When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yeah, this was on every auto forum on the web yesterday. My reaction remains the same. Who cares? There hasn't been a vehicle sold this century that I have a remote interest in owning.
Seeing as how that I'm 76 now, I probably won't be around in 2035 since I've already had open heart surgery, back fusion, gall bladder removal. Even if I am, I wouldn't be able to drive so...Who Cares.
Yeah, this was on every auto forum on the web yesterday. My reaction remains the same. Who cares? There hasn't been a vehicle sold this century that I have a remote interest in owning.
Occasionally I get new truck fever. However, looking at the sticker cures me quick. Even with my employe discount a new Ram diesel comparable to what I’m driving now is 55-60k. While some (and I emphasize SOME) of the bells and whistles would be nice, it’s kinda hard to spend that money with 1 kid in college, another starting next year, and everything getting more expensive all the time. Besides, 200k for a cummins is just getting broken in, and I keep up on the maintenance. Best vehicle is one that’s paid for!!!
I would love a new Challenger. Other than the trucks, I see nothing made by anyone that appeals to me.
Occasionally I get new truck fever. However, looking at the sticker cures me quick.
That and the electronic nanny crap. The one and only new vehicle I've ever bought is my 1999 K3500 crewcab dually, and I only bought it new because used 4WD crewcab duallies were non-existent then. That truck cost me $30K with 454 and every option in the book except for the block heater (and I don't want to live anywhere that I would need one). It's got 300K on it now, and is on it's last legs. An equivalent brand new Chevy/GMC is $80K. Not gonna happen. Turns out I can get a work truck version with cloth seats, vinyl floor covering, and none of the electronic bells and whistles for a mere $50K, but it still looks like crap. Why do new trucks need a barn door grill? Do drivers think that makes their "hands" look bigger? And why does every function on a new vehicle require a chirp, click, squeak, grunt, or fart as feedback?
I've found a 1984 GMC crewcab dually and that's about to become my new truck. I'll probably have $10K into it once I finish the paint and body, but still a bargain.
My opinion is this is shock news to try and garner interest in electric vehicles, that hasn't been there so far. Last year GM sold 2.55 million vehicles and 20,000 were electric; yes, less than 1% of production. The problem is people haven't been buying them. If it ain't broke don't fix it mentality. Mary Barra has invested a ton of future GM development dollars into electric vehicles and she looks bad if these investment dollars don't pay off. You can bet GM has a back-up plan (that the general public will never know about) if the whole electric vehicle thing doesn't pan out. If GM is married to the electric vehicle plan and sales tank, you can bet Plan B will happen. I don't see myself ever owning an electric vehicle.
That’s only 14 years away, by then they will have technology to keep people alive forever. I read somewhere they already have a chip that is imbedded into your brain so you can communicate with one another eliminating the cell phone. I can’t wait till the future!
That’s only 14 years away, by then they will have technology to keep people alive forever. I read somewhere they already have a chip that is imbedded into your brain so you can communicate with one another eliminating the cell phone. I can’t wait till the future!
I need a Chip in my head that stops me from eating the two Big Macs I just ate for lunch
then maybe I could live forever
That and the electronic nanny crap. The one and only new vehicle I've ever bought is my 1999 K3500 crewcab dually, and I only bought it new because used 4WD crewcab duallies were non-existent then. That truck cost me $30K with 454 and every option in the book except for the block heater (and I don't want to live anywhere that I would need one). It's got 300K on it now, and is on it's last legs. An equivalent brand new Chevy/GMC is $80K. Not gonna happen. Turns out I can get a work truck version with cloth seats, vinyl floor covering, and none of the electronic bells and whistles for a mere $50K, but it still looks like crap. Why do new trucks need a barn door grill? Do drivers think that makes their "hands" look bigger? And why does every function on a new vehicle require a chirp, click, squeak, grunt, or fart as feedback?
I've found a 1984 GMC crewcab dually and that's about to become my new truck. I'll probably have $10K into it once I finish the paint and body, but still a bargain.
The desirable bells and whistles are few and far between as far as I’m concerned.
I do like the backup cameras. Trucks keep getting bigger, it’s hard to see behind them. Some small cars are completely hidden by the tailgate, and if the car is really hugging the bumper the door mirrors don’t offer a good view. Obviously, the biggest advantage is backing up to the trailer.
