They Don't Make That Anymore!

[1 bruce 1]

~ Automobiles that you can repair yourself

Or anything that isn't disposable the minute it stops working, because a repair will run you about $7,000 USD and a new one will cost about $.19...

 

[1 bruce 1]

I can repair mine myself, but then, I spent 40 years as a mechanic, working mostly on heavy equipment, but the principle holds.

And here I was patting myself on the back earlier because it only took me about 45 minutes to get the freaking dome off one of one those classy, fancy flush to the ceiling light contraptions just so I could change a stupid light bulb.

 

[NY cat man]

And here I was patting myself on the back earlier because it only took me about 45 minutes to get the freaking dome off one of one those classy, fancy flush to the ceiling light contraptions just so I could change a stupid light bulb.

Don't feel bad. I had a couple of neighbors who should not be allowed within 10 feet of hand tools, or 20 feet of power tools

 

[engine4154]

For a few years I pretty much lived on breakfast cold cereals and it seems like they get discontinued at the drop of a hat.
Some of these I never tried (mostly 90's on).
Try not to picture a younger version of me buying Mr. T cereal in bulk. It was not the best part of my life. (I pity 'da foo'!)
A Tribute to Discontinued Cereals

LOL--I remember Mr. T cereal. I never tried it but seeing it was a real "did I just see that?" moment. Then it showed up on that PeeWee Herman movie. lol

 

[DreamerRose]

Cheerios changed its recipe sometime in the past while I wasn't looking. Cheerios used to be thicker and crunchier. Expecting that, I was surprised when eating them recently (recent to my mind is in the past 10 years). The Cheerios were lighter and fluffier, and they certainly don't fill you up.

 

[NY cat man]

Cheerios changed its recipe sometime in the past while I wasn't looking. Cheerios used to be thicker and crunchier. Expecting that, I was surprised when eating them recently (recent to my mind is in the past 10 years). The Cheerios were lighter and fluffier, and they certainly don't fill you up.

I don't know about a recipe change, but before I retired, I worked a couple of miles from the plant where they made them. When the wind was right, you could smell them.

 

[DreamerRose]

I wouldn't have mentioned this change in Cheerios, but my son's MIL made the same comment, so it wasn't just my mind playing tricks on me.

Your experience with Cheerios reminds me of the Honey Bunches of Oats commercial!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I was really upset when Boca discontinued its "Boca original vegan veggie burger". They replaced it with some kind of "original turk'y veggie" burger -- it is terrible.

Mr. PushPurr is the main cook in the family, and whenever he didn't want to cook, I could just have that original veggie patty as a quick meal to get me by, in lieu of his yummy meals.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Don't feel bad. I had a couple of neighbors who should not be allowed within 10 feet of hand tools, or 20 feet of power tools

I got banned from my shop awhile ago. It wasn't a proud moment.
They don't even make normal every day tools like hammers and screwdrivers like they used to.

 

[Elphaba09]

Automobiles that you can repair yourself

I agree with you there! I am far from a mechanic, but I know a thing or two about cars. I cannot do much physically anymore when it comes to working on them, but I can do some things and tell the mechanic what I think the problem is. I have had three cars in my lifetime, and the last, a Ford Focus, only died 13 years after I got her because an accident which made fixing her too expensive. (Our mechanic's friend bought it from me then the two of them repaired her on the cheap. I love that I get to see her driving around sometimes!) The one issue I had with her was that she ate idler pullies about once every couple of years.

My "new" car is a 2013 Ford Focus that I purchased last year. I can still do/diagnose a lot, but the cursed "tire pressure fault" light has been on for six months. I replaced the tires, but, for some reason, they cannot get the light to go off without replacing something costly. No thanks! I will just check my tires the old way and ignore the light.

 

[NY cat man]

I got banned from my shop awhile ago. It wasn't a proud moment.
They don't even make normal every day tools like hammers and screwdrivers like they used to.

I bought a hammer-a True Temper Rocket- in 1972. I don't know what it is, but nobody who used it right-handed could drive a nail straight. I use it left-handed, and it works perfectly. Go figure.

 

[1 bruce 1]

I agree with you there! I am far from a mechanic, but I know a thing or two about cars. I cannot do much physically anymore when it comes to working on them, but I can do some things and tell the mechanic what I think the problem is. I have had three cars in my lifetime, and the last, a Ford Focus, only died 13 years after I got her because an accident which made fixing her too expensive. (Our mechanic's friend bought it from me then the two of them repaired her on the cheap. I love that I get to see her driving around sometimes!) The one issue I had with her was that she ate idler pullies about once every couple of years.

