Top aggravating part about new cars is You guys! If I can’t do some of the maintenance myself I have to go to you were 80% of the time I’m dealing with a rip-off artist!
Yeah. I know what you mean. Just about anyone could get cleaned up by crooked shops. But I can tell who BS me. I go somewhere else. But yes. It’s like finding a diamond in the sand to find a decent tech or shop.
As a person who works on his own vehicles, I am welcoming of modern technology. More importantly though is the access of online information to make repairs. Working on cars in the past, all I had was either a Cliton manual or had to self-learn the repair. Now there is endless forums & instructional videos. This is truly a great time to live in, with a library at your fingertips.
Average Joe non mechanic opinion here, I have found that when most people talk about "reliability" it means when car can just keep on going while grossly disregarding any all maintenance. Like a 1990s to mid 2000s honda. Those cars would blow smoke and and backfire down the road but dang it the old girl is gonna start up every morning. A modern car, In an attempt to preserve itself will In essence "cease operation" and force you to perform maintenance. Or will fail rather quickly if not serviced. I think most cars if the manufacturers maintenance schedule was religiously followed it would alleviate a lot of these issues. But now we're talking big bucks, which most don't have.
GREAT point. most of the car buying public want something they never have to attend to or think about. It’s like a phone…an appliance that should always just work, only to be traded in later. I drive older Toyota trucks and people always say they’re so reliable and bulletproof…well sure, if maintained! But flog and abuse a car by ignoring issues and anything fails.
In my experience, how gentle one treats his vehicle is just important as keep it maintained. I have customers who religiously followed the maintenance schedule but his truck still required expensive repairs. I feel sorry for them. We can blame on lousy products.
from a Firearms industry perspective, if your firearm has so much as a hiccup - The company‘s reputation is finished. That‘s why the only designs people trust are the AR15 from the 50s or the AK platform. Those designs also aren’t proprietary, so all components are essentially open source, with extremely high competition, with total interchangeability, resulting in a 70,000 psi aerospace gas piston system being 20 bucks. Yes, people expect it to work under the most extreme conditions and neglect, with unrealistic _‘torture tests‘_ being the norm for evaluating it. redesigning reliable components is a giant red flag. There‘s no excuse for switch problems, spark plug problems, in random production years. The fact that rust is even a concern in cars to this day is mind boggling to me. I see basic standard, DIY, dirt cheap cerakote sold in the automotive industry as some high tech $20,000 product when it’s basic common sense. If you can’t field strip and maintain it in minutes with your eyes closed, if a pin isn’t captured and could be dropped, etc - it’s a bad design. And here we are being told engineers can’t figure out how to swap out a windshield wiper? That’s a joke. You generally have to try to destroy the firearm to break it. If you try to do so by running 1,000 rounds through the cold hammer forged barrel to the point of melting it - the gas tube will blow out first. Easy fix. If you try to intentionally blow up the gun with overpressured ammo as an improvised bomb, or obstruct the barrel entirely, it’s designed to fail & blow out in a safe direction. If you can possibly kill yourself by intentionally turning the firearm into a bomb, it’s a bad design. cars are bad toys designed to fail and designed to make money on repairs by making it impossible to fix.
It has multiple issues that follow it. For instance: I own a 5.4 3v Ford. Known to be one of Fords worst engines ever. What is the major issues? Spark plugs that get stuck in the head and can break off in the head. The VCT system. Now Ford has already made Improved spark plugs and VCT systems. The spark plug was all of ford's fault. The VCT system is not completely there fault. The actual real issue was using 5w-20 motor oil due to emissions. Thank the California government for that. Truth is they get a bad reputation because the majority of the owners think they can push oil changes to 10k. These engines have very special passages for the VCT system and old dirty oil ain't going to work. My point is that people don't adjust to new technology right away and they usually go to hate it. That old saying "people hate change". We have gone through this in different ways, thus why things have changed. You can't be neglecting oil changes and expect the engine to keep running. Those days are gone. You can't ignore your oil level and expect to keep driving. The dip stick went away because people never checked them. Us that understand maintenance know what they are and how to use them, but the average person dosen't even know that oil goes into a engine. That's why they have a sensor to tell the driver and brink the car if they don't change it. The automakers are actually looking out for these people. People wanted better fuel mileage and performance on the same point, so technology improved, but now requires more maintenance. The only thing that is hurting the auto industry is bad quality of parts.
I've been an auto mechanic since 1964. I learned how to diagnose problems. Yes it took longer in some cases but I didn't ave to spend a lot of money on electronic equipment that I had to teach my mechanics to use. Today its much easier because all you have to do is plug in your diagnostic tool and let it tell you what is broken. the problem with that is now-a-days, there are no more mechanics or technitions. All there are is a group of parts changers. Nearly no modern day auto repair shop determines "why" a part failed. and 8 out of 10 times that same vehicle will come back with the same bad part and the repair man will say the new part must have been defective. I'm proud to say I still work on 1950's, '60, 70's & 80' vehicles and I'm damn good at it. Just my professional opinion. Keep up the good work.
I've got a 1980 Lincoln 6. Can't find anybody willing to work on it. It's heartbreaking. My prom car w 55k on it just rotting away. If you know anybody in the wilmington,nc area I'd be forever grateful.
This subject is a double edge sword. I grew up in the late 60s early 70s. The advent of the later models of fuel injection and computer controlled ignition made fuel mileage , drivability and consistency of hot and cold starts a no brainer. Like anything new or something we do not understand we always compare the way it used to be to the new. But it is scary that my 2022 CRV has upwards of 30 computer modules. But to the point of reliability. I spent 32 years as an insurance adjuster and appraiser. It was very common to see vehicles with in excess of a quarter of a million miles on them. That was not a common automobile life in the good old days. Love your down to earth commentary. Keep the videos coming
I grew up in the 1960's & 70's too and back then cars odometers only went to 99,999 miles, and if you didn't buy it new, you had no idea how many miles were really on them. The trouble with new cars when the engine or transmission goes out, could cost more to fix than it's worth, turning it into junk. Also computer modules probably won't be available in future again straight to the junkyard.
Yeah, stop and start is a terrible feature. Most of your engine wear happens when you crank the engine, because there's no oil pressure at first. It takes a second or two to build up some pressure.
@@steponmemommy9323I have a hybrid CRZ with the same engine as a Honda fit, the engine oil channels are different, there's a gravity-fed maintenance system so that the pressure is maintained when the engine stops for about 4 minutes. On the other hand, after stopping the engine, it takes a full 30 minutes for the oil pan to get all its oil back, instead of just three. My point is when it's designed for it, it's not a big deal.
Luckily, manufacturers have an off function for this dumb feature (to please the government EPA standards. It was originally meant for an electric engine.). If it doesn't, shift it to L (or M) and select the highest gear (eight speed, L8, six speed, L6, etc.) and it'll bypass it.
I'm a mechanic and I can tell you guys that today so car are way less reliable than old car ...at my shop we fix old car like a 48 Pontiac...67 mustang...69 stingray...and 84 Chevy Van ...back then cars were made of iron and steel...not stupid plastic...I m driving a 09 Chevy Aveo that's came out of the factory with a plastic thermostat... every 2 years I have to change that same thermostat again and again until I found one made out of aluminum that never fail since. Today's cars have too much electric components that makes the car go forward...back then they ad no electronic in them and the cars were still going forward...like I always say (( less electronics...less trouble))
I appreciate you guys' candor. I've got a 97 Del Sol, and a 2000 4Runner, and the plan is to NEVER buy another car. In many ways, I'm disappointed in the modern world.
In 99 I decided I would only buy NEW an electric car, and preferably a self-driving one. So I have a 66, 81, 98, and primary is a 95. There has been insignificant improvement since these particular models. Now, only the 95 and 98 have real computers so I do have to be sure to keep the batteries up in those, or the computers can die. OLD computers die from disuse, and need new caps and sometimes more. The newer computers are much more finnicky about voltage and I doubt any new cars parked 10 years will ever run again. Remains to be seen.. oh, btw the TESLAs starting in MY21 with the "heat pump" and especially MY22+ with LFeP batteries are looking very reliable. Hate the non-dashboard, but otherwise.. going for $20-25k for a Model 3 with 50k miles where they are lasting 300k miles and 12 years.. then factor $4K government discount on USED vehicles to stimulate the development of that side of business.. and its getting pretty close to a deal if my lifestyle were to need 10k miles or more per year on one car. Now the recent INSURANCE crater has sidelined all buyers but that will clear in 2 years with deals until then if you don't finance it. The deals are unbelievable in the next 12-24 months.
Older cars don't have all the bells and whistles that will eventually need attention! I have a 1972 Nova with just the basics, and I can do all the work myself.
#1 frustration is lack of access to service manuals. Everything is within some proprietary dealer only software. I’m just a DIYer car owner that looks to do simple repairs and maintenance
Yes, we struggle with this as well... We spend a ton of money keeping up with the latest information.. Thankfully, as of now, there are some pretty good professional software companies for shops that provide us with this information, but it definitely comes with a cost.
when i bought an 83 Capri it came with 83 Mustang Books (4 of them including body), and when I bought a 90s Truck I bought its shop manuals. Now the Capri is long gone (with its horrid MPG but 5.0-5spd), and the truck is doing just fine on about $50 a year for everything but brakes battery and tires. At this point, I'll see if it can get 500k miles.
I am so thankful for so many people sharing their knowledge about car repairs /forums/ videos etc. The ability to find out about what you need and how to do it is at an all time high. Never before has this information been free. You had to purchase a shop manual or know someone who was willing to help you for free and time is money. you can literally search online for anything you are interested in doing your self. A picture or video is worth a thousand words in a manual.
I definitely agree, most of today's issues about reliability (and price) just comes from the insane expactations from the customers and the governments. Modern cars are way more comfortable, way safer, way easier to drive and way quieter than they used to be, while also having better fuel economy, less emission and more power. I think it's actually incredible that cars are so reliable considering how complex they became. And let's face it, nobody wants to drive a basic car that takes you from point A to point B nowadays ...
my frustration working on my car is the fact that it is a 34 year old jeep comanche so it has 34 year old jeep issues like electrical demons haha, but i just did a transmission swap on it and honestly I am glad it was that old, it made the swap much easier to approach with just hand tools and youtube mechanic knowledge
Same problem with my 92 gmc typhoon. Those electronic gremlins are crazy. I'm getting an aftermarket ecu and a complete rewire of the electrical system and a special built harness. I also have a 87 buick grandnational and had to redo almost everything on it 20k for a full mechanical restoration.
