The Car Business Is Changing

[Larry$]

Maybe it's time to rethink the electronics

My wife got a new 2021 Subaru Outback. Near bottom of the line model. It is so full of electronics it drives me nuts. Almost all the dash controls are now touch screen. You have to look at the screen to find the touch point. Bad idea! I like knobs, perky ones.

 

[Truckmannorth]

I don't normally chime in but this thread is too close to home. As a mechanic for the last 30 odd years I have had the pleasure of working on cars and trucks of almost every make and model. While I have some opinions on some of the different brands for the most part its all the same just different colors. As a consumer I enjoy the new features that come with all of the electronics. As a mechanic it is a different story. I was young enough when it all started to be able to keep up and learn how to diagnose and repair the new stuff. The problem is explaining to the customer why fixing what was a small problem I. The past cost so much now. We are also seeing a decrease in the quality of the aftermarket parts that are available. In just the last year or so the number of defective parts right out of the box has become a serious problem. I plan on retirement in about 9 years and hope I can keep my sanity that long.

 

[7milesup]

The electronics can be an issue, especially if you happen to get a car with an abundance of gremlins roaming around in the wiring. That being said, I have had very little to no issues with electronics in my cars. Older cars are, without a doubt, easier to diagnose and subsequently repair due to their simplistic nature than their successors. As far as drive by wire systems, aircraft have had fly by wire for years. Airbus went through some teething troubles with their system early in the life cycle, most notably the Air France flight 296. That being said, there are millions of flying hours completed every year with fly by wire systems.
I have seriously considered purchasing a classic muscle car, but the overall lack of safety in the older cars keeps coming up in my mind when I start thinking about doing such a silly thing. The survivability of a new car in a crash is substantially better than older vehicles. After a severe car crash in 1985, that is a consideration for me.
Back on track, there are nearly no new vehicles around here at all. Dealers are consolidating their lots and downsizing. Literally last night I was poking around the internet for a new Ram truck. There were NONE configured even close to what I was looking for.

 

[pdentrem]

Drove past the Toyota and Chrysler/Jeep dealer after supper and they have about 30% of what they usually have. New and used same.
Pierre

 

[FOMOGO]

A six point roll cage, and a quick release harness would fix that issue. Mike

I have seriously considered purchasing a classic muscle car, but the overall lack of safety in the older cars keeps coming up in my mind when I start thinking about doing such a silly thing.

 

[westerner]

We are also seeing a decrease in the quality of the aftermarket parts that are available.

This reality is the single biggest reason I left the business. I have had to warranty parts, or finish the "kit" to make the part work,
too many times to have confidence in a price I quote.

 

[7milesup]

A six point roll cage, and a quick release harness would fix that issue. Mike

True. It is just that the wife would not like a five point harness.

 

[FOMOGO]

Standard three point is a pretty easy install, put them in my 60 T-Bird. When I drive with my wife I generally let her drive, just not worth the constant safety tutorial, and gasps at something I saw 30 seconds earlier. When I want to DRIVE, I go alone, and thoroughly enjoy myself. Mike

 

[pdentrem]

We added belts for our ‘36 Chrysler as well. No airbags but still feel much more comfortable driving now. Funny we also ride on the motorcycle and no belts there!
Pierre
We bought from here. Lots of options

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[RandyWilson]

On reliability. People seem to forget that back in the "good old days" when cars "were fixable", you had to work on them pretty much every weekend to keep them running. Spark plugs lasted 5K miles, if you didn't burn oil. transmissions 30K. Now components are going 100-200K miles with no maintenance what so ever.

Every machine has a weak link. Something. With modern cars, with one notable exception, it's NOT the electronics. I could fill a book with lists of makes/models and pattern failures. There is only one manufacturer that the pattern failure is the computers.


On safety. Why do people always talk about crash survivability rather than crash avoidance? Got my stability control. Got my ABS. And I got my 80K warrantied solid brick no traction tires...

Long ago I swore off anything with drum brakes, beam axles, front drive, stupid weight distribution, etc. I also swore off pushrods, but for non-safety reasons. Unfortunately, in today's market, there is now only one manufacturer that makes passenger cars that meet my criteria.