Re: Good WSJ article on Cars lasting longer than ever

In article <1208oeibvjruo0c@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> me@xxxxxxxxxx
"Dan J.S." writes:

Cars' Useful Lives Are Longer Than Ever,
Sending Ripples Through Auto Industry
February 27, 2006; Page D3

[snipped interesting article]

Two thoughts on this...

1) When I bought my first Volvo (440: a hatchback saloon not sold
in the US, AFAIK) in 1989, its literature bragged how the average
life of that company's cars was 20 years. Nowadays, with "Volvo"
being Ford, who knows what dismal figure that has sunk to.

2) I have long felt that vehicle manufacturers should focus on
upgradable products. The body would be built using every trick
in the book to make it endure, despite salt, damp and such minor
damage. Into it would be mounted subunits, each expected to be
redesigned and improved through the vehicle's indefinitely-long
life. This replacement process would make radical customisation
a basic benefit and a factory option from the start. Finally, if
and when the body croaks, transfer good subunits to a new body.
Rinse, lather and repeat. Or flog the good bits on the Standard
Parts Market.
Now some noodle will bleat that this would make vehicles so
expensive, nobody could afford them. Think on this: how long is
it going to be before the energy needed to make each fresh new
vehicle will bring that about anyhow; and how long before every
car is so crammed with fancy systems that throwing it all out in
one lump at scrap time becomes a stupid waste?
If the system came in a bit at a time, soon enough there'd be
a growing pool of "everlasters", whose second-hand value depended
primarily on individual condition, not age -- as with houses. A
bit of imagination and courage is needed here, that's all.
--
Andrew Stephenson

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