They are also keen to see many of these older types disappear, and price is one way to achieve it.
For sure - old legacy machinery is a minefield for them. Add the problem that the people that had the "knowledge" which is unwritten, have long since retired and walked out the door.
Additionally, for the OEM's that keep things close to home, is the feedback and control of how the product is performing in service. Difficult if you sell your product and never see it again or have no idea where it went.
With a lot of OEM's though when dealing with them you do sometimes get the impression that the customer is an "inconvenience". Personally I think they need to employ more folk with actual experience operating their equipment.
Some of the Tech Reps these days..............................?