Car Testing and the Budget!

[lxi]

Look at the cars 30 years ago, can you honestly say they are better?

Presuming you meant "were they better" on a like for like basis, I think
“better” is too subjective a term in relation cars of 30 years ago..

Did they use more fuel than today’s models? – yes
Were they as quick (like for like engine size) as today’s models? – no
Did they have as many toys as today’s models? – no

Then the killers

Did they spend as much time in the garage being fixed? – no
Did they cost as much (allowing for inflation) to fix? – no
Did they cost as much (again allowing for inflation) to buy? – no
Did they rust as much as today’s models? – probably

It’s the answers to the second set that are the most damning. Built in obsolescence, rust due to cheap materials & corner cutting in manufacturing, “replace not fix” mentality for many parts, refusal of the manufacturers to go to component level on parts …..

So are the cars of today better than 30 years ago? In some ways yes, in others no - perhaps we fail to adequately manage our own expectations.

 

[vincenz]

YES and NO.

The quality of fit and finish, better TODAY
Integrity, better YESTERYEAR
durability, better YESTERYEAR
safety, better TODAY
simplicity, better YESTERYEAR
longterm ownership, better YESTERYEAR

Today, cars a re designed for the new financial world, 3 year and 4 year plans, 3 year warranties, after this, newer models will all just go to POT

Presuming you meant "were they better" on a like for like basis, I think
“better” is too subjective a term in relation cars of 30 years ago..

Did they use more fuel than today’s models? – yes
Were they as quick (like for like engine size) as today’s models? – no
Did they have as many toys as today’s models? – no

Then the killers

Did they spend as much time in the garage being fixed? – no
Did they cost as much (allowing for inflation) to fix? – no
Did they cost as much (again allowing for inflation) to buy? – no
Did they rust as much as today’s models? – probably

It’s the answers to the second set that are the most damning. Built in obsolescence, rust due to cheap materials & corner cutting in manufacturing, “replace not fix” mentality for many parts, refusal of the manufacturers to go to component level on parts …..

So are the cars of today better than 30 years ago? In some ways yes, in others no - perhaps we fail to adequately manage our own expectations.

The boss and lxi my first response would be for the pair of you to get a room

I think i'm going to have to agree to disagree with you on your posts.

The boss: I know I'm not going to change ones rose tinted view of modern day car development.

Lxi: whether you're ****** off your minor niggles on your SL are a result of cost cutting or whatever I couldn't give a rats, look at the data, from a reliability perspective newer cars are better and by better I mean they do not break down as often.
Whether dealers now take the piss in labour charges to make them seem like they take longer to repair them when they do go wrong thats their choice.

You're point on expectations is maybe the crux of the argument, how many bread and butter components fail on modern cars, very little. Its the sweeteners or expectations (i.e. night vision, lane departure systems and so on) that are now the cause of trips to the dealer.

 

[iscaboy]

look at the data, from a reliability perspective newer cars are better and by better I mean they do not break down as often.

What "data" is that then?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST COMPONENT, BUT A COMPONENT THAT WILL DO THE JOB..

I think that's the reality, not just in automotive engineering, but any kind of design and engineering.

It's possible to specify (fairly accurately) the life of a bearing, and when the bearing is specified for use in a component, the useful life of that component is specified too (if you can't easily change the bearing only).

The brief drives the specification. If the brief is to build the very best, then the spefication will ensure that it really is the very best. Sadly few of us can afford the very best, and so we buy things that are built to a specification that we're prepared to pay for.