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lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)

98. Were it not for the electromechanical parts, modern cars would last a very long time.

Tue Jun 25, 2013, 06:11 PM

Jun 2013

You're absolutely right. Old cars required much more maintenance over their lifetimes, yet they were mostly discarded for reasons not related to their reliability.

Cars can last a very long time. But in the US their value depreciates to the point that it doesn't make economic sense to repair them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yank_tank

My main commuter is a 1991 subaru loyale. 250,000 miles and going strong. The truck is a 1994 chevy k1500, 260,000 miles and going strong. My work truck is a 1986 chevy van, *at least* 285,000 miles (but showing its age a bit).

They owe their functional lifespan to the fact that they have a minimum of amenities.

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If airplanes are built to last 30 to 20 years, why not cars? [View all] RB TexLa Jun 2013 OP

if people cared for their cars like the care airliners get, cars would last longer nt msongs Jun 2013 #1

Exactly. I don't know of too many cars that get periodic D checks... opiate69 Jun 2013 #57

If you maintain your car as frequently as airplanes are maintained 30 years should be no problem... PoliticAverse Jun 2013 #2

Two words: planned obsolescence meow2u3 Jun 2013 #3

Not JUST the word on the street, meow! elleng Jun 2013 #9

exactly. not just cars, but everything. DesertFlower Jun 2013 #13

Planned obsolescence has been given a bad name - hedgehog Jun 2013 #24

IIRC, "planned obsolescence" does not describe useful life of a car/appliance... Eleanors38 Jun 2013 #33

cars arent planned anywhere near as obscolecent as they used to be markiv Jun 2013 #34

2 words - fucking road salt Agony Jun 2013 #4

Depends, American cars up until say the '80's or so weren't built to last Spider Jerusalem Jun 2013 #46

See post 48. n/t lumberjack_jeff Jun 2013 #49

likewise major home appliances, or... anything, really phantom power Jun 2013 #5

My car is 22 years old. bunnies Jun 2013 #6

My car is 54 years old and going strong. Throd Jun 2013 #7

What are good driving habbits? darkangel218 Jun 2013 #76

No crashing. nt lumberjack_jeff Jun 2013 #87

Appart from that? darkangel218 Jun 2013 #88

Cars are, for the most part, fairly rugged devices. lumberjack_jeff Jun 2013 #95

Okay thanks. darkangel218 Jun 2013 #100

Pretend there is an egg between your foot and the accelerator FrodosPet Jun 2013 #96

Okay ill try to do that . Where do i get a tester from? darkangel218 Jun 2013 #101

Most auto parts stores should have low cost testers FrodosPet Jun 2013 #105

Alright, thanks for the info! darkangel218 Jun 2013 #106

I just cjanged the transmission fluid. Any other fluid darkangel218 Jun 2013 #102

Modern coolant should last for years FrodosPet Jun 2013 #107

Where does that one go, into the AC? darkangel218 Jun 2013 #108

IDK your particular situation, but it seems like it shouldn't FrodosPet Jun 2013 #109

Planned obsolescence elleng Jun 2013 #8

And if we forced them to extend this out by 30 years think of the money that would be saved RB TexLa Jun 2013 #10

Right. Don't know what my Dad paid for his '93 Toyo Camry Wagon, elleng Jun 2013 #15

what are the safety features on a car that didn't exist 30 years ago? CreekDog Jun 2013 #20

. RB TexLa Jun 2013 #23

the answer, of course, is that they are, sort of.... mike_c Jun 2013 #11

There was a time when they were built well enough to last that long Nimajneb Nilknarf Jun 2013 #12

No the weren't. Those old things broke down every chance they got. 1-Old-Man Jun 2013 #21

All of what you say is true, but maintenance was simple and replacement parts were always available Nimajneb Nilknarf Jun 2013 #37

But what did it look like before the complete frame off restoration? WestStar Jun 2013 #25

As one who is interested in preservation of things, that looks to me like a "project" Nimajneb Nilknarf Jun 2013 #26

planes are maintained after each flight Motown_Johnny Jun 2013 #14

airlines don't keep planes 30 years on average CreekDog Jun 2013 #16

American Airlines still had MD-80s built in the Early 80s. DAVEDCHICAGO Jun 2013 #45

did you not see the word "average"? CreekDog Jun 2013 #47

i'm guessing when you take things like maintenance into account the cost will end up JI7 Jun 2013 #17

It's not necessarily planned obsolesce... doggie breath Jun 2013 #18

If we had cars that were designed and sold to last for 50 to 40 years we could move to where RB TexLa Jun 2013 #22

what is the purpose of your idea? CreekDog Jun 2013 #27

But I read a post saying we paid into SS so we could have it later RB TexLa Jun 2013 #36

how much less would your SS benefits be if they were based solely on your own contributions? CreekDog Jun 2013 #40