I’ve got 3 vehicles that I have the ability to do most maintenance on. Have a 1996 Impala SS with 185,000, a 2001 Honda Accord with 94,000 and a 2004 Jeep Wrangler LJ with 65,000 miles. I leave the maintenance I can’t handle to a trusted repair shop I’m lucky enough to have found. I’ll take older less complicated vehicles that I can work on making sure what’s needed to be done is done correctly.
Hi All, great video. My question is have you seen a decline in the quality / increase in unreliability in cars built say during or after covid? A number of persons say cars built in this very period since Covid are just more cheaply made, even Toyota and Honda.
From min 7 - 10 Brian makes a really great case for 1990s vintage vehicles. We have a fleet of 97 & 98 Grand Cherokees. They have reasonable comfort features, airbags, ABS, keyless remote, reliable engines & 4WD systems. Not great fuel economy but far fewer trinkets to keep functioning. Have had the new push-button disposable junk being built these days and have passed them off in favor of the final two years for the ZJs.
I don't need a cockpit full of gizmos, but I'm sure car companies are doing detailed market research on customer desires. Car shopping for me today, all I want is a gen 3 4Runner.
Great video! Very informative. Never thought about all the problems that have arisen as cars have become high-tech. I was of the same perspective that older is almost better on anything. Good Birds Eye overview.
The biggest problem with new cars is the single fact that they are made by accountants and lawyers, the only engineers on that teams will never have to fix one of their creations either, they just want it to last the 3 years the warranty is good for, after that is not their problem anymore. The new criteria is just get a new product out of the door, the costumer will do the RD while using it, they will just fix it some how so it makes pass the warranty mark. I'm old enough to remember 80s Mercedes, it was a car for a life time, plenty of them still running, New ones, forget about that, just lease it. I was a car mechanic at one point, now a Mechanical engineer, the best advise I give my friends is, buy new, replace before warranty expires, with another new one. You are much better paying the bank, not your mechanic. Things, including cars and its components are made with planed obsolescence as a priority. Or why do you think most of the airbags/shocks on any new car don't last more than 3/4 years.
Warranty was a lot better on Japanese vehicles in the 90s . My 1991 honda accord was 5 years bumper to bumper. Why don't manufacturers go back to a 5 year warranty that is bumper to bumper. Stand behind your product. I still think that the Japanese cars are still better quality than american made vehicles
Jap cars had all the fruit in the 80s Buddy, power steer, electic windows, autos the lot. nothings new today except the big screen in the car for intertainment@@absurdh3ro
The problem with newer vehicles is they are designed specifically to keep diagnostics and repair out of the hands of vehicle owners, and forced government and manufacturer obsolescence. They do this through computerization, design change, and software. Car manufacturers are interested in vehicle sales or leases and not interested in vehicle repairs. If there is a repair to be made they are forcing customers into the dealerships, who are the only ones with access to software. second, they are cycling models at 5 year intervals, making the obsolete once they pass the end of the 5 year window. .... Occasionally repair shops can specialize in specific models and years, and get survivable work out of service, Tuneup, drivetrain, Braking, HVAC, exhaust, light electrical, and suspension repairs. However they are not rebuilding engines, transmissions, nor replacing and or reprogramming computer systems, nor are they doing extensive diagnostics related to computer circuits (chasing gremlins). The Manufacturers don't release any of their software or computer components, not even for obsolete vehicles. Independent mechanics can't get their hands on that data, and those components, and of course private owners can't get them either, therefore when those components fail, the vehicle becomes obsolete. It's called planned obsolescence. So, are newer vehicles less reliable.... Yes... because they are designed to fail.... .... Today vehicle purchasers are not buying a vehicle, they are only purchasing a vehicle proper, but not the proprietary computer(s) and or software necessary for the vehicle to operate. This is somehow supposed to be (alright), but it's not. Manufacturers should be forced to lower the price of vehicles, by excluding those bits the purchaser (aka lessee) does not specifically own, and calling the purchase actually what it is, a proprietary lease.
We can blame it all on consume demand, emissions, fuel mileage, competition, humans only want to move ahead into the future. This world is technologically driven, Keep up or get left behind. No one wants to buy a 2000 Toyota , they want the greatest, best looking and full of bells and whistles. Ask a 25 yr old guy what he wants? Not an old looking and boring look car!
We have some newer vehicles and I hated going to the auto repair shop to have to do anything, so I bought an Autel 906pro that has been great, I also have an HP tuners to have access to the computers. And I needed it to build my truck, i put a CR cummins in an 08 Ford because the 6.4 motors are junk but they have the newer style dash. I do work in an auto body repair shop so i have a pretty good understanding on all the computers and how they communicate. I just found your channel and really like it, so new subscriber here.
I need your advice i have a 2007 car with 120 000 km in mint condition without ABS braking...should i get rid of it and get a car with ABS braking? Many are saying that its a death trap without ABS and that i should get a newer car with ABS... please advise thanks...
@ShadetreeAutomotiveLayton I have about 15 years experience....I dont think I ever had a car with abs brakes yet.. however I never had a situation yet to use emergency braking so far .so I'm not experienced in emergency braking in any car abs or non abs....
You don't need a scan tool to check bmw oil. Hit the button in the car and it will measure the oil the same way the scan tool does and it will tell you the level.
I have owned two newer Toyotas, (as well as a 2009 Corolla but that ain’t very new I don’t believe) a 2016 Toyota Corolla LE and now I have a 2017 Corolla SE. I got my 2016 with 20k and I drove it to 140k miles and never had one single problem. I did my oil change every 5k miles and my CVT fluid every 50k and it was perfect. I started then want the “fancy things 😂😂” and decided to buy another Corolla but a 2017 with adaptive cruise and lane departure. The SE got a nice partial leather trim black seats that I loved and look much nicer than the 2016s in my opinion. This corolla is at 125k miles and I’ve only replace my front left wheel bearing. My adaptive cruise has worked flawlessly, I have never seen my check engine light before, my CVT is buttery smooth. I think obviously Maintance is key, these are corollas also so they are not very complex. Everyone complains that they don’t have power and are boring to drive with the CVT. While my fingers will forever be crossed with the CVT, the 1.8 l has been butter smooth in all of my cars, never has burned oil and gets over 40MPG on the highway.
lol this is a tale as old as time. If we backed up 30 years and had this interview in 1994 you'd be telling us all these new electronic fuel injected engines with their overdrive transmissions are unreliable garbage.
Locking Torque Converter (called OD) was in my first 1984 car. Naw these guys have a point. Its about "right to repair" vs all the hidden bits that you need a computer with encrypted codes to access or tune. First in the 90s, some DIY ability was lost, and the shops had to "subscribe" to software to fix things. Now those costs are out of control requiring a shop to be brand specific, or just do general maintenance work. A DIY can do his brakes or swap a part still, but "fixing" a mystery issue? Check out how you can't swap parts in today's iPhones. Or work on a John Deere tractor. The corpos are "selling" you something that is really a lease, since no one is going to buy it after a ten year period, and the corpos decide when they will obsolete it entirely. Its never really yours. In today''s future "you won't own anything" ..but will you like it? I already don't.
Being able to check fluids without an expensive scan tool affects long term reliability. Who wants to buy a used car that the previous owner couldn’t check the oil level on? Most don’t even want to spend money on getting fluid changes - they sure aren’t going to pay someone to monitor their levels ever week or two. But the time they have their next scheduled service, they could have severe damage from low levels. Maintenance should be made simple again. That’s why I still like Hondas. They are one of the few makes on which you can still check your own transmission fluid.
I drive 2001 VW Golf MK4 and just decided to replace timing belt second time after I bought it in 2017. Yesterday it hit 300 000 km mark, 90 000 of them are mine. Its average is 6.0 liters of Diesel per 100 km (39 mpg) and it only burns 0.7l of oil per 10 000 km. This car is fair to fix, I only pay for parts and work with generic tools. I like that headlights are covered with glass, so I don't have to polish them. I like that I can replace every bulb by myself (and I actually replaced most of them). No need to feed corporate parasites with activation servers and proprietary tools. Reliability-wise, my VW Golf is more reliable than 1984 Mazda 626, 1990 Audi 80, 1993 Mazda 626, 1996 Skoda Felicia I had. But it is also more reliable than 2007 Hyundai i30 of my relatives they bought new. So, I think that after late 2000s car quality started to decline. I consider enormous complexity and massive integration of electronics as driven by corporate greed. They deliberately create multiple points of failure that are expensive to fix. As IT guy I know that complex electronics never age well, and old pixelated burnt-out display from 2010 with outdated software will always look worse than purely analog dashboard from 1985.
Whether you prefer modern cars or older cars is opinion based. I agree with y'all that reliability comes down to tried and tested parts. I think that's why Toyotas still keep a better resell value over others. I have a 2001 Pontiac Firebird with the GM 3800 V6 and line that car. It'll be my daily driver until the day I die. Parts for it are super generic, reliable, cheap and easy to find. I don't need heated items, air conditioned seats, etc.
I don`t know what the fuss is, I quit purchasing American manufactured vehicles in the nineties and went Toyota! I did my own oil changes, brakes on a Corona, 90s, a 79 truck with a 20R, both I had sold with over 250K that still ran well. Then got a 2004 Highlander, did 4000 mile oil changes, tranny, and gear boxes every 60K or so, traded in with 198K for 2015 RAV4 XLE, 155K later, using similar maintenance schedule, still runs and rides like the day I got it. The real kicker is that I bought them all second-hand! NEVER had a failure or breakdown on any of them!! Back in the old day`s if your car got 100K, that was pretty good. Now if you buy a modern American car and it lasts 100K your lucky! I think there is something wrong with this picture!!
My biggest peev on working on my own car is the fact that when I go to auto parts stores they don't actually have a part in stock and I have to have it ordered in.
06:17 YU Guys older than me but I know 80s cars DID have CEL! Maybe you meant 70s? Some cars had them in late 70s even, but not commonly. Basically everything had CEL by 83. having much experience with newer mazdas? am hearing a lot of good things from last 10 yrs or so. Also, I have the shop manual for my 66 mustang and its like an introduction to auto mechanics rather than the point-by-point instruction guides of the 90s and later. the 66 manual shows full diagrams explaining the 4 bbl carb and the multiple (amazing) fuel circuits it uses. my 90s shop manuals will give 8-12 steps designed to, but without even mentioning, "remove all residual air from line". Sometimes following the instructions does not even work, if you don't know what those steps are meant to accomplish! And btw, I had some issue with the restored seats in that 66 not being right.. and turns out FORD used "hog rings" in the upholstery process. They had snapped. Tractor Supply part, not a NAPA part. Back when you fixed it on the farm. Oh, I tweaked the primary jets down one step in that carb. Had to check 3 dozen 2bbl carbs for those jets lol. It was sized 5 over for extra VROOOM (but only sucked extra gas). Guys under 30 now don't know what to do without a computer and a parts cannon, unless they focus on antiques.
