BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!

Subject: RE: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: Greg F.
Date: 26 Sep 14 - 03:19 PM

You're not supposed to repair your car. That's positively un-American.

You're supposed tho throw the car away and buy a new one.

Subject: RE: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: Mr Red
Date: 26 Sep 14 - 02:34 PM

change is the only thing certain in life.

Death? I hear you say. And as changes go.....................

Done the bulb change, with the aid of a magnifying inspection mirror with light bulb to illuminate on a flexible arm . Doesn't everyone have one?

Subject: RE: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: Mrrzy
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 06:52 PM

Change is sometimes implacable.

Subject: RE: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 12:10 PM

Perhaps off subject, but a very good 50-year-old two-story house up the street was demolished and removed last week. The buyer likes the location and lot, but wants a house to his own design. The third house taken out in a three-block area of the neighborhood.
The lots were about $7000 when the houses were built, but their value now is roughly $500,000.

Subject: RE: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 11:39 AM

Reminds me of the complaint we once received about the pack of a container, the goods had shifted in transit. They were unable to offload by fork truck - but the language must have been ripe, because the written complaint rhymed.

Subject: RE: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: gnu
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 11:19 AM

Peter... hahahaa!

I long for my first truck. 1984 Ford F150 with a straight 6. Wanna change plkugs in the rain? Put a lawn in and close the hood. 2010 F150 with a V8? Just enough room to get a VISA card in.

Planned obsolescence.

Wanna buy a truck? 18,000 km. $22,000.

Subject: RE: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 11:09 AM

There I times when I almost wish I still drove a Lada.

Plus point:
Designed to be maintained at home

Minus point:
You needed to

Subject: RE: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: Mr Red
Date: 25 Sep 14 - 03:32 AM

These are replaceables. Taking the battery out to change a lightbulb - hardly rocket science - even for idiots who design a car they are never going to drive, let alone own. I bet they wouldn't call themselves engineers, the "designer" word these days is "designer". Says it all, really.

I once had a shunt and the insurance company were charging me for the replacement of the radiator! A non-consumable item that should last the life of the car (like eg an engine). In the end the garage repaired it and I had to force the insurance company to forego the charge for something not done! I am not with them any more.

call me an engineer but it does grate when I see poor design.

Subject: RE: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 10:58 PM

They do it on purpose.

Subject: RE: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: michaelr
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 09:06 PM

They do it on purpose. Used to be you could fix your own car, but that all changed in the 80s.

Subject: RE: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: DMcG
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 03:07 PM

True, but I suspect this specific case is based on the assumption that it will be a garage maintaining the car, and they can pass any inconvenience back to you in the form of labour charges. Manufacturing any significant object is a trade off between various competing factors and it is likely that home maintence is way down the list of priorities. It's not that new, though. Changing one of the headlights in my old Mondeo was ok, the other you had to practically take the engine out to get to it

Subject: BS: Modern design!!! Replacing replacables!!
From: Mr Red
Date: 24 Sep 14 - 02:26 PM

Japanese car - should be the epitome of ergonomics. (Made in France so all bets are off)

Rear stop light on a carrier that cannot be seen directly, once removed it will slip out of your fingers. Falls into the structure that is impossible to find until you remove all the plastic wall covering and disassemble the connector (not necessary but - now it tells me!). When you do that, at least it gives you a good enough view to see how to replace it.

Front headlight held in with a clip, the catch on the clip is at the top in a short tube and with your head into the engine bay and even with perfect focus (reading specs with clip-on magnifiers) the mechanism is still hidden by the parallax effect. So out comes the wifi camera and mobile phone to view it through. (doesn't everyone have such a pair?) Too dark? macro setting? take a photo? process in Photshop - Aha!. OK I think I have the measure - but how to work the screwdriver blind, or hold the camera at the same time? (Phone strapped on wrist reduces number of hands needed).

And then it all has to go back in. Another day gone!

The other headlight has a box in the way - after the battery comes out. Radio code anyone?

If I wasn't an engineer, how would I manage?

Is it just me? but I am amazed (make that annoyed) by the lack of thought given to design these days.