Unfixable cars? Enough already!
American Thinker,
by
Jonathan Colvin
Original Article
Posted By: mc squared,
2/23/2025 12:02:41 PM
I am old enough to have owned a half-dozen cars or trucks with no computers, including a 1941 Ford coup, a 1956 Chevrolet two-door sedan, and a 1966 Chevrolet Malibu. Fixing these vehicles to make them run correctly took some rudimentary skills and a Motors Manual. The electrical system comprised wires, fuses, and a fuse box. The fuel system was simple as well. Diagnosing the problems was simple, and I could fix it all myself. Even the carburetor was not that hard to rebuild. [snip]Under the guise of helping to clean up the environment, the program all but eliminated all cars and parts
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Reply 1 - Posted by:
snakeoil 2/23/2025 12:12:15 PM (No. 1902284)
I miss manual windows. Who is so lazy they can't turn a crank to open or close a window? And I loved the vent windows on the front windows that you could open and fill your car with fresh air as you drove. But, I do enjoy GPS. No need for maps or asking people for directions.
17 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
Dodge Boy 2/23/2025 12:12:16 PM (No. 1902285)
I miss my 1969 Dodge truck. I could give the engine a full tuneup in 20 minutes. Still havr my timing light and dwell meter.
20 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
jkb 2/23/2025 12:12:40 PM (No. 1902286)
We had a used Prius that was great for commuting into work. One day there was a hellish squeal and a weird code. Our mechanic of 25+ years couldn't ID the code. Dealership took 3 days to figure out the code was a brake issue--they'd never seen it before either. The cost to repair? $5,000!!! We didn't pay $5k for the car when we bought it used. Donated it instead and got a gas powered Toyota.
12 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Sully 2/23/2025 12:27:54 PM (No. 1902295)
Oh lawdy please make it so. A good unteched car using today's synthetic motor oil would run the rest of my life.
I mean Toyota of course.
16 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Newtsche 2/23/2025 12:31:02 PM (No. 1902297)
I drive a 2000 Tacoma, probably worth more than it cost new. No computers, solid as a rock, minimal maintenance, manual tranny, it WILL outlast me. The best vehicle I've ever owned, I am so proud to drive it. I see nothing I would trade for it.
12 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
Noj15 2/23/2025 12:34:06 PM (No. 1902299)
I replaced the clutch on my '60 Ford Falcon wagon. I laid on the garage floor, crawled under the wagon and dropped the bell housing and went to Grand Auto for an American part to replace it. I won't even stick a screwdriver in that mess under the hood today. Friggin' computers on wheels today.
16 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Mcscow sailor 2/23/2025 12:45:29 PM (No. 1902307)
There was a time when tv’s were “parts”, ez enough to repair. Then they moved to transistors. No longer easy to repair. Then they moved to replaceable boards, hard to diagnose but easy to repair. Then they moved to “cheaper to replace than repair”. Cars seem to be following the same path, tho neither cars or repairs are cheap
15 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Axeman 2/23/2025 12:45:41 PM (No. 1902308)
I hate carburetors. They are very good at doing their job within limits but get overly complicated when you try to expand the limits Fuel injection and coil-over-plug electronic ignition are miracles of engine control. Add the feed back of Mass Air Flow and Oxygen sensors and the perfect amount of fuel is always provided.
Now, the problem is PARTS. If you cant get good replacement parts (or, if the parts are too costly) the vehicle becomes scrap quickly. A popular, high production vehicle will be supported much longer than something that gets replaced and upgraded often. You can probably build a '64 F150 from all new parts.
I don't mind buying the diagnostic tools. they save me many dollars and hours when some code pops up or I need to check things out.
What really complicates things is the "infotainment" systems. Backup cameras, sensors, navigation, bluetooth, light and climate control, satellite receivers, location transmitters, VIN number transmitters, etc. There are multiple computers on multiple networks doing a lot of things besides making the engine run. People want all of these things. A lot is gov't dictated. Maybe it's time for a super simple but high quality A to B type car.
17 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Venturer 2/23/2025 12:56:07 PM (No. 1902318)
Last week I got charged $450 dollars to put 6 spark plugs in my Ford F-150 pick up.
10 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
JHHolliday 2/23/2025 1:05:43 PM (No. 1902320)
I had a 1953 Plymouth "Cranbrook" sedan. I have no idea why that name was chosen. Some marketing genius at the ad agency, I guess. Great car though. Flathead 6 with so much room under the hood that I could sit on the wheel well and work on it.