35 Year retired mechanic, bought a new car. Looked under the hood, and decided if anything went wrong I will take to the shop. Fortunately we have a good mechanic, with all the proper scanners and equipment. Also if you drive your car with care, instead beten the hell out of it, the car will last long. I had several cars never had any large breakdowns, be nice to your cars.
I've been in the car biz since 1972, I don't think we need most of these new features car makers push on us, they the car makers are in a race between themselves to bring new features to us whether we truly need them or not, but people are forced to buy these cars as that's what's out there when we go to buy a new car, in many cases things come as standard so we have no choice, Sadly the more we have in a car means there is more to go wrong, gone is the day when things are easy or cheap to fix, In particular I dislike the less knobs and buttons which we can operate by touch and feel, today more and more is on a tablet or screen and in order to use that we have to take our eyes off the road which seems so dangerous to me. We cant use our cell phones but we have to focus in on a screen, it makes no sense.
DIY'ing is still possible these days. For more complex repair jobs though it's a lot better to have a second car to have the ability to get more parts that you end up finding that need to be replaced while you're in there. Finding technical information is the hard part for me, mostly torque specs. Although I have to be honest and say I've only done basic maintenance, brake jobs, water pumps, shocks and the usual fluid changes, brake fluid, transmission, diffs and coolant. I've never removed a cylinder head and never seen the insides of the bottom end either. But yes, owning a BMW and a Mercedes forced me to buy a computer to be able to do some of the maintenance work and that computer was about $1500 but it has paid for itself by now since I've probably used it about 10-12 times by now.
Most people I talk to about new cars especially trucks hate all the extra features. Me personally I was an Auto Tech for Subaru and Hyundai so I can work on just about all the new stuff and I can say for sure older cars are more reliable and simple. That’s why you see people driving old civics and corollas from the late 80’s and early 90’s still on the road. Most vehicles you can still work on the cars especially Asian and most American vehicles excluding diesel trucks if you get a decent scan tool for $500 and personally I’d rather buy one of those than send my car to the shop for a $400 break change and $100+ dollar oil change. I also only buy manual vehicles except my truck simply because they don’t make a 1500 in a manual anymore. They also come from the factory with cheeper crappy part nowadays and being a Hyundai tech we had to replace engines straight from the factory because they had bearing clearance problems which is something Honda or Toyota don’t have. Honda did have a semi rough start to turbo engines with oil dilution but they have figured that out with the newer models.
My 1994 Toyota may be as tough as nails, but increasingly when some easy-to-DIY part does break it's hard to impossible to find new on a stock shelf somewhere. That is certainly true. I am thankful though that half of my engine isn't made out of plastic. It works absolutely fine for a new engine when the engineering has been done right, but plastic just isn't a permanent material.
It's definitely designed for lower internal resistance and tighter tolerances to increase fuel efficiency.. The use of these oils is still a fairly new concept it really takes time for problems to start showing up. However, we really haven't seen anything specific show up yet. 0w20 has now been out for some time and seems to be working well..
Ow16 was specifically developed for use on the newer GDI / Turbo / Direct Injection engines. The Ow16 is perfect for those Honda 1.5 liter engines that had oil dilution issues. More specifically, the "GF-6" formula. Please make sure you only use the oil that the engine oil cap tells you to use. Many newer vehicles have variable valve timing, and using the wrong oil can cause malfunction or damage to the VVT system. The VVT solenoids/actuators/screens are designed to work with only the correct oil specs.
It's a plain fact that the cost of required maintenance for newer vehicles has increased substantially. AWD being common means that there are more fluids to service. CVT transmissions require much more frequent service intervals to function correctly. Many new vehicles have AGM batteries which are more than double the cost of a traditional car battery. Overall, the increased complexity also means that major components like engine and transmission are much more likely to have a catastrophic failure when service intervals aren't kept up. So the increased cost of services means that the "typical" consumer will not properly maintain the vehicle due to either cost or ignorance. Then the increased vulnerability of the car to damage when service is neglected results in a catastrophic failure much sooner. And then the cost of an engine or transmission replacement is extremely high because of the longer labor times and parts that are more expensive due to complexity. Do you need to be able to climb into your engine bay for your vehicle to be reliable? No. But the "latest and greatest" vehicles after a 100,000 miles can really hurt the average Joe due to that increased cost of maintenance down the road. A 10 year old used car that's cheaper to maintain and has a good service history will often treat the owner way better than a 3 or 5 year old car, especially if it's a luxury brand.
My 2014 Mustang also is a base model with a manual transmission. I love that, no extra options and the money I saved not buying all the fancy stuff I put a supercharger on it.
My 1979 f250 was on its 3rd engine at 90000 miles. That very dependable carburetor with worn out shafts washed the cylinders down sucked in dirt, made it hard to start . Wore out a $45 starter every couple years. Wore out a $35 alternator every 6 months. They just dont make em like they used to. Thank goodness.😊. Ooops forgot to mention the headlights that both quit after 30 minutes and the ignition that quit every trip longer than 25 minutes
the part of this video about the 2008 hack job emissions (which I know nothing about), reminds me of Detroit doing the exact same thing in the mid 70s and continuing right through to the mid 80s. I had a carb on an oddfire V6 84 Olds (CAD) that was the rottenest thing I have ever had to work with. Basically it had a semi-throttle body fine fuel trim system embedded in the middle of a 2 bbl carb where several parts could quit or work independently, sitting on a electric grill spacer that liked to melt down and burn fuel/air going through it. Fricken horrible thing. Nothing in the 90s was as bad as those late carb designs. Separately "save the whales" was a good idea but it destroyed a LOT of 70s transmissions. Then there were the Boomers who didn't want those awful UNION jobs, and quality was just abysmal. There was way too much work on the Detroit engineers for 15 years there, mostly because their bosses wanted NEW DESIGNS but also PATCHES on the current design almost yearly. Each of these is often just as much work for the engineer. meaning 3x the work of just getting the NEW DESIGN done, because GM/FORD wanted to procrastinate that while paying lawyers and lobbyists to fight government regulations, then rush designs when the lobbying failed. Consequently engineers could not do a good job, and the quality was as bad as the designs were. The humble Japanese took 40% market share.
One of thecreason it is the case is people changing car all the time. It's more of a social status thing like a phone rather than a long term tool we need. People change car often and companies understood the assignment. There also are a LOT more requirements, which companies must meet, therefore cut on costs while trying to please customers.
My 2020 Camry was so over complicated, it didn't know if it wanted to stop or go, dodge a ghost on the highway by jerking in to the oncoming lane and slamming on the brakes, air conditioner blow cold air or not, or if the gas gauge wanted to work. Cars reached the peak quality a few years ago and have been dropping since. They become throwaway pieces of junk you can't rebuild and need stupid amounts of equipment to maintain.
BTW you mentioned having a 2017 4Runner. I am looking to get a 2023 or 2024 model before the 2025 model comes out in the spring. I never trust the first year of a new model upgrade, especially with the new one having a turbo engine.
Short answer for the really observant ones: YES! If that was not the case, we would see tons of cars disabled on the road! Now, QUALITY wise? NOT all! Just look at how quality is number last at Ford!
Good old 5.7l with throttle body fuel injection one of the most reliable machines! That's a good year for reliability.. In 96, they went to a multiple port injection system that built slightly more power. However, allot less reliable.
I work on all my own stuff, so obviously I am biased against new vehicles. But even just driving them, I cannot stand anything post recession era. It seems like just before that, we peaked in reliability. To me, the golden spot is anywhere from the 60's to the early 2000's. And based on preference you can pick from there. All I know is that I would be way harder, way more work, and way more money. To engine swap my 70's cars than it would be to anything new.
Hi, My name is Rey from California. I have a Hyundai Tucson which my engine blow on my way home on Father’s Day. It didn’t give me any warning except it lost compression and the engine light started flashing. I automatically pulled my car over off the Hwy and all I seen was white smoke coming out of the tail pipe and from under the hood.!. Now my Hyundai been at the Hanford Ca. dealership for 2wks untouched because of the CDK CYBER ATTACK.!. And I’m stranded 43miles away in Coalinga Ca. Going on 3weeks now. I live in San Fernando Valley. 🤬🤬👎🏽. Don’t know what to do.????.
@@AlexandrosT1, well, After a month Hyundai denied me a new motor. because they only give new owners and second owners 60,000 miles on the motor.!. That mess up. Now I’m stuck without a car.!. 😡☹️😡👎🏽
Wonder if CAFE standards ruined my love affair w GM? That DOD lifter issue is a nightmare. I've disabled it and found no significant changes in mpg. Averaging 18.3 around town n 21 hwy.
The challenge I had was to replace by myself the harmonic balancer on my 1995 Jaguar Xj6 (daily driver). The part is out of production, so I had to call all over the US to get used part from a salvage yard, as the OEM available on Ebay was made in India, and it was not machined properly, poor quality on the metal and not properly balanced. I had to practice for about 2 hours on a used crankshaft with a delaminated harmonic balancer from the same engine, using the right pulley tool , so I can learn how to remove it and put back on the crankshaft, without damaging the keyway and properly tight up the 30 mm crankshaft bolt. As a result, of my practice, I successfully installed the used harmonic balancer from the first try on that engine 4.0 Liter inline straight 6), using the ignition crank method. It took me 4 hours to get the job done by myself, (I was not in a hurry) but I saved over $2000 if I had to go to a professional mechanic shop. Now, the car is used for work again and I log about 1000 miles per month. I am planning to do the same procedure on my 1995 Jaguar Vanden Plas (weekend driver) as the harmonic balancer on that car is 30 years old by now., ( car made in 1994) I am waiting on a machine shop here in the US who is working on a custom harmonic balancer for me , based on the original part.
