The INSANELY High Cost of Tech Failures in Newer Cars! There's A Ticking Time Bomb in Your Dash!

[@DRofPOOP]

I’m an electronics tech for Ford, we’ve been saying this as soon as touch screens were implemented into cars. Control modules for all of the screens and infotainment systems are built by the lowest bidder so the reliability is garbage. I’ve already had a 2024 mustang with 1,000 miles with all of the screens went black, she lost all gauges and hvac controls. It’s sad to see that it’s not just a “future problem” they are failing right now.

[@glocktopus23]

I work at a BMW dealership and we have had the same issues on our 24 models. Screens going black is fairly common unfortunately. Currently at work watching the wizard lol

[@toecutterjenkins]

Damn i have a 2020 330i and was planning on trading it in for a Mustang 😆. Good thing i have a 2008 tacoma with 250k that runs like a swiss watch.

[@gregedmand9939]

Are you going to pretend there were never any problems with the old gauges and controls? Modular touch screens are the offshoot of cell phone technology. Cheap, powerful and easy to to produce. This is like those who get all excited because an EV had a battery fire, while ignoring the millions of gasoline car fires that happen every year. As more American chip manufacturing comes on line thanks to Biden policies, the cheap, poor-quality crap made in China will vanish.

[@nickpappas4133]

Same thing with 2024 VW’s , had to down car because of black screen that controls everything. Wouldn’t that be great on a road trip miles from home in the winter.

[@Zzus321]

Don't forget about LED headlights and radar built into rear taillights

[@valengreymoon5623]

Those distraction screens really need to go. Bring back buttons, switches and knobs.

[@silverfoxfinance]

Here here!

[@Blair62]

Base model Mitsubishi Mirage.

[@99gagtx]

The buttons, switches, and knobs should be mandatory for things like HVAC controls. Window defoggers are a matter of safety.

[@valengreymoon5623]

Exactly. All those can be used by feel, instead of having to look away from the road.

[@Bdub1952]

2000-2010 was the sweet spot.

[@RichieRouge206]

A magazine in Sweden pitted the top 10 EVs and pitted against a 20yo Volvo V70. They then went through a series if tasks such as setting the climate control to a certain setting, tuning in the radio to a station etc. they recorded not only how long each task took but also how long your attention was diverted. The results were quite an eye opener with the Tesla and Mercs being the worst. The old Volvo wiped the floor with them all - everything could be operated without taking your eyes off the road. Makes you think

[@dallysinghson5569]

Ahh yes, the big safety oriented car company, Volvo. Their new batch of cars also with distraction screens.

[@JGD444]

Love the old Volvos, not the Chinese ones like today.

[@Staniola]

Sounds interesting, can you give me some points how to find it ?

[@davidsherrick898]

Looks like Mercedes-Benz cheaped out under the hood, No pad under the hood? And using a prop, wow!

[@iboswell]

@@davidsherrick898 How many owners really open the hood? No pad most likely due to pedestrian impact laws - look at the shaping of the metal.

[@Brian_1597_of_Nazareth]

I'm from Germany and we are a small hifi workshop - we have the same problems in electronics. In general industry doesn't want any interference by third parties any more. They want to sell or better rent directly to the customer and have anything about the product directly handled. The nature of the products doesn't allow repair any more - by design. The big players want to decide how it is sold, used, maintained, how long it lasts and when you have to have a new one... Independent dealers and repair shops with independent advice for customers are not wanted.

[@SM-gc2tx]

end goal by the powers that be is to have us RENT everything in our lives... housing, vehicles, entertainment, basic necessities. that way they can squeeze every drop out of us

[@Zyphera]

Yes indeed! It's the same in other industries too like gaming. All is live service so they can removed it when they want. The horror that you can keep using a think for decades without paying anything to them? Horror!

[@elim7228]

Ultimate goal is full control over everything we have. Eventually, they want us to own nothing and be happy. WEF.

[@LeverPhile]

"You will own nothing and be happy." - World Economic Forum

[@dimakhidarkovskiy2175]

@@LeverPhileleft wing fascists antisemites communists Marxists racists are all behind that, and NO it is not a “conspiracy “ theory “

[@jamesdonald7485]

I have a 1993 W124 Mercedes E320 - done only 105,000 miles. Cost was USD6,600. The last of the non-computerised Mercs. I'll NEVER have anything else.

[@blzebub2]

I have a 300E saloon. I agree.

[@JEC606]

I’ve got the W123 200D from ‘76 with an om606 engine from a W210 ( converted to fully mechanical ) I can start the car, then take out the battery and drive it for 1000’s of kilomters. Good times

[@Betelgeuse732]

I have one since 2005 (320 CDI) with 240,000 miles still going . 🤩🤩

[@teevee2145]

Those had puters

[@honahwikeepa2115]

We had a '93 W140 S500L.

[@garyslentzii2796]

So you can't use your cell phone but you're allowed to fiddle with all those screens on the dash. 🤔

[@RichieRouge206]

Crazy isn’t it?

[@tolrem]

In my country decades ago it was actually illegal to have any kind of screen in the driver area for safety reasons.