14 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
franq 2/23/2025 1:11:39 PM (No. 1902323)
So timely. Our son is dealing with multiple error codes on his 2019 Camry. Toyotas have always been funny if you replace the battery, but this is off the charts. Online searches so far are little help. Cars went to heck when they went to GDI and 0w20 oil. All in the name of fuel efficiency. The saddest part is the car only has 60k miles.
8 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
raspberry 2/23/2025 1:16:24 PM (No. 1902329)
It infuriates me that the garage wants $100 for a plug-in diagnostic that costs them $0 to perform. The auto parts store will do that for nothing. Of course, the garage won't recognize that printout.
10 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
DVC 2/23/2025 2:57:03 PM (No. 1902383)
Re #9, if the F-150 was a 2004 to about 2009, with the 'spark plugs from hell' which glue the lower half in place with carbon and tear in half on 'removal' leaving ceramic and steel fragments to be extracted from the engine by special miracle tools......you got off cheap. Done wrong they can kill the engine, internal damage that costs more to repair than the vehicle is worth.
Anyone interested in Ford's genius spark plug "innovation" can find dozens of Youtube videos about the horrors and how to use these special tools to salvage the engine, WHEN, not if, the spark plug lower half breaks off when replacing plugs.
Horror shows abound. Even my wonderful, ultra reliable, 347K running perfectly when I sold it, 2001 Honda Accord had a glitch. The AC stopped working. The clutch on the compressor wasn't working and I pulled the clutch and adjusted the engagement. No improvement. Power wasn't getting to the clutch, which I should have checked first, of course. Tracing the wire back, the fuses were OK, then through the main fuse box, all OK. Relay OK, wiring back to the main car computer, all OK (tedious and time consuming to prove) and finally.....the output from the main car computer which was REQUIRED to turn on the AC compressor (WHY???) was dead. So, a new main computer was $2500, and $600 at the dealer ONLY to program it to work in the car. Looking at used computers....they were $1300-ish, but still $600 for the dealer to integrate, and 20-40 various sub-versions of the computer depending on exactly which option the car had, side air bags, V6 or I4, auto or manual trans, etc, etc, etc.....and it had to be the perfect match or the dealer wouldn't even attempt to program it.
Fix? A toggle switch added to engage the AC clutch when you desired AC. Set the temp, blower speed, and outlets, as normal, then toggle on the compressor clutch, and icy cold air, by bypassing the "Mother May I?" from the main computer. The guy I sold it to didn't bat an eye when he saw the mint interior, all things working perfectly and icy AC with a quirk of a toggle switch.
And that was a 2001, they are FAR, FAR more complex today.
9 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
JimBob 2/23/2025 3:00:48 PM (No. 1902390)
I've been turning my own wrenches for 60 years, starting with bicycles and go-karts when I was a kid helping my older brother. I recall the 'good ol' days' of carburetors, points-and-condenser ignitions and three-on-the-tree manual transmissions.
Let me compare, from my experience, then and now:
Then: Oil change every 3,000 miles, and grease the suspension (8 to 20 zerk fittings) every other oil change.
Now: Change the oil every 5,000 (with synthetic oil) suspensions are sealed and never need lube.
Then: A tune-up..... points, condenser, plugs, adjust the valves.... every 20,000 miles, with a rotor and distributor cap every other time.
Now: Change the spark plugs every 100,000 to 150,000 miles.
Then: Tires lasted what.... 30,000 miles? Now: Tires last nearly 100,000 miles.
Then: Steel exhaust systems lasted what.... 3 years? Now: Stainless steel systems last 20+ years.
Then: Drain & flush the cooling system.....every 3 years? Now... every 5 years or so.
Then: Radiator and heater hoses lasted what.... 5 years? Now: they last at least 20 years.
Then: Fan belts lasted maybe 30,000 miles, now alternator and A/C belts last close to 100,000 miles.
Then: Ball joints & tie-rod ends lasted.... 30,000 to 50,000 miles. Now, usually good for over 100,000 miles.
Then: Brake shoes, front & rear, and brake hydraulic cylinders... about every 30,000 miles. Now, replace the front brake pads every 80,000 to 100,000 miles and.... (Our Ford Windstar still has it's original rear brake shoes at 421,000 miles and they still look good!)
Then: If you lived where they salted the roads when it snowed, the car rusted through in what.... 6 or 8 years?
Now: Well, I now live where they don't salt the roads, and cars just... don't rust out. But even up north, they last a lot longer than they used to.
