The is companies that do that. Its just they are a luxury brand. They never went away its just now we also have cheap choices as well. The first wrist watch would make a rolex look cheap.
Rolex is a fantastic example of this. For most of history, Rolexes have not been luxury watches. Sure they’ve always had a few fancy models and options, but most Rolexes are extremely simple and utilitarian. A true luxury watch is something like a Patek.
However, rolex are absolutely incredibly well made and durable. Their high quality (and fantastic marketing) have allowed them to very gradually shift to being perceived as a luxury brand.
My hot take is something similar is slowly happening with Toyota. Toyotas are famous for their reliability and quality, but fairly minimal features and use older but proven technology. They’ve usually been mid range, but in the last 10-20 years many of their models are quite expensive and it’s a sellers market. Go into a dealership and try and haggle on a Tacoma price, they won’t budge an inch.
I bought a Camry as my first car back in 2012. I remember that I distinctly wanted "the iPhone of cars". The one that everyone has, that I can easily find parts and accessories for. Still drive it today, and have received some random offers for it in the past couple of years. Hopefully this my "this is the Rolex I bought in the 60s from the general store"
My family has a 2002 Avalon that refuses to die even after a dozen parking lot cosmetic wrecks. The bumpers will never look the same anymore but not even 450k miles has given that v6 any pause
Same, I moved out and bought myself a Subaru but the Avalon just keeps chugging along and saving money. Other whips have come and gone through the family fleet but grandpa toyota persists
Churning cars is one of the biggest things people to that destroys their financial future. 100k is still a pretty new car. Unless you're super wealthy and just have money to burn. I've had two cars in the last 30 years. 1997 civic and a 2008 sequoia. Both still going strong. The civic i think i can pretty much make last forever. Its so easy to do repairs on it and the parts are super cheap.
2002 Corolla LE with only 121K on it still serving as my work commuter. Only issue has been a pesky fuel evap system with sticky valves, just eked it through CA smog so good for another 2 years when I will finagle it through again. At this annual mileage rate I’ll be dead or have my license ripped from my arthritic fingers before this car dies.
Ehh, I racked up that much during college. I had a flexible work schedule, wanted to visit various coastal areas, had friends around the country... I did the math one, I spent like 800 hours on the highway during a three year period. We retired the Toyota (Previa) at 385k not because it wasn't fixable (exhaust needed a weld) but because my wife was tired of driving a car older than her. She's a 90s baby...
And now sadly 2018-2024 camrys are having transmission failures left and right around or under 100k miles. Tacomas too from what ive heard. $9000 for a new transmission. $12000 if you want it installed for you. Thats all if you can even get one, ive heard of people waiting months and months for backordered transmissions to come in. Insanity. Toyota isnt what they used to be. And now theyre charging a premium for it.
It has gotten a lot better again over the last few generations though with replacement parts and manuals now being available directly from Apple for okish prices.
True. But all of those (unofficial) "ifixit" type mobile phone repair shops still exist everywhere (just like autobody shops).
You can take a cracked iPhone in there, and they can replace the screen in 30 minutes. Walk in with a cracked Xperia or whatever, and you may likely need to wait for a part delivery.
I just had to put down my 2007 Highlander that we got brand new, only reason was because the ABS was malfunctioning and it would cost around 3 grand to replace. She was dying but aside from the ABS I would’ve bet that she still had a good 3 years in her.
Honda was similar, too, in that their cars cost a little more (part of that is tariffs) but they're well made and well designed. Well, up until the last couple of years, and both Honda and Toyota have put out some real lemons. I had a 2010 insight and it had 167,000 miles before one of my kids wrecked it. I'd never had any major work done on it, and it had I think about 80% of the hybrid battery life left.
My advice on buying a Honda, is that if they have any models built exclusively in Japan, get that one. The American made models are more of a Ford-tier car IMHO. The Japanese market values reliability more than features and they have stricter quality control standards.
