Is new car technology making the home mechanic become extinct?

[KrillBee]

With all the new technology cars are adopting, and the different computerized controls on cars, will the home mechanic eventually become a thing from the past?

Of course someone with an automotive education and access to a garage could still perform work on their own time, but I'm talking about the guy who wants to learn it on his own, and fix problems by himself in his home garage without spending thousands of dollars on tools.

On newer cars, what sorts of repairs are no longer easy to be done by the home mechanic?

How long before it becomes too difficult to do anything?

 

[chrisms]

Probably.. I own a 1986 Toyota pickup, not fuel injected and just about as basic as it gets. I am confident that I can fix 99% of the problems that will realistically come up in the next 150,000 miles.

My girlfriend has a 1996 VW Jetta. I told her she needs to learn how to change her oil because its cheaper and you'll do a better job yourself. I was embarrassed when I realized the oil filter was nearly impossible to remove. I don't know how I got it off but it happened fortunately, but if I owned that car I would always take it to a shop for the oil change. It was ridiculous how hard to reach the thing was, compared to my truck where it is sitting out in the open so much that you don't even get grease on anywhere but your fingers when removing it.

I want my truck to last as long as it can because I am able to fix it. To own a 2006 car would be nothing but a pain in the ass in my opinion.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: KrillBee
With all the new technology cars are adopting, and the different computerized controls on cars, will the home mechanic eventually become a thing from the past?

Of course someone with an automotive education and access to a garage could still perform work on their own time, but I'm talking about the guy who wants to learn it on his own, and fix problems by himself in his home garage without spending thousands of dollars on tools.

On newer cars, what sorts of repairs are no longer easy to be done by the home mechanic?

How long before it becomes too difficult to do anything?

No, I don't think so. I think with tech savvy people into computers, understanding the different systems on a car isn't too hard to understand.

For instance, I built a datalogger for my 300ZXTT, my parent's lumina, and my girlfriend's Prizm. It makes working on the car easier because it tells you what the computer detects is wrong.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: chrisms

My girlfriend has a 1996 VW Jetta. I told her she needs to learn how to change her oil because its cheaper and you'll do a better job yourself. I was embarrassed when I realized the oil filter was nearly impossible to remove. I don't know how I got it off but it happened fortunately, but if I owned that car I would always take it to a shop for the oil change. It was ridiculous how hard to reach the thing was, compared to my truck where it is sitting out in the open so much that you don't even get grease on anywhere but your fingers when removing it..

I think that's because Toyota engineers cars 10x better than European companies. Even my girlfriend's 1999 Prizm is easy to work on. When I go to work on some other brands of cars, I'm left wondering, "what were they thinking when they put this part on like this?". When I work on the Toyotas, I'm usually pleasantly surprised just how well thought out and convenient they made things.

 

[Ronstang]

Not at all. I find newer cars even easier to work on since they are engineered that way. The cars even tell you what is wrong most the time if it is something electrical and if it isn't then old world diagnostic techniques still apply. I haven't found a car yet I cannot work on.

 

[KrillBee]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ
No, I don't think so. I think with tech savvy people into computers, understanding the different systems on a car isn't too hard to understand.

For instance, I built a datalogger for my 300ZXTT, my parent's lumina, and my girlfriend's Prizm. It makes working on the car easier because it tells you what the computer detects is wrong.

Is a datalogger the same as an onboard diagnostic system? Isnt that the same as just hooking up a computer to your car?

Originally posted by: Ronstang
Not at all. I find newer cars even easier to work on since they are engineered that way. The cars even tell you what is wrong most the time if it is something electrical and if it isn't then old world diagnostic techniques still apply. I haven't found a car yet I cannot work on.

I've heard that fuel injected cars are much harder to work on than carbeurated cars. Why is this?

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: KrillBee

Originally posted by: 91TTZ
No, I don't think so. I think with tech savvy people into computers, understanding the different systems on a car isn't too hard to understand.

For instance, I built a datalogger for my 300ZXTT, my parent's lumina, and my girlfriend's Prizm. It makes working on the car easier because it tells you what the computer detects is wrong.

Is a datalogger the same as an onboard diagnostic system? Isnt that the same as just hooking up a computer to your car?

Yeah.

You need to make an interface which translates between the signals your car outputs, and the signals that your computer reads.

It's more advanced than those handheld codereaders, though, since you can get realtime data from the sensors.

 

[jfall]

no

 

[Kalvin00]

Extinct to the person with only a screwdriver and a ratchet and set of sockets? Yes.

Extinct to someone with electronic tools/etc? Not at all. Even easier. Nothing like plugging in the scanner and letting the computer tell you what's wrong.