[@tim3172]

@@tolrem I love In My CoUnTrY posts because they can immediately dismissed as someone making up nonsense. In My CoUnTrY you're required to drive with a croissant on the back left passenger seat.

[@tomhiett3970]

Why don't you just use voice commands?

[@trelipscomb8137]

​@RichieRouge206 make it make sense, please.

[@nelsonserrate9281]

Wizard, thank you. Part of the reason I’m an avid follower, is content like this. My father in law has a 2007 Audi Q7 with very low mileage for its age and has been an awesome car for him. His airbag light came on a couple months ago and d he took it to his mechanic who wouldn’t touch it. We took it to Audi and they quoted us 4k euros to replace all kinds of modules. While watching this video, I do have an autell scan tool that showed me the same fault Grimes showed in the video, I went out to the car, connected the scan tool and found the connector under the drivers seat. I wiggled it like Grimes did and voilà, resistance would go back to normal. So Saturday I will be taking the connector apart and repairing it. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks again and thanks Grimes!!!

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

That’s awesome

[@nickpappas4133]

Very common in VW and Audi.

[@martinrowland2593]

I had this problem on a rover 75 every 12 months the light would on same yellow connector it was a common fault Turns out the airbag pins are gold coloured the seat pins were silver. different metals and they react when in contact dissimilar metal corrosion' is the official name

[@donerickson1954]

make sure to disconnect the battery before tearing into it.

[@Munakas-wq3gp]

You should sue the dealer for malicious practices if/when they wanted to cause you thousands in repairs when they knew it's probably just the loose connector...

[@bruceprentice6441]

Built in obsolescence. No one will be restoring any of these cars in 40 years!

[@iboswell]

Forget restoring them, anyone running one in 10 years is on borrowed time and Mercedes are known for supporting their older cars.

[@Oneness100]

The only ones will just buy parts from another car that's being parted out. Heck, a lot of muscle cars from the 60's and 70's are resto mods using modern drive trains, suspension, even car stereos, gauge clusters, are from modern parts suppliers. Heck, how many of us in the 70's would install a 3rd party stereo system because the one that came with the car sucked? How many people install 3rd party suspension parts because the originals sucked? I bought a 2000 Mercedes and I installed Eibach sway bars that met the AMG level, I put Koni shocks instead of the standard Bilstein, etc. Most car mfg's don't make everything, they buy from OEMs that design and mfg' to OEM standards.. Go look at an Aston Martin, it's got AMG engines in several models. Pagani uses tuned AMG engines, and so does McLaren. Whether it's a display, a gauge cluster, shocks, engines, transmissions, etc. All cars are pretty much Frankenstein cars. What's really bad is I remember back in the 80's, there were certain parts shared in a VW, Audi and Porsche, and the ONLY two things different were the LOGO cast into the part and the price. A water pump for certain models was interchangeable, but the VW was cheaper than the Audi and the Audi was cheaper than a Porsche. But, if you owned the Porsche, would save money to put a VW logo water pump? A purist that wants to maintain integrity wouldn't, but someone with a limited budget would. Which car will become more collectable? The one with a Porsche Water Pump. It will satisfy a purist collector and they have to pay many times more just for that logo on virtually the same part.

[@filthyfrankblack4067]

And the EPA does it again. Giving a good feel good story of green and clean up front. While years later forgetting that they pushed this E-waste through in the first place.

[@Oneness100]

@@filthyfrankblack4067 E waste? What do you mean by E waste?

[@Oneness100]

@@filthyfrankblack4067 The thing that you forget is that there's a lot more recyclable materials being used in cars nowadays. Instead of using leather or plastics, they are using materials that are from recycled sources. Lithium can be recycled as can many other materials used in cars. Heck, look at Apple, they are using more recycled aluminum in their products and their goal (despite any outside influences) is to make ALL of their products from recycled materials, that way, they aren't relying on mining. They are almost there in achieving their goal. What's wrong with that? Cars have a limited lifespan, for practical purposes. The average life of a car is 15 years, would rather it be recycled or dumped into the ground?

[@RichPober]

The reason why classic cars today are still repairable is that there is a good supply of aftermarket pattern parts and there used to be a great deal of standard parts sharing between different car manufacturers. For example, the standard 5" or 7" headlight unit was used across all cars. Then the car manufacturers started to design their own bespoke headlight units and there is no commercial incentive to keep making these parts into the future. That's why I drive old Jags. I can fix anything myself and still buy any part I need 60+ years later.

[@cedriclynch]

Another problem with the headlamps on modern cars apart from the huge replacement cost (if you can get replacements) is that the lenses are made of plastic that becomes cloudy, scratched and discoloured. This means that less of the light goes on the road in front of you and more of it goes in the eyes of people coming the other way.

[@BobbyCroseBewler]

​@@rickybobby7276Jags are horse sh*t. I guess there's probably a very select couple of models that can be reliable, kind or like BMW

[@nonofyabusiness4780]

Tell me I bought a 1988 Pontiac Bonneville trying to find a NOS or like new left rear tail ight is impossible and If I ever do it will be $300.

[@stephenswales8940]

So much electronics in cars is making them a nightmare to own. I only buy old cars now and hardly have any ownership costs that are prohibitive. If they want to sell new cars, take out all the unnecessary electronic crap.

