“Like a human, it even raises its arms in victory.”
Well, yaaaa: just like the human who programmed it…
I had to laugh to myself John when I saw your question about the dip stick length, I spent 20 minutes looking for the dip stick in my Volvo (even had the manual in hand showing the location) I finally called the dealer and he told me there wasn’t one in my model. Same goes for the Porsche.
Heheheh: another one of those modern car things: both my Hyundais, at over 190,000 miles, consume(d) less than a pint of oil, between their every ~5000-10,000 mile filter/oil changes.
I still check the stick…and wonder why!
Same goes for BMW, the “ultimate driving machine”. You can only check the oil with the computer. Guess what happens when the sensor fails? It says add oil, you do and it still says add oil. Now what do you do? You don’t dare add another quart. Oh, you have it towed to a dealer, however far that might be. Then they drain all your relatively fresh synthetic BMW oil so that not only do you get to pay 700$ for a sensor (see previous rant re sensors) you get to pay 150$ to replace the oil. And you had to do that because the car is not equipped with a 3$ dipstick.
Thinking back ! I was going to use a "fancier word, but was unsure as to the spelling. I once prided myself on my ability to spell??
-
What was the last “old tech” car I had ? 68 Toyota FJ40 Land cruiser. As basic a car that could ever be. Only it’s 4wd was “high tech”. Three on the tree. I reversed that to an older three on the floor. OHV 6. Close but not quite the same as the Chevrolet six.
No PS, PB AC, power windows, etc. A simple on/off heater. And a soft top with canvas clads doors. Pull up door windows.
Lever door latches. The front sheet metal was hinged to allow an “easy” engine pull. True, I did it twice!! Lap belt only up front. 0 for the side saddle rear seats. I removed them for cargo space and to accommodate the after market roll cage, I felt. mandatory. . Basic easy to fix transport designed for the back country. -
Two paths across the desert from CA to points east or the return. In summer definitely, drive at night. About midway, a stop. Many cars just left there. Voyage continued via Greyhound. Did that passage as a kid and later with family.
Each time, adventures of various proportions. -
I can remember when the magic figure of 100,000 miles
was a minor miracle. And any car that did was to be avoided, it’s time was up. Never the less, circa 52, I got a “deal” on a 49 Mercury coupe in black. A James Dean look a like and very desirable. A 100 k car. Bujt, clean, shiny and tight. And a recent rebuilt engine installed. Ugh, the rear axle housing was busted!! Closer exam indicated someone messed with the rear springs as well. “This car was set up to tow a trailer, a big one” . At work, ace wrench and racer, Hoppy Aron oversaw me installing a used rear axle. All well, again. The last of the
“old tech” cars ? Great in OD on the road. I took it to Germany in 52…
Carl,
Agree, its a conundrum to car guys/gals. Example folks who seem to think its more important to take that cell phone call or answer that text than drive, we’ve all seen (been angered by) it, these are a large section of people that are driving today. Its the march toward autonomous cars wherein the argument is something like 90% of accidents are human error. Computers (Tesla) will surely kill people but people, when left to their own design will likely kill more. The nannies like ABS, skid control etc. are probably saving lives, I don’t know but they are certainly dumbing down the driving public who already have stupid priorities. Can we get people to take driving seriously again???
pauls
1 Like
Our not so new 2003 Mercedes has an oil dipstick, but not one for the automatic transmission. To check that fluid you need to buy a special dipstick from Mercedes, or aftermarket. The tube with a cap stating dealer service only is there, but not the dipstick. Other than being a dealer revenue issue or perhaps a fear the driver would put in the wring fluid or screw up and put in too much fluid, I can’t think of a reason why Mercedes is doing that.
Watch people at the mall or big box stores. Seems like nobody turns around and actually looks with their own eyes before backing up. That’s why I park out in the back 40 when I go to those places.
Ditto, even with my sh*tbox Hyundai. Not only not turning around to back, but I see folks NOT looking before lane changes.
They treat the turn signals—when they rarely use them—as a fair catch signal.
I remember that well, and ironically I bought my daily driver at 105K…8 years ago. Granted I had to spend a few K to bring it up to snuff due to previous owner neglect but it’s been a fine runner for all this time. I told my neighbor that she’s old enough to vote this year and her jaw dropped.
Likely THE single most important marker that shows, unquestionably, how modern cars are light-years better than even what was considered the gold standard, that of Packards and pre-war Rolls-Royce. The 100k mile standard is now considered to be “low-mileage!”
1 Like
My 2003 Audi daily driver’s transmission has “Lifetime Fluid” and NO way to check the level other than getting the car up on a lift, getting the transmission to the correct temperature, opening the fill plug (that has a stand pipe) and pumping fluid in until it overflows! Now that’s an efficient process. I assume that by “Lifetime Fluid” they mean the lifetime of the fluid, and when that lifetime is up it takes the tranny with it!
On a transmission, unless it burns or leaks oil, makes perfect sense to me!
Another chit in the bottle of “modern is better:” remember even as early as the late 70s, when, if it was -10F or -20F, there was a good chance the car wasn’t going to start?
A few years back, we had a cold snap of -23F, and my Hyundai, though it twerent too ‘appy aboudit, cranked over and started!
Even though there are more things that can go wrong with a modern car, they are precisely engineered with computers with less human error, manufactured with better materials, and assembled by precision robots with minimal human intervention.
Older cars were hand made creating variation in quality as well as having inferior materials compared today.
There is no doubt todays cars are better than yesterdays and more consistent in the quality with less variation in workmanship than yesterday… But all you need is a resistor to burn out and you will be left calling AAA for a tow.
Abe
Bingo.
It’s sounds like a novel that mfrs are using the EPA regs as cover to include or delete devices that
ensure dealer revenue
compile people to lease instead of buy
maintain dealers that might otherwise fail
They only have to meet the regs. How they meet it I guess is up to them and they just include crap that independents cannot work on. Case in point the Volvo RAD, dash said “charging system failure service immediately”. Local independent foreign car shop could not get into the computer “far enough” to fix it. Now explain, why it’s necessary to have a device to prove to the computer that the radiator is still in the car?
The thing to think about in this discussion is, imagine how good a 1965 car would be if built to modern standards but with minimal gymfrackery and no smog equipment.
You could hand it down to your grand children like the family bible.
I’d be happy with just the rustproofing technology.
2 Likes
Imagine a 2017 car build with 1965 technology and standards…easier to put a man on the moon in 1969.
Abe
I still think there should be cars that have the best of both worlds. Seems like with all the computer aids cars should be easier than ever to work on . Why can’t the screens on cars now tell you why the check engine light came on and how to fix it or how much it will cost if you take it to the dealer ? If someone today would build and market a car designed for easy maintenance with some nice looking styling to it I bet they would sell millions. Until then I think I will continue to drive my pretty, easy to work on, '60’s and '70’s cars as long as I can. So far I cannot bring myself to drive a generic jelly bean computer appliance type car.
David
68 E-type FHC