"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...

We've had debates about this sort of thing on uk.rec.cars.maintenance a
couple of times and my opinion FWIW is that much of the 'progress' in cars
over say the last 25 years has been retrograde. I have no doubt that
handling, ergonomics, comfort, safety has generally improved but all the
added complication has added weight and cost and use of resources with no
real net improvement in fuel consumption. Owner servicing and repairing is
almost a thing of the past because no one understands what the hell any of
the bits under the bonnet do anymore.

Neither do the dealers.