hi fred- you post a very good point to which little attention is given generally. many repair and maintenance items on automobiles on recently produced cars make it much more difficult for the owner to repair . time special tools and difficult diagnostic procedures cause many shade tree mechanics to go to an indie or a dealer which is the same as going to the cleaners. outrageous prices and sometimes incompetent repairs or shysterism occur. even on the late 240s there can be conundrums( relays, voodoo wiring, etc.). try to r and r the blower motor in the 240 and you will learn how to use f bombs. when buying a replacement car i avoid new ones these days and seek rwd with 3 pedals which is close to impossible to find. i give special attention to whether i can easily do standard repairs and maintenance on the model im looking at. forums like this and others are very good . smashups and rustouts are killing off the older easy to repair cars. still amazed at junkyards when i see rows of later fwd models with apparently good bodies and interiors, junked due to a +$3-6k repair cost for an automatic trans or blown engine due to broken timing belt. you tube videos help some. if i was a cynical man i might say manufacturers whose new car profits have been shaved by competition have made cars much more difficult to repair so they can clip customers on exhorbitant repairs and maintenance . i know fashionable liberals would respond, but what about mpg, emissions and safety improvements. many of these gains get wiped out when you get sticker shock from the repair bill. tell me my bruthas do i have a defective attitude. thanks tons oldduke