 

[chuckywang]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: chrisms

My girlfriend has a 1996 VW Jetta. I told her she needs to learn how to change her oil because its cheaper and you'll do a better job yourself. I was embarrassed when I realized the oil filter was nearly impossible to remove. I don't know how I got it off but it happened fortunately, but if I owned that car I would always take it to a shop for the oil change. It was ridiculous how hard to reach the thing was, compared to my truck where it is sitting out in the open so much that you don't even get grease on anywhere but your fingers when removing it..

I think that's because Toyota engineers cars 10x better than European companies. Even my girlfriend's 1999 Prizm is easy to work on. When I go to work on some other brands of cars, I'm left wondering, "what were they thinking when they put this part on like this?". When I work on the Toyotas, I'm usually pleasantly surprised just how well thought out and convenient they made things.

I needed to place my Rav4 on ramps to get to the oil filter. And even then, it was screwed on pretty tight and I needed a strap wrench and a lot of muscle to get it loose.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: chrisms
Probably.. I own a 1986 Toyota pickup, not fuel injected and just about as basic as it gets. I am confident that I can fix 99% of the problems that will realistically come up in the next 150,000 miles.

My girlfriend has a 1996 VW Jetta. I told her she needs to learn how to change her oil because its cheaper and you'll do a better job yourself. I was embarrassed when I realized the oil filter was nearly impossible to remove. I don't know how I got it off but it happened fortunately, but if I owned that car I would always take it to a shop for the oil change. It was ridiculous how hard to reach the thing was, compared to my truck where it is sitting out in the open so much that you don't even get grease on anywhere but your fingers when removing it.

I want my truck to last as long as it can because I am able to fix it. To own a 2006 car would be nothing but a pain in the ass in my opinion.

Funny you mention that about the Jetta. My wife had an '88 Golf when I first met her. I tried to change the oil on that POS once. Never again.

That car was such a complete pile of sh!t. I'll never ever buy another VW as long as I live.

 

[KrillBee]

so is it more profitable to sell disposable cars?
Or... Could someone design a business model where reliable and fixable cars are made, and profit moreso off of selling a few high quality cars than by selling many low quality cars and repair parts?

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: chrisms
Probably.. I own a 1986 Toyota pickup, not fuel injected and just about as basic as it gets. I am confident that I can fix 99% of the problems that will realistically come up in the next 150,000 miles.

My girlfriend has a 1996 VW Jetta. I told her she needs to learn how to change her oil because its cheaper and you'll do a better job yourself. I was embarrassed when I realized the oil filter was nearly impossible to remove. I don't know how I got it off but it happened fortunately, but if I owned that car I would always take it to a shop for the oil change. It was ridiculous how hard to reach the thing was, compared to my truck where it is sitting out in the open so much that you don't even get grease on anywhere but your fingers when removing it.

I want my truck to last as long as it can because I am able to fix it. To own a 2006 car would be nothing but a pain in the ass in my opinion.

Funny you mention that about the Jetta. My wife had an '88 Golf when I first met her. I tried to change the oil on that POS once. Never again.

That car was such a complete pile of sh!t. I'll never ever buy another VW as long as I live.

It's just the automaker unions looking out for the mechanics union.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

why is it harder to work on. It doesn't matter what engine you are working on. Fuel Air Spark are the 3 things to worry about. Anything else is a sensor problem that can be found by pulling the codes.

 

[IGBT]

..anybody with experience dealing with fault loggers..fault isolation routines and OBD can still do maintaince. Snap On and others make diagnostic equipment. Some places rent them or if you want buy one.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: chrisms
Probably.. I own a 1986 Toyota pickup, not fuel injected and just about as basic as it gets. I am confident that I can fix 99% of the problems that will realistically come up in the next 150,000 miles.

My girlfriend has a 1996 VW Jetta. I told her she needs to learn how to change her oil because its cheaper and you'll do a better job yourself. I was embarrassed when I realized the oil filter was nearly impossible to remove. I don't know how I got it off but it happened fortunately, but if I owned that car I would always take it to a shop for the oil change. It was ridiculous how hard to reach the thing was, compared to my truck where it is sitting out in the open so much that you don't even get grease on anywhere but your fingers when removing it.

I want my truck to last as long as it can because I am able to fix it. To own a 2006 car would be nothing but a pain in the ass in my opinion.

Funny you mention that about the Jetta. My wife had an '88 Golf when I first met her. I tried to change the oil on that POS once. Never again.

That car was such a complete pile of sh!t. I'll never ever buy another VW as long as I live.

My Passat was easily the simplest oil change I've ever done. Right under the bumper and could be reached without even needing ramps/jacks. Nothing in the way, nothing for oil to drip on. Incredibly well thought out.

It was much better than my Camry which while was easy to get to, was a horrible design because it was at the top of the engine and at such an angle that it was impossible to cleanly remove the filter. My Nissan truck is a bitch. Some Hondas require you to crank the front wheels to reach up under the wells to get to them.

Ford and GM typically have horrible oil filter placements.

Of the major ones that I've had to change, my VW was handedly the least annoying.