A question and another rant.

[N80]

I certainly don't want to go back 40 years to the vehicles we had then. I also don't want to go back 40 years to the mechanic who only understood the basics of mechanical engineering. We as consumers have lost track of how many functions we expect our vehicle to do for us today. Simply put, power windows.

Yes, the cars I learned to drive on in the 70's were really bad. Quite unreliable compared to what we have now. On the other hand, you could fix/replace a starter, alternator or water pump in your driveway. With our Fords, Jeeps, Chryslers and Scouts, getting stranded somewhere was a common occurrence and I don't think it was any less common with the other brands.

Most of what goes wrong on the modern cars I've owned is the frills. I like the frills but they are a pain to fix, i.e power windows, keyless entry/starter systems. My friend has a '64 Lincoln with power windows. They have never been repaired and all four work perfectly and go up so fast and so hard they will cut your arm off. I've replaced two power window motors in my 07 350z and one of my Infiniti sedans had sluggish power windows for years.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Everything that failed on my 08 Duramax was of the BS (electronic) gimmick variety.

Over $100.00 CDN for an LED clearance light! A $1.39 Bulb would have worked fine! Stupid consumers just encourage this trap.

 

[kenmac]

Problem . no one wants or knows how to repair anything anymore. I was in the A/C business for 30+ yrs. the last 5 or so, A/C companies just started replacing entire systems due to part failures.
I got calls all the time where I would find a condenser fan motor bad, ans some A/C company would tell them it would cost more to repair than replace.

Friend of mine called last week. Someone had given him a like new chest type freezer that didn't work, and wanted me to check it out for him. I checked it ,and found the thermostat had gone bad. He said the guy that gave it to him had a service guy to look at it ,and the service guy told him it couldn't be repaired, and to go buy a new one. I ordered a thermostat off E-Bay for $3.94. And repaired the freezer.
He called me yesterday ,and told me he called the guy that had given him the freezer,and offered it back to him. The guy declined ,as he had already bought a new one .He said the guy could't believe he was able to get someone to repair it.

No one really wants to repair anything anymore

 

[fidowanttobe]

Problem . no one wants or knows how to repair anything anymore. I was in the A/C business for 30+ yrs. the last 5 or so, A/C companies just started replacing entire systems due to part failures.
I got calls all the time where I would find a condenser fan motor bad, ans some A/C company would tell them it would cost more to repair than replace.

Friend of mine called last week. Someone had given him a like new chest type freezer that didn't work, and wanted me to check it out for him. I checked it ,and found the thermostat had gone bad. He said the guy that gave it to him had a service guy to look at it ,and the service guy told him it couldn't be repaired, and to go buy a new one. I ordered a thermostat off E-Bay for $3.94. And repaired the freezer.
He called me yesterday ,and told me he called the guy that had given him the freezer,and offered it back to him. The guy declined ,as he had already bought a new one .He said the guy could't believe he was able to get someone to repair it.

No one really wants to repair anything anymore

I would definitely want the name and company of this "service guy" !! And a phone call to his boss.

 

[kenmac]

The companies here are leaning replacement rather than repair.. Owners of the company don't care. Their company makes more, the tech makes more, as most of them here are going commission. Low salary + commission