Reasons why newer cars suck a$$...

[beanhead]

I just don't like all the plastic.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

I do not think serviceability is taken into account when designing the engine and trans. I feel they are just trying to get as much engine in a small space. As far as the labor rate 152 is not that high, I am seeing 175 at many of my dealers, European dealers are more. Lots of these dealers have been forced by the manufacturers to build bigger/better. Technicians have a ton of money invested in tools. I know it sucks to pay these prices, but it all trickles down to the consumer.
I have also found that the main vehicle my wife drives needs to stay under warranty. I know the first investment is rough but knowing that I have repairs covered is peace of mind for me. When I changed from being an auto tech to my current career I decided it was time to buy new. It has worked for me

 

[Runcharger]

It's a no win the way I see it. Trying to keep the old stuff going is getting to be impossible as parts sourcing is becoming a problem. Even 20 year old vehicles have electronics that are getting hard to source.
I can honestly say I've had better trucks than my 18 Ram too. It's only got 60,000 miles on it and the 76, 92 and 05 Dodge trucks I bought new didn't need new exhaust manifolds, new radio or new cam and lifters when they reached more than twice that mileage. There's no excuse for poor engineering and poor quality at the price points they sell these things at. Heck even changing oil in my 18 is a huge PITA, a 5 year old could design the oil filter to be in a better place.
I'm not sure what I'm going to replace my 18 with. I can honestly say though that when I see the odd 72-93 era Dodge pickup found in a barn with under 20,000 miles on it on EBAY for what seems a lot of money, I say to myself a person could buy that and just drive it for 10 years and save a ton of money and grief.

 

[Dave P]

A big advantage to a new vehicle that's never brought up in these discussions is safety. I was thinking about that just a few days ago while
just out driving on a nice day in the old 66 Belvedere. Not that I'd want to, but would must rather have a high speed collision in something built in the last few years. People are basically walking away for hits in todays vehicles that may have killed them not too many years ago.
Not sure I want something from 50 years ago as a daily driver involving distance and traffic.

 

[Hey-O]

Well, if you're rolling in cash, I guess you can do that. Every time you go to license that new $60K hunk of sensors, it's 5% of the sticker you fess up to the state - $3,000 in this case plus 12 monthly payments until the next kick in the wallet, all to drive new. Screw that.

When you sell one that tax is credited to the next one. If I lose 500 on a truck, it's not that bad. They don't go up thousands a year.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Disposable, that's how they make you buy new/newer, and still have reliability to get the out of warranty periods

 

[AR67GTX]

I have wimped out sometimes on our daily drivers. At 125,000 our Highlander finally needed brakes including rotors even in the rear. I decided I had plenty to do on my Satellite so I took the easy way out and wrote a check to our local independent shop. l guess they need to eat too.

 

[Hey-O]

Yeah new cars suck, especially the 700hp, 20mpg, heated/cool leather seats and steering wheel cars. Who wants all that power, and drivability

It's always about the money. I'm with you. Some people like to travel, some like new cars. Some collect classic cars and have a yard full of them and parts from the front of the property to the back. I have one old coronet and now just one new car, 2019.

 

[Kern Dog]

I agree! New cars are over engineered over priced pieces of junk.

I don't see all of them that way.
My 2007 Ram is coming in on 16 model years old and was on the edge of the technical transformation. It has none of the stupid tech that I don't need like the drive in movie theater navigation screen, air ride suspension, heated seats or steering wheel, adaptive cruise, all digital stereo with NO CD player, auto-parking, lane monitoring, adaptive braking or blind spot detection. All of that stuff is extra tech that isn't necessary if the vehicle is driven by someone that actually drives their vehicle and pays attention.
Going a few years back, our 2003 Honda CRV is old tech by comparison. It has no thermometer or compass but has a cassette tape-CD player! The Honda and my Ram are easy to work on.

 

[#41]

I've never seen a car review cover the ease (or lack there of) of repair of a car.

Consumer Reports covers service issue frequency and average cost of repairs. Personally, I think you're just asking for trouble if you buy a new car without reviewing this.... or a new or re-engineered model that has no history yet.

 

[patrick66]

Got the job down $700 by talking to the service manager directly this morning. I told him $2,400 was crazy money for that job and I was going to pick the Buick up this morning (Sat). He said "what do you think a reasonable amount would be?" and I said $1,600. He said "will $1,700 work for you?". I figured that was fair enough.

You guys that say "oh, I would've saved the money and did it myself!"...I have neither the time nor the desire. It's 100°F in my shop. Screw that.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

It's always about the money. I'm with you. Some people like to travel, some like new cars. Some collect classic cars and have a yard full of them and parts from the front of the property to the back. I have one old coronet and now just one new car, 2019.

The newest car I have is from 1982.

I’m just looking at both sides of the argument. New cars suck to work on, but they’re safer, and get better mileage. Old cars are better because they are easier to work on, and for the most part better looking.

 

[68-500]

Kern Dog, you hit the nail square in the head. I have no need, want, or desire for all that bull-scat. Im convinced I desire no pickup newer than 02 ram or any car that is not RWD. I have owned and repaired enough FWD **** boxes in my lifetime I’ll never touch another, everything becomes stupid when you turn the engine and transmission sideways ‍

 

[Kern Dog]

I find it interesting that the trends in popular colors have changed over time.
When the wife and I were looking for a new Challenger in 2014, the overwhelming majority were black, white or silver.
B-O-R-I-N-G !!!
Looking around while driving, I noticed that those three colors were the majority of other cars on the road.
Is this a matter of the automakers dictating what consumers buy or were the automakers just building what the customers actually wanted?
Can that many people really desire boring colored cars?
The running joke on classic Mopars was that only the green ones survived. Not entirely true but there is some validity to it. Cars used to come in a wider variety of colors OR today's fleet managers at dealerships are just complete dullards.
I don't own bland looking cars. I'm not trying to draw attention to myself, I just like vibrant colors. If I was born earlier, I would have gravitated to a B5 blue, Plum Crazy or GoManGo new Mopar in 1970.

