Gregsy I am with you on your trans analysis.And the Corv. thing,with tires that are rubber bands stretched over rims the diameter of garbage can lids they can`t flex.(we cannot have sidewall flex on a street car)Not to mention if they had more than 1inch of travel the sparks would fly.And those stupid "check engine" lights are number one on my hit list also.I just do not like the feeling of driving with an airbag (code word for bomb) in my face.Instead of making the dash softer so when we smash our face off it in a crash,keep us in our seat with a proper seatbelt.
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OT: why is everything crap today
- Thread starter Maverickmachinist
- Start date
- Replies 98
- Views 5,161
Gotta agree about household appliances being crap these days. I've got a GE washer and dryer that are about 4 yrs old and on their last legs, and I've never had a refrigerator last more than 5 yrs.
OTOH, my bro in law has an International Harvester refrigerator cooling his beer in the garage, bought new by his grandad in 1948. The thing is beat to hell, but except for a couple of new door gaskets over the yrs, works fine.
Cars, well I wouldn't care to go back in time. My dad was a professional mechanic in the late 40s, and often said that back then, 50k was considered extremely good engine life in the days of metal gauze air cleaners and bypass, or no, oil filters.
OTOH, my bro in law has an International Harvester refrigerator cooling his beer in the garage, bought new by his grandad in 1948. The thing is beat to hell, but except for a couple of new door gaskets over the yrs, works fine.
Cars, well I wouldn't care to go back in time. My dad was a professional mechanic in the late 40s, and often said that back then, 50k was considered extremely good engine life in the days of metal gauze air cleaners and bypass, or no, oil filters.
Weirsdale George
Stainless
- Joined
- May 17, 2003
- Location
- Weirsdale, FL
Yes, today's cars are more complicated, but I gotta agree with Don, they are better built (materials, lubricants, technology, etc.) and more reliable. Fifty years ago, I can remember my father changing oil every 1,000 miles, repacking front wheel bearings every 10,000 miles and he felt lucky if he got 100,000 miles out of the engine driving it at 50 MPH max! (As I recall, he also did a tune-up every 10,000 miles, too.) Back in the mid-1950 he bought a new house on three acres for $10,000 -- today an equivalent house would cost $500,000+. Using that as a yardstick, a $2,000 dollar car back then would cost more than $100,000 today.
Yes, they are very expensive to repair. A $20 repair in the Mid-50's is probably the equivalent of a $500 repair today -- still a bargain.
Would I consider a new $1,500 1955 Dodge pickup better than my $35,000 (when new) 2001 Dodge Cummins Diesel -- hell no! Absolutely no comparison in any parameter -- ride comfort, reliability, load carrying, trailer towing, safety, speed, etc., etc. Fifty years from now, will the 1955 pickup still be driving around? Probably, and my Dodge will have long been turned into rebar, but I don't care as I will be worm food!
Yes, they are very expensive to repair. A $20 repair in the Mid-50's is probably the equivalent of a $500 repair today -- still a bargain.
Would I consider a new $1,500 1955 Dodge pickup better than my $35,000 (when new) 2001 Dodge Cummins Diesel -- hell no! Absolutely no comparison in any parameter -- ride comfort, reliability, load carrying, trailer towing, safety, speed, etc., etc. Fifty years from now, will the 1955 pickup still be driving around? Probably, and my Dodge will have long been turned into rebar, but I don't care as I will be worm food!
J
jfsmith
Guest
Here is a point to ponder the Columbus Police say that their cars are well over the projected service life. O.K. I can agree to that, these are Crown Victorias that do run the engines a lot. Especially with all of the new computer information communications crap that use. But they are still running and don't sound like some of the other older cars I hear out on the road.
But in Moscow, Russia what cars do the Moscow police use, Crown Victorias. There is something be said about some of the America products. This is an instance that should be noted.
Jerry
But in Moscow, Russia what cars do the Moscow police use, Crown Victorias. There is something be said about some of the America products. This is an instance that should be noted.
Jerry
CharlieBiler
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2005
- Location
- Connellsville PA
This is just ignited pet peeves. Who cares what the price is? How long did you have to work to make the price of the product, and how long will it last are better markers.
