'Another thing to go wrong'

[saaby93]

DonkeyApple said:

An amusing thought that. Back when the average resi street was Fords and Leyland, everyone would be outside on a Saturday fettling under the bonnet and chatting in informal self help groups and running tool share programs. The Japanese arrive and so began the start of the modern social decline.

So true
The irony is that the jap car plants were set up by the Brits so even today I think a Micra engine is a lead free upgrade to a Mk1 mini/1100 etc

[Mr2Mike]

Digby said:

Mr2Mike said:

Of course they broke down, just as the modern ones do.

Apart from many Japanese cars..

Fair point and I agree, but many people seem to insist on buying a 'badge' from ze Germans.

[Ken Figenus]

I've tried to move with the times despite instinctively being 'another thing to go wrong - an over-complication' - and a new car arrives tomorrow with head up displays, cameras and a nav/radio/streaming bluetooth/media thing that probably has 20 layers of 10 menus 'to go wrong'! I think I may have enjoyed my Mk1 1300 Sport more aged 20... Windy up windows and a Sharp Radio Cassette with terrible speakers - but love!

I have learnt to hook my laptop up to my Beemers over the years but maybe I enjoyed adjusting the points on the Mk1 a bit more - tactile, involved, hands on, keyed in

Decent electronic kit lasts 8-10 years as my rule of thumb, and as someone with a 50 year old Aston once said to me 'yours will be dead in 50 years as you wont get any replacement electronic parts; mine will still be running but may need a new diode in the clock as that is the only electronic part it has'!

And dont get me started on the lack of a 1000 mile oil service (remove bedding in swarf?) and 20,000 mile service intervals! Or is that absolutely fine and based on fact and progress rather than the desire to sell you a new engine at 150k!

[Digby]

Mr2Mike said:

Fair point and I agree, but many people seem to insist on buying a 'badge' from ze Germans.

I would suggest that was a good idea, though, from the 70's to early 90's if you could afford it.

You paid for the fact they would last and many did and still do.

The old 1980 Merc I have is still rocking along - my neighbours 2014 model has just been recovered due to an electrical gearbox fault. His last Merc was recovered, too. That was a 2010.

Mine had no options ticked so has nothing to go wrong and what there is to go wrong is simple to sort.