[AT] OT was runaway cars/now "electronic steering"

[Ralph Goff]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "charliehill" <charliehill at embarqmail.com>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 10:59 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] OT was runaway cars/now "electronic steering"


> John, a brand new Vette with a 366 engine and 400 HP will get real close 
> to
> 30 mpg highway.  I'm fond of the cars we had back then but we only thought
> they were fast.  The new cars out now, and not just the high performance
> stuff, will leave a lot of them in the dust.  Same basic engine designs 
> but
> improved by computers and managed by computers.  The only problem is 
> fixing
> them in the future when the computer fails and the parts aren't available 
> or
> affordable.

Charlie, that is exactly the complaint I have on the complex newer machinery 
and vehicles. They are truly superior when new but a few years down the road 
when wear and tear, deterioration due to weather and heat set in, how well 
are the computers going to work? And how possible or costly will the repairs 
be?
I look at the new combines and tractors where everything is controlled by 
wires instead of direct mechanical connections and wonder the same thing.
I had a friend with an air drill problem a couple of years ago. Numerous 
service technician trips, computer replacements and several valuable days 
lost at planting time. The problem............ a pinched wire in one of the 
harnesses that would intermittently lose contact when turning the tractor. 
Easy to fix but an absolute nightmare to find. Its fine as long as you are 
replacing that vehicle or machinery every few years before it gets old and 
needing service but I can't justify that expense for my operation. I'd say 
we are more than ever approaching the "throw away society" where it doesn't 
pay to fix anything, just throw it away (or recycle) and replace it with a 
new one.

Ralph in Sask.