[aclug-L] Re: Microsoft's best move

[bruce bales <bbales@xxxxxxx>]

Jonathan Hall wrote:

>Car manufacturers do the exact same thing.  Sell "defective" products, I
>mean.  Most cars made today are not nearly as reliable as the ones made 50
>years ago.  And it's not because cars are more complex now.  It's because
>car manufacturers have realized that they make more money if they sell a car
>that will wear out in 5 years instead of in 20.
>  
>
I can't believe you said that.  Fifty years ago many cars needed a valve 
job after 20 to 40 thousand miles and most needed a ring job after 
75,000.  Tires lasted 20,000 miles tops.  You changed the oil every 
2,000 miles and you had to go all over it with  a grease gun that often. 
Carburetors needed constant retouching and still flooded at the worst 
times.  Points lasted 10,000 miles at best.  Generators had low output 
and the brushes wore out regularly.  Chevy was still using "point and 
squirt" to lubricate rod bearings and replacing a rod was a common 
occurrence.  Most everyone knew how to adjust the valve clearance and 
had a pair of 9/16 wrenches to do it.  Brakes lasted 15,000 miles before 
replacing the shoes.  

Ford owners thought F-O-R-D stood for Fix Or Repair Daily.  Very few 
cars got better than 15 miles per gallon.

The Japanese started flooding us with reliable cars in the 70s and the 
American manufacturers eventually got the message.  While American cars 
are not as reliable as the Japanese, they are much improved.  Many last 
150,000 miles with little or no maintenance.

There are still a few lemons sold, but they are few.  

bruce



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