It's good to be able to fix cars yourself. There may be shortage of mechanics, waiting times... You have to bring a car to the garage in the morning, ask for a lift, then collect it... If you have skills and some time, you can easily fix older cars - I can order almost any NEW part for my 1958 Rover P4 online. I'll never buy a modern car again. Life is too short to drive something boring. It's really enjoyable to own, fix, maintain and drive classic cars - it's a lot of fun. Some of the modern classics, like early 90s Mercedeses are very safe, comfortable and reliable. You can easily drive them daily. A 1987 car that I have starts on the button every time, can easily keep up with the modern traffic, spacious and looks cool. In Ireland if you have a "main" car insured on your name, you can own a fleet of classic cars (up to 4) on one cheap classic car policy, cheap road tax and no need for national car test after 40 years. Haven!
In today's economy with the highest inflation most of us don't even look at a new cars, but like myself i own 3house's have multiple other properties and my daily drivers are an 89 s10, nizzan hard body, and a Ford ranger, my wife a Honda Odyssey.
Things I get frustrated with is the over engineering of a lot of stuff on cars today, like an electric E-brake. For some when those electric e-brakes wont engage if you have a dead battery. -- The other thing is the Gov. regulation for fuel mileage. Because of those many things have changed, which have decreased reliability.
When it comes to working on real old cars. (60’s’s, early 70’s) It was so much easier. There was plenty of space to get to everything. Fuel and ignition problems were easy to solve. On long trips, I’d just take a spare set of contact points since that would be the most likely ignition failure. Now, a failure in the fuel, ignition management system means you’re calling a tow truck.
Cars don't have to be barebones to be reliable. Remember the Yugo? The Hyundai Excel? The Chevrolet Chevette? Garbage cars that were cheap, basic, AND unreliable. Buy a car that is designed and engineered the way it should be and it shouldn't matter how many computers are under the hood or how much plastic is on it... it'll last because the components are designed to. I don't care what era your car is from, if it was engineered and designed well, it'll be reliable.
I have a 2014 Mustang and I can still do things myself on that. The idea of having to use a 10k scan tool to do brakes seems like it was done on purpose to discourage do it yourselfers. I almost don’t want anything newer because of that, I don’t know how people afford things today, $1,000 car payments $400 for insurance and have to take it to the shop and you are looking at $1,000 for basic maintenance.
6/1/24- Thank you for your informative vids 1. It's been decided for us - We consumers do demand desire want immediate gratifications 2. Disposable vehicles - However, corporates know there's money in disposable Things 3. EPA - There's carbon emission incentives - From you I now hear Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE, 1997) Toyotas one global platform creates new replacement parts As you stated back in the day It was tried and true parts used across different platforms So, I hear you that consumers drive newer vehicles And so do corporate manufactures feed consumers desires Damn if you do damn if you want it
I had a 2010 compass lasted 7 years when the Maintenace started, $5000 a year kinda Maintenace, traded in for a 2017 Tucson and yup, 7 years later I was told it needed $10000 in Maintenace, traded as is for a leased Subaru, might lease from now on, we will see. All running maintenance was done on time at the dealership. I don't buy the "Modern is more reliable" bs, I owned a 71 nova with a straight 6 that I could do most maintenance on myself, sold it to a guy who wanted to drop a 454 in it, back in 1985. Had 200160 miles on the motor :)
I still rather have the 90s vehicles. Hands down. I think ill try to keep these gems. Are they more unsafe while driving? Maybe. Considering everything on the road now a days is a tank compared to your avererage 90s toyota vehicle. I drive very carefully. I treat my driving as if im on a motorcycle. I have had many close calls but since i drive defensively and use a horn im always on alert. I rather be able to fix my vehicle and have it run then be in debt for a pavement princess. With gizmos and parts all over. Keep it simple. I dont need a tv or flashing lights. I like it dark in my cab. No distractions. I focus on the road at all times. Still trucking. 95 t100 350xxx on the tranny. And 93 22re pickup with 100xxx 22re.
The 93 was hands down more comfortable and a refined engine then the 22re. 5sfe underrated toyota motor. The best 4banger for cruising/long road trips in comfort. The one thing the ol 22re LACKs. Lol
My main issue is the longevity of modern vehicles. Sure, that digital screen for your instrument panel looks awesome & the touch screen for controlling your media, hvac & Bluetooth is very convenient. But will they really last 10, 20 or 30 years? If any of those screens decided to wig out after 7 years of use, how expensive will it be to replace it? Can it be replaced? If not, congratulations, you spent $80,000 junkyard toy. You said it yourself, some of these vehicles you can't even replace the brakes or windshield without a diagnostic scanner. You really think we'll see any of these vehicles 20 years from now? How about the transmission or engine? Some new vehicles don't even offer rebuilds. If they break in any capacity, they're scrapped & a new one has to be installed. I still see plenty of vehicles from the the 80s,90s & early 2000s. Relatively easy to work on & going strong with 300,000 miles on them. I bought my f150 new in 2012. It's got 160,000 miles on it & I plant to have it for at least 10+ more years. I don't think I'll ever buy new again knowing that these new vehicles are so advanced that 1 fault in a computer & it's junkyard time only after 10 years/150,000 miles.
I'll avoid all the over computerized POS as long as I can. In my experience, all the warning modules are triggered by a problem with the module, not system it's designed to warn about.
I’m on the road a lot. I prefer to drive over flying. I found out the hard way a GM dealer in Utah, will not honor the work of a GM dealer in Virginia. So far I have not had that problem with BMW. Expensive, but no service problems from state to state.
90’s vehicles were good and bad. We could use a test light or volt meter and we can verify parts. We can’t test a module today. Without a good module, We can’t always know we’re right or wrong
It seems to be hit or miss. Some newer vehicles will have no issues for 150k+ miles while others are a nightmare from day 1. Older is alsp much more DIY friendly. Example: my 2017 silverado seems to be more reliable than my DD 1989 S10, however when something does break on the silverado it tends to be much more expensive. I have learned how to do all of the basic things to keep the s10 from leaving me stranded; (setting base timing, idle, etc.). While OBD1 is much more vague and prone to running weird, it doesn’t take much to get it running. I can appreciate both eras of technology but I do truly enjoy working on my older vehicle more so than modern vehicles I would say.
I understand that auto technology is an ongoing evolution. But with that being said, and having studied mechanical engineering and an uncle who worked for Lambogini, auto makers are over energineering their cars. For example, my uncle eventually designed and built his own CZETA sports car and made the power train bulletproof. And the car ran on regular unleaded. This is a testament of real engenuity and good common sense mechanical design. This is what auto makers need to improve on, but if they did, they would not sell new cars as often because car owners would keep their cars longer. And hey, why not. Cars are becoming more outrageously expensive with all their unnecessary bells and whistles.
My 92 Civic Si hatch with 450 thousand kms on it would start within 5 seconds in -42 Celsius with no block heater or nothing. Same day,none of our brand new gasoline F350s on the pipeline would start,even with being plugged in. We didn’t work that day because we couldn’t get there. That’s what 75 thousand dollars gets you.😊
It's not even about reliability, although I am sure modern cars are less reliable, as you two just confirmed having propietary tools, software and too complicated unnecessary systems, is the real rip off and reason why modern cars especially cars after 2014 suck so hard.
Im still driving my silverado 94 4.3 engine almost hitting 300k miles. Same motor and transmission the only thing a swap was the rear differential. Cost me 200 dollars and still driving today 😂. I dont like new computer modules tellling me how to fix my car 😊
I use to do all of my own work. I find what makes it too difficult to work on cars now, tools. I purchased what I need to work on the wife’s car. Can’t be used on my car. I buy a newer car, then all of the tools I used on my old car can’t be used on my newer car. The electronics from model to model, year to year require up dates that are too expensive for the individual.
Top aggravating part about new cars is You guys! If I can’t do some of the maintenance myself I have to go to you were 80% of the time I’m dealing with a rip-off artist!
Yeah. I know what you mean. Just about anyone could get cleaned up by crooked shops. But I can tell who BS me. I go somewhere else. But yes. It’s like finding a diamond in the sand to find a decent tech or shop.
@@koolxxxyearand when you do they are busy and overpriced.
A big scam is "we do all or nothing". So they will replace all possible things when they do the repair causing a huge charge
Price to better save your life.
As a person who works on his own vehicles, I am welcoming of modern technology. More importantly though is the access of online information to make repairs. Working on cars in the past, all I had was either a Cliton manual or had to self-learn the repair. Now there is endless forums & instructional videos. This is truly a great time to live in, with a library at your fingertips.
Cars after 2015, you kidding?!?!
@@SerdarGrubejust read or learn and you can fix anything
@@SerdarGrube there is no aftermarket manual for my subaru crosstrek.
Yes. Certain basic info you can get but very limited. You have to trust it too.
Average Joe non mechanic opinion here, I have found that when most people talk about "reliability" it means when car can just keep on going while grossly disregarding any all maintenance. Like a 1990s to mid 2000s honda. Those cars would blow smoke and and backfire down the road but dang it the old girl is gonna start up every morning. A modern car, In an attempt to preserve itself will In essence "cease operation" and force you to perform maintenance. Or will fail rather quickly if not serviced. I think most cars if the manufacturers maintenance schedule was religiously followed it would alleviate a lot of these issues. But now we're talking big bucks, which most don't have.
GREAT point. most of the car buying public want something they never have to attend to or think about. It’s like a phone…an appliance that should always just work, only to be traded in later.
I drive older Toyota trucks and people always say they’re so reliable and bulletproof…well sure, if maintained! But flog and abuse a car by ignoring issues and anything fails.
In my experience, how gentle one treats his vehicle is just important as keep it maintained. I have customers who religiously followed the maintenance schedule but his truck still required expensive repairs. I feel sorry for them. We can blame on lousy products.
from a Firearms industry perspective, if your firearm has so much as a hiccup - The company‘s reputation is finished.
That‘s why the only designs people trust are the AR15 from the 50s or the AK platform.
Those designs also aren’t proprietary, so all components are essentially open source, with extremely high competition, with total interchangeability, resulting in a 70,000 psi aerospace gas piston system being 20 bucks.
Yes, people expect it to work under the most extreme conditions and neglect, with unrealistic _‘torture tests‘_ being the norm for evaluating it.
redesigning reliable components is a giant red flag. There‘s no excuse for switch problems, spark plug problems, in random production years.
The fact that rust is even a concern in cars to this day is mind boggling to me.
I see basic standard, DIY, dirt cheap cerakote sold in the automotive industry as some high tech $20,000 product when it’s basic common sense.
If you can’t field strip and maintain it in minutes with your eyes closed, if a pin isn’t captured and could be dropped, etc - it’s a bad design.
And here we are being told engineers can’t figure out how to swap out a windshield wiper? That’s a joke.
