Is anything built to last anymore ??????

dben002

dben002

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Bought a 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan (stow and go) in 2011. Van had 26,405 miles on it and a spotless Carfax showing all scheduled maint performed on time and as recommended. It was previously owned by a corporation that used it to transport customers to and from the airport sorta like a shuttle van.

Spotless and no damage whatsoever.

Trans blew out at 110,000....replaced it.
Last week the engine blew out at 168,000..

Car age and mileage not worth a new engine........

Is anything made today to last ??? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
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I am driving a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Wagon, body a little rough, 107,000, 4 cylinders, still going strong. I work part time for a large limo company, many of the Cadillacs there have over 400,000 on them.
 
BLACKHAWKNJ said:
I am driving a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Wagon, body a little rough, 107,000, 4 cylinders, still going strong. I work part time for a large limo company, many of the Cadillacs there have over 400,000 on them.
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Lot to be said for the older models......not as much to go wrong...All the new models are computer controlled for everything and the electronics are a nightmare, not to mention the 300,000 miles of wiring and the 200,000 wiring harness junctions...You have the PCM (power control module) the TCM (Transmission Control Module), the adjustable Flux
Capacitor in relays, all the emission control sensors, I'm in a rental until tonight that has a heated steering wheel, and the passenger air bag is off until someone plops there big behind in the seat...Not sure if Steve Jobs could figure out the new car control functions (blue tooth everything).....

Guess I'm just getting old and set in my past ways......
 
Yes, the head mechanic-been there 30 years-has few kind things to say about these "high tech" automobiles, friends who own them have horror stories about electronic components going bad, the replacement parts often poor quality, etc.
 
1990 Jeep Cherokee and 1998 Nissan Frontier high miles and run fine but they could quit today. I'm coming up on 20 years on hip replacement parts that were supposedly good for 10 years . Weedeater I bought last year quit this spring and I had a phone that lasted four months. Go figure.

Regards JD
 
I have a 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis that I bought new and I've put 230,000 miles on it, a lot from commuting from southcentral Pa. to the Baltimore area for years. I told the service manager at the dealership that they probably needed a dedicated tanker for me because I was getting an oil change every 6 weeks because of all the miles I was driving just going to and from work. I'm still driving it and going to drive it until it or I drop.
 
I am driving a 2017 Dodge Charger Pursuit police package AWD.

370 HP V8.

19425 miles.

Front tires are bald and has already had both fuel pumps replaced.

I was issued this vehicle July 2017.

Privately we gave owned 2 Chrysler products. Both garbage.
 
4506517 said:
I am driving a 2017 Dodge Charger Pursuit police package AWD.

370 HP V8.

19425 miles.

Front tires are bald and has already had both fuel pumps replaced.

I was issued this vehicle July 2017.



Privately we gave owned 2 Chrysler products. Both garbage.
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I have 2 retired LEO's as range buddies......I know how you guys drive....:D:D:D:D "Front tires are bald and has already had both fuel pumps replaced."
 
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NO.

2010 Tacoma 80K on it

- Both cheap plastic sun visors broke before 50K ( they want 100 each for them.... ummm NO. fixed with duct clamps.
- Cheap plastic center console latch broke around 40K ( cheap replacement but annoys me to no end)
- Clear coat already peeling on roof and fenders at 75K and 7 years ( i know AZ is hard on paint but I have older vehicles with good paint)

I know the mechanical part will be fine as the engines diffs trans and transfer case are top notch.... but the build quality around EVERYTHING now sucks.


In comparison

My 1986 Ford F250 Diesel had a mechanical fuel pump go out at 250K, The speedo gear went at 280K...... and the paint finally started peeling at 23 years and 500K.
 
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My employer once provided me with a 2006 Plymouth Voyager, so pretty similar to the Caravan you mention. It had 448,000 miles on it when it finally quit by throwing a rod. Never had major work on it other than a water pump and radiator. I think it's just the luck of the draw...

If I needed a minivan for anything, I'd sure be looking at Dodge/Plymouth!
 
I mentioned before.....

dben002 said:
Lot to be said for the older models......not as much to go wrong...All the new models are computer controlled for everything and the electronics are a nightmare, not to mention the 300,000 miles of wiring and the 200,000 wiring harness junctions...You have the PCM (power control module) the TCM (Transmission Control Module), the adjustable Flux
Capacitor in relays, all the emission control sensors, I'm in a rental until tonight that has a heated steering wheel, and the passenger air bag is off until someone plops there big behind in the seat...Not sure if Steve Jobs could figure out the new car control functions (blue tooth everything).....