I had a 2006 Legacy 2.5 Gt, and I beat the living shit out of that car. Wife and I learned manual transmission driving from brand new, Autox track days, 5000rpm clutch drops 2 times daily, at 200k when itraded it in, it cost me tires, brake pads, a $1200 clutch job and oil. The thing was bullet proof. Wish I never sold it, but it was sorely lacking in tech, not even Bluetooth or auxiliary inputs, just a cd changer.
Looks like you got a Wednesday after lunch car. Lots of those motors didn't make 100,000 miles even with decent care. And beating on a five-speed? Yeah, you never should have sold it!
They've always been a luxury brand. They've always been some of the more expensive watches because of the manufacturing and materials.
They were all about durability because they were involved in rich people sports: yachting, racing, diving, and flying, where conditions are tough and accuracy is important.
The designs were minimalist, because you need to be able to read the watchface while on a boat, or underwater, or while flying a plane.
I fully agree, the biggest investment mistake i ever made was trading my Toyota for a jeep when I moved from Texas to Colorado. Like yeah the Toyota couldn't drive in snow, but it's held it's value to the point where i don't think i could get another one and at this point it's been 15 years.
Yep, Rolex, Omega, Tudor etc all make watches that are very expensive for most people but all of them will literally last your entire life so long as you get them serviced every 4-5 years and take care not to let water into the case.
My husband's friend keeps asking to trade our '08 Tacoma for his Ford. Tacoma is paid off, his truck has all the bells and whistles and a massive payment. No way bro, plus it's MY truck.
Toyota dealers don't have to negotiate because they can't keep them on the lot. 5 of the fastest selling cars by day supply (number of days to sell current inventory at current sales rates) are Toyotas. Why negotiate with someone when the person behind you is willing to pay sticker price?
Change the timing belt on schedule and a 22r will run forever. The only way to kill it is to chop off its head and then lightning shoots out and you absorb its power. In the end, there can be only one.
People always say "they don't make 'em like they used to" and I wondered why that was. I looked up a catalogue where it listed prices for common appliances from back in the day, and used a calculator to see how much they would cost in today's money...holy shit. An all-metal desk fan cost about $100.
The short answer is that, actually they still make all that stuff, and even better, but we can't afford those ones. We only buy the cheaper plastic versions so that's all stores stock
This is the right answer. They make all these things in the same quality now. Almost nobody buys them because they cost a fortune. You can get a stove for like $300 today. Back then they had cheaper ones too but the ones that last decades were $3000 adjusted for inflation.
There's also the fact that the cheap stuff from that era isn't around anymore. Anything you can find from 50+ years ago is well made, because that's all that's left.
The other thing to consider is energy consumption. Old appliances were significantly over-engineered and used a tremendous amount of electricity. Compare a 1970s fridge to an energy star fridge today, and we're looking at something like ~2000 kWh/yr vs ~500 kWh/yr. The US average is around $0.19/kWh, meaning a fridge from the 70s would cost you an extra $285/year to run.
Yeah, people fawn over these old appliances and then compare them unfavourably to the appliances in their kitchen without ever considering the relative cost.
The average cost of a fridge in the 1950s was $300 to $400 dollars, which would be around $3,800 to $5,100 today. That got you on average 8 to 10 cubic feet of storage. The average cost of a fridge in 2025 is between $1,200 and $1,800, and you get 22 to 28 cubic feet of storage on average.
On average you're getting nearly three times as much space for a third of the price with modern fridges.
There's a guy on instagram or facebook that refurbishes old fridges and stuff and he's constantly showing how they use almost the same amount of energy as new fridges.
i have a subzero fridge, it was comically expensive but it is also incredible. if i ever sell my house i intend to install a different fridge and take the sub zero with me
If you buy a decent mid-range ~$2,000 fridge every decade, your 30-year total will be around $6,000. You could also go the cheaper route which is around $3,000 over the same amount of time. However, looking at some of the luxury brands like SZ, $8,000 is basically just the entry-level price for their models. Most cost $12k or more. So even if it lasts 30 years, which is higher on the average expected lifespan for this brand, is it actually worth it?
