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Car designs suck

slow-poke said:
Sometimes I wonder if some of new cars are engineered to be difficult to work on
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I think so. I think vehicles are just to complicated. Major repairs like replacing an engine use to be a simple weekend project for the average joe. If I remember correctly to pull an engine out of a old VW bug in the 70's was a matter of undoing 4 bolts and to pull a motor out of a 70's chevy nova was basically jack the front end up then pull the motor and transmission out as one unit, swap the motor and then throw the works back in. Usually about 6 hours work from start to taking the girlfriend out to movie.

Now it takes upwards of 40 hours of labour, a whole lot of computer gear to swap a motor and get it running. When you think of it a new motor for some vehicles are $10,000 then add another $4 or $5,000 for labour and most people are just going junk the vehicle even if otherwise it is in good condition.

Back in 2010 I needed a new vehicle and within my price range we purchase a brand new KIA Rondo off the show room floor. We did the paperwork, the salemen topped the gas tank up and the wife said we should get some lunch. There was a restraunt about 1 km from the dealer. Off we go and turning into the restraunts parking lot the check engine light came on so we had a bite and the vehicle managed to get us the 1 km back to the dealership. Engine blown. They replaced the vehicle toot sweet.

Since the China Cough vehicles are much more expensive. It doesn't matter who the manufacturer is they are having problems with engines, electronics, transmissions. Vehicles have become the new expensive BIC lighter in a disposalable society.
 
As @Downwindtracker2 says, Vancouver has definitely warmed up in the last 50+ years. You used to wait for the PNE to start second week of August, then you knew you’d have one week of hot sunny weather. Now it’s end of May with days above 20C. Fire season use to start in June, now BC has forest fires in April.

I avoid the politics aspect of greenhouse gases, fossil fuels, etc. Just a simple pragmatic question: what’s the down side of my using less fossil fuel? Far as I can see, nothing. My little Toyota gets reasonable gas mileage, when I need something bigger it’s a whole lot easier to go and rent a van or pickup for a day as needed, better than schlepping around 4000 lbs of truck every day.

Would I buy an electric vehicle? Maybe, but the Toyota uses about $2500 worth of gas a year. Pay back on an $$35k electric car would be 14 years. At my age, I think I’ll just stick with what I’ve got.

And replacing my gas furnace with a heat pump has had a significant improvement in the livability of my townhouse.

Greenhouse gas emissions weren’t a factor in my purchasing decisions, just choosing devices that fit my needs and budget.
 
whydontu said:
As @Downwindtracker2 says, Vancouver has definitely warmed up in the last 50+ years. You used to wait for the PNE to start second week of August, then you knew you’d have one week of hot sunny weather. Now it’s end of May with days above 20C. Fire season use to start in June, now BC has forest fires in April.

I avoid the politics aspect of greenhouse gases, fossil fuels, etc. Just a simple pragmatic question: what’s the down side of my using less fossil fuel? Far as I can see, nothing. My little Toyota gets reasonable gas mileage, when I need something bigger it’s a whole lot easier to go and rent a van or pickup for a day as needed, better than schlepping around 4000 lbs of truck every day.

Would I buy an electric vehicle? Maybe, but the Toyota uses about $2500 worth of gas a year. Pay back on an $$35k electric car would be 14 years. At my age, I think I’ll just stick with what I’ve got.

And replacing my gas furnace with a heat pump has had a significant improvement in the livability of my townhouse.

Greenhouse gas emissions weren’t a factor in my purchasing decisions, just choosing devices that fit my needs and budget.
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35k for an electric ? Talked to a guy 2 maybe 3 years ago and he said his plain Jane Leaf cost him 55k by the time he drove it off the lot.
 
I wonder what the future of Auto Wreckers will be with newer vehicles?

I have saved some decent money going to the wreckers and it can be an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Met some real characters out there.

If it takes hours and a garage full of tools to get at simple parts it may make it less attractive in time.
 
Warlock said:
Totally Agree. My attitude is the climate has been in consistent flux since it was created. Until China and India reduce their emissions we could live like cave men and it still wouldn't be enough to make a dent or appease the tree huggers. When I can grow pineapples on the back 40 then I might change my mind. I figure I have been gentrified as I get older. I don't do oil changes over the city sewer grates anymore as it was a common practice growing up or use DDT or Agent Orange as grass / bush control.
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When I was a kid I remember watching my dad pour old motor oil over a gravel walkway between our house and garage to kill weeds. Cripes...
 
jorogi said:
35k for an electric ? Talked to a guy 2 maybe 3 years ago and he said his plain Jane Leaf cost him 55k by the time he drove it off the lot.
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Ouch. I don't keep up with car prices, I drive a 2010 Matrix, my wife has a 2003 Corolla. 10,000 years from now, some archaeologist will dig up the Corolla. Put in some fresh gas, a new battery, and drive it away from the excavation site. $55k for a Leaf? Insane. So the payback is 20+ years? Assuming the battery pack lasts that long, the rest of the car won't.
 