My father, a professional mechanic, has always driven Chevys. He bought used Chevys because they were better than his first car, a Model A Ford.I think he had a 49 and a 52 Chevy. He bought a new 58 Chevy and ran it for 170 thousand miles. The body left go from rust. He paid it off in three years. The next was a 64 Impala convertible he got used. He rebuilt the engine and thumped it for 150 thousand more; pulling campers and farm wagons. It had a 283 and a powerglide. He was forced to buy a new car in 72 because of his job. He ordered an Impala with a 350 four bolt main, 400 tranny, and a 12 bolt rear axle with a 378 ratio. It was a one ton truck with room. He beat the living hell out of it for 300,000. miles. He paid it off in four years. When he was done, the frame was bent and he twisted two driveshafts. He never touched the engine, tranny, or rear axle. He just changed fluids and replaced things like brakes. His 85 Caprice was still going at 250 thousand when he sold it to a friend, that wrapped it around a tree within a year. He paid it off in five years. His current 93 Caprice is now used to take him and Ma to the store and on vacation. He dropped cash on this ride. He has reached the end of the line. He will buy no junk to replace this car.
The finance time kept going up and his frustration factor climbed as well. How many years are you financing those shiny new rides? He giggles about how new cars brag about long life. Put 'SB' oil in your new rice burner copy and see if you get 75 thousand miles from it. The thing will self destruct with the lubes they had in the fifties. Put 85-140 in a new truck tranny. It will eat through itself in six months. Put that new lube in a restored classic and you will give them a run for the record books.
When the ignition module pops today you have to remove the radiator and damper pulley to change the coil pack. If it dies along the road, everyone whips out the cell phone. Without the cellphone they are toast. Pap carries enough to rebuild the car, when he goes for a ride. It pisses him off that he must carry three times the parts and tools for his new car. He calls cell phones 'leashes' and the old boy has a point.
How long did you work for what and how long did it last? I have old coats that cost a weeks pay. They still keep me warm and the kids wonder where I get the neato retro threads. I have an old flannel shirt that now has short sleeves. It cost six hard hours pay and it still is mine. I wore the sleeves out and I hemmed them at the elbows. I would slap someone silly if they touched it today. It is still better than the $45.00 Codit flannel shirt I bought last month.
My buddy says," You can not afford that cheap crap on your small pay". Cheap prices are still too high for today's things. I just paid three hundred for an old stock coat (Filson) that is a twin of my old one. I will probably be buried in it. I want my tools, clothes, and everything else to last forever. Sadly we live in an era of throwaway fashion. Everyone is now plunking down big bucks to replace their automatic pistols. They are dumping a weeks pay for the same rod I have been toting since I was old enough to carry it. It only has six shots, but a 44 needs no safety or second shot. Everyone bought that 9mm because it was the style, and it was plastic. Many of todays machine tools are purchased because someone drooled on it. You buy cars and trucks for reasons I can not grasp. My things serve me. I refuse to be a slave to a bank or fashion. Clothes do not make the man, and no accessory will make you a better person. My grandfather was buried with an old felt hat that he wore for as long as I knew him. I think they also put his old 45 in there too. My father will be buried with his favorite tools and pistol. When I die, the dogs will have a feast. My things will be scattered by the jackals.
If she does not like my car; kick her to the curb. End of rant.....
My father, a professional mechanic, has always driven Chevys. He bought used Chevys because they were better than his first car, a Model A Ford.I think he had a 49 and a 52 Chevy. He bought a new 58 Chevy and ran it for 170 thousand miles. The body left go from rust. He paid it off in three years. The next was a 64 Impala convertible he got used. He rebuilt the engine and thumped it for 150 thousand more; pulling campers and farm wagons. It had a 283 and a powerglide. He was forced to buy a new car in 72 because of his job. He ordered an Impala with a 350 four bolt main, 400 tranny, and a 12 bolt rear axle with a 378 ratio. It was a one ton truck with room. He beat the living hell out of it for 300,000. miles. He paid it off in four years. When he was done, the frame was bent and he twisted two driveshafts. He never touched the engine, tranny, or rear axle. He just changed fluids and replaced things like brakes. His 85 Caprice was still going at 250 thousand when he sold it to a friend, that wrapped it around a tree within a year. He paid it off in five years. His current 93 Caprice is now used to take him and Ma to the store and on vacation. He dropped cash on this ride. He has reached the end of the line. He will buy no junk to replace this car.