My "new" car is a 2013 Ford Focus that I purchased last year. I can still do/diagnose a lot, but the cursed "tire pressure fault" light has been on for six months. I replaced the tires, but, for some reason, they cannot get the light to go off without replacing something costly. No thanks! I will just check my tires the old way and ignore the light.

I ignore lights unless I smell fumes, or see smoke and/or lava.
I had a mechanic tell me once that sometimes these lights going on when nothing is actually wrong is a computer issue in these newer vehicles, and it makes sense. Computers are pretty smart, but even ol' Watson missed a Jeopardy clue now and then.

 

[DreamerRose]

I hated that warning light on my old Saturn that came on when the gas cap wasn't tight enough. I think it was Get Service Immediately!

 

[1 bruce 1]

I hated that warning light on my old Saturn that came on when the gas cap wasn't tight enough. I think it was Get Service Immediately!

Back in the '80's, we had a big ugly Buick for awhile that could be driven without the key and the damn thing talked. Told us the headlights were on, told us that the key was or wasn't in the ignition, told you the tire pressure was low.
I don't trust a car you can drive without a key, so we sold that thing as fast as we could.

 

[NY cat man]

OK, now we're going to get technical. The trouble with the newer vehicles is that the various sensors use a very low amperage- think milliamps. As the vehicle ages, especially in areas where they salt the roads in winter, corrosion can develop at the various connections, and when you are dealing with such small currents, it doesn't take much to cause problems. Thus endeth the lesson for today.

 

[1 bruce 1]

OK, now we're going to get technical. The trouble with the newer vehicles is that the various sensors use a very low amperage- think milliamps. As the vehicle ages, especially in areas where they salt the roads in winter, corrosion can develop at the various connections, and when you are dealing with such small currents, it doesn't take much to cause problems. Thus endeth the lesson for today.

No, don't end the lesson.
I can barely pump my own gas.
In all serious ways, good info on the corrosion, never thought of that.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ Did someone say dependable cars you can repair yourself ? I believe they are referring to my 1971 VW Super Beetle . ``´

 

[Willowy]

Trivia for the day: John Deere (and other brands although I'm not sure exactly which ones) won't let you work on your own tractor. Only licensed John Deere techs are allowed to touch the things. Otherwise it will void any warranties and if someone else messes with the computer, JD can sue them for software violations. Because you don't own the software; you're only leasing it :/. This makes a lot of farmers mad. So they're either buying old tractors with no computers, or they buy off-brands that give them ownership of the software. Since John Deere gets away with it, I imagine it's only a matter of time before car manufacturers do the same.

 

[NY cat man]

Trivia for the day: John Deere (and other brands although I'm not sure exactly which ones) won't let you work on your own tractor. Only licensed John Deere techs are allowed to touch the things. Otherwise it will void any warranties and if someone else messes with the computer, JD can sue them for software violations. Because you don't own the software; you're only leasing it :/. This makes a lot of farmers mad. So they're either buying old tractors with no computers, or they buy off-brands that give them ownership of the software. Since John Deere gets away with it, I imagine it's only a matter of time before car manufacturers do the same.

We had the same situation where I worked. We had 360 and 400 Komatsus, 350 and 360 Fuchs, and 800 Sennebogen cranes. When we had problems, we had to call in the dealer. One time, they had to call in the East Coast tech rep, and HE fried a $6000 computer. What fun- but better him than me.

 

[Winchester]

Nano Ipod 7. I'm a chronic ipod/audiobook person and love my little nano.

The nano iPod 5th generation with the click wheel. I loved that thing. I have a 7th generation now and, while I like it, Apple no longer will let me add songs, playlists, etc. on it. I almost have to force it to sync now. It charges, thankfully. I don't want a Touch because it's too big to just slip into the pocket of my jeans and because it's ridiculously expensive. (When I heard that Apple was discontinuing the Ipod Nano, I went to Target and bought two of them while I could still get them. I'm known for putting my iPods through the washer, so it was well worth it. *knock on wood* I haven't done that lately.)

Nestle's ChocoBake. It was premelted unsweetened chocolate. Perfect for my chocolate crinkles and my brownie recipe. Alas, they stopped making the stuff. Bummer.