[@kingberry100]

How old should a car be if I was buying used for example

[@listwithtom1475]

@@kingberry100 You're good if it could survive an EMP bomb. Carburetor, mechanical points, etc. Think WWII Willy's jeep or a VW Beetle.

[@nrakma]

If you can’t adjust your seat, change from forward to reverse, change the temp and fan settings, change radio stations, switch to high beams, activate windshield wipers & washers with your eyes shut, you are in a car that is “Unsafe At Any Speed”. How can you turn on washers wipers in less than one second and without taking your eyes off the road at 50 mph, if you must scroll thru a screen? This is such a dangerous trend and it’s being completely ignored. Just like trying to find the inside door release when in a different new car. And the so called “emergency” latch on some model cars is just plain deadly.

[@SideQuestStijn]

All these things can be done without taking hands off the steering wheel in my Tesla.

[@martinsvensson6884]

@@SideQuestStijn Not if its on a screen is the point.

[@ckm-mkc]

@@SideQuestStijn You have to take your eyes off the road just to read the speed.... The lack of physical controls is regressive, never mind trying to use a screen with gloves..... Plus all the problems of "leaky" Tesla screens.

[@zepp3lin]

@@SideQuestStijn he is not talking about taking off hands, he's talking about taking your eyes off the road and for a split seconds accident can happen. I hate some manufacturers install the speedo meter in the center like some Toyotas do, I have to take off my eyes off and go to the center just to glance the speed I'm in and that really irrirtates me.

[@SideQuestStijn]

@@zepp3lin For me, a more centrally placed digital speedometer is much more readable than a center analogue gauge. On our Tesla the speedometer is on the top left of the screen, so the difference between a digital gauge cluster or central placement is negligible. I can understand if you prefer the digital speedometer in the centre or even an analogue gauge though. Luckily there are plenty of after market solutions for this.

[@leonardhirtle3645]

In other words,sell the vehicles,make money and screw the customer . The world runs on greed. Eco friendly? My ass.

[@devanman7920]

This is it exactly. Not one of these companies is ECO friendly if there isn't a monetary upside.

[@AapVanDieKaap]

Nobody is forcing people to buy the cars. They will make whatever they think will sell.

[@Sprier]

​@@devanman7920 yet it's worse than that. These corporations and government parties have worked themselves so deep into this money hole... that these "eco friendly" options are inherently worse and continuing to be because they are designed and engineered to fail at these "new" standards so you have to buy the next "new" one and keep the money flowing 😪 then even worse you want to try to be crafty and independent on your own, most avenues whether it be some cars or some cell phones don't even allow you to have access to the parts to repair them as an average consumer and have to give your money to them directly that way regardless. Like you said, runs on greed. Light pockets keep getting emptier and heavy pockets gain the weight, but we still all die someday the same. Corporate greed and capitalism has Lowkey ruined everything, can't even play a good call of duty game anymore

[@devanman7920]

@@AapVanDieKaap he's pointing out the hypocrisy of the companies making the cars not their reason or ability to sell them 👍

[@josephj6521]

@@AapVanDieKaaphow does any potential customer know how to fix unexpected faults which costs multiple thousands?

[@AllanBrogdon]

Retired and learning what a "fixed income"is, I could no longer afford most vehicles. I bought a 2000 Mitsubishi Montero sport and made it reliable. It got me moving and in touch with my mechanic skills again. It's paid for. Just put a new set of tires on yesterday. Friends keep saying don't spend too much on it. I say " That's my car payment.. on parts. 163,000 miles isn't bad for 24 years old. Drove it to Arkansas a few weeks ago and hit 100 mph for a few seconds and it ran smoothly. I know to baby it, but had to see if it would take it

[@MrFryfish]

2005 bmw 3 series, 300000 moles on the clock. Original injectors original fuel pump? Use of 2 Stroke oil for 150k miles. Runs as new. Never chamged any engime sensors, original EGR.. 2 stroke oil JASO FB 250ml/50 litres of diesel and theagic is happening! I am a.happy boy with a reliable engine!

[@LeverPhile]

People focus too much on "value" of a used car relative to the repair cost instead of comparing the repair cost to the extra cost of buying new (with car payments & interest). With quality of new cars going down (and complexity going up needlessly) even a new car is a gamble these days.

[@christinesmith7625]

i just got a 2004 toyota corolla from a lady from church 47.000 org miles i love runs like new paid 5000 for it worth ever penny and no screen knobs only

[@thomasmaughan4798]

I drove my 1990 Montero for 28 years, quarter million miles. I loved it. Eventually it needed an engine control computer and could not find one. I removed the heads myself, lapped the valves. It was amazingly clean.

[@ShaulSharabany]

⁶אאאטטטטטטטא ווי טטטט אצלו

[@scottimusgarrett15]

I've said it for years. We're in the BIC lighter era of cars. All you can do with them after 15 years is recycle them, because they're not viably repairable. As a car guy, I find this whole paradigm depressing as hell. Well, thanks for the episode, guys!😂 ✌️❤️🙂🇨🇦

[@espensund2878]

I'm recently having confidence enough to do most of my car repairs - timing belt, clutch, fluids etc. All thanks to youtube. ETCG, wizard, smac etc have been a huge inspiration. Too bad that modern cars is getting (and currently are) too complex for weekend warriors to fix them.

