You are right, when I joined in the late 80's, we were already deep, deep, deep in the time of the end. Unlikely to get the the year 2000 said one Watchtower back then.
But as I am told now by my relatives who are JW.org followers, "There is more new light now than back then, this time we are truly deep, deep in the time of the end, and this system will end any day now".
It doesn't help when we have a CO tell us from the stage that "It is an inspired expression of error to not believe the end will come in our lifetime".