WTF? This is progress?

[Who Dares Wins]

I used to do my own maintenance when I was growing up! Big end bearings replaced in my home garage and I wrapped duct tape around a steel pipe under the exhaust to stop it fretting after some work on the fuel pump. I drove 1/4 mile down the road and smoke was coming out of the window demister vents inside the car. Me and my brother baled out pretty fast, but no big flames, just a lot of duct tape smoke!

These days I wouldn't have a clue where to start! Cars have improved greatly, but it does cost you to get simple things fixed these days..

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I hope and pray all that time that neither of our vehicles will be in need of big expensive repairs.

*sigh*

2006 Altima V-6 w/ 124k miles
2009 Sedona w/ 75k miles

hope hope hope hope that both vehicles don't give up the Ghost at the same time, either.

 

[ws6guy]

In general cars have gotten better about durability. For instance my wife's 06 accord just turn 100k miles and I just now finally had to fix it's 1st broken part, windshield wiper connecting rod. On the other hand my f150 that we bought a couple months before her car has had more problems and replacement parts than I can remember. We are currently in the market for a minivan due to expanding family size and I would say more than likely it will be a Honda in hopes of a trouble free car. Bad thing is we'll be keep the trouble ridden F150 since can't fathom the thought of not having a truck.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Last Saturday I replaced the overhead console on a `12 truck because one of the LED reading lamp modules (bulbs for you normal people LOL ) would go to disco mode whenever it felt like it,
They are not serviced outside of the console.
Nothing special, LED lights, Garage door opener and power rear slider switch, which did not come with new unit, Lights only.

The price.........740.00 Without labor.
For a piece of plastic.........Damn good thing it was still under warranty.

There is a reason I hang on to my `01 Diesel.


Rick..

That's just plain crazy.

And THAT's the kind of thing that can make a guy feel like he should have gotten dinner and a movie first.

There are soooo many things in cars and trucks that are either specifically designed to eventually require costly repair work, or at best, were not fully tested before being used in production.

There are cars that have things like plastic coolant inlet pipes and fittings; things that might save a couple of dollars and a few ounces of weight on a new car, that will almost be certain to have to be replaced at least once in the cars lifetime. So who saves there?

 

[Bowman78]

That's just plain crazy.

And THAT's the kind of thing that can make a guy feel like he should have gotten dinner and a movie first.

There are soooo many things in cars and trucks that are either specifically designed to eventually require costly repair work, or at best, were not fully tested before being used in production.

There are cars that have things like plastic coolant inlet pipes and fittings; things that might save a couple of dollars and a few ounces of weight on a new car, that will almost be certain to have to be replaced at least once in the cars lifetime. So who saves there?

The manufacturer!!

 

[ATOMonkey]

Cars are designed to be manufactured. Anything else is just bonus as far as they're concerned.

Sure, some things are designed to be maintained, but they're few and far between.

I dread the day when we have to buy a newer car. I'm just getting good at working on our 10 year old vehicles.

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

Newsflash: Cars are designed to be difficult for the average person to trouble-shoot and repair. Cars are designed to have cool gadgets and stuff that attract buyers when they are new, but that often turn out to be money pits after a few years and many miles.

I just put a new water pump on a 2004 Sebring. The water pump on that engine is inside the engine, behind the timing chain, which you can't just take off and put back on without it's own idiosyncrasies and concerns. I spent $350.00 just on the parts, coolant, oil, gaskets and stuff, and it took me more than 3 entire days to do (since I'm basically a shade-tree mechanic). That repair would have cost well over $1000 at a dealership.

I feel like I should get a T-shirt that says: I fixed the timing chain and water pump on a Chrysler V6 - And it still runs!

Don't get me started on Sebrings - whoever engineered them should have to remove the battery from a bodily orifice...

For the uninitiated -the battery is literally inside the front fender - in front of the driver's side front wheel! You have to jack up the car and remove the wheel in order to change the battery... I keed you not....

I would seriously love to pimp slap the engineer on that one!

 

[Denny347]

Newsflash: Cars are designed to be difficult for the average person to trouble-shoot and repair. Cars are designed to have cool gadgets and stuff that attract buyers when they are new, but that often turn out to be money pits after a few years and many miles.

I just put a new water pump on a 2004 Sebring. The water pump on that engine is inside the engine, behind the timing chain, which you can't just take off and put back on without it's own idiosyncrasies and concerns. I spent $350.00 just on the parts, coolant, oil, gaskets and stuff, and it took me more than 3 entire days to do (since I'm basically a shade-tree mechanic). That repair would have cost well over $1000 at a dealership.

I feel like I should get a T-shirt that says: I fixed the timing chain and water pump on a Chrysler V6 - And it still runs!

My water pump on my BMW is electric and is not part of the serpentine belt system, but it is a real PITA to change...much harder than the water pump on my 1987 Mustang 5.0 LX that I had to replace a couple of times.

 

[halfmileharry]

MOST of the time 'regular maintenance', or rather a lack thereof, is the issue. Most folks just 'jump in and drive 'em' and, except for maybe oil changes, don't fix or replace anything until the vehicle is 'broken'.

