Every Sunday morning, my wife and I watch a great show on television. For 90 minutes, we get to see a little bit of everything, be it recent events, profiles, music or many other interesting stories. On a recent cool and wet Sunday morning, one of the segments was on toasters. Did you know that there are people who spend over $5,000 for 90-year-old toasters? Crazy, I know!
The topic and situation got me to thinking about my toasters. I figured that over the last 10 years, I've purchased four toasters; not the $19.99 ones, but the ridiculous $69.99 ones. Regardless of the price paid, it would never last more than three years. Why is that? This ain't cheap stuff! This is because we live in a throwaway world.
Toasters, televisions, phones (seven cell phones in less than five years!), computers, and so many other items are designed to last only so long. Heck, even our clothing is disposable these days; I can't remember the last time a pair of $100+ jeans lasted me longer than two years (and I wear shorts from April to October).
The point of this blog, obviously, has to do with cars and the fact that they won't last forever. Yeah, fine, we knew that already; but there was a time when cars could last 12 or 15 years without a total and major overhaul – and not the Foose type.
Think about it: Why would carmakers build cars that are able to last 10 years or more? Most people lease a new whip every four years and care nothing about maintenance or rustproofing. Those of us who buy new and plan to keep, or buy used with the intention to do the same, quickly come face-to-face with mounting repair bills, trips to unsavory garages, tires to buy, rust, noises, smells, and more. As we ponder the costs of keeping these cars running, we begin to wonder why we wouldn't just get something new.
Hence the reason they don't make 'em the way they used to. Value, these days, is all about perceptions based on what we think we're getting for our money. It matters not that the best steel, toughest rubbers, and most reliable electronics are selected when the car is built. By the time they all fail, the warranty will be up and the manufacturer will want nothing to do with the car. Durability is now a short-term concept.
Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Yes. Buy a really old car, like from the late '80s. They were generally butt-ugly, horrible to drive, unsafe and essentially uncomfortable, but armed with a flat-head screwdriver to adjust the throttle, a hammer to whack away at the starter, spare relays and fuses, some silicone sealant for the sunroof, some booster cables and you'll be all set. Parts were often dirt cheap and repair manuals included engine cooking recipes given that most jobs required an average of 16 minutes.
It would be foolhardy to think that anything we buy today is made to last. Cars are the most expensive piece of disposable stuff we'll ever buy and we love 'em, so it's all good. Right?
The topic and situation got me to thinking about my toasters. I figured that over the last 10 years, I've purchased four toasters; not the $19.99 ones, but the ridiculous $69.99 ones. Regardless of the price paid, it would never last more than three years. Why is that? This ain't cheap stuff! This is because we live in a throwaway world.
Toasters, televisions, phones (seven cell phones in less than five years!), computers, and so many other items are designed to last only so long. Heck, even our clothing is disposable these days; I can't remember the last time a pair of $100+ jeans lasted me longer than two years (and I wear shorts from April to October).
The point of this blog, obviously, has to do with cars and the fact that they won't last forever. Yeah, fine, we knew that already; but there was a time when cars could last 12 or 15 years without a total and major overhaul – and not the Foose type.
Think about it: Why would carmakers build cars that are able to last 10 years or more? Most people lease a new whip every four years and care nothing about maintenance or rustproofing. Those of us who buy new and plan to keep, or buy used with the intention to do the same, quickly come face-to-face with mounting repair bills, trips to unsavory garages, tires to buy, rust, noises, smells, and more. As we ponder the costs of keeping these cars running, we begin to wonder why we wouldn't just get something new.
Hence the reason they don't make 'em the way they used to. Value, these days, is all about perceptions based on what we think we're getting for our money. It matters not that the best steel, toughest rubbers, and most reliable electronics are selected when the car is built. By the time they all fail, the warranty will be up and the manufacturer will want nothing to do with the car. Durability is now a short-term concept.
Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Yes. Buy a really old car, like from the late '80s. They were generally butt-ugly, horrible to drive, unsafe and essentially uncomfortable, but armed with a flat-head screwdriver to adjust the throttle, a hammer to whack away at the starter, spare relays and fuses, some silicone sealant for the sunroof, some booster cables and you'll be all set. Parts were often dirt cheap and repair manuals included engine cooking recipes given that most jobs required an average of 16 minutes.
It would be foolhardy to think that anything we buy today is made to last. Cars are the most expensive piece of disposable stuff we'll ever buy and we love 'em, so it's all good. Right?
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| 1988 Honda Accord (Photo: Honda) |