And then there is security aspect. Crash safety was not a priority back then, crumple zones, airbags etc. were often simply not there yet or in very basic form.

And then there is security aspect. Crash safety was not a priority back then, crumple zones, airbags etc. were often simply not there yet or in very basic form. Yeah all looks fine when looking just at the financial numbers but once you are in serious crash and will see yourself crippled or kids dying, that penny saving may not look that good idea. There is vast ocean of cars between hyper modern mess of interconnected unmaintainability and these unsafe old metal bricks. They may not be the best solution in 20 years, but right now they are great.