Bon jour. Like I say, happy to learn from others varied experiencesOnly because the original or near new owners paid for the abysmal build quality to be rectified. These things did not get the reputations they have for no reason. They were deeply flawed in both build quality and the extreme evolution of a design that placed more heat and mechanical stresses onto components that were not designed for the loadings. As an old bloke, I KNOW my rantings are valid.
We are standing on the shoulders of our grandparents. Current owners are living with the hard work, frustrations and expenditure that those "old blokes" invested all those years ago. Doubtless a survivor should be treasured, but not without recognition of the blood, sweat, tears, invention, upgrades, modifications and disappointment ( and dollars ) that allow a survivor to now BE a survivor. It has NOTHING to do with your childish statements about Holden Belmonts. It has to do with a design icon that was degraded by added on or bought in componentry. These automatic things failed IN PERIOD, some not even making it through the then 12 month warranty period. Have you not heard of porous castings and mixing transmission and final drive fluids ? shattered camshaft pulleys and cooked engine mounts ? fractured and brittle insulation on wiring harnesses, battery cases with insufficient wiring on the relays to allow easy removal/replacement of a simple battery, cracking subframes on front suspension mounting points ...
If we are becoming pedantic, the B/W automatic was NOT French in origin, and the Bosch Jetronic fuel injection is German sourced.
DSs were NOT all created equal.