You generally have to try to destroy the firearm to break it. If you try to do so by running 1,000 rounds through the cold hammer forged barrel to the point of melting it - the gas tube will blow out first. Easy fix. If you try to intentionally blow up the gun with overpressured ammo as an improvised bomb, or obstruct the barrel entirely, it’s designed to fail & blow out in a safe direction.
If you can possibly kill yourself by intentionally turning the firearm into a bomb, it’s a bad design.
cars are bad toys designed to fail and designed to make money on repairs by making it impossible to fix.
Nissan Murano disagrees😂😂
It has multiple issues that follow it.
For instance: I own a 5.4 3v Ford.
Known to be one of Fords worst engines ever.
What is the major issues?
Spark plugs that get stuck in the head and can break off in the head.
The VCT system.
Now Ford has already made Improved spark plugs and VCT systems.
The spark plug was all of ford's fault. The VCT system is not completely there fault.
The actual real issue was using 5w-20 motor oil due to emissions. Thank the California government for that.
Truth is they get a bad reputation because the majority of the owners think they can push oil changes to 10k.
These engines have very special passages for the VCT system and old dirty oil ain't going to work.
My point is that people don't adjust to new technology right away and they usually go to hate it. That old saying "people hate change".
We have gone through this in different ways, thus why things have changed.
You can't be neglecting oil changes and expect the engine to keep running. Those days are gone.
You can't ignore your oil level and expect to keep driving.
The dip stick went away because people never checked them. Us that understand maintenance know what they are and how to use them, but the average person dosen't even know that oil goes into a engine. That's why they have a sensor to tell the driver and brink the car if they don't change it. The automakers are actually looking out for these people.
People wanted better fuel mileage and performance on the same point, so technology improved, but now requires more maintenance.
The only thing that is hurting the auto industry is bad quality of parts.
I've been an auto mechanic since 1964. I learned how to diagnose problems. Yes it took longer in some cases but I didn't ave to spend a lot of money on electronic equipment that I had to teach my mechanics to use. Today its much easier because all you have to do is plug in your diagnostic tool and let it tell you what is broken. the problem with that is now-a-days, there are no more mechanics or technitions. All there are is a group of parts changers. Nearly no modern day auto repair shop determines "why" a part failed. and 8 out of 10 times that same vehicle will come back with the same bad part and the repair man will say the new part must have been defective.
I'm proud to say I still work on 1950's, '60, 70's & 80' vehicles and I'm damn good at it. Just my professional opinion. Keep up the good work.
How your scan tool tell you there is a bad wire or connection? Scan tool give us a good idea where to look. But one has to determine the REAL problem.
I've got a 1980 Lincoln 6. Can't find anybody willing to work on it. It's heartbreaking. My prom car w 55k on it just rotting away. If you know anybody in the wilmington,nc area I'd be forever grateful.
@@mironkorzalko7761 Fix it yourself?
Hope some of your younger mechanics have an interest in the old car.
@@mironkorzalko7761 Probably a Facebook community out there that may be able to help you.
This subject is a double edge sword. I grew up in the late 60s early 70s. The advent of the later models of fuel injection and computer controlled ignition made fuel mileage , drivability and consistency of hot and cold starts a no brainer. Like anything new or something we do not understand we always compare the way it used to be to the new. But it is scary that my 2022 CRV has upwards of 30 computer modules. But to the point of reliability. I spent 32 years as an insurance adjuster and appraiser. It was very common to see vehicles with in excess of a quarter of a million miles on them. That was not a common automobile life in the good old days. Love your down to earth commentary. Keep the videos coming
Thank you very much!
Not true at all 😅
Yes it absolutely was 😅
I grew up in the 1960's & 70's too and back then cars odometers only went to 99,999 miles, and if you didn't buy it new, you had no idea how many miles were really on them. The trouble with new cars when the engine or transmission goes out, could cost more to fix than it's worth, turning it into junk. Also computer modules probably won't be available in future again straight to the junkyard.
@@Jeffrey-t8gbut in the good old days we were junking cars when they hit 7 years old
I really hate stop&start and plastic parts on new engines
I'm with you! The start & stop thing is not cool..
Yeah, stop and start is a terrible feature. Most of your engine wear happens when you crank the engine, because there's no oil pressure at first. It takes a second or two to build up some pressure.
@@steponmemommy9323I have a hybrid CRZ with the same engine as a Honda fit, the engine oil channels are different, there's a gravity-fed maintenance system so that the pressure is maintained when the engine stops for about 4 minutes.
On the other hand, after stopping the engine, it takes a full 30 minutes for the oil pan to get all its oil back, instead of just three.
My point is when it's designed for it, it's not a big deal.
BS
Luckily, manufacturers have an off function for this dumb feature (to please the government EPA standards. It was originally meant for an electric engine.).
If it doesn't, shift it to L (or M) and select the highest gear (eight speed, L8, six speed, L6, etc.) and it'll bypass it.
I'm a mechanic and I can tell you guys that today so car are way less reliable than old car ...at my shop we fix old car like a 48 Pontiac...67 mustang...69 stingray...and 84 Chevy Van ...back then cars were made of iron and steel...not stupid plastic...I m driving a 09 Chevy Aveo that's came out of the factory with a plastic thermostat... every 2 years I have to change that same thermostat again and again until I found one made out of aluminum that never fail since. Today's cars have too much electric components that makes the car go forward...back then they ad no electronic in them and the cars were still going forward...like I always say (( less electronics...less trouble))
are the older models you mentioned, safer in a crash, though?
@@zythr9999 probably not but...this video is about reliability ...not crash .
@@maximejette7674 True, but crash performance is pretty important.
@@zythr9999 maby for you...not for me.
I appreciate you guys' candor. I've got a 97 Del Sol, and a 2000 4Runner, and the plan is to NEVER buy another car. In many ways, I'm disappointed in the modern world.
In 99 I decided I would only buy NEW an electric car, and preferably a self-driving one. So I have a 66, 81, 98, and primary is a 95. There has been insignificant improvement since these particular models. Now, only the 95 and 98 have real computers so I do have to be sure to keep the batteries up in those, or the computers can die. OLD computers die from disuse, and need new caps and sometimes more. The newer computers are much more finnicky about voltage and I doubt any new cars parked 10 years will ever run again. Remains to be seen..
oh, btw the TESLAs starting in MY21 with the "heat pump" and especially MY22+ with LFeP batteries are looking very reliable. Hate the non-dashboard, but otherwise.. going for $20-25k for a Model 3 with 50k miles where they are lasting 300k miles and 12 years.. then factor $4K government discount on USED vehicles to stimulate the development of that side of business.. and its getting pretty close to a deal if my lifestyle were to need 10k miles or more per year on one car. Now the recent INSURANCE crater has sidelined all buyers but that will clear in 2 years with deals until then if you don't finance it. The deals are unbelievable in the next 12-24 months.
Older cars don't have all the bells and whistles that will eventually need attention! I have a 1972 Nova with just the basics, and I can do all the work myself.
Exactly. 👍
i don't want any fancy stuff. but making small engines with turbos and CVTs is making things fail sooner.
I won't buy Honda after 2016, they CVT everything.
Actuality after 2014@GF-mf7ml
2021 Honda Accord 10 speed!
Touring though
Not necessarily. Common sense goes a long way.
#1 frustration is lack of access to service manuals. Everything is within some proprietary dealer only software. I’m just a DIYer car owner that looks to do simple repairs and maintenance
Yes, we struggle with this as well... We spend a ton of money keeping up with the latest information.. Thankfully, as of now, there are some pretty good professional software companies for shops that provide us with this information, but it definitely comes with a cost.
when i bought an 83 Capri it came with 83 Mustang Books (4 of them including body), and when I bought a 90s Truck I bought its shop manuals. Now the Capri is long gone (with its horrid MPG but 5.0-5spd), and the truck is doing just fine on about $50 a year for everything but brakes battery and tires. At this point, I'll see if it can get 500k miles.
Yeah. Not even paid subscription would tell us everything. Only the dealership has all the info.
I am so thankful for so many people sharing their knowledge about car repairs /forums/ videos etc. The ability to find out about what you need and how to do it is at an all time high. Never before has this information been free. You had to purchase a shop manual or know someone who was willing to help you for free and time is money. you can literally search online for anything you are interested in doing your self. A picture or video is worth a thousand words in a manual.
I definitely agree, most of today's issues about reliability (and price) just comes from the insane expactations from the customers and the governments. Modern cars are way more comfortable, way safer, way easier to drive and way quieter than they used to be, while also having better fuel economy, less emission and more power.
I think it's actually incredible that cars are so reliable considering how complex they became. And let's face it, nobody wants to drive a basic car that takes you from point A to point B nowadays ...
There are alot of people that what a basic car less to go wrong.
Nope they aren't idiot
They're NOT more comfortable
They're not way easier to drive 😅
Less emissions is bullshit and always has been. I know this as a mechanic
my frustration working on my car is the fact that it is a 34 year old jeep comanche so it has 34 year old jeep issues like electrical demons haha, but i just did a transmission swap on it and honestly I am glad it was that old, it made the swap much easier to approach with just hand tools and youtube mechanic knowledge
Same problem with my 92 gmc typhoon. Those electronic gremlins are crazy. I'm getting an aftermarket ecu and a complete rewire of the electrical system and a special built harness. I also have a 87 buick grandnational and had to redo almost everything on it 20k for a full mechanical restoration.
I’ve got 3 vehicles that I have the ability to do most maintenance on. Have a 1996 Impala SS with 185,000, a 2001 Honda Accord with 94,000 and a 2004 Jeep Wrangler LJ with 65,000 miles. I leave the maintenance I can’t handle to a trusted repair shop I’m lucky enough to have found. I’ll take older less complicated vehicles that I can work on making sure what’s needed to be done is done correctly.
Hi All, great video. My question is have you seen a decline in the quality / increase in unreliability in cars built say during or after covid? A number of persons say cars built in this very period since Covid are just more cheaply made, even Toyota and Honda.
From min 7 - 10 Brian makes a really great case for 1990s vintage vehicles. We have a fleet of 97 & 98 Grand Cherokees. They have reasonable comfort features, airbags, ABS, keyless remote, reliable engines & 4WD systems. Not great fuel economy but far fewer trinkets to keep functioning. Have had the new push-button disposable junk being built these days and have passed them off in favor of the final two years for the ZJs.
I don't need a cockpit full of gizmos, but I'm sure car companies are doing detailed market research on customer desires. Car shopping for me today, all I want is a gen 3 4Runner.
Nice! One of our service advisers has a 3rd Gen, and he loves it!
I would say new cars have lot more computer modules running everything that can fail and will not work without it.
