The MFG's should have never tied to improve the old stuff, you just can't beat it. On those old machines you can replace each part individually and you can clean the contacts in the relays and contactor unlike the new equip where it's all on a pc board. I'm a blue blood though. I love Millers equip, new and old.
Thats why we don't sell equip, only repair. The vintage stuff is worth its weight in gold as far as I am concerned. But with more and more people getting into this industry that know less and less about the mechanics of it all, they need a machine that will preset itself so all they have to do is watch the weld puddle and go.