Guess it was cheaper to buy X'Traps than rebuild 300-odd carriages. Although, the white interior and the newer Comeng/X'Trap style seats (even if they are harder) would have done wonders to the inside of the train.
There was just way too much to do in an era where it would cost millions per carriage. Adding to that, installing air conditioning, opening up the driver's area like 7M (294M), adding SPOT equipment (103M's cab is still unmodified despite the "refurbishment"), moving the pantographs towards the rear like 218M-237M and adding Scharfenberg couplers. All in the too hard basket.
