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The rise of the disposable car

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Re: The rise of the disposable car

#141

Post by neuralRiot »

balderdash wrote: post #111
nimbius wrote: post #75

The rich have been flogging this idea since cash for clunkers. That, because they run through cars like shit through a goose, you will too. Speaking as a master diesel mechanic, this is a deleterious line of thinking for anyone with less than a few million dollars. Every car has 20 years of parts, and most Japanese cars have closer into 50 years of parts. Any engine built after 2010 will likely last half a million mi…

I think you’re right but I think (at least in my own experience) that what gets people to buy a new(er) car is that that people don’t like driving cars that have broken things (windows, switches, lights etc.) that make no sense to fix (say $1500, to fix something non-essential on a car that’s only worth $10k)

Then they go and pay $1500 a month for 6 years.

Re: The rise of the disposable car

#142

Post by celim307 »

pram wrote: post #135
magicalhippo wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The my front left indicator light went on my BMW i3. Tried looking up the specs for the bulb to buy a new one. Of course it wasn't that simple. Oh boy was I naive. No, it required a whole new headlight assembly, $800 plus labor. Funnily enough, the car got totalled shortly after, before I had decided to go ahead with the repair. Someone hit my SO as she was in a roundabout, and the impact moved the car several meters…

Similar thing happened to me on my GTI, the Xenon bulb replacements weren’t too expensive but replacing it literally required disassembling a large portion of the front end of the car. I couldn’t believe it.

I have been quoted 500$ to fix a stuck gascap cover, because apparently the spring is inside and attached to the rear body panel, and would require a major part replacement.

Although im starting to suspect my mechanic is taking me for a ride

Re: The rise of the disposable car

#143

Post by alliao »

_yb2s wrote: post #126
nimbius wrote: post #75

The rich have been flogging this idea since cash for clunkers. That, because they run through cars like shit through a goose, you will too. Speaking as a master diesel mechanic, this is a deleterious line of thinking for anyone with less than a few million dollars. Every car has 20 years of parts, and most Japanese cars have closer into 50 years of parts. Any engine built after 2010 will likely last half a million mi…

Older cars are massively undervalued in the USA because of social norms, which is a massive opportunity to anyone willing to exploit it to get reliable transportation for nearly free. People are afraid that older cars are dangerous, unreliable, or (worst of all) will make you look poor, but all 3 are just misinformation. Boats and airplanes are just as reliable when old as new because they're maintained well- and car…

I think it's a lot to do with how it's designed too.. I kept an old hatchback bmw made in 2000 and that thing already have bit of plastic parts in the engine bay (coolant pipes no less) which are just time bombs. parts and labour costs are usually why people decided to go newer cars. good job on the old porsche though, just don't get the one with starter motor in the transmission case.. some of them are maintenance nightmares

Re: The rise of the disposable car

#144

Post by rozap »

_yb2s wrote: post #126
nimbius wrote: post #75

The rich have been flogging this idea since cash for clunkers. That, because they run through cars like shit through a goose, you will too. Speaking as a master diesel mechanic, this is a deleterious line of thinking for anyone with less than a few million dollars. Every car has 20 years of parts, and most Japanese cars have closer into 50 years of parts. Any engine built after 2010 will likely last half a million mi…

Older cars are massively undervalued in the USA because of social norms, which is a massive opportunity to anyone willing to exploit it to get reliable transportation for nearly free. People are afraid that older cars are dangerous, unreliable, or (worst of all) will make you look poor, but all 3 are just misinformation. Boats and airplanes are just as reliable when old as new because they're maintained well- and car…

> will make you look poor

I have an oldish (1997) exotic car as a toy. It cost less upfront than a new Toyota Camry. At a car meet, I overheard someone say to their friend "Man, if I had infinite money, this is what I'd get". I definitely do not own a money printing machine.

Maintenance is something else but I do the work myself so it's not bad. And the fun thing about old low volume exotics is that they are mostly parts bin cars. Tons of shared components are easily available.

Re: The rise of the disposable car

#145

Post by ghaff »

AdamN wrote: post #112
nimbius wrote: post #75

The rich have been flogging this idea since cash for clunkers. That, because they run through cars like shit through a goose, you will too. Speaking as a master diesel mechanic, this is a deleterious line of thinking for anyone with less than a few million dollars. Every car has 20 years of parts, and most Japanese cars have closer into 50 years of parts. Any engine built after 2010 will likely last half a million mi…

Cars more than about 10-15 years old just aren't as safe as newer ones. That's the fundamental issue. With that said there are ways to mitigate the risk (drive more cautiously/slower, etc...).

