Thanks D^2, your words are wise. I would add that buying the highest quality
replacement parts will also pay off in better reliability. Cheap fuel pumps,
water pumps, starters, alternators, ignition parts, etc will get you everytime.
Paul
In a message dated 1/1/2004 12:23:20 PM Eastern Standard Time,
dardal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
>
> Interesting discussion.
>
> > Back in the 50s, cars with 100,000 miles were limping. You could
> > stretch a set of factory tires 20,000 miles, brakes maybe about the same,
> > exhaust systems went 2 or 3 years at the most, plugs--clean every 6 months,
> > replace at a year, along with points, rotor, condenser, the cap and wires
> > didn't last all that long, either. Ball joints at 30,000 miles, tie rod
>
> I don't know about 50's cars, but I do know a bit about 60's cars. I have put
> about 70K on my 68 sedan, and this is a very well used car (educated guess is
> 270Ks). Still has the same ball joints as when I bought it and still tight,
> but I replaced most tie rod ends (prior wear). I have changed plugs only once
> in this car, and that's just for the heck of it (car was never missing at
> load). I have replaced plug wires once too. I have also experience with a 65
> volvo that had covered about a million km's after my father finally got rid of
> it, and the car has lots of life left in it in spite of very poor maintenance
> (in fact, the record in mileage is from a 66 volvo w/ 2 million miles on one
> engine rebuild).
>
> However, both the Imps and the volvos were very high quality cars. There may
> have been many lesser cars back in the 60's that what you say holds, I do not
> know.
>
> > ends about the same distance. You kept an eye on the tires, because a good
> > hit on a pot hole would mean the alignment needed attention. Upholstery--on
> > the way home from the dealer, you either put on a set of seat coves, or
> > about 25,000 miles you installed a set to cover the hole developing in the
> > driver's seat.
>
> My 68 LeBaron still has the original leather upolstery in nice condition. Not
> perfect, but decent. A 67 Coupe I visited recently has its leather almost
> perfect. My allignment usually holds for years and years at a time, and I do
> not drive slowly. Again, may be in cheaper cars things were more like you
> say.
>
> 50 years later, a car with 100,000 miles probably still has
> > factory installed consumable parts (plugs, plug wires, battery, alternator,
> > starter, etc), the first replacement tires, it may be about time for
> > replacement of the factory brake pads. When is the last time you saw a seat
>
> I agree that modern cars require less scheduled maintenance while new compared
> to the old ones when new. But they have a very finite life. There is
>progress
> in engineering, let's not deny that. The progress is mainly in terms of
> manufacturing techniques, and abilities to study/estimate stresses far more
> effectively via computer aided design. Its easier and cheaper to mass produce
> better tolerance parts now than then. But the design criteria changed.
> Instead of using the better abilities to make a better product, they use the
> abilities to make a cheaper product that satisfies certain minimum
>requirements
> and maximize profits. As far as the US manufacturers are concerned, they also
> seem to cut down on R&D to further increase profits, and the result is less
> refined product.
>
> > cover store? Back in the 50s, 3 out of 4 corners of many major
> > intersections had a gas station, and each employeed a mechainc or 2. How
> > many repair shops do you see today. Most of those gas stations sell real
>
> Modern cars are so complex and hard to work on, that a gas station would
>little
> chance even diagnosing a problem. I think that's the main reason. There is
>no
> shortage of cars broken down in the side of the road.
>
> > Modern cars are superior transportation modules. Every year, the engineers
>
> In short, I agree with this statement, as long as the modern is relatively
>new.
> A person though that knows and understands the old machinery can operate an
>old
> car approaching the reliability of a new one (reliability here means no road
> side failures). The down side is you always have to keep your eye and ear
>open
> to fix a potential problem before it escalates. The positive side is that
>with
> a car like the Imperial, you also have a high performance vehicle with tons of
> styling, comfort, and safety, all for not much money. You can also take
> advantage of engineering progress by using modern tires (that's very
>important)
> and modern lubricants.
>
> D^2
>
>
>
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