Why do manufacturers saddle us all with crap we don't need?

[Gardener]

i bought a toy truck in autumn 94, put 160,000 miles on it without a smidgen of problem.  no power nothing. 4 cyl, 5spd manual.  it'd do it all.
kept the oil changed, and ran  with a fresh battery.

[savageT]

When we had the 1973 Suburban restored we had the body shop coat the frame and undercarriage with the rust-proof (preventitive) coating.  I shouldn't have any rusting problems.  We'll see how it works, I haven't got any rust yet, but it's only a year out of the shop.  The only mistake I made was putting nerf bars on instead of running boards, the powder coating is chipped off already and the Iowa salt is starting it's natural course of action.
Selmer

Selmer,
Look into this system.....called "Auto Saver".  I hear it does great job preventing corrosion
Uses a sacrificial anode and a slight battery voltage drain.
http://www.terrystransmission.com/auto_saver.htm


Jim

[rwng]

All the extras could be a good thing. You go to the dealer but don't want a loaded 4X4. You just want the basic frame, chassey, steering wheel on a set of tires. He doesn't have one on the lot but he can order one for ya. Although he has two loaded trucks that you can have today, for $2-5,000 less. :shock:  What can ya do? You have to take it or be foolish. All vehicles are totally computer dependant, everything is electronic. By they way, I am on my 5th truck in 19 years and it's my first one with electric anything. (a/c, windows, doors etc.) I must say it's nice. :wink:  I lived in SC for 2-1/2 years without a/c. :cry: it was miserable.

[williamlayton]

a/c in texas is tantamont to heating in canada--it is not an extra---although the first a/c i slept under was when i went off to college--i learned to like it real fast.
blessings

[Skipper]

Mainly to beat the government out of some tax money.  The gadgets on these things are getting out of hand.  

They now have a lock on the spare tire carrier under a pickup truck.  I told the salesman that I'd give him my spare tire if he could get it out of that rack under my truck.  I've never gotten a spare ouf of one of those racks without a hacksaw, pry bar, hammer and bolt cutters.  Lock it under there???

Then there's the ne 6 speed tranny.  I'll admit, I always thought my Ford needed an extra cog, but I've never had that tought pulling out of the driveway.  The 6th gear is an even lower bull doggggg gear.  All that did was screw up the shift pattern to the point I can't figure out what gear its in.

Then look under the hood.  Grief.  I can see the 2 batteries in it, and that's about all that I knew what was.  The salesman asked puzzled??  Do you work on your own truck?  I said, well its a Diesel isn't it?  If you want something done on it you gotta do it yourself because nobody else will and I can't afford your $75 look at it and tell me you can't figure out what's wrong fee that you charged me the last time I brought it in and told you to fix the glow plug switch.  

There's the receiver hitch.  Until recently, I'd always just put a ball on the step bumper and went to draggin my boat.  Not so anymore.  New bumpers are about as stiff as a pop can.  Gotta have that $300 accessory.

And worst of all, Nag, Nag, Nag.  Truck sounds like my motherinlaw.  Beeep Beep (Put your darn seatbelt on)  Beeep Beeep Beeep (Your gas lid is open)  Beeeep Beeeep Beeeep  (Turn your lights on)  Beeep Beeep Beeep (Shift Gears)  (Beeeep Beeep Beeep)  Need fuel.

Skipper