GB - I don't mind the corner or the pointy hat. But it is my opinion that there is more to the story than JUST that the cash cow is the answer. However, I agree that the cash cow is the answer ... on the American side.
You might not have seen past posts. But I did design engineering for Toyota. I did pretty good with them. Toyota IS THE KING. Why, because they are what they say they are. They do what they say they do. However, my perspective is TMC ... Toyota Motor Corporation. That is the company I worked for ... the Japanese company. They are the badasses. But then there's TMS. Toyota Motor Sales. That is the American side of the business. And they are par for the course with all the other thieving apes in the automotive business.
TMS - Meaning the American dealerships are all about liquor, golf, guessing and $$$$$'s at all cost. TMS doesn't know chit about cars. That are a SALES organization. They are slimy used cars salesmen from bottom to top. But TMC, they are a different sort. They are really smart guys who try their darndest to make a product the people will be happy with and will buy more. And they do good work. I was blessed to get to work with TMC. If TMC recommends 7982 mile oil change intervals, that's what I'll do, because I know there is real work that went into that number. However, the instant TMS (or any other OEM sales) says anything, I jam peanut butter in my ears.
I would imagine Mitsubishi is similar. The owner's manuals are written by engineering side corporate workers. Not the sales side. Like I said, the American side sales guys don't know chit about cars. They know sales, and sales tactics. The sales side will scare you into spending your money. They'll say you need 3k mile oil changes when the manual clearly says otherwise. Guess which one I KNOW is correct? I listen to nothing a dealer has to say. I just use those baboons to change a part or 2 here and there if it is covered by warranty. Otherwise I take my vehicles to a private mechanic for any repair I cannot or do not want to do. I think I found a new mechanic. Another diamond in the rough. I'm about to find out. He's who my last good mechanic (who is now out of the bidness) recommends. He's gonna do a clutch in my (son's) RX8.
__________________________________________
View my fuel log 2020 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.4 mpg (US) ... 18.0 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.9 mpg (Imp)