So, maybee we can relate it back to something else.. Lets say your baking a cake.. Do you add tons of preservatives at extra cost and time to make it last for years? No, you know that it's only got to last so long before its completely eaten.. Right??

Cars (or anything for that matter) are only designed to provide reliable service for the expected lifespan. The average car owner today thinks that they need to buy a new one as soon as the current one is paid off.. So, 3-5yrs is the low end of the lifespan. This is why warranties are typically in this period.. Can a car be made to last 100yrs, probably, but who would want it?? As much as I like an old '66 Mustang, they are really junk by todays standards. The steering and suspension sucks, most are underpowered and unreliable using bias plied tires, rubber bushings, and many other inferior components by todays standards.. Old manuals used to recomend tune-ups every 15k, including points, condensor, plugs, wires, etc... An overhaul was expected by 100k, in fact many of you guys probably still have the mindset ingrained in your mind (from past experience) to never EVER consider buying a verhicle with more than 100k on it... Nowadays, cars are built to need only oil changes, brakes, tires and gas within the first 100k..

As time goes on, technology continues to get better. This happens because its only natural to build a better mousetrap.. Who would have thought that people from around the world would have the ability or need to type to eachother in an open forum over a computer?? The first computers 20-30yrs ago only needed to complete minor tasks like calculations and word processing.. If those computers were made to last forever, would anyone still be using them??? How about Betamax, 8-tracks, rotory phones, etc...

Planned obsolesance? We'll, you might call it that, but its typically not to screw the customer.. The primary goal is to provide a good quality product at a fair value to serve the customers needs for a reasonable time. Now, naturally, you only want to be so much better than the compettition at any given time. If you hit it out of the park and build a product that far exceded expectations and lasts far longer than expected, its difficult to replace or update it as needed.. This would effect a companies bottom line by removing customers from its base.. So, there is a bit of danger in that, but with so many people living by JD Powers and Consumer Reports, its much a much better business plan to follow the expected quality for less model.. JMO...