DavidR wrote...

"Nigel Pendse" wrote

Just think of a car door. My first few cars had no electric motors or
wiring in the doors at all, nor heating ducts. Now, with central
locking,
electric windows, footwell lights, speakers, heated, folding and remote
adjustable external mirrors, etc, there are numerous electric and
electronic circuits and multiple electric motors in each front door, and
some in the rear doors as well. And that's not to mention the
strengthening beams to protect against side intrusions and the
sophisticated rust proofing.

This stuff is not inevitable. The thread may be bemoaning how complex cars
are and how they are scrapped when beyond economic repair but it is what
the
punters want.

....but only because that is all the "punters" can afford.

If, after accidental damage, a car can be restored to its market value of
(say) £1500 only by the expenditure of (say) £2000 on repairs, the owner
will *waste* the £500 over-spend, with no hope of recovering it (unless he
somehow feels that a sentimental attachment to the car is worth £500 to him)
if he chooses to have the repairs done.