One other point: all electronics (automotive and otherwise) is now disposable and essentially unrepairable. The standardized transistors chips of the 70-80 era with numerous second sources that you could actually replace with a $3.00 Radio Shack soldering iron is now replaced with glob technology, ASIC's, and surface mount that essentially cannot be repaired by hand with any tools, even surface mount tools of the 1990's. No one - and I mean, no one - will ever be able to repair the elctronic modules made today 20 years from now, probably not even the original manufacturer. I bring this up because I've looked over the modules in my 86 SL and they actually ARE repairable and can be reverse engineered for the most part. This might make the most expensive and valuable part of a 2004 car the electronics package in 2024, not the engine or transmission.