the end of the auto mechanic looms

[www.dailyherald.com]

Unlike gas-powered engines, electric engines don't require oil changes, have far fewer moving parts and rarely break down, eliminating much of the maintenance that repair shops rely on. The latest electric vehicles can be serviced using parts purchased online or fixed remotely through over-the-air updates.
(MUST CREDIT: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg)

diggers Wrote:
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> [www.dailyherald.com]-
> electric-vehicles-doom-your-neighborhood-auto-mech
> anic
>
> Unlike gas-powered engines, electric engines don't
> require oil changes, have far fewer moving parts a
> nd rarely break down, eliminating much of the main
> tenance that repair shops rely on. The latest elec
> tric vehicles can be serviced using parts purchase
> d online or fixed remotely through over-the-air up
> dates.
> (MUST CREDIT: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg)

The end of the shade tree mechanic ended years ago. I just bought my wife a car and I didn't even bother looking under the hood. My old '65 Mustang was a breeze to work on.

tabman

Indeed the back yard mechanics days have been over for years...Electronics and need for special tools along with expensive testing equipment is the reason....

I bought a 1994 Volvo wagon and owned it for over twenty years without ever taking it anywhere for repairs. I’m only a shade tree mechanic but modern cars generally don’t need tuned up, just the replacement of sensors and common wear items like brake pads, pumps and belts. The OBD2 port outputs all the information you’ll need and with internet access troubleshooting is relatively straightforward.

Exhaust systems last nearly forever and the corrosion protection is far superior to that on the ‘65 Mustang. The only downside, albeit a significant one, is that space comes at a premium so you’ll often times have to remove lots of stuff before you get to the defective part. And air powered tools certainly help.

Shade tree mechanics will soon become linemen and solar technicians. If even 15% of the autos in this country switched to total electric the entire grid would collapse as soon as they tried to recharge after the initial use.

A significant amount of the faults occurring on current vehicles are with the electrical side of their operation. So an electric vehicle isn't going to be a low-maintenance device.

With range of current electric vehicles limited I think we still a long way from them replacing current Dino power.
Not to mention if everyone was charging a car out power grid wouldn't support the load.
We are a long way from going all electric!

Pimento Wrote:
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> A significant amount of the faults occurring on cu
> rrent vehicles are with the electrical side of the
> ir operation. So an electric vehicle isn't going t
> o be a low-maintenance device.


Pimento,I have always looked forward to your excellent input on a variety of subjects,However,your failure to grasp the benefits ,in spite of much maintenance,of the lectric car: sun will always be shining,no storm clouds,gentle breezes,always a following wind,and the chillrens will always be singing,troubles me---is my guru slipping?? LOL

Pimento Wrote:
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> A significant amount of the faults occurring on cu
> rrent vehicles are with the electrical side of the
> ir operation. So an electric vehicle isn't going t
> o be a low-maintenance device.

Yep, I own an older Lexus ls 430. Two bank sensors, one cam sensor later, the same code comes up and my VSC (vehicle stability control) is disabled. Same problem, same remedy that does not work. So much for the codes it spits out. It also has spit out a change AC filter dash warning (along with the VSC dash warning) The AC filter was already replaced. I can only imagine what the new cars will be like after 5 years on the road.

I have owned a v8 Mustang new since 98, the only part broke was the signal switch which was easy enough to replace,and fluids, one battery FORD tuff.

One year a young mechanic told me needed brake shoes what a thief, another honest shop said was ok. I do my own now.
Paid hundreds to change fluids, mechanic left CLAMPS loose, bolts loose .I'm sure we all have had our troubles.

I do respect mechanics the honest one's. some belong in jail.

Pimento Wrote:
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> A significant amount of the faults occurring on cu
> rrent vehicles are with the electrical side of the
> ir operation. So an electric vehicle isn't going t
> o be a low-maintenance device.


It's no wonder some of the old classics price are going through the roof....they looked like cool cars not a Maytag washing machine or TV set.....
Man I cringe when I see the new Lexus grill what design twit though it looks good. Yea I know some like it.

With all the troubles with electronics on newer cars from ECMs, airbags , ABS.....etc etc.
It's scary to think of self parking/breaking/driving cars and their sensors failing.

TabZilla Wrote:
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> With all the troubles with electronics on newer ca
> rs from ECMs, airbags , ABS.....etc etc.
> It's scary to think of self parking/breaking/drivi
> ng cars and their sensors failing.


Highway full of self drivers is the day sell all my vehicles and take a bus. The world is nuts with technology.

I don't know how many times they've had to replace my headlight fluid.

I just can't figure out where it all goes.

Not to mention the muffler pivots.

PhDtector Wrote:
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> I don't know how many times they've had to replace
> my headlight fluid.
>
> I just can't figure out where it all goes.
>
> Not to mention the muffler pivots.


lol ....not sure in your area...but here the gas stations charge for tire pressure air, but you can get a free coffee. What a nutty world.

Had one twit at the instant lube say that needed to top up my trans oil....just checked before and it was full. Total rip-off artists.

I’ll take a road full of self-drivers vs a road full of distracted drivers on their cell phones any day. Just transitioning 18-wheelers to self drivers would be wonderful.