The finance time kept going up and his frustration factor climbed as well. How many years are you financing those shiny new rides? He giggles about how new cars brag about long life. Put 'SB' oil in your new rice burner copy and see if you get 75 thousand miles from it. The thing will self destruct with the lubes they had in the fifties. Put 85-140 in a new truck tranny. It will eat through itself in six months. Put that new lube in a restored classic and you will give them a run for the record books.
When the ignition module pops today you have to remove the radiator and damper pulley to change the coil pack. If it dies along the road, everyone whips out the cell phone. Without the cellphone they are toast. Pap carries enough to rebuild the car, when he goes for a ride. It pisses him off that he must carry three times the parts and tools for his new car. He calls cell phones 'leashes' and the old boy has a point.
How long did you work for what and how long did it last? I have old coats that cost a weeks pay. They still keep me warm and the kids wonder where I get the neato retro threads. I have an old flannel shirt that now has short sleeves. It cost six hard hours pay and it still is mine. I wore the sleeves out and I hemmed them at the elbows. I would slap someone silly if they touched it today. It is still better than the $45.00 Codit flannel shirt I bought last month.
My buddy says," You can not afford that cheap crap on your small pay". Cheap prices are still too high for today's things. I just paid three hundred for an old stock coat (Filson) that is a twin of my old one. I will probably be buried in it. I want my tools, clothes, and everything else to last forever. Sadly we live in an era of throwaway fashion. Everyone is now plunking down big bucks to replace their automatic pistols. They are dumping a weeks pay for the same rod I have been toting since I was old enough to carry it. It only has six shots, but a 44 needs no safety or second shot. Everyone bought that 9mm because it was the style, and it was plastic. Many of todays machine tools are purchased because someone drooled on it. You buy cars and trucks for reasons I can not grasp. My things serve me. I refuse to be a slave to a bank or fashion. Clothes do not make the man, and no accessory will make you a better person. My grandfather was buried with an old felt hat that he wore for as long as I knew him. I think they also put his old 45 in there too. My father will be buried with his favorite tools and pistol. When I die, the dogs will have a feast. My things will be scattered by the jackals.
If she does not like my car; kick her to the curb. End of rant.....
Weirsdale George
Stainless
- Joined
- May 17, 2003
- Location
- Weirsdale, FL
CharlieBiler wrote. "The finance time kept going up ..."
What ever happened to the old days when people saved up money for a purchase? The cheapest way to buy a car is to pay cash, take care of it and keep it for eight years.
What ever happened to the old days when people bought a car within their means and that met their needs? I see young families with two less-than-two-year expensive cars (not to mention the jet ski and four wheeler) -- when I got married in 1972, we had one six-year old Mercury Comet and that served us well for two years till we bought a second car, a 1971 Maverick.
Madison Avenue has convinced the majority of the populace that each and everyone of them needs the newest, shiniest, biggest, fastest and all those other "-est's" car available even though the only difference between that one and a car that is three years old is fancier cup holders or some such trivial thing. Real technological advances that are worthwhile in the automotive industry are few and far between!
What ever happened to the old days when people saved up money for a purchase? The cheapest way to buy a car is to pay cash, take care of it and keep it for eight years.
What ever happened to the old days when people bought a car within their means and that met their needs? I see young families with two less-than-two-year expensive cars (not to mention the jet ski and four wheeler) -- when I got married in 1972, we had one six-year old Mercury Comet and that served us well for two years till we bought a second car, a 1971 Maverick.
Madison Avenue has convinced the majority of the populace that each and everyone of them needs the newest, shiniest, biggest, fastest and all those other "-est's" car available even though the only difference between that one and a car that is three years old is fancier cup holders or some such trivial thing. Real technological advances that are worthwhile in the automotive industry are few and far between!
BWS
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2004
- Location
- Mnts. of Va.
Resisting,resisting.........dang it.Maverick,sounds like you're looking in the wrong places?First thing that popped into my pea brain was/is reloading equip.Carries lifetime warr. I make vises for bow builders(made 3 the other day for a guy)that come with lifetime no BS warrenties.90% of our shops cabinets come with lifetime's.......can go on and on.And the prices reflect actual build costs not BMW driving Lawyer propped up nonsense.Best of luck,BW
Your Old Dog
Plastic
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2005
- Location
- Western New York
We're are forgetting one thing here. Most of us have twice (;maybe three times) as much "stuff" as we used to. Because of the effective use of advertising we "want" more. That's what causes most of us to seek out cheaper stuff because we can afford more!
