Trevor :
You missed my point (partially because I completely misspoke... uh mistyped it
...and partially because I was unclear).
I think we agree here.
I _meant_ to say that an old car will fail much more often than a new car...
but that most of the failures are easily fixed by even a person with basic
skills.
A "catastrophic failure", one which cannot be easily fixed, is rare.
Most serious failures on newer cars, also rare, cannot be fixed by the side of
the road, making that "catastrophic" for the moment as well. But far from
disparaging modern cars, I meant that _any_ failure was rare.
I also agree with you on the "wall of learning". It is quite a step from
fifties and sixties technology to today's world. Heck, most new car mechanics
have a hard time keeping up. Electronic ignitions, fuel injection, emissions
equipment, etc. can be learned, but again, won't help you that much on the side
of the road without the necessary tools and test equipment. Your Toyota has
never had a failure. Great, I hope it doesn't! But if it does, will you be
able to fix it on the side of the road?
At home, of course, is a different story. I have an Audi Quattro Turbo Coupe
and a SAAB Turbo convertible. I also drove an Allante for several years (most
advanced electronics ever put in car). I would rate these as "fairly
complex".... and I do all my own work on these along with my "older" old cars,
so I'm familiar and comfortable with both technology eras.
But let me restate my intended point : don't worry about the reliability of old
cars. Even though they have more failures than new cars, most of the failures
are minor and will not strand you. Catastrophic failures, the ones you can't
fix, happen almost as seldom as those type of failures on new cars.
Sorry for the confusion!
Bill Elliott
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