Guess I'm just getting old and set in my past ways......
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I agree. Some years ago computers controlled all the functions of a car in real time. Now EVERYTHING is interlinked so that something that has nothing to do with starting the car keeps it from starting. Owner's manual says that if this happens to take it to the dealer. And try to get all of the error codes fixed.:confused::(
 
My 2012 Toyota RAV4 has 185k miles on it and the only repair has been $380 for a front wheel bearing. Everything works and looks good inside and out. My wife's 2008 Buick Lacrosse with 149K miles, there is something wrong every other month so we just got her a 2017 Infinity QX50. Trying to sell the Lacrosse which looks near perfect inside and out and Carmax offered us $2000:(
 
I drive a 2000 GMC Silverado 1/2 ton 4x4, something like 294,000 mile. I had rear axel go in 2012 ($1500 a for H3 rebuilt, shop installed.) and the fuel pump in 2017 ($1000, post 05 models are about half that price) Tires, gas, oil and brakes. Least expensive truck per mile or per year, anyone in my family has had!

The wife's 2008 Honda CRV has 158,000 and has had an A/C compressor and the normal maintenance. Still Average 22.5 MPG, Long trips 27+ MPG! Best car economy.

Both older son's first cars were Ford Taurus' late 80's model. Lasted well until the smacked into something and walked away!

Daughter's Dodge Neon, Junk from the showroom floor! But it was in her favorite color!

As the kids became parents, Honda has taken them and their cousins by storm; the 8 of them own 9 or 10 Hondas (plus a few GMC pick-ups!)

Ivan

PS: I have a 1902 M&P in 32-20 that has 116 years faithful service, and a S&W 1896 Lemon Squeezer (Safety Hammerless) in 38 S&W that is still going strong, 122 years of faithful service. My 1873 Trapdoor Springfield was made in 1875, that's 143 years and you can still shoot clean through a quickey mart or a buffalo.

And most important of all, a wife that has lasted 40 years! (she made say that!)
 
I changed my motor oil at every 2,000 miles and my auto tranny oil and filter once a year. My 4x4 front end when we could repack the front wheel bearings once a year the bearings were repacked with grease and new seals. I'd get 150k miles no problem.

Now the front axles 4x4 are remove and replace most of the parts. Sealed bearings seem to be in all front ends now.

We have become a R & R mechanics now remove and replace. Quick turn over for the fast dollar.

I took my starter out of my Chevy suburban that needed brushes. I cleaned it and turned the armature, the local auto parts store had no brushes but a rebuilt starter for $45. Brushes cost $1.50. I had to go to a starter rebuild shop to get brushes.

I went to trade school for auto mechanics we learned to rebuild everything. That was in early 60's what has happened since then? Are we lazy now.?

I would be proud that I rebuilt anything on my my car or truck. Now my cars get serviced at the dealer it's cheap. My son changes the brake pads. I'm retired.
 
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dben002 said:
Bought a 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan (stow and go) in 2011. Van had 26,405 miles on it and a spotless Carfax showing all scheduled maint performed on time and as recommended. It was previously owned by a corporation that used it to transport customers to and from the airport sorta like a shuttle van.

Spotless and no damage whatsoever.

Trans blew out at 110,000....replaced it.
Last week the engine blew out at 168,000..

Car age and mileage not worth a new engine........

Is anything made today to last ??? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Click to expand...

No, can't have a customer only once. Got to keep them coming back. Good thing about getting older is that stuff is more likely to last long enough.
 
dben002 said:
Is anything built to last anymore ?
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My 1990 Toyota 4Runner seems to have been built to last.

Bought new by me shortly after it rolled off the assembly line in April of 1990...twenty-eight years ago.

Uncovered it just this past Sunday. Charged the battery and cranked it up for the first time since December 17 of last year. Cranked right up. Filled it with fresh gas, went for a spin. Always a pleasure remembering how much fun it is to drive that truck.

It'll never be for sale in my lifetime, that's for sure.

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Toyota's are great years ago we bought Mercedes S class's and thought they were unbeatable got irritated with the dealer over a comment over an M class I had purchased and felt was a ***. Was about to trade it in for another S class instead we bought a Lexus land cruiser that was in 2001, outside of normal maintenance I had a $400 repair were at 180K it still rides great and is my wife's favorite car. I drive a Toyota FJ. Both vehicles have great retained value.
 
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BLACKHAWKNJ said:
Yes, the head mechanic-been there 30 years-has few kind things to say about these "high tech" automobiles, friends who own them have horror stories about electronic components going bad, the replacement parts often poor quality, etc.
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And expensive!
 
Hard to believe how much junk is packed into these cars and trucks today. One would think we would get 80 miles per gallon. Instead sticker prices that could cause a coronary. My favorite is those new valve stems that often fail and have to be replaced.
 
Is anything built to last anymore? Well.......

Was made in the U.S.A. I ain't computer controlled. A few parts have had to be replaced over the years after wear and tear. Had a rust spot a few years back, but got that under control. I can still get around under my own power...Just can't use high gear for much of anything though, pulling power isn't what it used to be. Still get some check ups to see if everything is working as it should. Nope...don't make them like they used to.!!!!!

Other than that...2006 F-250 with the 5.4 engine. 239,000, only had to replace the fuel pump,tires and brakes. My 66 289 Ford went 278,00 before I finally gave it up for the truck. My little ole 81 Datsun 280ZX still humming along with 139,000.

Nope, plastic cars and trucks are sort of like the good ole steel guns vs the new plastic ones to me.


WuzzFuzz
 
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