[@hassegustafsson]

Car industry hope for 8 years lifespan for new EVs.

[@scottimusgarrett15]

@@hassegustafsson that's just deplorable. So much for going "green", huh?

[@chris9650]

​@@scottimusgarrett15going green would cost them too much profits.

[@_Wai_Wai_]

​@@espensund2878what kind of car has timing belt? Aren't they mostly timing chain?

[@zm321]

Back in the 70's/80/s/90's one of the big things that defined a luxury car was the tactile feel to the controls, switches and knobs. A screen is just a screen whether it's in a KIa or a Bentley..

[@goodday126]

That's exactly why I back in 2017 when I needed a truck I bought a Ram Tradesman. It has a 4" monochrome touch screen, for absolutely no reason. Everything else is knobs and buttons. If that screen dies it won't kill the truck. I also have a 2011 Ford Escape with the Bluetooth Ford Sync, but it is a tiny LCD, like a calculator, hooks up to a smartphone just fine. That is the top end of what anyone "needs" to employ modern conveniences. My wife has a 21' Honda CR-V with the screen that displays navigation etc. It's not nice enough to put up with trying to stab the screen with your finger 6 times to press a button once. It is absolute garbage. All of them are, even the most expensive ones. It's just a degraded life experience.

[@aussie2uGA]

Well…. I have to say my 2015 tundra has a terrible screen. It washes out in daylight, has no real contrast, backing up with it is more of a gamble than help. I have a Tesla with that great LG screen, sharp as a tack, high definition, it’s amazing really. Replacement of the screen if it ever goes out is a 5 minute swap and $300.

[@daweigo6851]

So true

[@dmitripogosian5084]

@@aussie2uGA 2015 those were the times when screens and backup cameras were just appearing

[@gregbelial4613]

@@dmitripogosian5084miałem kamerę cofania w lexus gs 2007 r i dotykowy ekran

[@robbflynn4325]

Grimes is a freaking genius

[@jsun3117]

He's detailed to the max. It's like he knows each and every vehicle like he engineered or built them.

[@michaelsimon7414]

He probably has worked as a MB tech at a dealership. They have access to TSBs, that doesn't discount how sharp he is.

[@gabevillarreal4779]

FULL SPEED GRIMES FOR THE WIN!!!! ALL JUNIOR MINT!!!

[@Youcallthesebagels_]

Grimes needs to learn that Nissan didn’t build the m270 😂. It’s the m282 in the new gla’s. This year gla is designed and assembled fully in Germany.

[@gabevillarreal4779]

@@Youcallthesebagels_ HALF 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@NVRAMboi]

"GRIMES!". Thanks Wizard. My old and boring 2005 and 2009 (non-digital) vehicles keep looking more and more beautiful by the day. Not only are these digital interfaces crazy, but they're fundamentally wrong for the buyer/owner.

[@jonathansimmons5353]

97 Toyota v6 land cruiser. Scored it this yr. 1 owner, always garaged and polished. Original 1st owner sold it to me much cheaper than market price.. I asked "what are you replacing it with?" Reply "BMW..it uses less fuel.." (FUEL IS CHEAPER THAN PARTS) 😅

[@sunbeam8866]

@@jonathansimmons5353 Wonder if his new BMW will make it to 27, or even 7!

[@erixx297]

It all about cost, cheaper to write one typ of software that can be integrated into different sized screen depending on car model than designing physical buttons and everything around that such as wiring, brackets etc. The Volvo EX30 which is supposed to be a cheaper car has no buttons in the doors, everything is in the middle of the car = one big wiring harness going through the center of the car. At least is has some physical buttons to control the windows for instance...

[@sunbeam8866]

@@erixx297 I just hope it has a primary mechanical release to open the doors. With today's electric latches, even if there's a backup mechanical release, will a passenger be aware of it in an emergency?

[@Maximum_777]

What's frustrating to me is that it's as if the engineers forget that screens generate heat and are otherwise heat sensitive. The screens on our laptops and phones typically are built to take enough heat that it's not a problem, and typically those don't even get too hot, but inside a car's dash, in the summer where, the interior alone gets far above 120 *F, these screens are baking alive and they're cheap screens to begin with. Screens can be plenty reliable, certain tech I use at work has been running games at stadiums for 20+ years, ad their screens are still kicking, but those are kept indoors, in a temperature controlled room, and they're really nice screens, even by modern standards, and that level of quality comes at a cost that seemingly these car companies aren't willing to pay.

[@edwardschmitt5710]

@@retiredbore378 have a garage do you?

[@grantog123]

They don't care.

[@Imshittingmypants]

120 is low tbh, if it’s 90 outside and the car is in the sun 130-140 is pretty common

[@custos3249]

Of course not. Welcome to planned obsolescence and minimal viable product. Also, never forget that engineers make the thing, not the decision if $0.22 more per unit that will sell for $40k is just too much for the company to afford, especially when you can make money on replacement parts.

[@VEC7ORlt]

Its not engineers, they are fully aware, its the bean counters.

