Big clutch with under 120hp (or under 80hp for a 240D). And perhaps there's less room for a large clutch disk in an RWD car. Lastly, have materials changed? Perhaps non-asbestos clutch linings last less time.

Bean counters and engineered obsolescence. They've only got to make it through the first owner to 40-50k so it can be certified pre-owned sold to the second owner who puts the next 50-60k on it. Why engineer to build something that will last to 200K+ when, on average, that vehicle will likely be on its 3rd or 4th owner at that point and the dealer and manufacturer aren't getting anything at that point?

Truly "building the best" hasn't been the goal for a long time.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

A car lasting to 200k is probably more common than 30 years ago -- remember when 80k miles was old and worn? I can say that I had a 90s car that was still on its original clutch at 169k when it was totaled -- Miata.

Overall, not a bad looking car shape wise. I'm not a fan of the current trend of the gaping, open-mouth, large grill look, ala Audi. The Ciel inspired LED's are a little over the top as well.

The ATS to me, is a much more attractive car. The over the top traits of the CLS are toned down to a reasonable level.

I'm just not real big on bold styling.

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-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

I'm leaning towards pure luck but that wouldn't have helped with my example.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Answer: Competition

There is hardly any car being sold today that with proper maintenance can't make it 200,000 miles and beyond.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

The biggest variable in clutch life is the person with his/her feet on the pedals. 50 years ago when my Dad was teaching me proper use of a clutch, he did not consider me clutch competent until I could get the car rolling and foot off the clutch pedal without touching the gas pedal. The key lesson was to not generate HEAT. As with many things, heat DESTROYS a clutch.

This doesn't mean that I drive that way. What it means is that I learned how to use a clutch without generating excess heat. If you don't overheat the clutch and drive the car competently, most vehicles clutches will last forever. The clutches of 25 years ago are basically no different than today's.

NOW, I am speaking generally. There are super cheapy built cars on the left side of the bell curve and super or specialty cars on the right side of the bell curve. Most cars in the MIDDLE of the bell curve have the POTENTIAL for the clutch to outlast the engine, with the right person working the pedals.

Since very few young people today are ever taught to operate a clutch properly, it stands to reason that such a person would not achieve long clutch life and would probably not like driving one in the first place.

My Dad taught me to drive, but in order to get my drivers license at fourteen, I had to take Drivers Education. The car at school that they taught in was a '62 Dodge with a slant six and a three on the tree. They wouldn't have DREAMED of teaching kids to drive in an automatic.

Times change.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

That may be true, but with multiple owners of cars today (growth of leasing vs buying) maintenance will suffer. Anything can limp through a 39 month lease. What the next guy does to it and the next will determing how long it'll last. That's where maintenance and skin care (or lack thereof) come to the fore.

I hear a few weeks ago about a study that concluded that the average American (or household, don't recall which) can't afford to buy an average priced car (after housing, food, etc). Maintenance? Pffft.

I have the CTS and the '88 300CE. Guess which one sleeps in the garage at nite.

It's fugly, as are all new cars IMO.

I am after one of these in stick version....

1988 BMW 635CSIA one lady owner, low miles

I have been driving sticks for 40 years now. I have only replaced one clutch (my 71 Corolla, not my fault) and never on anything I bought new.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

I offer you a fist bump fellow stick shift afficionado!

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

I don't disagree, actually, as I routinely run my work and personal vehicles 2-3-4 times as long as the average. Proper maintenance is the key. But I'm not sure the average Joe or Jane maintain their cars with visions of putting 200K on them. They're onto their 3rd or 4th car by then.

__________________

1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Yes, Swamp I don't at all disagree. My contention is simply that the cars are CAPABLE of high or even extra high mileage if properly maintained.

You and Dynalow make a valid point about many people NOT maintaining their vehicles. Those are usually the same people that claim that their XYZ FordChevaDodge One Thousand, or whatever it is, was a POS because it laid down on them. Of course, they don't even correlate it with the Mud that's in the crank case after 50,000 miles with no oil change.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

They must be doing something right -- median age of car on the road in the US = 10.8 yr.

Passenger vehicles in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cash for Clunkers took a lot of old horses off the roadways..... and cause a drop in repair shop business at the time.
Here's an old stallion getting slaughtered
Death of a 560SEC - YouTube

Except that 2012 was well after the Cash for Clunkers pigulus program ended, and median age on the road was up to 10.8 years in 2012.