As a retired Snap On dealer I can tell you if you don't have the diagnostic equipment and a information system you are just a parts changer.

go-rebels Wrote:
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> I’ll take a road full of self-drivers vs a road fu
> ll of distracted drivers on their cell phones any
> day. Just transitioning 18-wheelers to self drive
> rs would be wonderful.





You must be joking? Sure there are distracted cell phone users reason do not ride my motorbike much.... but not sure of depending solely on electronics to keep us alive on the highway...can these self drivers even see black ice on the roads, a deer near edge of roads the list is endless..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/2017 12:50AM by guvmore.

Snap On Man Wrote:
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> As a retired Snap On dealer I can tell you if you
> don't have the diagnostic equipment and a informat
> ion system you are just a parts changer.



Would you think in these modern times we are stuck going to the large car dealers for service? since these new cars are so complicated..

This is what the car manufactures have been doing for years. They will not release any information to the after market at all.

Bad weather will be more challenging, no doubt. But given the hillbillies driving around like fools in South Carolina ice, any computer has to be an improvement.

[www.detroitnews.com]

The top companies having autonomous driving today, in order of decreasing sophistication, are Mercedes, BMW, Volvo, Tesla and all the rest.

Identifying animals on the side of the road is easy. Even Cadillac had a crude thermal display as an option ten years ago.

[www.technologyreview.com]

I saw this car in Munich during the summer: [m.youtube.com]. Every feature shown on this car is real with many of the features available as an option today.

Much of the cutting edge development is being done in partnerships with third parties. Here’s an interesting look ‘under the hood:’ [m.youtube.com]

Why would they? Why would Minelab give up proprietary information related to CTX repair to "Al’s Fix-it shop?"

So true, so true!

These days the first thing I do with any new model is download the repair manual.
And if it has got any sensors, the diagnostic software if a real help, and when it finally burps a code.
They all do,...
Then first check wiring to see if it is getting signal.

So there we have it, the mechanic has changed into an IT guy and needs to understand his electrics.


Snap On Man Wrote:
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> As a retired Snap On dealer I can tell you if you
> don't have the diagnostic equipment and a informat
> ion system you are just a parts changer.

HH
Johnb

We are 40 to 60 years away from an all electric motor fleet if it ever happens at all. We haft to sit back and see what generation arrives after the millennials and hipsters. The leading force behind all electric avacodo eating app focused lifestyles.

Diggs4ever Wrote:
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> We are 40 to 60 years away from an all electric mo
> tor fleet if it ever happens at all. We haft to si
> t back and see what generation arrives after the m
> illennials and hipsters. The leading force behind
> all electric avacodo eating app focused lifestyles
> .

Don’t talk to me about hipsters, beards and a woodchuck shirt but never swung an axe in their life.
Funky tatoues trying their best to differentiate themselves from the masses but without any real substance mostly copycatting.
They grab a lot of iconic symbols and try to make them their own,... but are realy trying to belong.

These guys and girls are 30-35 going on 18 and have a weird sense of values.

I know a prime example: beard, tribal style ring in his ear, adolf haircut, tatou on his arms and tongue,... totally useless!!

HH
Johnb

Diggs4ever Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We are 40 to 60 years away from an all electric mo
> tor fleet if it ever happens at all. We haft to si
> t back and see what generation arrives after the m
> illennials and hipsters. The leading force behind
> all electric avacodo eating app focused lifestyles
> .

Maybe 10 or 15 is more realistic
[www.youtube.com]

OMG. My son is a Toyota mechanic. Does this mean he will move back in with me in 40 years. If so he will need a shovel and the ability to dig six feet. However I find this interesting.

A world of only self-driving cars in the future is inevitable.

The downside is losing the joy of driving, a significant downside to be sure for many of us.

But the upside will be the virtual elimination of driving accidents (and fatalities) from human error which accounts for the vast majority of vehicular accidents.

Insurance costs will go way down.

Traffic jams will become lessened and in many cases eliminated because cars will be kept at a consistent speed.

Drivers will essentially become passengers and thus able to perform other tasks while traveling...most young people today and many older ones too will pick using their phone (or whatever device we use in the future) over actively driving a vehicle.

The eventual elimination of vehicles powered by fossil fuel is also inevitable, although shale oil has pushed that date further out.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/2017 05:04PM by marcomo.

We don't have drivers now. What we have now is what I call "Point and Shoot". I had a towing business in northern Illinois. I have been to a lot of wrecks but never a accident. When people drive the way they do today and get in a wreck you could hardly call it a accident!

So who will be liable for accidents involving self driving vehicles?

Don't forget about the good old thing here called politics.

Insurance companies love one thing,,$$$$$.

And wonder which nuts will try to modify these self drivers, or what aftermarket company will come out with electronics to do whatever,,like they do with diesel trucks.
Those folks have made a mint.

Our airlines need to get their act together better first before we venture deep into self drive autos.

Heck, how about a self driving metal detector?

As far as mechanics and autos.

We see the same thing going on with detectors and electronics.
I used to help a gent work on TVs in his business back in the 80s.
Now what does one do when their tv goes TU?
Go buy a new one.

Detectors, maybe a board change.
Repairs down to do component repar out the window.
Not cost effective most times.

Time is where the $$ is.

We have become a remove and replace society.

Going into the actual weeds = viewed as not cost effective.
Besides it usually takes more brain power and training to get into the weeds.

Training cost $$$.
Brainpower, well not all folks created equal.