Thank you for the video.
Thanks!
Yep. Just like no one would buy an old 2000 flip phone today
Great video! Very informative. Never thought about all the problems that have arisen as cars have become high-tech. I was of the same perspective that older is almost better on anything. Good Birds Eye overview.
Thank You!
The biggest problem with new cars is the single fact that they are made by accountants and lawyers, the only engineers on that teams will never have to fix one of their creations either, they just want it to last the 3 years the warranty is good for, after that is not their problem anymore. The new criteria is just get a new product out of the door, the costumer will do the RD while using it, they will just fix it some how so it makes pass the warranty mark.
I'm old enough to remember 80s Mercedes, it was a car for a life time, plenty of them still running, New ones, forget about that, just lease it.
I was a car mechanic at one point, now a Mechanical engineer, the best advise I give my friends is, buy new, replace before warranty expires, with another new one.
You are much better paying the bank, not your mechanic.
Things, including cars and its components are made with planed obsolescence as a priority. Or why do you think most of the airbags/shocks on any new car don't last more than 3/4 years.
You guys are very knowledgeable and technologically advanced, a rare combination of practical, professionals.
Warranty was a lot better on Japanese vehicles in the 90s . My 1991 honda accord was 5 years bumper to bumper. Why don't manufacturers go back to a 5 year warranty that is bumper to bumper. Stand behind your product. I still think that the Japanese cars are still better quality than american made vehicles
You are talking about cars with manual windows/ transmission and optional a/c, those days are long gone old man.
@@absurdh3ro The difference is direct injection ,turbos ,safety features, smaller engines,.
. And all the massive electronics, safety and pollution controls
The warranty was just a piece of paper you never needed on a 90s Accord! My dad, sister and I each got 250-300k out of ours.
Jap cars had all the fruit in the 80s Buddy, power steer, electic windows, autos the lot. nothings new today except the big screen in the car for intertainment@@absurdh3ro
Great video guys. This is my first time viewing your channel. I will come back for more useful information from two regular guys..
The problem with newer vehicles is they are designed specifically to keep diagnostics and repair out of the hands of vehicle owners, and forced government and manufacturer obsolescence. They do this through computerization, design change, and software.
Car manufacturers are interested in vehicle sales or leases and not interested in vehicle repairs. If there is a repair to be made they are forcing customers into the dealerships, who are the only ones with access to software. second, they are cycling models at 5 year intervals, making the obsolete once they pass the end of the 5 year window.
....
Occasionally repair shops can specialize in specific models and years, and get survivable work out of service, Tuneup, drivetrain, Braking, HVAC, exhaust, light electrical, and suspension repairs. However they are not rebuilding engines, transmissions, nor replacing and or reprogramming computer systems, nor are they doing extensive diagnostics related to computer circuits (chasing gremlins). The Manufacturers don't release any of their software or computer components, not even for obsolete vehicles. Independent mechanics can't get their hands on that data, and those components, and of course private owners can't get them either, therefore when those components fail, the vehicle becomes obsolete. It's called planned obsolescence.
So, are newer vehicles less reliable.... Yes... because they are designed to fail....
....
Today vehicle purchasers are not buying a vehicle, they are only purchasing a vehicle proper, but not the proprietary computer(s) and or software necessary for the vehicle to operate. This is somehow supposed to be (alright), but it's not. Manufacturers should be forced to lower the price of vehicles, by excluding those bits the purchaser (aka lessee) does not specifically own, and calling the purchase actually what it is, a proprietary lease.
We can blame it all on consume demand, emissions, fuel mileage, competition, humans only want to move ahead into the future. This world is technologically driven, Keep up or get left behind. No one wants to buy a 2000 Toyota , they want the greatest, best looking and full of bells and whistles. Ask a 25 yr old guy what he wants? Not an old looking and boring look car!
love it, thank you for the honest non biased conversation
Thank you for your kind comment!
We have some newer vehicles and I hated going to the auto repair shop to have to do anything, so I bought an Autel 906pro that has been great, I also have an HP tuners to have access to the computers. And I needed it to build my truck, i put a CR cummins in an 08 Ford because the 6.4 motors are junk but they have the newer style dash. I do work in an auto body repair shop so i have a pretty good understanding on all the computers and how they communicate. I just found your channel and really like it, so new subscriber here.
Great clip and so true ... very informative and enjoyable thanks guys...
Thank you 😊
What is your opinion of Mazda?
I notice some new cars you have to have manually adjust valve clearance, should that be a deal breaker?
Miss my 1986 ck 10 Silverado. Built like a rock, so simple and fun to work on. The bonus my dual fuel tanks that came factory equipment
I need your advice i have a 2007 car with 120 000 km in mint condition without ABS braking...should i get rid of it and get a car with ABS braking? Many are saying that its a death trap without ABS and that i should get a newer car with ABS... please advise thanks...
That is a loaded question that depends on your driving experience
@ShadetreeAutomotiveLayton I have about 15 years experience....I dont think I ever had a car with abs brakes yet.. however I never had a situation yet to use emergency braking so far .so I'm not experienced in emergency braking in any car abs or non abs....
You don't need a scan tool to check bmw oil. Hit the button in the car and it will measure the oil the same way the scan tool does and it will tell you the level.
I have owned two newer Toyotas, (as well as a 2009 Corolla but that ain’t very new I don’t believe) a 2016 Toyota Corolla LE and now I have a 2017 Corolla SE. I got my 2016 with 20k and I drove it to 140k miles and never had one single problem. I did my oil change every 5k miles and my CVT fluid every 50k and it was perfect. I started then want the “fancy things 😂😂” and decided to buy another Corolla but a 2017 with adaptive cruise and lane departure. The SE got a nice partial leather trim black seats that I loved and look much nicer than the 2016s in my opinion. This corolla is at 125k miles and I’ve only replace my front left wheel bearing. My adaptive cruise has worked flawlessly, I have never seen my check engine light before, my CVT is buttery smooth.
I think obviously Maintance is key, these are corollas also so they are not very complex. Everyone complains that they don’t have power and are boring to drive with the CVT. While my fingers will forever be crossed with the CVT, the 1.8 l has been butter smooth in all of my cars, never has burned oil and gets over 40MPG on the highway.
lol this is a tale as old as time. If we backed up 30 years and had this interview in 1994 you'd be telling us all these new electronic fuel injected engines with their overdrive transmissions are unreliable garbage.
Locking Torque Converter (called OD) was in my first 1984 car.
Naw these guys have a point. Its about "right to repair" vs all the hidden bits that you need a computer with encrypted codes to access or tune. First in the 90s, some DIY ability was lost, and the shops had to "subscribe" to software to fix things. Now those costs are out of control requiring a shop to be brand specific, or just do general maintenance work. A DIY can do his brakes or swap a part still, but "fixing" a mystery issue? Check out how you can't swap parts in today's iPhones. Or work on a John Deere tractor. The corpos are "selling" you something that is really a lease, since no one is going to buy it after a ten year period, and the corpos decide when they will obsolete it entirely. Its never really yours. In today''s future "you won't own anything" ..but will you like it? I already don't.
Being able to check fluids without an expensive scan tool affects long term reliability. Who wants to buy a used car that the previous owner couldn’t check the oil level on? Most don’t even want to spend money on getting fluid changes - they sure aren’t going to pay someone to monitor their levels ever week or two. But the time they have their next scheduled service, they could have severe damage from low levels. Maintenance should be made simple again. That’s why I still like Hondas. They are one of the few makes on which you can still check your own transmission fluid.
I drive 2001 VW Golf MK4 and just decided to replace timing belt second time after I bought it in 2017. Yesterday it hit 300 000 km mark, 90 000 of them are mine. Its average is 6.0 liters of Diesel per 100 km (39 mpg) and it only burns 0.7l of oil per 10 000 km. This car is fair to fix, I only pay for parts and work with generic tools. I like that headlights are covered with glass, so I don't have to polish them. I like that I can replace every bulb by myself (and I actually replaced most of them). No need to feed corporate parasites with activation servers and proprietary tools.
Reliability-wise, my VW Golf is more reliable than 1984 Mazda 626, 1990 Audi 80, 1993 Mazda 626, 1996 Skoda Felicia I had. But it is also more reliable than 2007 Hyundai i30 of my relatives they bought new. So, I think that after late 2000s car quality started to decline. I consider enormous complexity and massive integration of electronics as driven by corporate greed. They deliberately create multiple points of failure that are expensive to fix. As IT guy I know that complex electronics never age well, and old pixelated burnt-out display from 2010 with outdated software will always look worse than purely analog dashboard from 1985.
Whether you prefer modern cars or older cars is opinion based. I agree with y'all that reliability comes down to tried and tested parts. I think that's why Toyotas still keep a better resell value over others. I have a 2001 Pontiac Firebird with the GM 3800 V6 and line that car. It'll be my daily driver until the day I die. Parts for it are super generic, reliable, cheap and easy to find. I don't need heated items, air conditioned seats, etc.
I don`t know what the fuss is, I quit purchasing American manufactured vehicles in the nineties and went Toyota! I did my own oil changes, brakes on a Corona, 90s, a 79 truck with a 20R, both I had sold with over 250K that still ran well. Then got a 2004 Highlander, did 4000 mile oil changes, tranny, and gear boxes every 60K or so, traded in with 198K for 2015 RAV4 XLE, 155K later, using similar maintenance schedule, still runs and rides like the day I got it. The real kicker is that I bought them all second-hand! NEVER had a failure or breakdown on any of them!! Back in the old day`s if your car got 100K, that was pretty good. Now if you buy a modern American car and it lasts 100K your lucky! I think there is something wrong with this picture!!
yall should do a video on Ford vs chevy in reliability
Thats a great topic! We will add it to the list
My biggest peev on working on my own car is the fact that when I go to auto parts stores they don't actually have a part in stock and I have to have it ordered in.
Does your team run landscaping services also? Theres a shadetree around here too lol
06:17 YU Guys older than me but I know 80s cars DID have CEL! Maybe you meant 70s?
Some cars had them in late 70s even, but not commonly. Basically everything had CEL by 83.
having much experience with newer mazdas? am hearing a lot of good things from last 10 yrs or so.