[@TimEssDub]

I was leery about giving up my '02 LeSabre in 2018 because of how the cars were assembled and all of the electronics. I now drive a 2010 Rav4 that was probably the last generation before going all electronics.

[@robinsattahip2376]

Chinese electronics

[@industrialmonk]

I had this exact argument with Bosch over the motronic engine management back in the 1980s. I was told how to diagnose what chip was faulty but the chips are not available & were Bosch only. So I would have spent 1/2 hours of customer money to not repair it & tell them it still needs the complete new ecu. The Bosch rep refused to speak to me after that

[@rkan2]

And that is when they figured out the aftermarket or owners do not need schematics!

[@flotowncomputerguy6243]

A buddy of mine replaced a window regulator in his new pickup for $1200. It had some sort of sensor and computer integrated into it. The one for my old Camry is like $30 - $50. If his cluster goes out, he's up a certain creek. I can drop anything I want into the double-din on my car. Tech is going the wrong way

[@rockymntdan1]

Not for manufacturers. LOL

[@JasonCarmichael]

Look at the JD Power Vehicle Dependability study. #1 Issue, Infotainment systems. 49.9 Problems per 100 cars.

[@NotShowingOff]

So when it comes to point of failure, regardless of the engine or transmission. If the electronics fail, that’s the end of the vehicle.

[@TitelSinistrel]

Mecedes also has quite a few Renault parts. All of the 1.5 diesel engines are from Renault and are present on many Mercedes cars. From a european perspective I allways had the sneaking suspicion that the A-class is just a rebadged Renault Megane due to the overall shape of it, shape of windows and doors.

[@bkgnkprt]

Now come to think of it, youre right. The a class does resemble renault megane. I mean megane is a nice price/performance car (considering the amount of options you can get for cheap) but the a class does share alot of parts with it and it doesnt suit the mercedes’s “the best or nothing” motto.

[@UhOhUmm]

It's not even close to the same vehicle. The engine is the same (in one variant), but the A class chassis is a lot different because it has to allow for 4matic and different gearboxes that accompany it and also it has independent rear suspension. Megane is a good little car, but it's a lot more budget.

[@sunny-sq6ci]

a German car made by the French... that's a frighteningly bad nightmare

[@1974Qball]

@@sunny-sq6ci They breakdown going to battle before they can surrender!!

[@dennisthomas4766]

When I was a young Mechanic back in the 1980's this older fellow named Harry came up to me and said out of the blue he said "YOU DO THE THINKING FOR THE CAR DON'T LET IT DO THE THINKING FOR YOU"

[@Buffrt66]

Yeah, but people are extra stupid these days.

[@warntheidiotmasses7114]

​@@Buffrt66You know how you can detect them? They're wearing a mask.. still.

[@shauny2285]

​​My son just started his auto mechanic career. He tells me that his Gen-Z customers haven't a clue about their cars.

[@Jozavenue]

Nailed it@@Buffrt66

[@a.larson2777]

​@@warntheidiotmasses7114You meant red hats.

[@chrisbishop3716]

I daily drive a 1995 GMC Sierra. I love the fact that I can literally fix anything that goes wrong for a reasonable price.

[@falconerx]

I was quoted $3,500 to fix a bad infotainment screen in my 2016 Yukon. I found a replacement screen online for $45. It took me 6 hours to fix it. I could do it again in 2 hours. Saw the fix on KZbin

[@Mr.Ghost_og]

That’s what I’m saying they have direct replacement upgrade led screens for most new cars priced anywhere from 50-600 and the nice one for this gla is a 12 inch thin bezel Apple CarPlay and is a touchscreen too instead of only the dumb knob. More features and better resolution.

[@madrandomize5115]

Wait when they make mandatory to pair each part with the car due to "security" reasons. Then you will not be able to fix anything even if you could disassemble it and install it.

[@philb707]

We are already there lol@@madrandomize5115

[@Funktastico]

@@madrandomize5115 That revolutionary feature only exclusive to Apple iCar

[@practicalguy973]

That works for a 2016 but new vehicles are getting more locked down. A 2024 could need reprogramming at a dealer in some cases they will deny aftermarket.

[@rrd1975]

I don't know if you remember a Steve McQueen movie from the early 1980s, "The Hunter". In this movie, McQueen's character is questioned about hanging on to old, obsolete cars and other devices. McQueen responds by simply saying that his old things are well made and dependable, but "new things are no good". The big flat screen displays in new cars may be a response to a question that few people are asking.

[@325xitgrocgetter]

I recall McQueen renting a new Trans Am in the movie and having trouble driving the newer car...which met an untimely demise during a cornfield combine chase. I remember him saying the same thing about keeping older items.

[@harus3921]

My 2006 Accord screen still works after 18 years. Its got a few smears but controls still good.

[@alphatrion100]

So what you're saying is that people have been talking like that for 40 years 🤷‍♂️

[@tim3172]

Meanwhile, back in reality, manufacturers are responding to the *OVERWHELMING* number of customers who demand bigger and better touch screens in cars. Your myopic viewpoint does not match the market in any capacity.

[@oldrrocr]

Disposable "one and done" cars has been a dream of the manufacturers for decades, but now they cost $50k to 100k - this concept is criminal!

