When will people catch on to the car scam?

[DonaldDarko]

Catch on to what a scam modern cars are. These cars are built to fail, thousands of dollars for a part that you can barely even get to to replace. There are now cars in junk yards that are mechanically totaled. This means that the repair is more expensive than the car it's self. That didn't used to be a thing. Shouldn't people learn to fix old cars, ride bikes, ride E bikes, learn to create simple electric vehicles from E bike parts and so on? The possibilities are endless. Screw these car companies.

[OneViewpoint]

You've got a point. My first car was rear wheel drive and had manual windows, no power steering, no power brakes, no A/C, and an AM/FM radio with a single speaker. Seating was a bench front and rear. You locked it by pushing down a mechanical button. Cheap to build. Cheap and easy to maintain. But a lot less safe and a less environmentally friendly than my current cars.

Still, keep some of the safety stuff and the clean engines but remove all the complex expensive electronics like touch screens, intelligent cruise control, automatic front and rear braking, powered seats, sunroofs, ridiculous audio, systems, power windows, and gasp... A/C, AWD systems, WiFi, phone chargers, USB ports, backup cameras, blind spot detection, lane keeping assist, power locks, key fobs, remote starting, electronic data collection, etc.

Reduce the cost to produce and maintain the car. Lower the weight. Lower the price to buy a car. The cars would have fewer things to fail. Reliability would be improved. But sales and profits would go down. There's the problem... Capitalism.

[DonaldDarko]

There's no practicality is the problem. Emissions could be cut way back just by building a simple hybrid. Not the over complicated foolishness you see now but an engine and an electric motor. You could use propane or hydrogen for that matter but nope. We use dangerous lithium that pollutes the hell out of the environment and tell ourselves it's OK because it's going into the ground and the water instead of the air so that makes it just fine. Not to mention it's shitty storage capacity. Capitalism and communism or socialism are both jungle law ideologies. Socialism just doesn't want to admit it. It's just the difference between the brutality of the ape and the brutality of the insect hive. Personally I'm an eclecticist. That means use what works where it works instead of being bound to a limited system. It's what people do anyway they just don't admit it.

[OneViewpoint]

Hydrogen would be great. Except for the fact that it has an even worse infrastructure problem than electricity. It would take a generation and 25 years to create a hydrogen distribution infrastructure. Who's gonna pay for that? Not private enterprise.

Lithium batteries are not the long term solution. There are multiple technologies in development that would kill lithium batteries. Solid state batteries based on silicon are one example. Higher energy density, faster charge times, lower cost, much cleaner. But we're probably still 10 years away from commercialization of a new battery technology.

And yeah, plug in hybrids are the best choice for consumers right now. I won't buy an electric yet. And ICE will continue to shrink meaning so will fossil fuel refineries that produce gasoline and diesel. Fundamental change is always a bumpy road. Hybrids are the best short term solution available.

[WonderingManII]

planned obsolescence have been around for longer than I have been alive. Things are designed to fail sooner than they should. Look up "The Light Bulb Conspiracy" documentary.

The "The Light Bulb Conspiracy" on Netflix is a documentary that explores the concept of planned obsolescence, specifically focusing on the history and impact of the Phoebus cartel, which was an international cartel that controlled the production and sale of incandescent light bulbs in the early 20th century. The documentary argues that the cartel deliberately reduced the lifespan of light bulbs to stimulate demand and increase profits, a practice often associated with planned obsolescence.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
The Phoebus Cartel:
.
The documentary examines the Phoebus cartel, a group of major light bulb manufacturers (like Osram, Tungsram, and General Electric) that agreed to limit the lifespan of incandescent bulbs. This was done to ensure that consumers needed to replace bulbs frequently, increasing sales and profits.
Planned Obsolescence:
.
The documentary highlights the idea of planned obsolescence, where products are designed to have a limited lifespan, requiring consumers to purchase replacements sooner rather than later. This strategy is explored in the context of other products beyond light bulbs, such as nylon stockings and printers.
Narva Light Bulbs:
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The documentary discusses the Narva brand as an example of a durable light bulb that may offer a counterpoint to the planned obsolescence narrative.
Examples of Planned Obsolescence:
.
Beyond light bulbs, the documentary also explores examples of planned obsolescence in other consumer products, such as the iPod Classic and the Epson Stylus C42UX printer.

[DonaldDarko]

Pneumatic tires is another one. They were introduced when cars didn't go over 25 miles an hour. Solid rubber would have been fine and lasted for years. Shitty pneumatic tires went flat every few miles early on. In the late 70's "tubeless" tires were introduced. now even a pin hole in a sidewall will make a tire scrap.

[jshm2]

LOL, you buy crap, you get crap. It's more to do with price, than the company.

You think buying a 50k Chrysler is "the same" as buying a 50k Hyundai? I've a bridge to sell you, kiddo.

[DonaldDarko]

It's all crap a 50K Chrysler is still full of computerized garbage that costs a fortune to fix. It's all impractical trash.

[jamesgoldman]

They won't with so much of the market leased

It goes wrong and I'm a few days a shiny new one arrives