Long gone are the days

[bullwinkle]

when a high school kid could tinker around under the hood of the family jalopy. Computers are taking over the world....

We Are All Screwed in a World Where Only Dealers Can Service New Cars

 

[eflatminor]

A boon for the market for used computer-less cars, parts, swap meets, etc.

The people seem to want gadgets and connectivity with new cars. The market obliges. But I do get your pain; I personally would love to see a new car without everything connected to a central computer. I can only suppose the demand just isn't there.

 

[Ringel05]

 

[Pogo]

A boon for the market for used computer-less cars, parts, swap meets, etc.

The people seem to want gadgets and connectivity with new cars. The market obliges. But I do get your pain; I personally would love to see a new car without everything connected to a central computer. I can only suppose the demand just isn't there.

"The people" have no say in it. We have to take what we get since it's beyond the capability of 99% of us to roll our own, so to speak. Who asked for a motor to be installed to lock the doors or shift the fan vents? Who asked for giant inverted bathtubs that handle like a watermelon on ice? I'm still living in fear that the manual transmission will vanish and I'll be stuck with the insult of driving an autonomic -- and stuck with the additional weight, complexity and breakdowns I don't need.

Let's be honest, things get invented and tacked on not because they improve anything but just because they can do it, which can then be sold on an emotional rather than rational basis (a radio with 20 presets? who listens to 20 radio stations?) and so they can return not only a higher sale profit but additional profit in endless repairs and replacements of all those things that got "fixed" when they weren't broke.

The people don't ask for that. Rather we have to bend over for it.

Rant, rave, moan bitch complain...

 

[Pogo]

"My hovercraft.... is full of eels"

 

[Ringel05]

A boon for the market for used computer-less cars, parts, swap meets, etc.

The people seem to want gadgets and connectivity with new cars. The market obliges. But I do get your pain; I personally would love to see a new car without everything connected to a central computer. I can only suppose the demand just isn't there.

"The people" have no say in it. We have to take what we get since it's beyond the capability of 99% of us to roll our own, so to speak. Who asked for a motor to be installed to lock the doors or shift the fan vents? Who asked for giant inverted bathtubs that handle like a watermelon on ice? I'm still living in fear that the manual transmission will vanish and I'll be stuck with the insult of driving an autonomic -- and stuck with the additional weight, complexity and breakdowns I don't need.

Let's be honest, things get invented and tacked on not because they improve anything but just because they can do it, which can then be sold on an emotional rather than rational basis (a radio with 20 presets? who listens to 20 radio stations?) and so they can return not only a higher sale profit but additional profit in endless repairs and replacements of all those things that got "fixed" when they weren't broke.

The people don't ask for that. Rather we have to bend over for it.

Rant, rave, moan bitch complain...

 

[tyroneweaver]

I've been looking for an old style power wagon to do a frame up rebuild. But it's like finding hen's teeth.
I noticed my neighbor has an old toyota pickup may due, and put a 4bt cummins or
a 5.9 may be to big.