Then: IF a car lasted to 100,000 miles, it was WORN OUT! Engine rebuild, clutch replacement, over 100,000 miles and car maintenance became your hobby or a regular household expense.
Now: Almost any car will last over 100,000 miles IF you change the engine oil & transmission oil when you should. Over 200,000 miles is common, and 300,000 and 400,000 miles is not unheard of.
Today's cars generally use less fuel and the exhaust is MUCH less 'toxic'!
The air is cleaner even with scads more cars on the road.
My experience is that today's cars generally last a lot longer and require little maintenance other than changing the oil and keeping an eye on the tires and fluids, but when they need a repair, it's often much more involved.
When you get into it, you need to know something about electronics!
I can work with the OBD 'On Board Diagnostics' I and 'OBD II' systems, but I'm still just learning about the interlinked 'CANBUS' computer systems..... that's a whole new ball game for me!
But, on the whole. I'd rather have one of today's cars than a '50's or a '60's car for everyday use.
Now regarding the COST!!!!! It's 20 TIMES what it used to be!
There are a LOT more Parts in today's cars!
How much is it the Car costing More, and how much is it the Dollar being worth LESS??
Inflation, like rust on steel, is Accumulative!
9 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
homefry 2/23/2025 3:24:03 PM (No. 1902397)
Recently my S10 threw an interment skip code. My buddy who is the head mechanic at the local Chevy dealership said, needs a new distributor cap. I'm old, so I was gonna let the Chevrolet place do it, it was gonna be something like 350 bucks! I bought a new cap and did it myself, cost me about 60 bucks.
6 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
cor-vet 2/23/2025 3:27:19 PM (No. 1902400)
My when the SHTF car is a 1928 Ford Model A Tudor w/a nice, carburated 302, a fresh paint job, a new interior and nice modern tires. It starts up instantly, and runs very well. If the computer controlled cars and trucks let me down, it's ready. I' not had any problem replacing parts I need. I belong to a couple of car clubs that celebrate old cars and there's a raft of knowledge and also parts access to be had. So far, parts have never been a problem.
8 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
Rakasha 2/23/2025 3:34:34 PM (No. 1902408)
Back to the 350 small block?
6 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
Rakasha 2/23/2025 3:36:07 PM (No. 1902409)
My heart emoji did not come through. :sad face:
3 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
Calico Al 2/23/2025 3:53:47 PM (No. 1902419)
I've always said that the more doodads they put in the new cars, the more that can go wrong and more money comes out of your pocket.
8 people like this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
franq 2/23/2025 5:08:45 PM (No. 1902443)
Update: 2019 Camry fixed. He had a fuse in the wrong port. 😵💫
6 people like this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
ladydawgfan 2/23/2025 7:06:48 PM (No. 1902476)
My first car was a '65 Chrysler Newport that was purchased new by my grandfather and driven occasionally by my grandmother and aunt. I loved that car! It started in even the coldest Northern Illinois winters, got pretty good gas mileage and had the biggest trunk I've ever seen on a sedan (it comfortably fit the three friends I smuggled into a drive in!)! I drove it until my younger brother blew the engine by ignoring the flashing oil light, resulting in a bent rod.
It was followed by a 70's Ford that my uncle sold me which, in return, was traded in for an '87 Nissan Sentra. The Sentra was an excellent car that survived a major accident, was repaired by insurance and continued to run until I sold it in late 1995 for my first new car, a '96 Plymouth Neon POS that was so bad a vehicle that it has soured me on all future Chrysler vehicles. That car was followed by a '93 Toyota Previa that I bought from my brother with around 270k miles on the odometer. I drove it to 342k miles and would still be driving it if the body hadn't rusted beyond repair.
That Toyota was replaced by another Toyota which was traded in for the car I'm driving now, yet another Toyota, this time a Corolla.
3 people like this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
ladydawgfan 2/23/2025 7:10:09 PM (No. 1902477)
Hit send before I meant to.
I'm pretty much sold on Toyotas, given how much I loved my Previa. My Previa and my Newport are the ones I miss driving the most and would drive again in half a heartbeat if they were offered to me today.
1 person likes this.
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Comments:
I've been a gear head since I could walk. Take a glance at the salvage yards and scrap recyclers. They're getting filled with 5-10 year old cars that are scrapped because either parts are no longer available, or the small computers that run everything cost thousands to replace.- if available.
That's 'environmentally' sound?