immediately available when you need them - on that cold, rainy day you decide is a good day to cast, but your pot says otherwise.
Terminations and wire insulation can degrade with time because of the heat. If the designer does not select and use appropriately temperature-rated components, that can be an issue too, but I've not seen it personally in the two Lee Pots I've owned. I looked.
If a fella decides to go the PID route, the mechanical temp controller can be eliminated completely.
As
@fiver indicates, sometimes just cleaning the contacts is necessary. Sometimes a wire eventually becomes brittle and you get an open. These are legitimate, easy, no-cash fixes to keep you going - not just Bubba patch-jobs.
Then, along the lines of how
@Ben solved this problem, Lee pots have always been priced comparatively low, having a complete spare unit ready to go is not unrealistic either. All the same, I'd keep the old one too. Never know how desperate things can get. Right now, a fella could buy a thousand primers for what a Lee pot would set him back. To some, or any of us at one time or another, it may make more sense to patch up an old pot and reserve the cash for commodities.
Let the "Lee-haters" hate,
@Ian . I know you know this, but...
I did a lot of casting and hand-loading over the years because I could afford to - because of Lee. I once bought a used Lee Turret press and a bunch of turrets for $15 at a show, because the guy selling it was embarrassed to have it one his table. He had actually hidden it UNDER his table. I saw it and offered $20. He laughed and said "how 'bout FIFTEEN?" I've also bought a lot of one of my favorite revolvers cheap because of Charter Arms-haters.
I don't mean to disparage anyone else's choices on lead pots, even indirectly, but when you boil it down, think about how simple these appliances really are and consider the actual use you get out of one, I see better money being spent on Lee pots. Unless someone is making an industrial model I can put on a bench, over the long haul, I've spent less on two Lee pots (both still working) over thirty-plus years now, that I'm still money ahead. Lee's replacement parts prices are pretty reasonable to boot.