Is there a market for basic cars, appliances,etc?

[Keith Outten]

I recently called my local Volkswagen dealer and asked if they had any brake fluid hose for my 1967 VW. Nope, so I asked how long they were stocking parts for newer cars since my wife has a VW that is two years old. I was told that they carry parts for cars back to 2008 and the number of special order parts drops significantly each year. So far I can get any part I want for the 67 VW bug as long as I am willing to order them from Internet parts suppliers.

[roger wiegand]

I finally figured out that the problem with modern toasters is bagels. When all a toaster had to toast was toast (quite a sentence) the heating elements could be proximal to the thing needing toasting. With the popularity of overinflated bagels the slots had to be widened, moving the elements farther away from the object to be toasted. Since the power is limited to about 15 amps on a kitchen circuit and heat falls off in an inverse square relationship it now takes forever to toast a regular slice of bread.

Scan Ebay for a 1950's Sunbeam. They are pretty much the perfect toaster and can be found very reasonably since they sold 10 kajillion of them.

The heating elements in our 20yr old 4 slice toaster were starting to fail so the toasting wasn't all that great, that and occasionally the toaster would launch a piece of toast onto the counter top.

We ordered a 2 slice wide slot toaster for homemade breads. It had a count down timer to let you know when the toast would be done, but it couldn't make a decent piece of toast. One side burnt on the edges, the other side half untoasted the other half burnt. Sent it back, the older failing one worked better.

[roger wiegand]

Interestingly, simplicity occurs at the extremes of the market, at either the very low end to make the least expensive possible product, or at the very high end to achieve elegance in design and use (with a sometimes side effect of added robustness). The middle of the market is where "the more gimmicks the better" rules.

When I started this thread my idea was a basic car, appliance, etc.. This thread seems, in some responses, to indicate that basic equals junk, I.e. the picture of a Yugo, probably the worst car ever made. Of course I want a quality product, but just with some basic requirements, unlike the Toyota Highlander described in one response. For example I have friend,who bought a new car with what I guess you call lane control. She shut it off as it was driving her nuts yelling at her every minute or two.

[Roderick Gentry]

A classic example are the newfangled table saws. Classic in two ways, you can hardly have a polite conversation over the need for them. But also. they are a kludge for an old design that the EU, would have tossed decades ago.

I decided to standardize around the the old INCA, largely because it is easy to move and ultra precise. But as great as they are, they have no idea about dust collection. Which is OK for me as I move them outside. But it does go to show how expectations have risen and newer is sometimes better.

I live in fear now that the car model is moving towards you will own nothing and pay rents, even for the keys.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

If the saw stop was a requirement there would more fingers in the world. My saw is an offender with no safety equipment. I do not feel great about it.

[Kevin Weller Bloomfield,PA]

I just had to pay $80 for a chip key for an f250, no fob. I wanted to start a business(not really) awhile ago making a few working man utilitarian items. A 3/4 ton farm truck, boots, a small pocket knife with GOOD steel, and I think there were some other things. At the end of the year my Iphone 5 is not going to be supported anymore. Ain't progress great. I own a '47 Willy's CJ2a. Rides like a brick, but no computers. It doesn't start either no spark or no fuel. That is great for a less than stellar mechanic. Rant over.

[Jim Becker]

$80 for that key is "cheap" compared to what many modern fobs cost to add/replace and then have programed!

[Lee DeRaud]

$80 for that key is "cheap" compared to what many modern fobs cost to add/replace and then have programed!

$175 for SWMBO's 2019 Kia Soul was my last dip into that pool.

Pretty cheap compared to the $400+ for the Boxster key/fob I got back in 2011. Bought the car used, only one key...not good. Took the local Porsche guy most of a week to get a blank and set it up (don't ask). About a week later I dropped it down between the seat and console, ended up having to remove the passenger seat to get it out. That process revealed the second key and the special "valet" key that were missing.

[Dave Zellers]

$80 for that key is "cheap" compared to what many modern fobs cost to add/replace and then have programed!

Yep. We just bought a new KIA Sportage and asked about the cost of a new fob. $450 to $500.

Unreal. Also- not sure but I don't think it's covered by the warranty.

The new cars today are computers with wheels.

[Dave Zellers]

I actually like the new car a lot but I would be all over basic appliances. It sure would be nice to have that choice. Especially if basic meant easily fixable.

[andrew whicker]

I agree that most 'simple' things (that is, less features) exists mainly in either the bottom of the market or the very top.

I also agree that most 'simple' things are, in fact, not simple. I also think people grow up with prejudices based on their experiences of a certain age.

My dad would never buy wrenches, sockets, etc but Snap On or Mac because Craftsman broke. I'm 38. I never had to buy anything fancier than Craftsman because by the time I was buying my own tools, they worked just fine (mostly - ratchets do matter).

Anyway, there are billions of examples of old timers' advice on 'good brands' or 'those things always break' that is from too many decades ago to be logically relevant. Maybe I'll be in one myself in 30 years.

[Lee DeRaud]

Yep. We just bought a new KIA Sportage and asked about the cost of a new fob. $450 to $500.

That's about what the dealer quoted us for the aforementioned Soul. The local locksmiths were much lower, only took them about 20 minutes to cut the key and program it to the car.

[Mike Henderson]

Yep. The new cars today are computers with wheels.

That is very true. I think the auto manufacturers would like them to be like smartphones on wheels.

For EVs, I saw some news that an EV manufacturer had improved the batteries (and the cooling and charging techniques) such that the batteries would last almost forever. Since there's not that much to fail on an electric vehicle, that means that an owner could cost effectively drive the same car for 20 to 30 years, if they wanted to.

The only reason you'd buy a new one is to get the new features (which there will always be) or to get more range (which will always be improved).

Mike

[Dave Zellers]

That's about what the dealer quoted us for the aforementioned Soul. The local locksmiths were much lower, only took them about 20 minutes to cut the key and program it to the car.

This is a car with key-less entry. There is a physical key inside the fob for an emergency, but I assumed the $500 to replace the fob was if the electronics inside the fob fail.

[Lee DeRaud]

This is a car with key-less entry. There is a physical key inside the fob for an emergency, but I assumed the $500 to replace the fob was if the electronics inside the fob fail.

If it's anything like the Honda system, there's not a whole lot more circuitry inside than the normal lock/unlock remote fob: all the fancy stuff is in the car. The only real difference is that the fob is transmitting at a very low power level all the time, not just when you push a button.

(The one for SWMBO's Soul has a flip-out "switchblade" key, but the fob part has to be present or the car won't start.)