One other tangent. I don't want to pay for a lathe that will outlast me 5 times. If I'm lucky, I got 15, maybe 20 years left on the planet. I don't need or want to pay for a car, house, refrigerator or anything else that I won't get used up before I split!
I liked my 69 Lemans I drove for 5 years but it didn't hold up nearly as well as our 98 Escort that gives us 35mpg on the road! Wish my 74 350 pickup would do that kind of mileage today!
I know it's probably happened somewhere but whens the last time you saw a car driving down the road with large plooms of burning oil coming out the exhaust? This used to be a several time a diay occurance. Don't hear much about blown pistons, sticking valves and the like unless it's maybe from a racing enthusiast.
One other tangent. I don't want to pay for a lathe that will outlast me 5 times. If I'm lucky, I got 15, maybe 20 years left on the planet. I don't need or want to pay for a car, house, refrigerator or anything else that I won't get used up before I split!
I liked my 69 Lemans I drove for 5 years but it didn't hold up nearly as well as our 98 Escort that gives us 35mpg on the road! Wish my 74 350 pickup would do that kind of mileage today!
I know it's probably happened somewhere but whens the last time you saw a car driving down the road with large plooms of burning oil coming out the exhaust? This used to be a several time a diay occurance. Don't hear much about blown pistons, sticking valves and the like unless it's maybe from a racing enthusiast.
Here is one advancement in the eyes of the auto industry,the car radio.Remember when you pushed 1 button to turn it on,another to get the station and then adjust your volume level.Today as you are weaving all over the road trying to figure this thing out it cannot be safe.The buttons are so small to push that the average finger pushes at least 2 at the same time.I usually end up using a pen to adjust mine.You better have a manual ready to walk you through the setup as well.They sound much better but user friendly no.Well speaking of user friendly ,I have 3 remotes to work the "entertainment center",we used to call it a TV.When I go to watch a movie I have to brush up on my user manuals everytime because I forget the sequence of events that I have to go through.I go into a frenzy at the end, pointing and clicking away,not knowing if something is turned on or the stupid batteries are dead.When my thumb wears out then come the manuals.BWS I had some things with lifetime warranties as well except I lived longer than the company.
sandman2234
Titanium
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2003
- Location
- Jacksonville, Florida, USA
I just put rear brakes on my 91 Chevy p/u. First time, due to a w/c seal popping under pressure. The shoes still had material left on them, which amazes me, since the truck has 180,000 miles on it. (Mostly city driving)
My 2001 p/u has discs on all 4 wheels, just like my '66 Corvette, except the vette used 4 pistons per caliper.
The vette will pull a medium weight trailer (read 18' glastron boat) a lot better than the 2001 will pull a empty 20' trailer. The 91' p/u will pull the trailer with the new truck on it better than the new one pulls the empty trailer.
The new one gets better gas milage, but not by much. Loaded or pulling a trailer, it gets worse.
Guess it all has to do with buying a vehicle to match the things you do with it.
David from jax
My 2001 p/u has discs on all 4 wheels, just like my '66 Corvette, except the vette used 4 pistons per caliper.
The vette will pull a medium weight trailer (read 18' glastron boat) a lot better than the 2001 will pull a empty 20' trailer. The 91' p/u will pull the trailer with the new truck on it better than the new one pulls the empty trailer.
The new one gets better gas milage, but not by much. Loaded or pulling a trailer, it gets worse.
Guess it all has to do with buying a vehicle to match the things you do with it.
David from jax
But, you can't FIX them......
Example:
Wheel bearings? Aren't any....to replace them, you replace the "cartridge hub" including everything.
No replacenment "parts" just replacement "assemblies".
Nice for manufacturer's, since to force buying new cars, just let the supply of replacement assemblies dry up.......
rivett608
Diamond
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2002
- Location
- Kansas City, Mo.
