Michael Johnson wrote:
> Jan Andersson wrote:
>> Michael Johnson wrote:
>>> Jan Andersson wrote:
>>>> Michael Johnson wrote:
>>>>> jonezzzman wrote:
>>>>>> Michael Johnson wrote:
>>>>>>> Joe wrote:
>>>>>>>> Michael Johnson <cds@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in news:SO-
>>>>>>>> dnQNEA4HiA0fanZ2dnUVZ_qHinZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Jan Andersson wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> Michael Johnson wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> Mike Coel wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> Yep, it's that time again, 147k miles, 1993 5.0
>>>>>>>>>>>> dripping out the green stuff by firewall on the ground
>>>>>>>>>>>> that strong sent of antifreeze inside the car
>>>>>>>>>>>> that dense fog on the inside of the front wind****eld above
the
>>>>>>>> vent.
>>>>>>>>>>>> no full temp on the temp gauge
>>>>>>>>>>>> Can't drive it this way, I get gassed.
>>>>>>>>>>>> guess I get to be a few hundred bucks lighter,
>>>>>>>>>>>> Second heater core, other went out at 95k
>>>>>>>>>>> Do yourself a favor and buy the core from the Ford dealer
>>>>>>>>>>> because
>>>>>>>> they
>>>>>>>>>>> are made much better than the ones sold by the chain auto
parts
>>>>>>>> stores.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> The kind of Ford quality where they fail before 100k? :)
>>>>>>>>> That is better than failing at 50k which is what his
>>>>>>>>> replacement core managed to achieve. ;)
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> My '93's original core is still fine @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
149k - original hoses
>>>>>>>> also intact. Guess I should knock on some wood...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The Grim Reaper of heater cores is heading to your garage as I
>>>>>>> type this post. ;)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I heard somewhere that using tap water with the coolant causes
>>>>>> premature failure of the heater core. Anyone know anything about
>>>>>> this? Is it true your supposed to use distilled water or the
>>>>>> premixed coolant? I'm getting ready to change a heater core in my
>>>>>> 89 GT.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have heard this both ways. One is using tap water causes
>>>>> deposits and using distilled water causes it to leach the metals
>>>>> like aluminum into the water which, in turn, cause deposits to
>>>>> buildup. Personally, I think the key is to do regular changes of
>>>>> the coolant as antifreeze contains chemicals to prevent scale
>>>>> buildup and corrosion.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Regular Maintenance?!?!?! Who'da thunk that! ;P
>>>
>>> There is generally a good reason that is should be "regular".
>>
>>
>> The typical american mentality with cars is to buy one, drive it to
>> the ground, ***** and moan when it breaks, then replace it with
>> another. Restart cycle.
>
> I think people are much better overall but the manufacturers have
> removed so many of the old maintenance requirements that if one just
> changes the engine oil regularly they can get 100k+ miles from a
> vehicle. Throw in a little more maintenance and getting 150k-200k miles
> is fairly routine.
When consumer expectations are getting lower and lower, then poor
quality gets widely accepted... then it somehow becomes 'average'
quality, and then, eventually, the new standard. Over time, people
reluctantly accept that it's not going to get any better than this, be
it Ford, Chevy, or Volkswagen. Manufacturers would be foolish to make
and sell products that are better, and last longer than expected. They
NEED their products to fail or become unwanted as soon as possible (just
short of getting a bad rep) so they can sell the next face lift model
to the same guy.
If you tried to sell a car 30 years ago that would last only 6 years,
you would have been lynched. Today a person who buys a new car, won't
see it's 4th birthday, they trade it in and it becomes someone else's
problem. Why even worry about preventative maintenance, you can't
justify a further monetary investment in something you won't keep long
enough to benefit from it. Just drive the **** out of it and pass it on
to some unsuspecting poor fool who will then struggle with the
inevitable breakdowns. You got what you wanted out of it.
Coincidentally, cars made 30, 40, and 50 years ago, are STILL on the
road. Some in great numbers even, and in decent mechanical shape. Often
with just as minimal maintenance. They were built to last a generation.
Even cars that were the 'economical and cheap' alternative of their day,
were designed tougher than most cars today. At some point some pencil
pusher figured out they can cut material costs by making parts weaker,
and subcontracting them to 3rd world countries.
Sure they started failing more often, but that's how 'modern,
complicated technology' is. <cough cough>. With time... sub-standard
sneaked it's way into becoming the new Standard.
Keep your new junk, gimme something from the 60's.
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