Hi Terry

>I know there's still a "make do and mend" society in India

This is true we still have this, older people esp. because they have always lived like that and had to pinch Paises to get us our favorite clothes / toys. But this is eroding, mostly because things are not built in the quality the elder used to enjoy, so mending them won't make them as useful for as long.

>If e.g. your car's alternator fails, you don't get it refurbished (that facility no longer exists), but replaced.

Yes, capital goods are still refurbished and we still get the car tyre shoes and slippers.