Things are made different today than they used to be...... I'm not going to say good or bad but different and we the user's have to adjust....... I would guess most of us are the type when things break we want to know why and fix them...... a lot of modern stuff is not made with that intent.... take computers or many other electronic things...... if you had a 15 year old computer in perfect condition what good would it be.... it wouldn't work with most software today...... so electronics say last about 4 years.... after that pitch them and get a new one that is cheaper with more features........ same with cars but maybe 10 years. What is going to happen when something like a top of the line Lexus is 15 years old..... car maybe rust free and mechanically fine but if it's brain box burns up you may not be able to get one and there sits 2 tons of metal.......
Now think about these cheap machines..... use them.... and toss them when done. I have bought cheap import tools for a single task and pitched them because the cost/hassle to ship them back isn't worth it.
Now why is this possible...... two reasons... one is our throw away mentality.... did this start with those aluminum TV trays we learned to eat off of in the 60's.... when done just toss them in the trash... no dishes to wash.... how easy... and then we got used to it. Another reason is recycling.... I remember as a kid huge junk yards filled with acres of rusting cars..... now you don't see that anymore as much....... even in Europe cars must be made to be recycled.... each assembly must be all of one type of material......... so today we use something for a few years.... trow it away... it takes a trip across the seas and comes back as a new one for the process to continue.
Now I'm not saying this is all good because I too as you know like neat old stuff but I think what we have to do is separate the neat old stuff that is worth saving from that junk that we buy to make our lives easier...... gives us more time to play with the cool stuff.
Now think about these cheap machines..... use them.... and toss them when done. I have bought cheap import tools for a single task and pitched them because the cost/hassle to ship them back isn't worth it.
Now why is this possible...... two reasons... one is our throw away mentality.... did this start with those aluminum TV trays we learned to eat off of in the 60's.... when done just toss them in the trash... no dishes to wash.... how easy... and then we got used to it. Another reason is recycling.... I remember as a kid huge junk yards filled with acres of rusting cars..... now you don't see that anymore as much....... even in Europe cars must be made to be recycled.... each assembly must be all of one type of material......... so today we use something for a few years.... trow it away... it takes a trip across the seas and comes back as a new one for the process to continue.
Now I'm not saying this is all good because I too as you know like neat old stuff but I think what we have to do is separate the neat old stuff that is worth saving from that junk that we buy to make our lives easier...... gives us more time to play with the cool stuff.
azsort
Aluminum
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2004
- Location
- Central Arizona
Hmmm, lets see. I know I've got a lot of stuff (over 10,000 sq ft under roof here at home) but I still feel like I shouldn't have to be fixing something everytime I turn around. Stuff breaks faster than I can maintain it. Just cost me $500 to get a A/C hose on her car repaired cause you have to buy this whole assy and then remove the front end of the car to get at it. Took my GMC van in cause it was running rough. Good news is it went 150,000 without a hitch. Bad news is a thorough tune-up cost $1200.
Greg C.
Greg C.
Ries
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2004
- Location
- Edison Washington USA
I dont agree that everything is cheap crap today- I just think now you have a choice- spend almost nothing for cheap crap, or spend real money for high quality.
In the old days, you didnt have that choice- you spent real money, period.
When I was a kid, nobody had 2 or 3 cars, a snowmobile, a few dirt bikes, a pickup, a trailer, a riding lawn mower, and a jet ski- You had ONE car, period.
Because cars were expensive.
In almost every category I can think of, you can buy a higher quality item today than ever before- as long as you are willing to pay for it.
I dont care if my new cars are harder to fix, because they are a whole lot harder to break. I have run several newer cars over 200k without ANY major repairs.
I had a whole slew of cool old 50's and 60's cars, and I got them dirt cheap because they often had as much as 100,000 miles on them, at which point everything broke. Sure, you could fix it, but then it broke again.
I have sold most of the old boat anchor 100 year old machines in my shop, because, as a working shop, I need a tool to work when I turn it on. My new hydraulic ironworker, for example, is miles ahead of any old buffalo mechanical. Same with many other of my tools- welders- they are light years better than they used to be, and Miller and Lincoln pretty much last forever.
There is tons of real high quality stuff available now in every category- but they dont have it down at Walmart, you gotta do a little work to find it.
In the old days, you didnt have that choice- you spent real money, period.
When I was a kid, nobody had 2 or 3 cars, a snowmobile, a few dirt bikes, a pickup, a trailer, a riding lawn mower, and a jet ski- You had ONE car, period.
Because cars were expensive.
