Quality where for art thou ?

Hi Warren,

Welcome to the GOMC (Grumpy Old Men Club).

This is why I kept my 1991 HZJ75 and re-powered with a 1HD-FT engine, kept my 1985 2nd generation hand-down Engel and a whole bunch of non electronic, non all singing and dancing, non overcomplicated made-in-PRC JUNK. Half of my collection may be museum ready (if you listen to my kids) but much to their dismay just keeps on going and if it stops I don't need a degree in quantum physics to repair it.
Now, any spare room in your fox hole.....lol.

I think I qualify for that club as well (re: name) and every thing is getting thinner, it soon rusts, not deburred, not finished properly, the last one in the pack is broken etc etc. and thats why we go camping lots!

In those days things didn't break or fail and people could repair them if it happened.
Now to make matters worse, all the younger ones are busy being a twit on faceache and despite their ability on a Iphone touch screen they can't repair any Bl--dly thing, so it is just throw away.
If they attemp or claim to be able to repair it, because you owe them, you won't be able to afford the repair.

This will be an interesting post...

Things that break stay longer in one's mind than thing's that dont break!

There are still many reliable good brands out there but this funny thing called human nature seem's to step in and dictate things have to be cheaper to sell and why should I spend twice the money on something I can get cheaper.

Every thing fails at some point.....

For most manufactures who have to stay competitive in an over flowing market and still stay in business it means producing a product cheaper using lower quality manufactures and materials.

There is only one person to blame for this...... the end user who elects to buy on price over quality.

The quality of a product is dictated by price, the price is dictated by the end consumer who with little qualifications or knowledge seems to be an expert when it comes to how much something should cost.

And for those who shop eBay out of China or buy cheap low quality products...... thanks for wrecking it for the rest!

And to say this has failed and that has failed; and I never had a problem for X amount of years with the old stuff is a bit unfair, there are so many variables that need to be addressed before comparing....

You say you never had a wheel alignment in over 20 years and since the 80 series was new.... did you drive it?

Well just to throw a a bit of a wet blanket on your grumble, the quality of some of the old products has been replaced with the efficiency of the new.
I too have one of the old green Engel fridges that still works, however it draws twice the current of the new fridges and runs longer to keep things cold.
I remember my father bought a new 6 cylinder car in the 60's that did about 20mpg, that equates to 7.1 km/L or 14L/100km. These days most 6 cylinder cars use less than 10L/100km AND you never have to adjust/clean the points, set the float level, or even clean the spark plugs.

WOW sorry guys I were just having a winge. I were reading this fourm when something totally unrelated to anything said, broke and seeing as I were on this fourm well...
My engel is going fine but as had been mentioned uses heaps more power, my old crapy compressor is just that and it is a backup, I'll buy a new one soon. the 80 series was sold because new partner kept getting car sick in it, it was fitted with front and rear diff locks ex factory and had a host of other gear fitted by myself IT NEVER had a wheel alignment, Maybe the Meninee loop road, 2 of the 3 tracks, nearly every high country road / track at least twice were all done dreaming in the garage (for the record it was sold to a mate and no he wont sell it back ) My new 4x4 is far more economical and if the truth be known more powerful but it is not as easy to service and has no " little gear stick" that goes clunk when low range selected.
Maybe i'm yearning for 20yrs ago when things were simpler, easier etc. our $68000.00 caravan is however a bit of a disapointment. there is a place left in my hole lol.
Cheers Warren