[@madmike2624]

I believe you found one hell of a mechanic when you hired Grimes!!

[@stephenwabaxter]

I'll say it again - give him a raise!

[@richardmorris6365]

I'd be bringing him breakfast for the duration of his employment..

[@audiophil4946]

Thank you Grimes and Mr. Wizard for pointing out this major issue with all new(ish) vehicles. My newest car is a 16 year old Toyota (my winter beater), and most of my vehicles are 50+ years old. I can fix almost anything in any of them in my driveway or garage with basic tools by myself. I have absolutely zero desire to buy anything newer, ever.

[@rdsledge]

Had to replace my Cadillac QUE screen on my 2014 50,000M car. Touch screen was about $60.00. Dealer I think gets $200.00 parts and labor. It was a pain to replace as there are like 30 screws to take out and a very small ribbon cable to attach. Was very fiddly and tedious. I did fix it and it is working fine! Your point is well taken!

[@bds-ro5hb]

All Cadillac CUE screens up to 2017 have a design flaw where they will all fail. To have a dealer in Canada replace it you will pay about $2K since Cadillac wants to replace a whole section of the dash. If you are handy and DIY you can purchase an improved screen online for $160 and be done in 1 hour.

[@99gagtx]

I've worked on commercial and industrial electronics. And have spent an hour or two disassembling and re-assembling, just to replace a $2 part.

[@richardelliott8352]

@@bds-ro5hb you guys are lucky. GM printed the circuit diagrams of my cars critical ignition control module and had them copyrighted like a book, because book copyright laws will prevent any aftermarket circuits that do essentially the same function. And it can't be taken apart for service because it was cheaper to print the circuits in layers, so taking it apart destroys it. So when the time comes, only used parts will be available. And the owners with cars made before GM settled on the design are paying $1200 for a one year only part that I can get for three hundred dollars or so.

[@rdsledge]

If it were not for the Internet and KZbin I would’ve really been up the creek!

[@sunbeam8866]

Hard to believe only $60!

[@weegeemike]

Wow Wizard, you really found a hell of a mechanic with our buddy Grimes there. Very impressive for a young mechanic. Most young mechanics i know cant work on anything older than '96 or hell maybe even 2000s cars because they need the scanner or theyre pretty much useless and have no idea how to use the process of elimination without their scanner telling them whats wrong. Grimes is definitely a REAL mechanic, not just a parts swapper.

[@throttlewatch4614]

My wife wanted one of those cars I was against because it’s a run of the mill car with an MB emblem. She loves her 4Runner

[@TOBYH]

MUCH BETTER CHOICE.

[@drunvert]

Smart.

[@2006gtobob]

EXCELLENT choice. Much much smarter buy!

[@Wavelover33]

A 4runner is the choice of people who aren’t suckered into all the tech garbage and “advancements” that plague new cars. It just simple and works - kinda like a car everyone should want.

[@throttlewatch4614]

@@Wavelover33 you’re right the 4Runner is non turbo and a simple screen. She wanted the Mercedes as look at me I’m driving a Mercedes 🙄

[@nunya1667]

Yep I’ve been avoiding a much screens as possible. Recently bought my daughter a used 2022 Toyota Corolla. Some trims come with a full digital dash but some come with mechanical gauges. I made sure to get one with the mechanical gauges. It still has a infotainment screen but it’s only for radio.

[@onetireonfire2777]

Thanks for bringing it up Mr Wizard. I’m Canadian, the first Ram truck I saw with infotainment controlling the HVAC, I was OUT! I’ve owned so many dodges and Ram trucks. The Head unit has failed on every truck, the more complicated is was, the shorter it lived. I would never trust the head unit to control HVAC in the winter.

[@shaunpage4498]

Another issue with screens, they hate the severe cold.

[@djparn007]

Most new cars today are so generic that you can hardly tell one from another. They will never become collectible. This was a great program, Wizard. Don't let the cool screens dazzle you.

[@volvo09]

Yeah, they are becoming appliances. Even modern appliances are getting screens tacked on for no reason. Washer / dryer with a touchscreen? NOPE! Refrigerator? NOPE!

[@rudolphna54]

Have you looked at cars from the 80s for example? They are all identical 3 box sedans.

[@volvo09]

@@rudolphna54 the 80's was the prior period when a large variety of cars went generic.

[@drunkenhobo8020]

​@@rudolphna54Yeah people always miss that. We only remember the good ones. There have always been dull, throwaway cars, simply because that's what the majority of people want.

[@djparn007]

@@rudolphna54 Agreed. I didn't want to sound like an old geezer stuck in the '60s.

[@korndogz69]

I see a new business doing board level repairs on infotainment head units, and dash units coming. The same types of businesses appeared when laptops were very expensive to repair by manufacturers. Third party businesses always appear in situations where manufacturers charge monopoly prices. All of these units ARE repairable for much less when 3rd party board level techs repair them. All they have to do is source components, and many (if not all) of those components will be commonly used in other electronic applications, so will be readily available. I'm an IT guy myself with over 20 years experience, and I'm very confident this will happen.

