10-01-2021, 06:27 PM
(10-01-2021, 02:54 AM)pekingduck_imp Wrote: We sometimes forget that there are definite benefits to emissions regulations beyond the improvements in air quality. They mandated that vehicles had to maintain the effective level for a certain amount of years/miles.
I grew up around cars and bikes, and in the '60s-'70s, 10-12mpg was normal. So were valve jobs at 40k miles and engine overhauls at 75k. rarely would cars go beyond 100k without a rebuild. Same with bikes - valve jobs at 15-20k miles, overhauls at 40k.
Now we have bike engines easily going over 100k. My girlfriend at the time bought a new 1981 Toyota Starlet, and sold it a few years ago, still running well, with over 400k on the original engine AND clutch.
That is so true, I was in my third and last year of year of college and driving a battered old £150 Vauxhall Viva with a 1250cc engine. Buying "Gold Seal" reconditioned engines was very commonplace then, you could get one for just about any car. I had to buy a short block, which was basically the engine minus the head and gearbox, for £85 and fitted it in my garage swapping the rest of the components over. That did another 50K miles before the rest of the car fell apart around it.