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I wish manufacturers would go back to simpler cars with limited options. I don't need or want most of this stuff. I don't see a new vehicle in our future, the wife and I try and keep the cars we have. My 67 and her 2007 Mustang GT. I refuse to spend that kind of money on something I can't comfortably live in.
I don't doubt that there is probably some truth to the info presented but that video absolutely reeks of AI generated slop and, quite honestly, you should have spotted it and not bothered posting it. It's not worth your time. Two seconds into that and I could smell the familiar stench and I checked out the source channel.......utter trash.
The Fox News splash screen......the "eeeeevil" Mary Barra in the corner........the click bait "killswitch" headline......."mechanics BEG"..... Uggh, come on folks! You can't spot that **** by now??
Last edited by ourkid2000; Mar 15, 2026 at 09:47 AM.
"Subscriptions" is not a new idea. Its a mechanism to create a steady cash flow. Car companies have tried it with "OnStar", GPS maps, etc. Microsoft used used to offer software subscriptions or "but outright". Of course the annual subscription price was lower than buying the "licensed" version. But, after 3 years, you paid enough to have purchased the "licensed" version.
Car leases are another thing. Plunk down a few thousand dollars up front and have lower payments for a couple years. At the end of the lease period, you owned nothing. So, you did another lease.
All that computerized crap can malfunction or fail without any warning. Think about the number of times you had to reboot your WiFi or computer. Companies will not produce every electrical part to keep your equipment running forever.
......Just my two cents worth.
I think what happens is that videos like the one posted above aren't marked as AI generated because of the following rule:
We’re not requiring creators to disclose content that is clearly unrealistic, animated, includes special effects, or has used generative AI for production assistance.
I wish manufacturers would go back to simpler cars with limited options. I don't need or want most of this stuff. I don't see a new vehicle in our future, the wife and I try and keep the cars we have. My 67 and her 2007 Mustang GT. I refuse to spend that kind of money on something I can't comfortably live in.
Originally Posted by joe_padavano
And yet, no one buys cars like that any more. There's a reason why the newest vehicle I own is 40 years old.
To find a vehicle with less options, you would have to find a salesman that would ORDER such a thing. The dealers don't stock them on the lot. Of course the salesman would tell you no one wants a vehicle like that and tries to sell you "option packages".
I remember hearing that a dealer doesn't make much on the car, its the options that made the profit. Dealers relied on service work, and parts for cash flow.
I would order a car to my tastes anyway. In any case, I doubt you can buy a stripper car anymore. Not only is there no profit margin, but there is no market. Buyers don't want them. When I was looking to replace my truck, I spent a long time looking at GM crewcab duallies with 4WD. I could order a stripper work truck with rubber floor mats and cloth upholstery for about $45K, but if I wanted anything like carpeting, decent seats, power windows, or locks, these were only available with the upgrade package that included the massive touch screen and all the other BS that I didn't want. The price for that truck was over $65K. Long gone are the days when you can pick and choose options. In any case, my new truck is a 1980 GMC one ton. Roll up windows, manual seat, and nothing else. I can fix it in my sleep.
I would order a car to my tastes anyway. In any case, I doubt you can buy a stripper car anymore. Not only is there no profit margin, but there is no market. Buyers don't want them. When I was looking to replace my truck, I spent a long time looking at GM crewcab duallies with 4WD. I could order a stripper work truck with rubber floor mats and cloth upholstery for about $45K, but if I wanted anything like carpeting, decent seats, power windows, or locks, these were only available with the upgrade package that included the massive touch screen and all the other BS that I didn't want. The price for that truck was over $65K. Long gone are the days when you can pick and choose options. In any case, my new truck is a 1980 GMC one ton. Roll up windows, manual seat, and nothing else. I can fix it in my sleep.
God, that's so depressing. True, but depressing. Up here in the north it is impossible to find something in good shape from the early 2000's even. You'd have to go on one heck of an adventure to track something like that down.
God, that's so depressing. True, but depressing. Up here in the north it is impossible to find something in good shape from the early 2000's even. You'd have to go on one heck of an adventure to track something like that down.
While I actually found this truck in NJ, for the most part I've stopped buying cars from the rust belt. It's worth paying to ship cars from the desert southwest. I haven't kept track of the idiocy these days as far as bringing a car across the border.
Oh yes, and this will be especially uncomfortable for us Olds guys. After all we are dedicated to a company that was wiped out by the vision of the future. Based on how it was perceived to no longer fit the narrative.
Originally Posted by ourkid2000
I don't doubt that there is probably some truth to the info presented
Everything presented in on the table. We have to adjust and adapt or get run over like a freight train. If you don't trust the source there are a multitude of others laying it out there. Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) are being well established and Ai is running the show.
Suddenly, our 2014 Ford F-150, 2012 Dodge Caliber, 2009 Ford Mustang look really good about now.
I was toying with the idea of trading my F-150 in for a 3yr leftover 2023 (dealer has it as being sold as new with 4,553 miles on it), but even that just might be shelved. A 2026? Thanks for posting this article, that's now a big nope. I'm old enough now that I can have what I have for the rest of my days, it will all last. I hope. I have a super extended Ford vehicle warrantee that takes me to 16 model years or 160,000, whichever comes first (probably the age as the truck has 115,000 on it now).