In almost every category I can think of, you can buy a higher quality item today than ever before- as long as you are willing to pay for it.
I dont care if my new cars are harder to fix, because they are a whole lot harder to break. I have run several newer cars over 200k without ANY major repairs.
I had a whole slew of cool old 50's and 60's cars, and I got them dirt cheap because they often had as much as 100,000 miles on them, at which point everything broke. Sure, you could fix it, but then it broke again.
I have sold most of the old boat anchor 100 year old machines in my shop, because, as a working shop, I need a tool to work when I turn it on. My new hydraulic ironworker, for example, is miles ahead of any old buffalo mechanical. Same with many other of my tools- welders- they are light years better than they used to be, and Miller and Lincoln pretty much last forever.
There is tons of real high quality stuff available now in every category- but they dont have it down at Walmart, you gotta do a little work to find it.
wilbilt
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2005
- Location
- Honcut, Ca. USA
I would agree that in many ways newer vehicles are a vast improvement over old iron. Lower emissions, better MPG, increased engine life, etc.
But as a former automotive tech, I can also say that they are not built to last more than ten years, tops. Components are not designed to be repaired, they are designed to be replaced. The computer control systems are great, until they stop working. At tht point you might as well scrap the car and buy something else. Finding someone with the knowledge and equipment to properly diagnose these systems is difficult. Most techs just start changing sensors (and charge you for them) until they find the problem.
I don't think they design them to keep working much after a typical lease period of 3 to 5 years.
I am 42 years old and have never owned a new vehicle because I cannot afford to buy one. It used to be that I could buy a 10 or 15-year old rig and fix a few things to have a decent vehicle.
Nowadays, those 10 to 15-year old cars have multiple systems failures and aren't worth the effort. Our newest vehicle is my wife's '93 Dodge Caravan. I paid cash for it about 5 years ago, $2K under bluebook because the tranny was slipping. The same trans that was originally designed for the 4-cylinder "K" cars...in a van that weighs half a ton more and is powered by a V6.
I rebuilt the trans, and all was well for a while. At this point, the rear wiper motor plastic gears have disintegrated, the door switches have stopped working, the plastic radiator leaks, half the dash lights only work on Wednesdays, The plastic window mechanism in the driver's door slips, and the computer is giving me a "bad O2 sensor" code.
Oh, and now that summer is almost here, the AC just quit.
I guess it's time to trade up to something 5 years newer, if I can afford it.
People keep telling me how much sense it makes to lease a vehicle. I don't get it. Let's see... I put $2K down, pay $500/month for 5 years, and then I still owe 20 Grand on it? Or give it back? No, thanks...
As far as appliances go, I am fed up with toasters and coffee makers that last exactly one year. Cordless phones, too. Ice chests with plastic hinges that last one summer. Inkjet printers that don't even outlast the second ink cartridge.
They complain about filling up our landfills. Gee...I wonder why that is...??
But as a former automotive tech, I can also say that they are not built to last more than ten years, tops. Components are not designed to be repaired, they are designed to be replaced. The computer control systems are great, until they stop working. At tht point you might as well scrap the car and buy something else. Finding someone with the knowledge and equipment to properly diagnose these systems is difficult. Most techs just start changing sensors (and charge you for them) until they find the problem.
I don't think they design them to keep working much after a typical lease period of 3 to 5 years.
I am 42 years old and have never owned a new vehicle because I cannot afford to buy one. It used to be that I could buy a 10 or 15-year old rig and fix a few things to have a decent vehicle.
Nowadays, those 10 to 15-year old cars have multiple systems failures and aren't worth the effort. Our newest vehicle is my wife's '93 Dodge Caravan. I paid cash for it about 5 years ago, $2K under bluebook because the tranny was slipping. The same trans that was originally designed for the 4-cylinder "K" cars...in a van that weighs half a ton more and is powered by a V6.
I rebuilt the trans, and all was well for a while. At this point, the rear wiper motor plastic gears have disintegrated, the door switches have stopped working, the plastic radiator leaks, half the dash lights only work on Wednesdays, The plastic window mechanism in the driver's door slips, and the computer is giving me a "bad O2 sensor" code.
Oh, and now that summer is almost here, the AC just quit.
I guess it's time to trade up to something 5 years newer, if I can afford it.