Also, I have the shop manual for my 66 mustang and its like an introduction to auto mechanics rather than the point-by-point instruction guides of the 90s and later. the 66 manual shows full diagrams explaining the 4 bbl carb and the multiple (amazing) fuel circuits it uses. my 90s shop manuals will give 8-12 steps designed to, but without even mentioning, "remove all residual air from line". Sometimes following the instructions does not even work, if you don't know what those steps are meant to accomplish! And btw, I had some issue with the restored seats in that 66 not being right.. and turns out FORD used "hog rings" in the upholstery process. They had snapped. Tractor Supply part, not a NAPA part. Back when you fixed it on the farm. Oh, I tweaked the primary jets down one step in that carb. Had to check 3 dozen 2bbl carbs for those jets lol. It was sized 5 over for extra VROOOM (but only sucked extra gas).
Guys under 30 now don't know what to do without a computer and a parts cannon, unless they focus on antiques.
reliability peaked in the late 90's and early 2000's with engines like the 3800 series II and series III. just enough technology but not excessive
35 Year retired mechanic, bought a new car. Looked under the hood, and decided if anything went wrong I will take to the shop. Fortunately we have a good mechanic, with all the proper scanners and equipment. Also if you drive your car with care, instead beten the hell out of it, the car will last long. I had several cars never had any large breakdowns, be nice to your cars.
I've been in the car biz since 1972, I don't think we need most of these new features car makers push on us, they the car makers are in a race between themselves to bring new features to us whether we truly need them or not, but people are forced to buy these cars as that's what's out there when we go to buy a new car, in many cases things come as standard so we have no choice, Sadly the more we have in a car means there is more to go wrong, gone is the day when things are easy or cheap to fix, In particular I dislike the less knobs and buttons which we can operate by touch and feel, today more and more is on a tablet or screen and in order to use that we have to take our eyes off the road which seems so dangerous to me. We cant use our cell phones but we have to focus in on a screen, it makes no sense.
DIY'ing is still possible these days. For more complex repair jobs though it's a lot better to have a second car to have the ability to get more parts that you end up finding that need to be replaced while you're in there. Finding technical information is the hard part for me, mostly torque specs. Although I have to be honest and say I've only done basic maintenance, brake jobs, water pumps, shocks and the usual fluid changes, brake fluid, transmission, diffs and coolant. I've never removed a cylinder head and never seen the insides of the bottom end either. But yes, owning a BMW and a Mercedes forced me to buy a computer to be able to do some of the maintenance work and that computer was about $1500 but it has paid for itself by now since I've probably used it about 10-12 times by now.
Most people I talk to about new cars especially trucks hate all the extra features. Me personally I was an Auto Tech for Subaru and Hyundai so I can work on just about all the new stuff and I can say for sure older cars are more reliable and simple. That’s why you see people driving old civics and corollas from the late 80’s and early 90’s still on the road. Most vehicles you can still work on the cars especially Asian and most American vehicles excluding diesel trucks if you get a decent scan tool for $500 and personally I’d rather buy one of those than send my car to the shop for a $400 break change and $100+ dollar oil change. I also only buy manual vehicles except my truck simply because they don’t make a 1500 in a manual anymore. They also come from the factory with cheeper crappy part nowadays and being a Hyundai tech we had to replace engines straight from the factory because they had bearing clearance problems which is something Honda or Toyota don’t have. Honda did have a semi rough start to turbo engines with oil dilution but they have figured that out with the newer models.
My 1994 Toyota may be as tough as nails, but increasingly when some easy-to-DIY part does break it's hard to impossible to find new on a stock shelf somewhere. That is certainly true.
I am thankful though that half of my engine isn't made out of plastic. It works absolutely fine for a new engine when the engineering has been done right, but plastic just isn't a permanent material.
Smaller engines, turbos, and CVTs is recipe to kill longevity and force the consumer to buy more cars more often.
This is insane 😳
I've got a daily driven '95 legacy wagon running strong/reliable at 434k+, are new cars able to do that?
In my opinion, the late 90's cars are the best of both worlds, they have OBDII to easily diagnose and were designed to be repaired by DIY'ERS.
Yep. Mode the most part.
What do you guys think on the thinner oils of today like 0w16 or ow20.
It's definitely designed for lower internal resistance and tighter tolerances to increase fuel efficiency.. The use of these oils is still a fairly new concept it really takes time for problems to start showing up. However, we really haven't seen anything specific show up yet. 0w20 has now been out for some time and seems to be working well..
@@ShadetreeAutomotiveLayton thank you guys for the reply greatly appreciated and keep up the good work , great channel 👍
@@ShadetreeAutomotiveLayton would using 5-20 be OK? So much cheaper than the new 0-7w now on some new toyotas
Ow16 was specifically developed for use on the newer GDI / Turbo / Direct Injection engines. The Ow16 is perfect for those Honda 1.5 liter engines that had oil dilution issues. More specifically, the "GF-6" formula.
Please make sure you only use the oil that the engine oil cap tells you to use. Many newer vehicles have variable valve timing, and using the wrong oil can cause malfunction or damage to the VVT system. The VVT solenoids/actuators/screens are designed to work with only the correct oil specs.
Nice video Tommy and bro !
Heck yeah Brax!
It's a plain fact that the cost of required maintenance for newer vehicles has increased substantially. AWD being common means that there are more fluids to service. CVT transmissions require much more frequent service intervals to function correctly. Many new vehicles have AGM batteries which are more than double the cost of a traditional car battery. Overall, the increased complexity also means that major components like engine and transmission are much more likely to have a catastrophic failure when service intervals aren't kept up. So the increased cost of services means that the "typical" consumer will not properly maintain the vehicle due to either cost or ignorance. Then the increased vulnerability of the car to damage when service is neglected results in a catastrophic failure much sooner. And then the cost of an engine or transmission replacement is extremely high because of the longer labor times and parts that are more expensive due to complexity.
Do you need to be able to climb into your engine bay for your vehicle to be reliable? No. But the "latest and greatest" vehicles after a 100,000 miles can really hurt the average Joe due to that increased cost of maintenance down the road. A 10 year old used car that's cheaper to maintain and has a good service history will often treat the owner way better than a 3 or 5 year old car, especially if it's a luxury brand.
My 2014 Mustang also is a base model with a manual transmission. I love that, no extra options and the money I saved not buying all the fancy stuff I put a supercharger on it.
In the last line of the video when you mentioned Unreliable electronics you said it all
My 1979 f250 was on its 3rd engine at 90000 miles. That very dependable carburetor with worn out shafts washed the cylinders down sucked in dirt, made it hard to start . Wore out a $45 starter every couple years. Wore out a $35 alternator every 6 months. They just dont make em like they used to. Thank goodness.😊. Ooops forgot to mention the headlights that both quit after 30 minutes and the ignition that quit every trip longer than 25 minutes
This is my dads experience exactly, old stuff garbage new stuff kinda ok
I have no nostalgia for domestic cars from the 70s. They were for the most part easier to work on but reliability was terrible.
the part of this video about the 2008 hack job emissions (which I know nothing about), reminds me of Detroit doing the exact same thing in the mid 70s and continuing right through to the mid 80s. I had a carb on an oddfire V6 84 Olds (CAD) that was the rottenest thing I have ever had to work with. Basically it had a semi-throttle body fine fuel trim system embedded in the middle of a 2 bbl carb where several parts could quit or work independently, sitting on a electric grill spacer that liked to melt down and burn fuel/air going through it. Fricken horrible thing. Nothing in the 90s was as bad as those late carb designs. Separately "save the whales" was a good idea but it destroyed a LOT of 70s transmissions. Then there were the Boomers who didn't want those awful UNION jobs, and quality was just abysmal. There was way too much work on the Detroit engineers for 15 years there, mostly because their bosses wanted NEW DESIGNS but also PATCHES on the current design almost yearly. Each of these is often just as much work for the engineer. meaning 3x the work of just getting the NEW DESIGN done, because GM/FORD wanted to procrastinate that while paying lawyers and lobbyists to fight government regulations, then rush designs when the lobbying failed. Consequently engineers could not do a good job, and the quality was as bad as the designs were. The humble Japanese took 40% market share.
One of thecreason it is the case is people changing car all the time. It's more of a social status thing like a phone rather than a long term tool we need. People change car often and companies understood the assignment. There also are a LOT more requirements, which companies must meet, therefore cut on costs while trying to please customers.
Some fantastic information 👍 Thank you.
Love how objective you guys are in how you present. Just give the data at face value. No need to spin it and blame this, that and the other.
My 2020 Camry was so over complicated, it didn't know if it wanted to stop or go, dodge a ghost on the highway by jerking in to the oncoming lane and slamming on the brakes, air conditioner blow cold air or not, or if the gas gauge wanted to work. Cars reached the peak quality a few years ago and have been dropping since. They become throwaway pieces of junk you can't rebuild and need stupid amounts of equipment to maintain.
BTW you mentioned having a 2017 4Runner. I am looking to get a 2023 or 2024 model before the 2025 model comes out in the spring. I never trust the first year of a new model upgrade, especially with the new one having a turbo engine.
Short answer for the really observant ones:
YES!
If that was not the case, we would see tons of cars disabled on the road!
Now, QUALITY wise?
NOT all!
Just look at how quality is number last at Ford!
Diesels are dead due to emissions standards and diesel quality in the US
Edit: and diesel price on top of everything vs gassers
Why I drive a 1995 Suburban. L05 350 motor, 4L60E transmission. It ain't complicated.
Good old 5.7l with throttle body fuel injection one of the most reliable machines! That's a good year for reliability.. In 96, they went to a multiple port injection system that built slightly more power. However, allot less reliable.
Yes and no. I grew up working on them when I was young. They had their little share of problems. Way outdated now.
I work on all my own stuff, so obviously I am biased against new vehicles. But even just driving them, I cannot stand anything post recession era. It seems like just before that, we peaked in reliability. To me, the golden spot is anywhere from the 60's to the early 2000's. And based on preference you can pick from there. All I know is that I would be way harder, way more work, and way more money. To engine swap my 70's cars than it would be to anything new.
Hi, My name is Rey from California. I have a Hyundai Tucson which my engine blow on my way home on Father’s Day. It didn’t give me any warning except it lost compression and the engine light started flashing. I automatically pulled my car over off the Hwy and all I seen was white smoke coming out of the tail pipe and from under the hood.!. Now my Hyundai been at the Hanford Ca. dealership for 2wks untouched because of the CDK CYBER ATTACK.!. And I’m stranded 43miles away in Coalinga Ca. Going on 3weeks now. I live in San Fernando Valley. 🤬🤬👎🏽. Don’t know what to do.????.
Wow. What happened then??
