I called the dealer to find the replacement cost of a new dipstick (i figured they'd have to order one special from the factory). he said they fail so often on that model he already had 3 in stock; at $17.95. maybe they're not so dumb after all.

i agree with your comments about metallurgy. it is my understanding we can't duplicate the properties of a katana sword with all our technology, although japanese craftsmen have been making them since medieval times. there are numerous other examples, like the superiority of natural skin, hand-made inuit clothing over modern synthetic foul weather gear.

but why plastic was substituted for metal, not to mention the additional expense of drilling two holes and machining a drift pin, baffles me. it's not like a one-piece, all-metal substitute didn't already prove itself over a century ago.