 

[patrick66]

I find it interesting that the trends in popular colors have changed over time.
When the wife and I were looking for a new Challenger in 2014, the overwhelming majority were black, white or silver.
B-O-R-I-N-G !!!
Looking around while driving, I noticed that those three colors were the majority of other cars on the road.
Is this a matter of the automakers dictating what consumers buy or were the automakers just building what the customers actually wanted?
Can that many people really desire boring colored cars?
The running joke on classic Mopars was that only the green ones survived. Not entirely true but there is some validity to it. Cars used to come in a wider variety of colors OR today's fleet managers at dealerships are just complete dullards.
I don't own bland looking cars. I'm not trying to draw attention to myself, I just like vibrant colors. If I was born earlier, I would have gravitated to a B5 blue, Plum Crazy or GoManGo new Mopar in 1970.

Dealers hate doing special.order vehicles. Black, white, and grey-tones are the thing. Not many red or blue. Very little else of actual color, unless you go to a wrap. Interiors? Black, grey, or buckskin. Never red, green, blue, or tan for maybe 25 years or more. Cheaper for the automakers to provide few if no choice in the matter. Buy from dealer stock or buy elsewhere.

My brother ordered a Ford F350 4x4 from a dealer in eastern Colorado in March 2021. He took delivery in May 2022. Fourteen months with the mythical "chip shortage" as the alleged cause for the delay.

A buddy has a red and white '86 D-350 dually with a red interior that is gorgeous! You'd never see that combo in a showroom today.

 

[68-500]

I find it interesting that the trends in popular colors have changed over time.
When the wife and I were looking for a new Challenger in 2014, the overwhelming majority were black, white or silver.
B-O-R-I-N-G !!!
Looking around while driving, I noticed that those three colors were the majority of other cars on the road.
Is this a matter of the automakers dictating what consumers buy or were the automakers just building what the customers actually wanted?
Can that many people really desire boring colored cars?
The running joke on classic Mopars was that only the green ones survived. Not entirely true but there is some validity to it. Cars used to come in a wider variety of colors OR today's fleet managers at dealerships are just complete dullards.
I don't own bland looking cars. I'm not trying to draw attention to myself, I just like vibrant colors. If I was born earlier, I would have gravitated to a B5 blue, Plum Crazy or GoManGo new Mopar in 1970.

I will say I like Black and silver autos. I dont hate white, but every work truck I drive is white so I choose other colors. I will say yellow would not have been the color of choice for my Coronet but its grown on my and it will stay yellow as long as i own it.

 

[Hey-O]

I don't see all of them that way.
My 2007 Ram is coming in on 16 model years old and was on the edge of the technical transformation. It has none of the stupid tech that I don't need like the drive in movie theater navigation screen, air ride suspension, heated seats or steering wheel, adaptive cruise, all digital stereo with NO CD player, auto-parking, lane monitoring, adaptive braking or blind spot detection. All of that stuff is extra tech that isn't necessary if the vehicle is driven by someone that actually drives their vehicle and pays attention.
Going a few years back, our 2003 Honda CRV is old tech by comparison. It has no thermometer or compass but has a cassette tape-CD player! The Honda and my Ram are easy to work on.

I said the same thing years ago. Not all my cars and truck were loaded to max. If I was going to resell trucks I get what was needed. If you ever had navigation system, you'd never go back. Punch in the address and it tells me the fastest, least traffic, least highway, what time I will arrive, given the speed I'm driving, restaurants, gas stations and reroute in case of an accident. CD's are a waste, stick in a thumb drive loaded with music and that's the end of that. Bluetooth my phone for calls or music. Sirius radio cost me just over 6 dollars a month and can be played in my car, phone or Alexa plays it in my house if I ask her too. You live in California, but, when it's 15 degrees outside, the car starts, along with the heater in the car, seats and steering wheel, is nice to have. These new cars are computers on wheels. A warranty is a must for me. The main wiring in a Mercedes-Benz runs down the middle of the car under the console. Leaving a sunroof open in the rain is a 10 to 15 thousand dollar mistake.

 

[Kern Dog]

@68-500 .....Your Coronet probably has a 2.76 gear. There was no 2.74 axle ratio.
"Thumb Drive" reduces sound quality because the music is compressed when converted to the digital format. You may not even know what you're missing until you hear the same song on a CD.

 

[68-500]

I detest navigation. I used to look at a paper map jump in the truck snd drive halfway across the country. I knew interstates and major highways. I still managed to find individual addresses with ease. When I use nav I feel like I’m getting dumber every second.
And satellite radio, all I do is change the channel every other song and it sounds like it’s piped in, no ill take FM thank you.
You will never find a listening device such as Alexa in my residence.

 

[68-500]

Fat fingers and a touch screen are probably to blame for the 2.74 ratio mistype, another bitch of mine. I was just telling my son I’m going to buy an old Blackberry so I can have a keyboard I can feel. I retype just about every word in text messages and on these forums at least once if nit twice.