The Car Business Is Changing

[rwm]

My car slammed on the brakes the other day for a car I knew I would not hit. Scared the shi$$ out of me. I hate it.
Robert

 

[sdelivery]

You are so full of poop!

Fortunately there are just a few of those....

 

[Janderso]

My car slammed on the brakes the other day for a car I knew I would not hit. Scared the shi$$ out of me. I hate it.
Robert

Collision avoidance system.
I wonder if you can turn it off?
The adaptive cruise control is great.
Your on the freeway, open highway, you set the cruise to 70mph. You come up on a slower vehicle, you don't hit the brakes, the cruise control sees the vehicle and slows down. Once the vehicle gets out of the way you are back up to 70 like nothing ever happened.

 

[macardoso]

Found this the other day and found it very interesting.

EDIT: I see someone posted the exact same video as me lol. It was a good one!

 

[MikeInOr]

A friend was looking for a new RV. Around here there aren't any and there is a 1 year waiting list.

 

[martik777]

This is why my newest truck is 94, most of my other vehicles are in the mid 60's. Mike

With $7/gal gas I just can't afford to drive the older vehicles. I went for an EV 3 years ago. Now at the mercy of dealerships but so far no problems.

 

[MikeInOr]

I just happened to be watching this video this morning.
I think the content helps explain our current world wide shortage of everything!!

At 16:16... Toyota is the ONLY major car manufacture NOT affected by the chip shortage! Hmmm.... that is not what I am seeing at the local Toyota dealer.

 

[MikeInOr]

I have to admit, the fly by wire electronics are a bit concerning.
I think the biggest issue I have with todays vehicles are with the modules. Dozens of them.
What's going to happen when you need to replace a mirror, seat or body module and they are obsolete?
It's going to happen. We are already seeing it. When you pay $90,000 for a truck, you expect to drive it for a long time.
I would still be driving my 2002 F-150 to work everyday if it hadn't burned in the fire. 257,000 miles and it didn't burn a drop of oil.
I can't say with any confidence that these modules will be available in 10-20 years for that $90,000 truck.
It's all models and brands. The Denso or Ying-sa factory make the modules that go in darn near every car makers vehicles.
I remember seeing a relay in a GM product that was identical to a Ford part.
Hopefully someone will reproduce or repair some of the more popular little computers.

I can still get parts for my '67 F100... not new but I have not run into a shortage. My '76 IH Scout on the other had is much harder to find body parts for due to its limited production numbers. I do not see how modules are different than any other part? If each module were unique to a specific vehicle model and year I can see how that could be a problem... but the modules are used in multiple models over several generations which should make a future supply more plentiful instead of less plentiful???

I just replaced the control module in my 4 year old GE dishwasher. There were actually jumpers (that were not on the original board) on the replacement board to select the "personality" of the particular dish washer it is going into. From what I can tell that same module has been used in pretty much all GE dishwashers over the last half dozen years regardless of the particular model. Of course by standardizing on that module there are a LOT of 3 to 6 year old GE dishwashers that have died like mine did! Online they said to make sure to get the board ending in "V4" instead of the one ending in "V3". LOL!

 

[Papa Charlie]

I have a 2003 Ford F350 4 door 4x4 Dually with the 7.3l IH diesel. By the way, I searched for this truck with that engine for almost a year. It had 140k on it when I got it and just crested 190k after 5 years. I love my truck but it has way too much electronics on it. One thing absolutely hate is the electric 4 wheel drive shift. In theory it is great because I don't have to get out to lock the hubs. Great for winter when you driving in and out of snow. But those systems work maybe 1/4 of the time. The transfer case shifts OK, but not the hubs. I recently spent what seems like a fortune to have the diaphragms replaced in the front end. Worked for two months and then stopped. Back to locking the hubs manually. To be honest, I would prefer to lock my hubs manually and pull a shift lever to engage the transfer case.

There is too much on this vehicle that is electric. But I do love it. The only vehicle we take trips in. So comfortable for full day driving on trips.

Now as for my wifes Yukon, most uncomfortable vehicle I have ever ridden in. The electronics for the seat heaters like to turn themselves on. You will be driving along and all of a sudden come to the realization that you back side is hot. Turn it off and everything is good for a while then you notice it again.

What a pain.

 

[Janderso]

PaPa,
The all wheel drive vehicles today are very dependable.
I think back to the days when I started out in the parts dept.
The wiper seals up front (half moon) would leak, the trunnion bearings with brass shim pre-load would be full of grit and the pins are all worn out.
The transfer cases leaked all the time. The Warn hubs did lock up good though.
Technology and precision have made todays vehicles so much better than the old days. IMHO.

I took some pics of our used car lot this morning. Pretty sad.