In the 1970s you had to trade your car in after five years because it had stopped running. Cars are much better made today, at least as far as reliability. Some of the engines were bigger back then, and the cars were heavier, but I for one am glad Toyota and Nissan exist.
Since a car is just a hole in the road you throw money in, we’ve always driven our cars til they died.
And we’ve always chosen good cars to do that.
Cars stopped being fun decades ago.
Something else to thank Deep State for...
“In the 1970s you had to trade your car in after five years because it had stopped running. Cars are much better made today, at least as far as reliability. Some of the engines were bigger back then, and the cars were heavier, but I for one am glad Toyota and Nissan exist”
In the 1970’s up north, you would see the road through the floorboards due to rust long before a car would actually stop running.
Got 250K on my 2012 Camry, had 350K on the one before that. Paid off the 2012 in 2015. Have a 209 Tundra, had to put 5K$ in transmission but then pulling a 3 horse trailer is not really a Tundras forte.
Very, very true, so far as powertrains go. Something as obvious as selecting a better grade of iron for the blocks changed GM's V6s and V8s from 100k mile grenades to 250k mile champions. I was there.
But it's been an investor's shibboleth for generations to invest heavily in auto parts businesses when the economy goes sour.
Big problem today is finding mechanics. Cars have become far more complex than they were in the '70s, but the job doesn't pay a lot more. At 79, I can't do my own work anymore, and getting an appointment with my local independent shop means 2-3 weeks lead time.
Remember when we use to read about the Cubans having to drive old, old cars due to the miserable economic conditions brought on by communist tyranny?
It could never happen here, we thought.
Just reluctantly replaced my 2007 at 269,000 miles and proud of it.
Replaced with a used car.
Car bodies also used to rust out, or white out in the sun.
Bought a certified 2021 with 3 years warranty, for 35% less than the new model.
The motors ..with proper maintenance..will last a long time.
Usually it’s the body of modern cars that will go before the engine.
The electronics are the wild card now. The only thing in common with cars 15 years ago are 4 wheels.
There is a concept called maintenance. That is a vehicle is maintained in proper working condition by the expenditure of funds. A properly maintained vehicle can and does have a long life.
Rather than consider “trading” at some predetermined interval there is an alternate course. Consideration can be based on the cost of owning and operating the vehicle based on miles driven.
Generally in a properly maintained vehicle, the cost of owning and operating per mile will decrease over a very long period of time if there is routine maintenance. The tendency however is to allow break down maintenance to prevail. The breakdown is considered reason to find a new or different vehicle.
In the 1970s you had to trade your car in after five years because it had stopped running.
I had family in all of the “Big Three” manufacturers. Quality tanked during the 70s so a lot of people turned to more reliable imports. Instead of addressing the real problem, domestic manufacturers whined about the “lack of loyalty.”
THE ONLY NEW car I ever owned was a 1965 Pontiac wagon. Got it in Feb 1965. Put 100,000 miles on it in 3 years to the week.
Sold it (sometimes wish I hadn’t) in 1995 & it had OVER 444,000++ miles on it-— original engine.
I changed oils & all filters regularly—NEVER had a problem with it. I can still change the oil/filter & other filters. AM 84 & FEMALE.
NOW HAVE:
1979 Buick wagon with 223,000 + miles on it I bought used in 1981 with 55,000 miles. Same routine-—change oils & filters regularly. It could use some cosmetic work, but I have no fear of driving it anywhere I need to go. It towed a 2 horse trailer for 4 months in 1986 until I found a 1 ton truck for that. NO problems. NEW FUEL PUMP??? $22 t Summit Racing Parts & neighbor & I changed in under 50 minutes in my driveway. CHANGE plugs? Under an hour-—in my driveway.
My 1 ton truck==1976 USED (had 90,000 miles) in April of 1986. 4 speed -— dually hauler.
That truck now has OVER 348,000 on the chassis & I put on all those 250,000 miles.===mostly towing 2 horse & 4 horse trailers. Certainly NOT all on pavement, either. A WORKHORSE
Had to replace a fuel switch UNDER the truck bed in 2022 ——ORIGINAL PART—46 year old part at least. Then in fall of 2023, had to replace “The slide” on the steering column-—AGAIN—ORIGINAL PART-—47 or 48 year old part.
FIND ME ANYTHING TODAY THAT HAS PARTS LASTING THAT LONG-—SHOW ME.
WHEN I went on the PONY EXPRESS TRAIL Ride in 2001, I had 3 horses, hay cubes on rack on trailer roof, 150 gallons of water in 3 barrels and ALOT of other gear. WAS FULLY LOADED. Trailer was about 10,400#. Had another 90 gallons of water in custom tank in truck bed, with camper shell. CRAWLED UP I-80 eastward on Donner Pass at about 35 MPH—with the semi trucks. Total rig==just under 40’.
Ride was 8 weeks long, ST Joseph, Mo to Virginia City, Nv. Home was N Calif. 3 ++ day trip to start line-—sleep in truck-— unload & TIE horses to trailer at night in truck stops. NO problems. Got new load of 1400# of cubes every 2 weeks. Paid for them in advance & STAGED them at intervals. USED the HOIST the welding shop made me when they made the hay rack to lift all those 28 bags to the top on the trailer. Horses tied to trailer every night for all 8 weeks. ONLY ONE configuration would work—they were picky.
The truck could also use some cosmetic work-—but I would LOAD the horse trailer & take it anywhere without worry. That trailer is now 23 years old & I also take care of it.
Today’s vehicles are NOT more dependable. TOO many electronic gadgets. SEAT HEATERS ??? REALLY??? STEERING WHEEL HEATER??? REALLY??? CAR PARKS ITSELF? REALLY??
I was raised in So Wisconsin-—It was /is plenty cold there. Never needed such stuff. Worried more about the headbolt heater doing it’s job & the vehicle starting all winter.
Have driven OVER 1 MILLION MILES-—NO accidents.
NOT GIVING UP MY VEHICLES—NOTHING OUT THERE IS WORTH IT.
THERE IS NOT A SINGLE CAR OR TRUCK OUT THERE TODAY I WOULD HAVE-—EVEN FOR FREE.
IF I HAVE TO SEEK ANOTHER-—I WILL LOOK IN HEMMINGS MOTOR NEWS.
In certain ways I completely agree with you (stainless steel exhausts, rust protection, etc..), but most of the success in extending automotive life spans are better lubricants, e.g. synthetic. I'll give you an example. I have a friend that is well to do and is a muscle car guy. He has a 1960s Corvette and Camaro. After he had them restored he drives like you would a new car. Both have over 150,000 miles since restoration and have many more miles to go. Since those cars are considered collector's cars, he is able to get replacement parts (alternators and the like). He told me that after the engines were modified to use unleaded gas and he uses synthetic oil, he doesn't have to change the sparks plugs any where what the old specification required.
I have a 2016 Honda Accord Sport I bought in May 2019. I hardly drive anywhere and only have about 50,000 miles on it.
I need to get the front lower ball joint boot repaired and a smog check. Other then hitting potholes and dips in the road causing damage here in southern California, I think all I need for years is an oil change.