[alfa] Automotive reliability

[alfacybersite <acs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Strongly suspected of the several emails I sent in yesterday, this one
would garner the most comments.

I was also certain no one would agree with me - at least of those who
emailed.

Going out on a limb, I'm going to say the two biggest strides in
automotive reliability (I'm limiting reliability to the engine and
drivetrain operating well enough to get you to your destination -
whether it be through thick or thin or on a nice sunny Sunday afternoon)
are overhead valves and alternators.

Even then, I'm aware side valve engines held up pretty well. Just feel
by sticking them on top (where Mother Nature intended) it allowed for
considerable more (often questionable) development on engines.

Have not a clue how they managed to screw up (what I consider) iffy
progress, but alternators have been quite bullet proof, right from the
get-go.

Do note, I'm considering an automobile reliable even should it require
an engine rebuild every 50k miles, frequent sparkplug and points
cleaning and adjusting, etc. Meaning if you / your mechanic know what
requires what at certain intervals - and you have them attended to - and
the car never lets you down , that's bloody reliable - I'm guessing a 55
Chevy (or?) could beat the pants especially off an Alfa, and probably
most anything else on the market today.

I'm going to cheat a bit and include that on occasion one's car might
have a problem (on the way home). However, if you can pull into say a
Standard Station (or?) and the mechanic on duty there not only has the
part / parts required and can get you out in less than an hour, it only
counts as a slight delay to your destination.

(Just eliminated every Alfa - not to mention every non US or Asian
automobile -  on the face of the earth with that one).

How many out there have a computer with some version of Windows? My
understanding is Gates stuff is being used extensively in automobiles
like the drive-by-wire steering systems.

Your operating system ever crash? Did the operating system in your '55
Chevy ever crash?

Next I'll get smarmy emails suggesting, "He's obviously getting old and
going back to his childhood. Perhaps seeing his cousin yesterday, not to
mention his inability to solve what must be a simple problem on his '75
automobile, has really triggered it."

**********

Less is more (except shiny stuff on the exterior of an Alfa 4-cylinder
engine).

Biba
Irwindale, CA USA
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