Elektrishun said:
When I was a kid I remember watching my dad pour old motor oil over a gravel walkway between our house and garage to kill weeds. Cripes...
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I used to spread the tractor & big truck oil changes on the gravel road to keep the dust down at the house but the neighbor kid bought a new Mustang and didnt like driving through it and phoned the county on me...I got royal hell thrown at me by all sorts of county mounties & environmental experts...two weeks later we were contacted by the county wondering if we would like our road "oiled" in front of the farm for a small fee of $800...I also spent 20 yrs of my life working in an industry that spread hot oil on municipal roads every day...but easy disposal of that 40 gal of my own oil was criminal
 
Elektrishun said:
I wonder what the future of Auto Wreckers will be with newer vehicles?
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No idea, but I wish they'd start showing up in junk yards so I can go pick some electric drivetrains for some retrofits on machinery around here. I would absolutely LOVE an electric tractor. Electric lawnmower too. Perhaps a few other things like a utility sxs as well.

There's been a lot of Old tractor retrofits showing up on my youtube feed recently and I'm sold. Keeping my eye out for an electric forklift for cheap to rob some parts from. My old Massey may just yet live again....As for cars? Nope, not interested....Yet....
 
David said:
I was in a cab on Friday, a 2012 Camry Hybrid. it had 978,000 kms on it. One battery replacement. Drove like a brand new car. No rattles, no bangs, just smooth and silent. Amazing.
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I'm simply awestruck as to how reliable everyone of our Toyota/Lexus have been. Perhaps we have just been incredibly lucky? I don't want to buy anything else, the thought of regular repairs just makes me cringe.
 
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slow-poke said:
I'm simply awestruck as to how reliable everyone of our Toyota/Lexus have been. Perhaps we have just been incredibly lucky? I don't want to buy anything else, the thought of regular repairs just makes mr cringe.
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When I told my wife about this she said "That's why I always buy Toyotas" Definitely made me a believer
 
Slight twist on old taxis.

About 20 years ago, I got in an old voyager minivan taxi at Toronto Pearson. I could not believe how badly destroyed the vehicle was. Upholstery all worn out, carpet in shreds, headliner sagging.

I looked at the odometer. As I remember, it said something like 600k. Even so, it looked like crap. So I said something to the driver about it. Turns out it was his own car. He told me that the odometer was on its 3rd trip around! The real mileage was well over 2 million k! He was very proud of that car!

I digested that for a while and then asked him how many new engines and tranny's it had seen. He proudly told me that they had both been rebuilt several times but never replaced.

I was stunned. But the overall condition of the car suggested he was telling the truth. Amazing really.
 
Susquatch said:
You should be! I bet it was still the same engine and tranny without a rebuild!
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It was, completely stock 360FE engine, Borg-Warner overdrive transmission, Dana 60 4:56 rear end. By the time dad was done modding the truck it was basically a 1-ton. This reference will likely only mean something to the BC folks here but that truck hauled a single wide mobile home over the Kootenay Pass which has a summit of 5800 ft.
 
I've had an electric Hyundai Ioniq for 7 years now. Best car I ever owned. Cheap to run, no oil changes, no tune ups. Not saying that an electric car or truck is for everyone, but I have been very happy with mine.
 
slow-poke said:
I'm simply awestruck as to how reliable everyone of our Toyota/Lexus have been. Perhaps we have just been incredibly lucky? I don't want to buy anything else, the thought of regular repairs just makes me cringe.
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I don't think it is incredible luck. Of course Toyota too has had there share of stupid and poor designs depending on the model and year but Toyotad have had a very good track record for long life and durability. Lots of people with several hundred thousand kms on there vehichles with very little repair or problems. Unfortunately it seems that Toyota quality has taken a bit of a dive in recent years.
I have a Toyota Sienna van that I'm still clocking the k's on and is presently at 330000kms. It burns no oil, no leaks and has been mostly trouble free other than a couple of sensors and routine maintenance. The interior is still in awesome shape and the seats are amazing good quality. Its hard to tell good quality in a brand new seat but after a couple hundred thousand kms, the good quality outshines the competition. Take a look at any Chrysler minivan after a couple thousand kms and the seats are usually sunken trash.
I wish I could buy a brand new 2005-2015 Toyota, I'd do it in a heart beat.
 
Have you seen the Chevy concept cars for 2025 ? The SS Vega and Camaro SS will sell like hotcakes with a small addition of Big Blocks . Someone said it above , man kinds footprint is minimal to natures . :rolleyes:
 
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