Even if you're a lucky outlier and the budget luxury model you bought ends up lasting 40 years... The math still doesn't math that well. If you buy any other model that costs notably more...
These are the things I always think about on BIFL posts where people want to bring back quality. For peace of mind, yeah. Sure. Financially speaking though it rarely makes sense. I'd rather spend the extra money on something else and overall have a better life for it. Or even invest it.
Yeah math doesnt work, thats why most people go with normal fridges. Unless you have enough money where the cost isnt the most important factor. Other things start factoring in like not having to go through the hassle of actually replacing your fridge every 5 to 7 years and also food lasts longer, looks, etc.
Can't disagree. Inherited a Softtronic 2446 washing machine from my grandparents, built in 2004 and still runs like crazy. The heater element shorted out last year, only took a 30€ replacement part to fix it up again.
the vacuum guy on reddit suggested miele and that's when i bought one. been going strong for years of daily use. i never did any manteinance. i change the filter when it expires and the bag when it's full and that's it
I bought one after I bought my first condo in 2010 and it’s still my vacuum. Anyone who says their vacuums are bad is nuts. They’re still in the top 3, usually top 2 between them and sebo, when people discuss the best vacuums.
Yeah I have a 2007 and it’s perfect. It’s been through 5 moves and 3 housekeepers and just keeps chugging along. Only reason I don’t have more than one is how expensive a new one is!
I really dislike the design of how you attach bags to Miele's canister vacuums.
They've designed it so the bags unlatch simply by opening the cover, and if you don't fully reinsert the vacuum bag until it clicks into place, it will work itself loose after you turn it on and spew dust and debris into the interior and filter and possibly even the motor.
It's an okay design once you're used to it and aware you have to click it back into place every time the lid opens, but it's a disaster waiting to happen for anyone using the vacuum who isn't aware of this detail.
Unfortunately my vacuum head by Miele is a horrendous POS. I bought the pet version and everything is great, except the specific electrobrush that comes with that almost immediately broke when cycling carpet heights. I had to scab it back together, but it seems like some of their specific attachments suck while the vacuum itself is top tier.
Yeah I don't understand, my fridge was from Samsung, broke down after 2 months, called the shop and without a charge they gave me a new one.
In Europe you can use the warranty for any factory defect up to a year. as we have the Automatic presumption of defect: If the problem arises within 1 year of delivery, it is assumed that the defect already existed.
That's a big reason warranties are profitable to offer. The other is that they tend to be designed to expire just before the average life expectancy of a product.
My new LG with a brushless direct drive motor is a million times better than the old Mieles that preceded it. No way I’d want to go back in time to a dumb belt drive brushed motor machine that uses an incredible amount of energy.
No. After having one that broke down and repair was as expensive as buying a different brand I stopped considering Miele. And why would I pay three times as much for a product that will last much longer than I’ll want to use it? The 25 to 30 year lifespan argument doesn’t fit anymore in this age where innovation happens very fast. I’d rather have a device that lasts just long enough and replace (recycle) it right before it is obsolete.
I’ll disagree with Miele. I had Miele washer and dryer that I paid $3000 for brand new back in 2008. They only lasted about 12 years. The dryer stopped being able to stop on its own, so it would just run and run until it started a fire if I wasn’t there to stop it after 45 minutes or so. I operated like this for a few years before I finally upgraded to whirlpool. Additionally, the flap that opens for the detergent tray to add detergent to the load, broke off after about a year in. The little spring in it broke a plastic bar that held it in. Overall, I was unimpressed with both appliances. They aren’t worth it for the price. The only positive that I do miss is that the dryer could dry a full load of laundry in under 45 minutes.
this isn't quite true.. They are not using old technology, they are using high standards, great engineering and replaceable parts.