[@hotpuppy1]

BUT the manufacturers got everything tied up with proprietary software. Unless the LAWS are changed to allow outside people access, you are SCREWED

[@korndogz69]

@@hotpuppy1 Right to Repair needs to be recognized in more places until it becomes federal, but even so, there's ways around that. It won't be OEM, of course, but you can get around it.

[@boatguy3800]

I generally agree but there will be some roadblocks… every model is different and there are many models. They can’t be easily shipped as they are in a car.

[@korndogz69]

@@boatguy3800 Right. Some head units and dashes might be completely irreparable. In those cases, you either have to bite the bullet and pay OEM prices, or someone will have to fabricate entire units for different models.

[@ckm-mkc]

@@hotpuppy1 It's actually relatively trivial to reverse engineer the protocols, there are already plenty of tools that emulate proprietary OEM software. Despite all the perceived complexity, even "complicated" cars are relatively simple tech compared to most cloud computing. It's just, for most cars, there just isn't any sort of economic reason to be hacking OEM software.

[@kenbo80]

Some electronic components used in modern cars are often EOL before the car is sold. Manufacturers are notified and have to make last buys. They sure won’t purchase 10-20 year supplies of them. I won’t own a car newer than a 2010. It’s a lot cheaper to rebuild an old cars engine than to buy a new car every 8-10 years.

[@johnwilbanks3885]

I’m hear ya, my youngest car is 19 years old.

[@eeengineer8851]

This is true. Company I work for we do controllers and screens similar to what is on cars. The engineers working on some of these are constantly redesigning the same module due to parts going obsolete. Some items like the actual screen may only be available from the mfg for a year or so. Same with some IC chips, etc. Even the factory that made that electronics box would be unable to repair it after that model run was over as no parts available.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

EOL, is a topic that is never discussed with all these new-car review channels. I bought a 15 yr old S-Class 7 years ago. Imagine if it had a hyper screen that was not repairable or attainable and it failed. A perfectly good car, written off because of end of life technology. There are going to be millions of otherwise good cars ending up crushed because of this absolute insanity.

[@debr628]

This is eye opening! I've been driving MB's for 25 years ... all of the previous labelling on parts indicated Germany. All were rock solid cars ... recently I traded a 2018 MB C300 4matic wagon in on a 2018 MB GLA 250 4matic ... thought it was MB through and through ... had no idea the engine was a Nissan? What the hell? wow, wow, wow ... FYI I'm in Ontario Canada ... just discovered your channel and wish I would have found it 6 weeks ago lol before I picked up the GLA

[@gybx4094]

I bought a 2021 GM Certified Equinox with a 5 year bumper-to-bumper extended warranty and 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. They claim I'm covered with the exception of wear and tear. Repairs on newer vehicles can run upwards of $2,000 per visit. Also, local mechanics refuse to work on them. That leaves us with only the dealership for repairs. Scary stuff.

[@troycarothers8254]

All of these driving laws that forbid drivers from using their cellphones and/or texting and yet we have car manufacturers putting the same touchscreen technology into modern vehicles. Gotta scroll through menus just to turn on the wipers or adjust the seat, etc, etc. Recipe for disaster.

[@Celician83]

My 2021 Toyota Corolla's Touchscreen infotainment lost 90% of all support and function before the bumper to bumper ended, less than 2 years! This is the future folks, when it's a year old it's obsolete, buy a new one!

[@geraldscott4302]

Actually most manufacturers consider 10 years to be the expected life span of a new vehicle, and they will work on it for that long, and no longer. And they will not sell parts to independent shops. They are for dealer use only. After 10 years, you're just plain screwed.

[@Celician83]

@@geraldscott4302 but EOL all the software for the radio for a 2021 in 2023 is a bit ridiculous! Even my cheap Motorola phone has a longer lifespan!

[@ALIENdrifter66]

Many buyers are like kids, they like every new toy they see, so other manufacturers start to offer the same toys inside their cars. Unfortunately, this kind of toys are expensive and cause problems when they fail.

[@crosscolin]

I recently moved to Japan, and while I miss my '99 X308, I'm LOVING my 2006 Suzuki Lapin. I bought it for $1505 (USD) with an extra set of alloy wheels wrapped in winter tires and inspection/tax/insurance for two years. Only 40k-km on the clock. I had the option to get something newer for just a little more, but I opted for normal key ignition, no built in navigation, etc. Loving my little 658cc gocart! AND I have a built in MiniDisc player! K6a motor shits the bed? Used replacement is ~$400 and a brand new one is ~$1100. Loving it!

[@froggionyc]

That’s Japan, they think small is beautiful. Americans think big, no, correction, BIGGEST, is beautiful.

[@nirfz]

Exactely what i am always saying with the touch display mania! 12:37 with some electric cars basically if the display backlight is dead, the "car" is a paperweight as you can't even put it into drive or do anything with the car apart form locking and unlocking it. Because in them sometimes D R and P are chosen via touch screen too. Btw.: to me screens look cheap, not luxurious.