The exhaust brake on the new diesels are nice. I have noticed coming down some mountains that the truck picks up speed pretty quick, I’d rather not ride the brakes. Downshifting a diesel does next to nothing.
I have no desire (actually I despise!) heated seats snd steering wheels. Dual zone climate control?! No thanks. I turn down my side of the car, my wife turns up hers.
Adaptive cruise control??? No thanks. Why do you need technology to do what a responsible driver SHOULD be doing? If I have the cruise set and I see that I’m closing the gap between the car in front of me, I back off the speed long before the car does, or change lanes It’s called defensive driving, something many drivers have no clue.
The “entertainment” system??? I’m not the most technologically up to date person, but it’s no secret that technology is constantly changing. How long before cell phone operating systems change to the point that they won’t work with your older car or truck?? Not only do you have to replace your fully functional (but obsolete) cell phone, your née phone won’t interface with your slightly used car. How will people manage????
My keyboard is dripping with sarcasm as I’m typing these words.
I have to be honest. I had a rental Cruze with heated seats and I really liked them. I got the heated inserts to put in the seats of my 67 Delta when I redo them. The steering wheel, not so much. I don't use the normal cruise on the cars I have now. Evil ex-wife #2 had dual zone HVAC on her W-body Buick GS and it worked out well (she was always cold, I was hot - and save the comments...). Unlike most Americans, I'm not so obese that I can't look over my shoulder when backing up - I've never actually used the backup camera in rental cars because when I back up, I'm, you know, LOOKING backwards. Heck, my 62 only has one outside mirror, and that was an option. I make it a point to constantly scan around me for situational awareness. I absolutely do not want the nanny crap. It takes me 15-20 minutes to turn all that crap off when I get into a rental car. I really hate the cars that default to original settings every time you start them, so you have to go through the process every time. Hell, the first time I (unknowingly) had a rental Hyundai with a steering wheel shaker and the lane departure self-correction BS, I initially thought there was something wrong with the power steering. That sure got disabled in a hurry. The adjacent lane warning lights in the outside mirrors are equally stupid. After the first five minutes driving in traffic on the freeway, you learn to ignore them because they are ALWAYS on. This stuff just encourages idiot drivers who aren't paying attention.
I do like the backup cameras. Trucks keep getting bigger, it’s hard to see behind them. Some small cars are completely hidden by the tailgate, and if the car is really hugging the bumper the door mirrors don’t offer a good view. Obviously, the biggest advantage is backing up to the trailer.
I have no desire (actually I despise!) heated seats snd steering wheels. Dual zone climate control?! No thanks. I turn down my side of the car, my wife turns up hers.
Adaptive cruise control??? No thanks. Why do you need technology to do what a responsible driver SHOULD be doing? If I have the cruise set and I see that I’m closing the gap between the car in front of me, I back off the speed long before the car does, or change lanes It’s called defensive driving, something many drivers have no clue.
I used to think the same thing about some of these features. "Why in the heck would I spend extra on those things?" Until I drove something with them. Backup cameras are great, although the one on my Enclave sucks because the screen is typically not bright enough to see clearly, especially when backing up to hitch up a trailer and I don't have a spotter. Also, being a '10, it isn't one of the better cameras that shows the idiot lines to help back up. Not that I need them, but they are nice to have.
I am with you on dual zone climate controls. Those are sooooooooo unnecessary, and just introduces another potential actuator to go to hell and need replacing. Ask me how I know.
Adaptive cruise, on the other hand... I love it. Driving in moderate to heavier traffic, and just letting the sensors do their thing without having to constantly disengage / reengage the cruise, or adjust the speed down / up. AWESOME. Wait, before you continue on the nanny controls / defensive driving rant, here is my reason: as long as the numbskulls ahead of me that are varying their speeds don't significantly decrease their speed, the adaptive cruise eliminates braking, instead using inertia to slow the vehicle slightly in order to maintain following distance. For the people behind me (or someone else with adaptive cc), they see less brake light activation, therefore they will better control their speed. It helps to keep traffic flowing better, so we all get to where we want to go quicker. To me, this feature adds to the driving experience.
I do worry a bit about the center stack controls, though. My '17 Lacross has almost all the HVAC, radio, nav integrated into one unit.
