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BMW PHEV: Safety fuse replacement is extremely expensive

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Re: BMW PHEV: Safety fuse replacement is extremely expensive

#91
post #2

This is exactly why I’m so uninterested in driving en EV. I usually word it as “I don’t want to drive a computer”, but the reality is that I don’t want to be on the wrong end of the power imbalance that comes from this amount of complexity.

EVs are not complicated. Modern carmakers might make them complicated, and you're well within your right to avoid those, but in general electronic propulsion is pretty simple. The problem is car manufacturing is a very expensive industry that's extremely difficult to disrupt, so incumbents aren't really worried about staying ahead of hungry competitors. Go look at small-scale PEVs - ebikes, scooters, unicycles, etc.…

EV is indeed easy. Safe and reliable EV is hard. Vehicle environment is hostile to electric components, where they are exposed to vibration, dirt, and moisture. Even if you get "safe" chemistry in the battery cells of an Alibaba e-bike, it only means the cells themselves are less likely to explode in a chemical fire. It still has enough current to melt metall and set off a regular fire. And in the best case it will just stop working and good luck repairing some random components, which might have been from a short production run and there are no spares in the existence.

Re: BMW PHEV: Safety fuse replacement is extremely expensive

#92
post #68
post #2

This is exactly why I’m so uninterested in driving en EV. I usually word it as “I don’t want to drive a computer”, but the reality is that I don’t want to be on the wrong end of the power imbalance that comes from this amount of complexity.

You're blaming the wrong thing. EVs are ultimately much, much simpler than ICE cars, it's just that certain manufacturers are taking this opportunity to turn their cars into elaborate scams. Everything is a computer these days, but that doesn't mean that they have to be needlessly complicated. I think EVs are great, but I won't be buying one until they start selling cheap, simple ones.

What are the biggest overcomplicating issues with something like the Nissan Leaf? Especially on something like a 2018-2025 S trim?

Re: BMW PHEV: Safety fuse replacement is extremely expensive

#93
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If all you care about is looks, that is. Get out of any other car and you forget you can't just walk away from it and it'll shut itself off and lock the doors. I've had my Tesla driving friends drive my ICE car, and then not even turn off the engine when they go into the store because you don't need to do that with a Tesla.

When my buddy got his first Tesla back in 2018 he had a ICE rental for some reason and he left it running in the driveway all day once on accident.

The complete lack of awareness with which some people operate cars never ceases to amaze me.

Re: BMW PHEV: Safety fuse replacement is extremely expensive

#94

This makes me feel that peak car was 2010 ish, when, when engines were powerful, cheap, and not too polluting, but also not overly complex. Spare parts were small, cheap, and easily accessible too (atleast for my toyota) I dread being forced to upgrade, not out of disdain for the environment, but the fact that I will spend more money, on a less reliable, less "mine" car, and more something big daddy government wants.

The sad part is that the plastics from around that time are starting to fail. That E92 M3 LCI is now a 14 year old car.

I've got a supercharged E92 M3. I'll own that thing till I die, funnest car ever.

Re: BMW PHEV: Safety fuse replacement is extremely expensive

#95
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's also how they got a lot of things very early in the game like radars. They had adaptive cruise control in 1999 (similar to Mercedes).

Yet somehow adaptive cruise is a rarity on the BMWs out there, often requiring an option package that few dealers spec. (Though I think this may be finally starting to change with the 2025 model year).

Are they switching to monthly subscriptions?

Re: BMW PHEV: Safety fuse replacement is extremely expensive

#96

> BMW has over-engineered the They have over-engineered the everything , because that is what BMW does. That is what they have been about for the last thirty years.

People get upset when a BMW is expensive to repair, but they're misunderstanding the sophisticated German engineering. You're not supposed to repair it. You're supposed to throw it away and buy a new one.

/s or /$ What's the best tag for your post?

Re: BMW PHEV: Safety fuse replacement is extremely expensive

#97
post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back then they should just let the oil go on the side of road. No need to capture it

That reminds me of the Popular Science garage hint from 1963, explaining how to easily dispose of used motor oil: Dig a hole in the ground and fill it with fine gravel. Pour in the oil, and it will be absorbed into the ground before your next oil change. https://books.google.com/books?id=myADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA166#v=on...

Different times indeed.

The Swedish government created this informational video in 1964 on how to properly dispose of your trash when at sea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t03saJVFkv4. Apparently the trick is to make the trash sink rather than float.

Re: BMW PHEV: Safety fuse replacement is extremely expensive

#98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

PHEV in the title is plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Different from a pure EV.

This is true. EVs are much simpler than ICE, and PHEV basically have all the complexity of EV+ICE.

PHEV means a lot of things. Toyota PHEVs with e-CVT are simpler than a normal ICE. VW PHEVs where there’s an electric motor tucked into their DSG gearbox - not so much.

Re: BMW PHEV: Safety fuse replacement is extremely expensive

#99
post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Even BMW can't make something that is practical. Hyperbole, but essentially true The Japanese beat everybody when ICE ruled. Their cars were miles ahead on every measure except snob value. In the the of EV it will be the Chinese. Tesla has no hope of keeping up, they are already fallen behind on snob value, their cars have none now. I think the comment about BYD drivers preferring Tesla is out of date now. Ti e wil…

From what I can tell the Chinese are targeting the bottom of the market with cars that are essentially disposable. The ones to watch, IMO, are Hyundai/Kia. If they can sort out the reliability issues there's a lot of potential there. Honestly I'm cautiously optimistic about VW, especially after they've started backing away from those awful capacitive buttons.

From what I can tell the Chinese are targeting the bottom of the market with cars that are essentially disposable.

What actual information or data leads you to believe this?

All wheel drive, 375mi range and sub 4 second 0-60mph is disposable to you? I'm guessing your car is disposable by comparison.

https://www.byd.com/us/car/han-ev

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