Steve:
Not just the electronics - many of which seem to have a projected lifespan of only a few years - but also the projected life expectancy of the battery pack (and the cost of a replacement).
I replaced a 20+ year old Central Heating Boiler a few years ago (because although it had worked perfectly well for two decades or more, it no longer met 'the new regulations' and I was faced with bashing holes in wall to provide ventilation in line with 'the new - read current - regulations'). I took the view that Sod's Law says that as soon as I had bashed the holes in the wall the boiler would have packed up anyway and so elected to replace the boiler and put in a new flue at the same time.
At the end of the job I remarked to the engineer (as I was paying him a king's ransom) that at that cost I hoped that the new boiler would last me another 20+ years. He chuckled and said that whilst the mechanical side of the boiler would probably last he doubted that the electronic side of it would go beyond 5 to 8 years (by which time it would be nigh on impossible to find a replacement printed circuit board because the manufacturer used different boards (according to third party availability) on the same model of boiler on an almost yearly basis.
Whereas once upon a time I used to try and buy high end electronics nowadays I tend to lean towards buying at the lower end of the market on the assumption that when it breaks I will just replace it (because it will be either impossible or just too costly to repair).
I wonder if I should apply the same approach to cars? Seems to me that just about anything built in the new millenium is so dependent on electronics, sensors and filters that future repairs, even if they are possible, won't be cost effective anyway.
I wonder if there is a market for simple mechanical stuff under the brand name 'Luddite'? With people living longer it surely has potential? Just need to outwit the regulations.....
When in the UK I had similar concerns (never materialised) but BG insured my boiler for a fixed annual fee that covered replacement if they could not get the parts.....worth looking in to.