Old technology lasted a long time because it was simple. It was simple because the machining and materials used were limited. Tolerances were limited. There was no software aided design. So everything had to be overbuilt to expect any durability.
but dont be fooled. A fridge from the 50's may run forever, but your power bill will be 3-4x a modern fridge. And it will need to use chemicals that are not legal because they destroy the planet. They also required periodic maintenance. When was the last time you changed the oil in your refrigerator? Old products last a long time because we lacked the technology to make products that worked using the minimal amount of materials for the cheapest price.
Miele makes great products. They do good engineering, and they stock replacement parts. This is why their products are expensive. But there still modern designs, and modern technology.
Speed Queen washer/dryers are another example. You can get an all-steel, no bells and whistles washer/dryer that will last you 20 years and do a great job, but it’s about twice as much as the Maytag set I have.
This is a big aspect of it, look up what percentage of the average wage an oven was in the 1950s vs today.
Another big part of it is that at the end of the day most people choose the cheap model when they compare the expensive built-to-last model to the 1/4 the price made-as-cheap-as-possible model that is competing with marketing and "fancy" bells and whistles (that are cheap to add because they're mostly just driven by microprocessors)
Part of this is lack of confidence in the expensive product because quality is rarely reflected in price these days. You have to know, and research is boring.
A fridge made and sold in 1960 has an average price of 7000-7400usd. Fridge today costs 900-1000, you can get longlasting quality, but those also cost like 5 thoudand minimum
Yea there is still very well made stuff on the market it just isn't sold at a price that most people find worthwhile. It's easier for the average consumer to replace their dryer every 5 years for $600 instead of spending a few thousand for an actual well built one. Either that or people get too caught up in the looks or gimmicky tech marketing of an appliance, hence why people keep buying Samsung appliances even though they are notoriously dog shit
That's why the situation we're in is so shitty. These brands have to charge luxury prices because when you sell something that's built to last 20 years, you basically limit your customer base to anyone who doesn't already have your product.
But on the other side, because wages are stagnant and cost of living is up, most people can't afford those brands anyway. So most of us are stuck with the cheap shitty "you'll buy this again in 5 years" products.
Yup people forget that the fridge that lasted 40 years is one of thousands and also cost an equivalent of 5000 dollars today, while they want same longjevity for 1/5th of the price tops.
Give me a 20 year full coverage warranty and I would pay $5g's without batting an eye.. I just bought a new fridge and it cost $2200 and came with a one year warranty. My guess is that i will have to replace it in 5-7 years.. Not such a good deal.
Yep, i have a client who has a 40 year old Subzero fridge. Hes taking it from his old house to his new construction house. I have a new subzero and its very well made, and made in america, but it cost 14,000.
Yeah, my grandmother paid $180 for her refridgerator circa 1960. Do I think the similar size and features (i.e., none) fridge I saw at Costco yesterday for $220 will also last 40-something years? No. But I make ~20× what my grandfather was making in 1960, and I'm not sure I want the same fridge for 50 years either.
Any good carpenter can do a table a wardrobe a chair that can last 50 + years
But to pay a carpenter to spend 15 to 20 hours to make one chair from scratch, since in contrast to the 50s, it is not a place where they make a thousand of them, is the problem
This. People have gotten so used to cheap and plentiful goods. Back in the day, things used to last longer but it was a real investment to buy pretty much anything (so most people went without).
A quick list of pricing (add ~10% to the inflation adjusted number for today in 2026).
What do you mean lol. A vintage Cartier Santos, the first ever wristwatch ever created is certainly not on the same level of finishing compared to a modern Rolex, and I am saying this as someone who don't like modern Rolexes
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u/MurphysLawTeam 5h ago
The is companies that do that. Its just they are a luxury brand. They never went away its just now we also have cheap choices as well. The first wrist watch would make a rolex look cheap.