I grew up with mechanics. Dad, Brother, godfather, Dads buddies, Brothers buddies. ALL working mechanics but also 'shade-tree' mechanics. So, 'preventive' maintenance is somewhat ingrained. Change the battery, tires, fluids, plugs & wires (etc.), alternator, light bulbs, a/c system, and so forth before they're due, or quit working. Glaze twice a year, wax regularly (modern glazes and waxes are amazing), vacuum and / or wash carpets and mats a couple times a year, etc.

13 year old Blazer pretty much still looks great. No rust, everything works. Just wish I could get the Lady to QUIT parking against the curb by 'feel' and scrubbing off the raised white letters! Oh well, at least it almost always has a 'new' set of tires on it!

What? The curb almost always has a "new" set of tires on it? That's spoiled

 

[halfmileharry]

How many Mercury Milan / Ford Fusion owners have gone to replace a tail light bulb only to find out that it's gonna' be a $500.00 repair? We took my daughters car into the dealership (TWF) because it was stalling out and they discovered that the tail light / brake light was not working. So on top of the $800.00 some kind of valve repair I have to get thouroughly screwed on the tail light assembly. On top of that they also recommend the replacement of a tire that has impact damage and a big chunk out of the sidewall. My daughter did admit to hitting a very large chuck hole awhile back. I wouldn't have normally let the dealer replace the tire but since the car was there and they had a tire that matched I O.K.'D the replacement. I did decline on the tail light replacement pending further investigation. So after $1000.00 repair cost, plus a $75.00 tow my daughter takes off from the dealership to go to work. Ten minutes later I get the call. The car is stalled at a stoplight. The dealers response......"It must be something else......" I am really P. O.ed! But anyway......Anyone have any input or shared experience on the tail light issue?

My GF had a Mini and the Power Steering module went out of right out of warranty. The module was right at $1,600.00. On a Mini I thought it was ridiculous. I got lucky and found a used assembly for $300.
Fomoco is like the rest of them. Lots of screwed up designs and engineering. Be thankful it's not a Triton.

 

[Zephri]

Jeeze you all drive new vehicles, right now I drive a 95 Celica and just recently an 87 S10 Blazer. Both have been reliable and easy to fix with common parts, although I love how hilariously easy GM parts are to find especially at junkyards and cheap too!

 

[Magneto]

Last year we traded in my wifes 04 Taurus. It had 120,000 miles and had been very reliable. It had only one odd problem, and it wasn't too awfully expensive to fix.

 

[RockofStrength]

Don't get me started on Sebrings - whoever engineered them should have to remove the battery from a bodily orifice...

For the uninitiated -the battery is literally inside the front fender - in front of the driver's side front wheel! You have to jack up the car and remove the wheel in order to change the battery... I keed you not....

I would seriously love to pimp slap the engineer on that one!

I have seen some stupid design decisions, but methinks that something that sadistic was intentional. And rightly deserving of a serious kick in the head.

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

RoS -

Yup - google it.. I had to, because I couldn't find the stupid thing... 2005 Sebring.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

RoS -

Yup - google it.. I had to, because I couldn't find the stupid thing... 2005 Sebring.

Yeah, battery inside the fender, 12 kinds of nice.

 

[spencer rifle]

THAT'S why we drive early-1990s Geos. Sure they're cheap and we must be eternally vigilant about rust, but we get 50 mpg highway without the hybrid complexity/expense. And I can hand carry the engine block in to the shop for machine work. We do almost all our own work.
Shock replacement:
Dealer/mechanic = $800
me = $150
Problems include a rapidly shrinking parts supply, and all the junk yard targets are melting away in a pool of rust.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

I was going to try to jumpstart one lady's Sebring; we never did find the battery. Handy (in a backward sort of way) to know where it is, and that I wasn't crazy.

 

[Oresti]

I've never seen a car that didn't have to have something replaced on it before 100K miles. Cars may be better engineered, but they sure as hell aren't better built. And quality has done everything but increase.

Ask that same guy in his sixties how many of the cars he worked on had recalls.

I went over 100K in my Scion before I had to replace the rear brake pads. 156K and still not one single issue.

Today's cars are light-years better than cars from 1960's. It's no comparison.

 

[Oresti]

Jeeze you all drive new vehicles, right now I drive a 95 Celica and just recently an 87 S10 Blazer. Both have been reliable and easy to fix with common parts, although I love how hilariously easy GM parts are to find especially at junkyards and cheap too!

I had a 94 Celica. Best car I've ever had.

 

[HoughMade]

My 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Ext. cab- replaced the front brakes at 65,000 miles. Only work it has had other than fluid and filter changes. 70,000 on it now and runs like the day I drove it off the lot.

My wife's 2012 Town and Country.....well, it's comfortable and has good gas mileage, but the 4 wheel brake job at 40,000 to the tune of $500.00....did not make me smile. Yes, I could have done it, but there was a time vs. money issue.

I'm starting to think the 1996 Saturn I bought for my son was a screaming good deal- 30 mpg in mixed driving. I did a muffler for $45.00 and new front disks and pads for about $100. It runs and drives like new (73,000 miles).