Are the days of home vehicle repair coming to an end

Back in the 1980's, my then employer represented a US manufacturer of small earthmoving equipment and farm equipment. We also sold v. large mining trucks. The small equipment maker did not supply workshop manuals or parts books for sale to owners, only operator's manuals. Their attitude was to take it to a dealer. Great stuff in the USA where I was told there was rarely a situation where a dealer was more than 40 miles away. We sold quite a few of these to mines and govt. depts who all required multiple copies of operator's, parts, and workshop manuals. We had to make these up. All hands to the photocopiers.

One of the mining giants required seven copies of each, pages in plastic protectors and in arch binders. The stack of binders for a large dump truck boggled the imagination. I still wonder what they did with seven copies.

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Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

Back in the 1980's, my then employer represented a US manufacturer of small earthmoving equipment and farm equipment. We also sold v. large mining trucks. The small equipment maker did not supply workshop manuals or parts books for sale to owners, only operator's manuals. Their attitude was to take it to a dealer. Great stuff in the USA where I was told there was rarely a situation where a dealer was more than 40 miles away. We sold quite a few of these to mines and govt. depts who all required multiple copies of operator's, parts, and workshop manuals. We had to make these up. All hands to the photocopiers.

One of the mining giants required seven copies of each, pages in plastic protectors and in arch binders. The stack of binders for a large dump truck boggled the imagination. I still wonder what they did with seven copies.

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One for the workshop, each of the service trucks, service manager..

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Cars are becoming consumables.

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There is a company here in the UK which for a fixed monthly premium provides the car and all standard costs like insurance and servicing you just put in fuel. Cars are all new from the dealer and you can change car or walk away after 6 months no long term commitment. Monthly cost is slightly less than a loan for the same car over 4 years. Is currently marketed at the company car driver who was dodging the high company car tax rates and has less options now that the pay for your car out of pre tax income has been removed. Anyone car take one of their cars the only 'problem' I see is that they are limited to what the manufactures are prepared to supply them under fleet prices.

A USA based company last year raised $1.0B US to do similar for used cars with the commitment being only one month. They are though looking for a deposit which the one above does not. This one has backing from BMW and Mercedes

Aussie farmers demand the right to repair


Farmers driving 'right to repair' issue as legislative battle unfolds in US - ABC Rural - ABC News

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

A lot of things are being "sealed for life" as well.
A lot of modern gearboxes are "sealed for life". I think life is expected to be 200,000km to 300,000km. Then you get a new car which will be two or three times the price of a new gearbox.
Cars are becoming consumables.

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Which makes Chinese utes and 4WD cars a more attractive propo$ition

- Farmer friend traded out of his ( 3 litre Diesel) BT50 after 10K service ! - Mainly fuel thirst that would make a Classic v8 look abstemious... and an exhaust system waiting to burn his paddocks.

Looked at the LDV, but wanted the bigger engine. The irresistable trade-in clinched it for the ISUZU, which sips the fuel for more power and range.

The Mahindra Pikup is looking more attractive , especially after one motoring "expert " said it had the driving position of a defender.

There are at least a couple of guys on here who have Mahindra's and speak highly of them. Very Defender-like in other ways too.

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Originally Posted by cripesamighty

There are at least a couple of guys on here who have Mahindra's and speak highly of them. Very Defender-like in other ways too.

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Like build quality,but definitely not resale value..[wink11]

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Originally Posted by cripesamighty

There are at least a couple of guys on here who have Mahindra's and speak highly of them. Very Defender-like in other ways too.

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The price is right. They do the job with very few frills, similar to the defender. A genuine 1 ton ute, not one for the " look at me " crowd, just quietly goes about its business. Not perfect, but good enough. The only defect I have heard of was a friend of mine had his cam shaft snap in two, bad casting I guess. The next time my D2 decides to have a hissy fit, I'll take a Mahindra for a test drive. I said that in the D2 , and since then she's been driving like a dream.[thumbsupbig]

Good job. Keep threatening the D2 to behave itself!!