I am all about "to each his own." I, for one, do not mind some of the technology in modern cars, even some that I originally thought were unnecessary or overkill. When we actually commuted to work in the pre-pandemic days, my daily commute was about 11 miles each way in more or less a straight line. Due to Dallas traffic, the normal time took anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on construction or accidents with speeds varying from a bumper to bumper standstill to 80 mph and back to a standstill. To be honest, if I could just hop in a self driving car and let it take me to work while I got to read or listen to music, I would be perfectly happy and probably less stressed. My current SUV has excellent adaptive cruise control which does a great job of helping to take some of the stress off of the commute.
My SUV also has Apple CarPlay which is far superior to any in-car GPS I have ever experienced. You can search for where you are going in Google Maps, turn on the directions, plug it in to the car and just go. This is far safer than trying to see the directions on your phone or, lord forbid, using a huge folding map. You don't even have to look at the screen since the audible directions are announced over the car speakers. This not only saves time but it also enhances safety. There is nothing wrong with that.
I freely admit that I have not "enjoyed" driving for years, not until I got my 68 Cutlass, although my wife had a Mini Cooper that felt like you were driving a race car even if you were just taking the kids to school. Even trips to the grocery store or the auto parts store are fun in the Cutlass. There is a difference in driving for fun and just getting from point A to point B. For the latter, I do not mind some bells and whistles.
The adjacent lane warning lights in the outside mirrors are equally stupid. After the first five minutes driving in traffic on the freeway, you learn to ignore them because they are ALWAYS on.
I didn't know those existed until last last week. I noticed a light in the mirror of a yuppie minivan in the adjacent lane, at first I thought it was part of the turn signal system, but then I noticed his turn signal wasn't on. Apparently I was in the "sweet spot" that kept his mirror light on, then after a while it seemed he had enough because he moved over a lane to get away from me.
You don't even have to look at the screen since the audible directions are announced over the car speakers.
My wife activates that in her car and it is really annoying to have a voice announcing how to get out of the neighborhood where you have lived for a decade.
Careful. Don't be asking rational questions now...
I am just too old school. I hate all the modern "convienece" things in today's cars. I want to turn my lights off when I want. I want to have no interior light sometimes. I am just fine driving a 20 some year old car. Like was said earlier in thus thread. Let's go pay 60 THOUSAND dollars for a new truck that has a bed so small you can't put a mountain bike in the bed. Let alone a 4x8 sheet of plywood drywall etc. Total joke.
Be careful before I start spewing the laws of Conservation Of Energy & Conservation Of Mass and begin describing how inefficient the internal combustion engine really is. Vintage cars are a hobby for me, automobiles are nothing more than a means of transportation - currently a very inefficient form. The global solution is to develop a more efficient means of harvesting energy to do work WITHOUT creating enormous amounts of heat as a byproduct or at the very least capturing the heat byproduct to perform additional “work”.
Well, using some form of energy to generate another form of energy (high voltage, low current electricity), transmitting that form of energy (electricity) through a lossy medium (transmission lines), to an end user where it is converted (with associated energy losses) from high voltage, low current to low voltage, high current for the end user's "appliances" is not really as efficient as it would first seem.
Of course engines are inefficient. Two strokes especially, and nothing explains the "car" debate better than the "lawn care" debate. I can pull out a Poulan electric chainsaw, tote a cord or a battery pack around, and have some power, but if I want portable yet massive power, I go fire up my Stihl "so old it says Made in West Germany" Woodboss. Yes, the fuel costs much more than the electrical power, but sometimes you need the performance.
I see two main reasons that electric cars face so much pushback, and one is bad science, and the other is politics.
The bad science is that the batteries themselves are environmentally harmful (and a solar panel is too, come to think of it), but, mainly, "politically acceptable green" sources of power (wind, hydro, solar) simply do not have the reliability nor capacity to do it. Coal and Gas now burn incredibly cleanly due to giant filtration, yet they aren't considered because they're "pollutive." Nuclear, which has had three disasters, Fukuashima (due to massive natural disaster), Chernobyl (due to Soviets), and Three Mile Island (due to complexities of controls and some other factors), and the only one in the US had zero casualties, is off the table due to a virulently hysterical anti-nuclear power movement.
The second is politics. The people pushing electric cars are collectivists, and they want people to be concentrated in urban areas and not allowed the freedom of their own transportation. Making your car dependent on the grid is a step towards the "no one, in my opinion, NEEDS a car, so no one should GET one" mentality, which many have.