@@AlexandrosT1, well, After a month Hyundai denied me a new motor. because they only give new owners and second owners 60,000 miles on the motor.!. That mess up. Now I’m stuck without a car.!. 😡☹️😡👎🏽
Wonder if CAFE standards ruined my love affair w GM? That DOD lifter issue is a nightmare. I've disabled it and found no significant changes in mpg. Averaging 18.3 around town n 21 hwy.
The challenge I had was to replace by myself the harmonic balancer on my 1995 Jaguar Xj6 (daily driver). The part is out of production, so I had to call all over the US to get used part from a salvage yard, as the OEM available on Ebay was made in India, and it was not machined properly, poor quality on the metal and not properly balanced. I had to practice for about 2 hours on a used crankshaft with a delaminated harmonic balancer from the same engine, using the right pulley tool , so I can learn how to remove it and put back on the crankshaft, without damaging the keyway and properly tight up the 30 mm crankshaft bolt. As a result, of my practice, I successfully installed the used harmonic balancer from the first try on that engine 4.0 Liter inline straight 6), using the ignition crank method. It took me 4 hours to get the job done by myself, (I was not in a hurry) but I saved over $2000 if I had to go to a professional mechanic shop. Now, the car is used for work again and I log about 1000 miles per month. I am planning to do the same procedure on my 1995 Jaguar Vanden Plas (weekend driver) as the harmonic balancer on that car is 30 years old by now., ( car made in 1994) I am waiting on a machine shop here in the US who is working on a custom harmonic balancer for me , based on the original part.
did the next gen AJ-V8 motor also have this issue with harmonic balancers? I like both the XJ and XK, and haven't heard this was a problem.
All I want is a mid 2000's Toyota with adaptive cruise control in stop and go traffic, am I asking for too much?
It's good to be able to fix cars yourself. There may be shortage of mechanics, waiting times... You have to bring a car to the garage in the morning, ask for a lift, then collect it... If you have skills and some time, you can easily fix older cars - I can order almost any NEW part for my 1958 Rover P4 online. I'll never buy a modern car again. Life is too short to drive something boring. It's really enjoyable to own, fix, maintain and drive classic cars - it's a lot of fun. Some of the modern classics, like early 90s Mercedeses are very safe, comfortable and reliable. You can easily drive them daily. A 1987 car that I have starts on the button every time, can easily keep up with the modern traffic, spacious and looks cool. In Ireland if you have a "main" car insured on your name, you can own a fleet of classic cars (up to 4) on one cheap classic car policy, cheap road tax and no need for national car test after 40 years. Haven!
In today's economy with the highest inflation most of us don't even look at a new cars, but like myself i own 3house's have multiple other properties and my daily drivers are an 89 s10, nizzan hard body, and a Ford ranger, my wife a Honda Odyssey.
Can a law be in force from an aftermarket warranty ripping consumer on warranty that they won't approve
Things I get frustrated with is the over engineering of a lot of stuff on cars today, like an electric E-brake. For some when those electric e-brakes wont engage if you have a dead battery. -- The other thing is the Gov. regulation for fuel mileage. Because of those many things have changed, which have decreased reliability.
When it comes to working on real old cars. (60’s’s, early 70’s) It was so much easier. There was plenty of space to get to everything. Fuel and ignition problems were easy to solve. On long trips, I’d just take a spare set of contact points since that would be the most likely ignition failure. Now, a failure in the fuel, ignition management system means you’re calling a tow truck.
Cars don't have to be barebones to be reliable. Remember the Yugo? The Hyundai Excel? The Chevrolet Chevette? Garbage cars that were cheap, basic, AND unreliable.
Buy a car that is designed and engineered the way it should be and it shouldn't matter how many computers are under the hood or how much plastic is on it... it'll last because the components are designed to.
I don't care what era your car is from, if it was engineered and designed well, it'll be reliable.
Yes, the Yugo, Excell, and Chevette were horrible 🤣
I have a 2014 Mustang and I can still do things myself on that. The idea of having to use a 10k scan tool to do brakes seems like it was done on purpose to discourage do it yourselfers. I almost don’t want anything newer because of that, I don’t know how people afford things today, $1,000 car payments $400 for insurance and have to take it to the shop and you are looking at $1,000 for basic maintenance.
6/1/24- Thank you for your informative vids
1. It's been decided for us
- We consumers do demand desire want immediate gratifications
2. Disposable vehicles
- However, corporates know there's money in disposable Things
3. EPA
- There's carbon emission incentives
- From you I now hear Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE, 1997)
Toyotas one global platform creates new replacement parts
As you stated back in the day
It was tried and true parts used across different platforms
So, I hear you that consumers drive newer vehicles
And so do corporate manufactures feed consumers desires
Damn if you do damn if you want it
I had a 2010 compass lasted 7 years when the Maintenace started, $5000 a year kinda Maintenace, traded in for a 2017 Tucson and yup, 7 years later I was told it needed $10000 in Maintenace, traded as is for a leased Subaru, might lease from now on, we will see. All running maintenance was done on time at the dealership. I don't buy the "Modern is more reliable" bs, I owned a 71 nova with a straight 6 that I could do most maintenance on myself, sold it to a guy who wanted to drop a 454 in it, back in 1985. Had 200160 miles on the motor :)
Great info in this video! I feel there is a place for the gizmos and basics! Who in the hell would want to tow 15k trailers 😂
No doubt! I'm sure the transmissions love that much lbs. 🤣
All I need is a dome light and some glow in the dark gauges.
More complexity means more stuff that can break and more difficulty to repair it.
I still rather have the 90s vehicles. Hands down. I think ill try to keep these gems. Are they more unsafe while driving? Maybe. Considering everything on the road now a days is a tank compared to your avererage 90s toyota vehicle. I drive very carefully. I treat my driving as if im on a motorcycle. I have had many close calls but since i drive defensively and use a horn im always on alert. I rather be able to fix my vehicle and have it run then be in debt for a pavement princess. With gizmos and parts all over. Keep it simple. I dont need a tv or flashing lights. I like it dark in my cab. No distractions. I focus on the road at all times. Still trucking. 95 t100 350xxx on the tranny. And 93 22re pickup with 100xxx 22re.
Had a 93 camry i got up to 250xxx. Sold it. Wish i didnt. I wish i had all 3!!!
The 93 was hands down more comfortable and a refined engine then the 22re. 5sfe underrated toyota motor. The best 4banger for cruising/long road trips in comfort. The one thing the ol 22re LACKs. Lol
My main issue is the longevity of modern vehicles. Sure, that digital screen for your instrument panel looks awesome & the touch screen for controlling your media, hvac & Bluetooth is very convenient. But will they really last 10, 20 or 30 years?
If any of those screens decided to wig out after 7 years of use, how expensive will it be to replace it? Can it be replaced? If not, congratulations, you spent $80,000 junkyard toy.
You said it yourself, some of these vehicles you can't even replace the brakes or windshield without a diagnostic scanner. You really think we'll see any of these vehicles 20 years from now?
How about the transmission or engine? Some new vehicles don't even offer rebuilds. If they break in any capacity, they're scrapped & a new one has to be installed.
I still see plenty of vehicles from the the 80s,90s & early 2000s. Relatively easy to work on & going strong with 300,000 miles on them.
I bought my f150 new in 2012. It's got 160,000 miles on it & I plant to have it for at least 10+ more years. I don't think I'll ever buy new again knowing that these new vehicles are so advanced that 1 fault in a computer & it's junkyard time only after 10 years/150,000 miles.
I'll avoid all the over computerized POS as long as I can. In my experience, all the warning modules are triggered by a problem with the module, not system it's designed to warn about.
I’m on the road a lot. I prefer to drive over flying. I found out the hard way a GM dealer in Utah, will not honor the work of a GM dealer in Virginia. So far I have not had that problem with BMW. Expensive, but no service problems from state to state.
90’s vehicles were good and bad. We could use a test light or volt meter and we can verify parts. We can’t test a module today. Without a good module, We can’t always know we’re right or wrong
Screw Exxcitment. Gimme the reliability. Don’t want anything to do with small displacement turbos gas engines. Especially from Ford !!!
BMWs on the ramps….. a very common sight 😂
might just be routine service/maintenance 😁
It seems to be hit or miss. Some newer vehicles will have no issues for 150k+ miles while others are a nightmare from day 1. Older is alsp much more DIY friendly. Example: my 2017 silverado seems to be more reliable than my DD 1989 S10, however when something does break on the silverado it tends to be much more expensive. I have learned how to do all of the basic things to keep the s10 from leaving me stranded; (setting base timing, idle, etc.). While OBD1 is much more vague and prone to running weird, it doesn’t take much to get it running. I can appreciate both eras of technology but I do truly enjoy working on my older vehicle more so than modern vehicles I would say.
I understand that auto technology is an ongoing evolution. But with that being said, and having studied mechanical engineering and an uncle who worked for Lambogini, auto makers are over energineering their cars. For example, my uncle eventually designed and built his own CZETA sports car and made the power train bulletproof. And the car ran on regular unleaded. This is a testament of real engenuity and good common sense mechanical design. This is what auto makers need to improve on, but if they did, they would not sell new cars as often because car owners would keep their cars longer. And hey, why not. Cars are becoming more outrageously expensive with all their unnecessary bells and whistles.
My 92 Civic Si hatch with 450 thousand kms on it would start within 5 seconds in -42 Celsius with no block heater or nothing. Same day,none of our brand new gasoline F350s on the pipeline would start,even with being plugged in. We didn’t work that day because we couldn’t get there. That’s what 75 thousand dollars gets you.😊
It's not even about reliability, although I am sure modern cars are less reliable, as you two just confirmed having propietary tools, software and too complicated unnecessary systems, is the real rip off and reason why modern cars especially cars after 2014 suck so hard.
I never asked for any of this new stuff - none of it. We had all we needed in the 90's.
Im still driving my silverado 94 4.3 engine almost hitting 300k miles. Same motor and transmission the only thing a swap was the rear differential. Cost me 200 dollars and still driving today 😂. I dont like new computer modules tellling me how to fix my car 😊
I think I'll just keep fixing my 1993 Ford Explorer and my 2002 Ford Taurus.
Hey guys, you said we want all this fancy stuff on new cars? I don't! I love manual transmissions, all I need is cruise &A/C & I'm good. :)
Newer Hondas,toyotas,Nissan are being made in Mexico,It seems that reliability and quality control is being compromised.
I use to do all of my own work. I find what makes it too difficult to work on cars now, tools. I purchased what I need to work on the wife’s car. Can’t be used on my car. I buy a newer car, then all of the tools I used on my old car can’t be used on my newer car. The electronics from model to model, year to year require up dates that are too expensive for the individual.