For a perfect example of this just look at fishing reels.
I absolutely cannot stand modern fishing reels.
Just this week I was working on a current Diawa baitcaster and boy could I have filled a swear jar working on that damn thing.
A cheap feeling vmp body, 3 gears in the drive train were plastic, so many bearings, a number of small shim washers, cheap quality screws.
Being plastic you're limited on the number of times you can remove the screws before the holes eventually strip out.
After all the headache of using the pictures I took and deciphering the EVP I downloaded I finally got it dry assembled before final lubrication and realized a tab was snapped off the left side plate and the piece of crap is worthless garbage.
That's the attitude I had towards the thing before I started, but figured I should keep up on servicing the modern junk so I can work on them occasionally for family and friends who ask very nicely and maybe bribe me with a pizza.
Rewind a couple months and I'm working on a vintage 1960's west German D.A.M model 330 for my mom's husband, and this thing is built like a tank.
The reel had obviously been left next to a furnace or something based on the toasty burnt paint, but the reel didn't care one bit.
All it needed was a service and it runs great.
I don't care if modern reels are smaller lighter faster and quieter, unless you're spending $400+ they're cheap worthless garbage that's only meant to last till they can shove the next model down your throat.
The Mitchell 308 may have a synthetic cross wind block and my Shakespeare 2052EC has nylon spool, but I guarantee they will still be ready to fish when I die.
Take an old cupped rotor Pen spinfisher or any of the overbuilt D.A.M quick reels like my 110, and these reels can potentially last forever if taken care of because theres nothing to just naturally wear out or degrade over time that's not a service / replace part like drag washers..
I can say the same for the Swedish made Abu Ambassadeur reels as well.
Of course there are always exceptions, the Johnson Centurys and the majority of Zebco spin casters are kind of cheap feeling with lower quality parts.
Even many premium brand reels today from Pen, Daiwa, Abu Garcia, Mitchell, and Shimano are just crap that doesn't hold a candle to the quality and longevity of even mid priced American and European made reels of the 50's-60's .