I doubt most people care much. Things like reliablity and comfort are in the equation. The point comes up in these discussions here but I'm pretty sure most people don't factor more safety into trading in an otherwise functioning car.

Re: The rise of the disposable car

#147

Post by consp »

magicalhippo wrote: post #116
throwaway48476 wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Modern cars aren't designed to be easy to work on which really inflates the labor hours required for even trivial issues.

The my front left indicator light went on my BMW i3. Tried looking up the specs for the bulb to buy a new one. Of course it wasn't that simple. Oh boy was I naive. No, it required a whole new headlight assembly, $800 plus labor. Funnily enough, the car got totalled shortly after, before I had decided to go ahead with the repair. Someone hit my SO as she was in a roundabout, and the impact moved the car several meters…

On my ford it's three bolts and two cables and you can take the headlight unit out, 5 minutes work tops. And that's with LED lights which should never be replaced (by the owner as they always need calibration). On my previous one it was even easier to let them stay in and move your hand in an awkward position to get the job done.

Re: The rise of the disposable car

#148

Post by _yb2s »

rozap wrote: post #144
_yb2s wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Older cars are massively undervalued in the USA because of social norms, which is a massive opportunity to anyone willing to exploit it to get reliable transportation for nearly free. People are afraid that older cars are dangerous, unreliable, or (worst of all) will make you look poor, but all 3 are just misinformation. Boats and airplanes are just as reliable when old as new because they're maintained well- and car…

> will make you look poor I have an oldish (1997) exotic car as a toy. It cost less upfront than a new Toyota Camry. At a car meet, I overheard someone say to their friend "Man, if I had infinite money, this is what I'd get". I definitely do not own a money printing machine. Maintenance is something else but I do the work myself so it's not bad. And the fun thing about old low volume exotics is that they are mostly p…

Same, I'm the "rich guy" picking up my son at school in an old Porsche I got cheap on Craigslist and maintain myself, despite the fact that its a school my kid was transferred to in a wealthy neighborhood we can't afford to live in. It cost me way way less than a newer economy car would.

It's funny the general reactions I get- young men try to race me at stoplights, and strangers on the street will often give me a defiant fist or middle finger, as if I represent the wealthy exploitative class, in what is likely the cheapest car that has driven by in half an hour.

I enjoy working on cars, so that helps make it cheap.

Re: The rise of the disposable car

#149

Post by talldatethrow »

pfdietz wrote: post #133
talldatethrow wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Subaru CVTs tend to burn up a solenoid in the valve body. They are available for $30-40 on eBay and take about 3 hours to do for the first time. Dealers charge $3000 for the job. They install all new valve bodies for about $1200, and for some reason want 8 hours for the job. I helped a friend do it after watching some YouTube videos, and we just swapped the one bad solenoid. 20k miles later, 120k total, everything is…

I just saw a video about a Nissan truck where you can't get transmission parts -- you can only buy entire transmissions. It's outrageous. Seal leaking? Time for a new transmission!

Yes that video from Dave's shop has been making the rounds. Its definitely a problem but honestly if the seal was removed and the exterior, interior, and depth were measured it can be purchased by spec instead of by a parts match for the exact transmission. That's like saying a furniture company won't sell me a screw that I lost, so the cabinet is worthless. I spec what kind of screw I need by taking a sample of another or measurements of another and go buy a generic screw.

Re: The rise of the disposable car

#150

Post by bluGill »

throwaway48476 wrote: post #104
bluGill wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People make their own airplanes. What nobody tells you is that most people who complete the airplane would be time and money ahead getting a job at McDonald's and buying a completed airplane once they saved up enough money. However there are not enough people who want an airplane to pay for the costs/liability of setting up a factory to build one and so you have no choice if you want a new one. People also build thei…

You're conflating the airplane market with the market for experimental aircraft.

Most people making their own plane are following plans and thus not experimenting. They are making an experimental plane because regulations make that their best option, but if it was possible to get a new plane for a mass produced cost they wouldn't. The end goal is the plane not making a plane themself. (most don't finish the plane but that is a different story)
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