Manufacturer's can go all electric. I don't hate on the concept. No matter what year it happens there will still be huge amounts of people that can't afford a new car. Gasoline powered cars will still be a very large percentage of cars on the road. To push people into electric cars is gentrification of the automotive world. Not that powers that be care. Just saying.
I've been a mechanic at gm dealers since 1995. Very strange times now indeed.
Our software/i.t. right now is a trainwreck. Our website/resources for programming/manuals or simply just to check a vehicle's codes is constantly failing or freezing. A simple 10min module update frequently turns into a full day module recovery or bricked module. It's like they hire a 21yr old software engineer for 26k and give them full responsibility, no adult supervision. Roll out production or changes without proper or seemingly no r&d.
GM is constantly blaming all of the dealers laptops for not having enough horsepower, so we have to buy new ones frequently. Finally, they admit they need to fix a whole bunch of things. Instead of making changes to the network on say a Sunday, they shut er all down during the day, during the week. As a result, any gm vehicle, globally that requires any work of inspection that involves an electron, is dead in the water for a day or 2.
I had a 2020 Cadillac this week. The customer's concern was that after you shut the vehicle off, open the door and leave, the radio stays on. After lots of intrusive diag and phone calls with tech assist (also newly useless), some from engineering called me saying, cancel all of your parts orders. Many of our updates are done over the air, through on star while the cust is driving down the road. If the drive is too short, the program does not fully install creating all kinds of issues. We have no service bulletins on this and tech assist didn't even know. This makes a total **** show and gm doesn't even care to tell us all. Must of us techs are flat rate, this job all total paid .3 (18minutes) using their labor opt code. That's not what I got paid, my department helped out, but this is why we can't find a mechanic that can critical think.
Right now our brand new 6.2l v8 in the corvettes, escalades, camaros and trucks are exploding in the masses. Cheap-assed valve springs are breaking and dropping valves, destroying engines with 500 miles or less. The fix? Run the engine at 2000rpm for 4.5 hrs, if it lives, take it on a 10 mile road test and keep it at 2000-3500 rpm. If a spring lets go on your road test, don't pull over and tow it, "return to the dealership keeping the rpms as low as possible". Lol, I'm not even kidding.
On the suspect vehicles where a spring has broken and not let go damaging anything, don't replace all the springs, just the broken one. They're have been many cases where one spring was replaced, another broke after returning their 100k vehicle back to the cust.
Eventually, 10mos later, they changed the procedure to replace all when one breaks, I think.. don't feeling like reading their crap right now. I mean nothing is approved at gm by an adult right now.
Rather than fix our real problems like obvious i.t. or obvious mechanical failures, our priorities are to change our company logo. We can't figure out how to update a system with freezing all vehicles on the planet, yet we can seamlessly roll out a new logo on all of my electronic (and paper) resources.
This valve spring fiasco is just one example, I don't have the energy to expand on the others, it's also embarrassing.
Breaks my heart really, I've been born and bread (by me) gm since I was a kid.
I find it comical that gm thinks they're going to switch to all electric. Lets just move into Tesla territory. If they actually "do" this, we're going bankrupt again post haste.
It's unrealistic to think this will work. There is no such thing as net zero, It defies the laws of nature. There is always going to be a byproduct to an action.
As for electric, wind, and solar power the technology isn't there. And might not ever be in our lifetimes.
All this net zero business is to scare people into conformity.
After re-reading through this thread, I need to clarify something.
I am not against the concept of electric vehicles. I will say that I DO NOT want a rolling computer with a million electronic gizmos, no matter what type of propulsion system it has.
Give me a vehicle with an electric motor drive and minimal electronics and I would be completely happy.
Also need to stop blaming "the engineers". Vehicles are not built by engineers, they're built by accountants, lawyers and politicians.
This is so true!!! Give engineers a problem, give them the resources to solve the problem, close the door and see what happens!! Things get screwed up when the bean counters start cutting corners before the product is ready for production.
Look what happened with the Vega, the Olds diesel, the Cadillac 4100, the list goes on. Stop using the buying public as the final tests process. You can burn a new car buyer once, MAYBE twice if your lucky. After that, most new car buyers won’t consider that manufacture.
January 29th, 2021, 06:10 AM
