I’m a curious guy. When I need car parts, as I will next week when I start servicing up my Buick Roadmaster Wagon, I will stop by one or both of my favorite automotive parts places. Bennett’s auto parts is close to me and they know I want the best replacement parts available. Experienced parts men are a real pleasure to deal with. They are a Florida franchise, not a national franchise.
I ask the boys behind the counter lots of questions. We talk, I ask questions like, how is business? Are you busier since cars are expensive and more folks seem to be keeping cars longer now? Whew, he said “we get busier every day it seems. Everyone is a mechanic now, and the shops are starting to bristle with folks who are fixing their cars, instead of buying new ones”.
So, the other day I found this email in my box from Brian, who owns a highly reputable transmission replacement company, It pretty much says it all. Click here to read the article on car parts. Full of statistics, but very telling about the direction we are going in.
For a variety of reasons, people are committed to keeping cars longer. I like that idea for a few reasons too. It is good for the auto shops and mechanics to stay busy. It also provides an excellent opportunity in a field where we need more young people to enter and pursue.
Something I don’t hear much about, but think about, is all the waste products we produce with the ‘buy a new car every 3 years’ attitude. Same thing with electronic devices. The ‘new breed’ of electronic devices last about three to five years, then they need to be disposed of properly. (not many people take the time and effort to call the proper recyclers for what ever toxic product they are getting rid of..computers, fluorescent lights, etc..) Cars are the same way, when you ‘junk’ a car that could be repaired, you are creating more toxic waste that goes into the environment.
Simply put, by replacing the transmission in your old Nissan, instead of junking it, you are reducing your carbon footprint. I don’t like to play favorites too much, but we own Mac computers. Just the fact that a Mac computer will outlast a Windows based P.C. by 2 to 5 times, slows down the amount of toxic computers going into the land-fill. BYW, Mac computers work better too!!
I could go on and on about where is the good old fashioned craftsmanship of the old days? When your dishwasher lasted 30 years or you still have your 1948 Singer Super Featherweight sewing machine (I have my moms). Times when old-world craftsmanship meant something.
GotTransmissions.com blog knows that their company will stand to flourish if more folks replace their transmission with a rebuilt ansmission or or used one. We also care about the environment. Enjoy..
