Quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Pockets
Just because a design or a product has a drawback, like adjustments that are difficult to reach, doesn't mean that those drawbacks were intentional.
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I'm well aware that most aren't intentionally difficult to work on. Hell, if they wanted to be difficult they would not have put on any external adjustment on the tranny and would make you pull it and crack the case to do any work on it at all. My "dream" of a simple ratcheting dial to adjust the transmission bands is simply a "wouldn't it be cool if..." thing. I'm well aware that there are limits to what should be done in the effort to make things easy to work on. Could certain things be made easier to work on without compromising their function? Sure...some things.
The reason torx screw drivers are relatively common place now is all thanks to General Motors (I just know there is someone who will argue this). Back before anyone really could get their hands on a torx screwdriver at the hardware store, GM was using torx screws on nearly everything in their cars, includiing simple things like headlight adjustment screws. Why were these chosen over common philips screws? Certainly not because they would perform any better. Because only the Mr. Goodwrench had torx screw drivers at the time and even competent garage mechanics didn't always have access to them. Simple adjustments that a car owner like you or I takes for granted couldn't be done without a trip to the dealer. Since then they've become common place tools, but for a time it worked. Some auto manufacturers make it simple to get to fasteners to take things apart or gain access to things. A different manufacturer will make it nearly impossible to get at the same thing without special tools. Is it out of engineering necessity? I think not, since the other manufacturer can acheive the same function without the need for special tools.
In Subarus defense, I would not want anyone f'ing with their transmissions who didn't know what they were doing and expecting me to warranty it for them. Everything you said makes perfect sense but let's not deny that some manufacturers do go out of their way to make it difficult for a shadetree mechanic to work on their vehicles, just like their are some who go out of their way to make them easy to work on.