People keep telling me how much sense it makes to lease a vehicle. I don't get it. Let's see... I put $2K down, pay $500/month for 5 years, and then I still owe 20 Grand on it? Or give it back? No, thanks...
As far as appliances go, I am fed up with toasters and coffee makers that last exactly one year. Cordless phones, too. Ice chests with plastic hinges that last one summer. Inkjet printers that don't even outlast the second ink cartridge.
They complain about filling up our landfills. Gee...I wonder why that is...??
So what ? If I drove a 1950's car 25,000 miles a year, it wouldn't last 5 years probably. Oh course the doors would still shut with a resounding thud and I could muse about how great it was made as the wrecker hauled it off to the scrap yard.
From this we can infer you tend to associate with fools ?
wilbilt
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2005
- Location
- Honcut, Ca. USA
D.Thomas,
A 50's or 60's car would be worth overhauling at 100K miles, because the structure would still have many years of life left in it. For a guy like me that doesn't have a lot of money, it would make more sense to spend a few hundred bucks to overhaul the engine and be good to go for another 100K miles...instead of mortgaging myself a shiny new plastic car.
I guess it depends on your point of view. I really don't mind the nickel and dime stuff. I feel it beats having that $500 car payment. With the newer cars, though, you end up replacing one plastic part with a new plastic part that fails as soon or sooner.
A good value used to mean something reasonably priced that would last a long time and was easily repairable.
A good value today only means it has the latest gadgets and a low interest rate.
You are right about associating with fools, though. I know people that throw everything away without making any attempt at all to fix things. They just go buy a new one.
I have gotten some "good values" that way...
A 50's or 60's car would be worth overhauling at 100K miles, because the structure would still have many years of life left in it. For a guy like me that doesn't have a lot of money, it would make more sense to spend a few hundred bucks to overhaul the engine and be good to go for another 100K miles...instead of mortgaging myself a shiny new plastic car.
I guess it depends on your point of view. I really don't mind the nickel and dime stuff. I feel it beats having that $500 car payment. With the newer cars, though, you end up replacing one plastic part with a new plastic part that fails as soon or sooner.
A good value used to mean something reasonably priced that would last a long time and was easily repairable.
A good value today only means it has the latest gadgets and a low interest rate.
You are right about associating with fools, though. I know people that throw everything away without making any attempt at all to fix things. They just go buy a new one.
I have gotten some "good values" that way...
But the modern car* at 100K miles wouldn't need the overhauling in the first place.
But I think I see what you're getting at....which is that you could buy a "worn out" 50's car really cheap and then fix it up yourself and save some money, whereas a "worn out" modern car is also cheap, but not practical to overhaul.
Of course that doesn't make the modern car "crap" but is an interesting perspective on the matter.
*a "good" one anyway
HuFlungDung
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2005
- Location
- Canada
I have the notion that today's manufacturing equipment is really quite wonderful. That's where the bulk of the creative thinking and ingenuity goes. Advanced communications systems are a nice touch, as well. But, the bulk of what we are being served via those systems is a giant load of crap.
I don't marvel too much at the crap that the wonderful technology produces at the consumer level. Plastic dodads of all descriptions, unrepairable miniaturization, lousy ergonomic design, too few buttons doing too many functions, etc.
I don't marvel at "machined food" which represents the bulk of our food crops which have been engineered to compact nicely into boxes and never rot.
Where the hell is the house of the future with all this computerized control of our homes? All I see is a whole lot of cheap junk being fabricated into over-priced homes that are really still "manually operated". I want to be able to monitor my house from my vacation location. Sure, it can be done if I piecemeal and cobble together a bunch of USB cameras, etc, but its far from common, thus far.
I don't marvel too much at the crap that the wonderful technology produces at the consumer level. Plastic dodads of all descriptions, unrepairable miniaturization, lousy ergonomic design, too few buttons doing too many functions, etc.
I don't marvel at "machined food" which represents the bulk of our food crops which have been engineered to compact nicely into boxes and never rot.
Where the hell is the house of the future with all this computerized control of our homes? All I see is a whole lot of cheap junk being fabricated into over-priced homes that are really still "manually operated". I want to be able to monitor my house from my vacation location. Sure, it can be done if I piecemeal and cobble together a bunch of USB cameras, etc, but its far from common, thus far.