I purchased a 2025 Rav4 in the spring of 25. I am experiencing a few electronic problem that Toyota can't fix so lemon law is next.
If there is no buy back I'll dump this thing when the warranty is up and purchase something older.
Kinda wanted this to be my last new car and it looks like it will be.
By Mickaela Castillo
Published: Mar. 12, 2026 at 4:03 PM MST
CHANDLER, AZ (AZFamily) — Two Virginia residents visiting the Valley for a music festival say a Waymo self-driving vehicle pulled into oncoming traffic on South Arizona Avenue and stopped in the middle of the road — an incident they captured on video.
Josie Kaufman and her sister, Alex, said it was their first time riding in an autonomous vehicle. They said they had heard about the self-driving cars operating in the Phoenix area and decided to try one in Chandler.
Kaufman said the Waymo vehicle attempted to make a left turn and began moving into four lanes of traffic on South Arizona Avenue, where cars were traveling nearly 50 mph.
“The car starts to inch out slowly. Obviously, it was trying to figure out a good gap where it could safely go,” Kaufman said.
Video recorded by Kaufman’s sister shows the vehicle pulling out onto South Arizona Avenue and then coming to a complete stop. Other vehicles can be seen braking, and the passengers can be heard screaming.
“Frankly, I thought we were goners. It was terrifying. I didn’t really know what to do. I just prayed, honestly,” Kaufman said.
Kaufman said she and the other passengers were able to finish the ride safely. She said she does not plan to use Waymo again.
“I don’t think I’m going to be using Waymo anytime soon. Luckily, it ended up how it did. I was hoping it would be a better experience than it was,” Kaufman said.
Oh yes, and this will be especially uncomfortable for us Olds guys. After all we are dedicated to a company that was wiped out by the vision of the future. Based on how it was perceived to no longer fit the narrative.
Everything presented in on the table. We have to adjust and adapt or get run over like a freight train. If you don't trust the source there are a multitude of others laying it out there. Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) are being well established and Ai is running the show.
Uhgh,
We all know the deal with this. Posting some tacky bullshit AI generated Youtube video is beneath us all. Might as well post some doomsday prepper video while we're at it. If we're gonna post something like this to get a discussion going, at least post one that actual humans have participated in with at least some half assed journalism going on.
We know how that worked out. The Ai revolution and its tentacles are taking over.
The difference is the horseless carriage immediately offered significant advantages over traditional horse and buggy setups. AI driven cars do not, and the substantial extra costs of modern cars far outweighs the benefits compared with really most cars from the 70s on up. Furthermore, the current AI models are as good as they are going to get. How these chatbots learned to do stuff has been to let them learn from the internet, but now that the chatbots are creating content, you get a degenerative feedback loop. Certainly AI is extremely good at a small handful of tasks, like surveillance which is the real reason why it's been pushed so hard, but it falls on its face in almost everything else.
Disclaimer..I haven't watched the original video, but I was a salesperson at a local "auto mall"
The point made earlier about how there isnt a market for the stripped down vehicles is spot on. Additionally, the requirement for hands free, and for backup cameras, have pretty much given automakers no choice but to put some sort of screen in for the "radio". Automakers are also, and have been doing this for a while, pushing toward the quick order packages and leasing. If consumers leased, solely, you're guaranteeing work and sales. The further upside for the manufacturer > parts really only need to be under warranty/up to date for a few years. Studies have shown that the average person gets tired of their car after 2-3 years, which further validates the argument FOR leasing. Sure, there are the CPO's/lease turn-ins..but thats a different subject.
The downside to leasing from a manufacturer standpoint-it floods the used car market. Thats where the CPO conversation comes in-the manufacturer will certify the car and slap a longer warranty on it making the consumer feel good about it, but then because its a manufacturer warranty-they can still make a buck on the service side.
As far as AI use in the automobile-that door was opened years ago when things like OnStar came about. The opportunity for someone, third party, to be able to access your vehicle..albeit in the name of safety..is what created the opportunity for where we are today. Now, cars are coming out with massive screens, multiple screens, apps instead of keys, etc..but thats where the market and regulations have led.
As someone who has 2 vehicles in their driveway that were leased-then bought out, a 3rd that was bought used, then the Olds and Pops' K2500 that has lived a rough life..I can assure you that A. The lease-buy option is cheaper than outright buying a new vehicle. B. Its much nicer knowing you're not picking up where someone left off. C. As "hard to work on" as new vehicles are..if you have the tools and the willingness to learn-they're not that bad. Especially since they have parts availability. It took me longer to get motivated to change the screen in my truck (original was delaminating) than it did to actually change it. Meanwhile, Im gonna have to do who knows what to change the radio in my Olds if I wanted to.
As a guy who was briefly in the biz and worked with factory reps in a sister industry, i can say manufacturers moved away from individual orders and into option packages to simplify assembly and also the parts catalog. Interior assembly is the most complicated and time consuming aspect of the manufacturing process. Streamlining the builds into a few categories vs nearly endless combinations of colors and options saves huge $$$.