I know, I know, I will be stealing the food off your beloved children's tables RB TexLa Jun 2013 #41

i assume you paid for your own education? CreekDog Jun 2013 #43

I know, and since I don't have children your children will have to pay for everything for me. The RB TexLa Jun 2013 #50

i'm happy for society to pay for your old age CreekDog Jun 2013 #54

I know, it's been explained, we are stealing from you "hard working families" RB TexLa Jun 2013 #60

I have never uttered the phrase "hard working families" CreekDog Jun 2013 #63

A tailight doggie breath Jun 2013 #35

You wouldn't have to have every upgrade. And if governments tried to force too many they would be RB TexLa Jun 2013 #38

My airplane is 44 years old and still flying Major Nikon Jun 2013 #19

Ship lifespans have always baffled me on that front Posteritatis Jun 2013 #30

I work in Great Lakes freighting. There are a lot of older vessels on the lake Godhumor Jun 2013 #53

Saltwater destroys metal bhikkhu Jun 2013 #56

They need repeat customers. MrSlayer Jun 2013 #28

And we need to take that away from the auto industry RB TexLa Jun 2013 #29

And you are replying to this post doggie breath Jun 2013 #90

No, I actually upgraded to a a C128. MrSlayer Jun 2013 #94

Well I did have a 1929 Ford Model A Sport Coupe dipsydoodle Jun 2013 #31

I AM going to say it. MicaelS Jun 2013 #32

$$$ but, every now and them they screw up and put out a few that can. Egalitarian Thug Jun 2013 #39

Years ago I fixed cars for a living. People would as me Eleanors38 Jun 2013 #42

Well..... Populist_Prole Jun 2013 #44

My best car is 43 years old. lumberjack_jeff Jun 2013 #48

Sweet ride! opiate69 Jun 2013 #66

I love those. n/t Jamastiene Jun 2013 #86

I drive a 1972 Chevy Blazer. It's probably good for ANOTHER 40 years. n/t cherokeeprogressive Jun 2013 #51

Some parts of the world do. Parts of Europe, car avg age is 15 years old and climbing. flvegan Jun 2013 #52

If you maintained your car as well as airplanes are *required* to be maintained, The Velveteen Ocelot Jun 2013 #55

Table 1-26: Average Age of Automobiles and Trucks in Operation in the United States FarCenter Jun 2013 #58

They get'em to last a long time in Cuba LeftInTX Jun 2013 #59

And a lot of those have toyota diesel engines or whatever else they can find snooper2 Jun 2013 #89

It could be done, but I'd want periodic upgrades Ilsa Jun 2013 #61

Some were... cigsandcoffee Jun 2013 #62

American trucks will outlast anything but the mpg isn't so good coldmountain Jun 2013 #64

Absoultely agree on that point about the W126 parkia00 Jun 2013 #111

Most airplanes require constant maintenance over the course of that 20-30 years npk Jun 2013 #65

19 years for my Accord right now... ileus Jun 2013 #67

You seem to think that cars vaporize after their first owner sells them CreekDog Jun 2013 #68

You can, like airplanes and ships, you just have to be willing to put in the money and time Godhumor Jun 2013 #69

If airplanes are built to fly, why aren't cars built to fly? IdontDrinkWithU Jun 2013 #70

many drivers are frightening enough on the road...imagine texting at 30,000 feet! NRaleighLiberal Jun 2013 #71

lol at your user name Enrique Jun 2013 #73

Tell Frank hi. Eom uppityperson Jun 2013 #75

"It's a totally different kind of flying, altogether!" kentauros Jun 2013 #82

Lots of older commercial aircraft are rugged and last but expensive to maintain and operate Populist_Prole Jun 2013 #72

Would you really want to own a car for 30 years? badtoworse Jun 2013 #74

Because... gcomeau Jun 2013 #77

A well made car will last that long. HooptieWagon Jun 2013 #78

Apparently not very many of the posters here SheilaT Jun 2013 #79

Older cars were maintenance hogs Populist_Prole Jun 2013 #92

Were it not for the electromechanical parts, modern cars would last a very long time. lumberjack_jeff Jun 2013 #98

Thank you for those details. SheilaT Jun 2013 #110

That is more of a historical phenomenon Sen. Walter Sobchak Jun 2013 #80

Because you're comparing two completely different forms of transportation. kentauros Jun 2013 #81

My car is a 1989 model. Jamastiene Jun 2013 #83

Many cars are built to last that long and longer. MineralMan Jun 2013 #84

Computers too!!!! LanternWaste Jun 2013 #85

Because we don't have the maintence cycles of aircrats whistler162 Jun 2013 #91

We should let JPL design our cars. Warren DeMontague Jun 2013 #93

If we had an FGA mandating regular inspections and maintenance, they would. Orsino Jun 2013 #97

As several other people have already pointed out... Flyboy_451 Jun 2013 #99

We still have two 20 year old cars. The Volvo 740 is about to get its 300K badge, the Mazda Miata leveymg Jun 2013 #103

They do DainBramaged Jun 2013 #104