Greetings, All!

I was once active on the RWD side years ago when I had a host of 240s. For the last 8 years I've changed jobs, moved house, buried parents, and pretty much not had to worry a bit about my two 855s, so I've neglected the 'board.

Now it's time for me to get back involved, I think. Of my two 850 wagons, one is a '95, with 190,000 miles. The other is a '96, with 180,000 miles. We got them both when they were around 100,000 miles, and they've been amazingly trouble-free. They're both 5 speeds, their bodies are sound, they both have recent clutches and seals, their a.c. is good, and so forth. However, I remember from my 240 days that I needed to carry a spare air mass meter, crank position sensor, resoldered relays, and so forth because I new that when they got this many miles on them, components will die.

Two weeks ago the '95 stranded my wife and required a tow to our local independent mechanic. Bad coil and bad cam position sensor (chicken/egg?). I asked my mechanic if it would make sense to simply invest maybe $3000 apiece and replace every critical component and sensor so I could rely upon these cars for 5 years to come: fuel pump, sensors, air mass meter, etc. He said, no -- just ride it out; if the sensors, etc., have lasted this long we're probably good. He went on to say that components today aren't made to the same quality level as they were 15 years ago when these cars were new. He said just to ride it out and replace items as they fail individually.

Today I asked the same question of my local general mechanic (the guy I go to for mounting new tires); he said essentially the same thing. He said today's aftermarket components, even dealer-supplied components, aren't as reliable and that I should just ride it out.

I've always been a preventive maintenance and preempt/replace early-type shadetree, and this advice from both mechanics baffles me. Has quality in the non-Toyoto and Honda world slipped that badly in the last decade?

What's the general consensus -- am I walking on thin ice thinking these cars will run another 5 years on their original components? Or should I ignore the advice of the mechanics and go ahead and replace sensors/fuel pumps/air mass meter, and so forth?

Your wisdom is appreciated.

Thanks!

Rob K