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Nope, 2001 mustang with a cracked exhaust manifold caused by A/C system dripping condensation right on top of it. It's drive able and the loud clacking noise clears up as the engine heats up to operating temperature.
Automotive repair is an 86+ billion dollar a year industry. Building cars that don't break would have a large negative impact on the economy. Don't look for that to change anytime soon.
Automotive repair is an 86+ billion dollar a year industry. Building cars that don't break would have a large negative impact on the economy. Don't look for that to change anytime soon.
No one builds cars to prop up the repair industry. the fact is, that even if it were a tiny 1% failure rate per year, with over 200 million cars in this country that's 2 million cars per year failing in some way in the US alone. As car age, it's definitely more than a 1% failure rate for components. Not to mention actual wear items that need replacing.
Cars are complex machines that are generally treated fairly badly over a wide range of conditions. It's kind of amazing that there aren't MORE failures on a regular basis.
No one builds cars to prop up the repair industry. the fact is, that even if it were a tiny 1% failure rate per year, with over 200 million cars in this country that's 2 million cars per year failing in some way in the US alone. As car age, it's definitely more than a 1% failure rate for components. Not to mention actual wear items that need replacing.
Cars are complex machines that are generally treated fairly badly over a wide range of conditions. It's kind of amazing that there aren't MORE failures on a regular basis.
Perhaps we will agree to disagree.
Or, you may be partly right. Perhaps propping up the repair industry is a side affect.
Planned obsolescence or built-in obsolescence in industrial design is a policy of planning or designing a product with an artificially limited useful life, so it will become obsolete, that is, unfashionable or no longer functional after a certain period of time.
...For example, when Japanese vehicles with longer lifespans entered the American market in the 1960s and 1970s, American car makers were forced to respond by building more durable products.[4] The interesting fact is that in the 1980s, Japanese car makers realized the size of the American buying force and began making and sustaining durable, reliable cars that left American automakers behind when consumers realized the new quality of the Japanese automobiles.
...This strategy had far-reaching effects on the auto business, the field of product design, and eventually the American economy.
...A common method of deliberately limiting a product's useful life is to use inferior materials in critical areas, or deliberately suboptimal component layouts which cause excessive wear. Using soft metal in screws and cheap plastic instead of metal in stress-bearing components will increase the speed at which a product will become inoperable through normal usage and render it prone to breakage from even minor forms of abnormal usage.
One example I can think of was GM using plastic with the intake manifold on the venerable 3800 motor. Coolant leaks on that motor were a very common problem.
Perhaps the car manufacturers are just trying to sell more cars, but many consumers will repair the one they have. The side effect is billions for the repair industry.
There's a reason that drive-train warranties are pretty long, 100,000 miles is not uncommon. While other system warranties are very short.
From a manufacturers web site, for example - Emission Control Systems
Defects and performance for car and light-duty truck emission control systems are covered for the first 2 years or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Can you guess where the planned obsolescence is?
Edit - I get it, it's a necessary evil. We all need to do our part as good little consumers and buy, buy, buy; spend spend spend. If only I have money to do that with...
My mom drives a near perfect 98 Lincoln Continental with the 32 valve V8 in it. It's got 198,000 on it & run runs very smooth & is a blast to drive on the on ramps & the interstate then will hum down the road at 90 plus all day! I'd keep it for myself but I don't like the color & to be honest it's not my style but it is fun!
had a 1985 S-10.......put 260,000 miles on it and only needed oil changes,belts and spark plugs. The last 80,000 my teenage daughter drove it. when I decided to finally put it to sleep,it still ran up onto the salvage yard truck bed. It had the little V-6,with a manual trannie.
Everybody keeps telling me not to buy an American made used car (trucks are a different story, as american trucks tend to be very reliable). It seems like American cars get to about 100k miles and start to have major problems, especially transmission issues. I rarely see used american model cars for sale with 200k miles, also. However, you see alot of Toyota and Honda and other foreign cars with that type of mileage all the time.
I've had several American cars over 150k without major mechanical problems, just bolt on things like starter, alternator etc. I've had several foreign cars with similar experiences. Currently my 2004 Silverado has over 155k with only afront wheel bearing, fan motor relay, and just recently the radiator (the plastic tanks on the side cracked). My wife's 2005 free star has 147k on it. This model gas known trans problems (like Hondas) ford replaced the torque converter at 95k (just because, we were having no problems). Even thou I hate it, it had been a fantastic vehicle (even though the experts give terrible reviews)
My kids (2 in college one senior in hs) drive a 1990 camary with 125k on it. Besides brakes, cv joints valve cover gasket it's been a good car.
Now, I've had 3 Honda accords and a Crv. My sister had a Honda odyssy. While the older pre 2000 years were fantastic vehicles, the later ones ALL had transmission problems, even the years after Honda said they corrected the problem (odyssy). Personally (I'm 53) I don't think there is much of a difference in the quality of American/foreign cars now (yes flame me). I Own and work (shade tree) on both. I do think there is a huge difference in how people describe the reliability of them, praising the foreign ripping the American. Both will give many years of service if properly (there are exceptions to both) maintained.
I almost forgot I had a S-10 Blazer with the 4.3 in it with close to 300,000 on it. Those 4.3's are a sweet engine! Wish I still had that I loved it I paid $1,800 for it.
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I'd keep it for myself but I don't like the color & to be honest it's not my style but it is fun!