[@justinfleming3551]

Great video. And yes, I agree, all these touchscreens and infotainment systems are ruining the experience of owning a car, because they aren’t all that reliable and when they stop working, you’re basically screwed. I’m a car lover, and I find this reality very depressing. It could be stopped if enough people were to say, enough of this crap, we aren’t gonna buy cars with this technology in them. And guess what…. It’s costing people so much extra money to buy these newer cars precisely because of all the technology car manufacturers cram into them. Thank you Car Wizard for bringing attention to this issue. Another stark reminder why I won’t buy a brand new car.

[@eugenelukyanenko3037]

You have literally echoed what I say when people ask why I have 6 cars and 5 of them are 1999 and older. New cars really do not connect the driver with the road and dont provide the whole fully integrated driving experience. Not to mention the planned obsolescence aspect of the whole current car market. It's almost like it's a way of getting you to consistently go in for repair and buy new because shit keeps on breaking.

[@Flies2FLL]

Screens: In aviation, most airplanes today are built with flat panel displays. Why? They are far cheaper to build, last way longer than "steam guages", and are very quick and easy to replace. What is needed in the automotive industry are standardized screens so that they are cheap and easy to replace when they break. Some things, like radio volume and AC vent position should NEVER EVER be adjusted by screens, give me knobs for those please! Great video!

[@jthang7]

The best is when they pair modules together so you can't swap in another used module. At least without going to the dealer to reprogram it. Or in some cases you need to order one coded to the VIN. Now you have a car that's junked. Funny thing is I hate too many screens. It ruins night vision while driving.

[@kenf5189]

Thank you for guys like you who are so knowledgeable about cars. This is one of the reasons I keep my 2007 Avalon with 125k. I'd like some of the tech like blind screen monitoring but I'll forgo it and be a more aware driver. I'm 75 and have done some simple repairs over the decades like exhaust manifolds, fuel pumps, manual trans linkage, etc but today not so. Keep your old cars.

[@TimothyStclair-v4p]

keeping my old chrysler concorde going. starts everytime and still a shift lever for the automatic transmission. 162,000 miles and love this car. 70yrs old.

[@jamesweddle184]

they're basically disposable items. recyclable. and it's nothing new...when was the last time you saw a Chevrolet Vega on the road? Ford Pinto? Chevy Beretta/Corsica? all disposable

[@geraldscott4302]

I have a 1972 Ford Pinto wagon. It runs great, but does need some work. I've owned it for around 35 years. Zero rust, but it did get baked from the AZ sun. Pintos are selling for $20K on Auto Trader. These were NOT disposable cars. People just thew them away because they wanted something new. If mine is still going at 52 years old, most of the rest of them could have been too. These cars are 100% mechanical. Mine has breaker points ignition, and it works fine. It has an old school mechanical voltage regulator, which also works just fine. These cars can be kept going forever, unless you live in the rust belt. Then anything is going to rust away in a very short time. I've seen 5 year old trucks break in half because of rust.

[@jamesweddle184]

@geraldscott4302 in high school my best friend Joey had a hand me down Pinto wagon. It served us well in our road trips all over Northern California. Hope you enjoy yours for a long time!

[@jdslyman1720]

The last time I saw a Chevy Vega was at the track with an LS in it. Those can be freaking quick with that setup😁

[@jamesweddle184]

@@jdslyman1720 yep still plenty of Chevy Vegas to be found at the dragstrip. Love them. But the roads you and I share, not so much

[@jdslyman1720]

@@jamesweddle184 Yep. Here in Texas, it's either giant pickups or suvs, or it is a crappy crossover with the soccer mom driving it. Very few sedans left. I have one of the few last new full size sedans made- the new Toyota Crown. It is called a crossover in Japan oddly enough, despite the fact it has a real trunk and no rear wiper. Still gets 40+MPG with the non turbo hybrid system, almost like a oversized and comfy Prius😁 It's heavy though- almost 4k pounds, and feels a bit like the land yachts of yesteryear.

[@jimmyjimjims7483]

My newest car is a 2007 Camry and at this rate it will stay that way. Imagine when these cars are 20 years old (if they even make it to that). You’ll never be able to find some of these modules

[@jamesellsworth9673]

What with new vehicle pricing and issues like The Wizard and Grimes bring up, we should see a boom in the restoring and restomoding of vehicles with mechanical systems.

[@rolandthethompsongunner64]

@@jamesellsworth9673 Good luck. 😂

[@Infernal_Elf]

@@jamesellsworth9673 hopefully it happens before they all rust away or become illegal because of emissions.

[@roadrunneroperationsllc]

I'm hoarding 90s cars right now. Been having a blast with a 93 plymouth duster 3.0 5 speed I got a few months ago

[@belltolls1984]

Nice! I'd love to see some pix of that!

[@Chris-13]

The UK have taxed the old good stuff off the road 😭😭 some of the older higher emissions cars cost @£1000 per year just to road tax !

[@hordebutcher2651]

I would say that mid-2000s would probably be the oldest I would go for the "repairability" index of old cars. I have a 2001 Camaro and I couldn't imagine getting parts for a car even older then that.

[@hordebutcher2651]

I would say that mid-2000s would probably be the oldest I would go for the "repairability" index of old cars. I have a 2001 Camaro and I couldn't imagine getting parts for a car even older then that.

[@MLC...]

Very good. I have done the same. I have several '90's and '80's cars stashed for my future use and enjoyment. Not buying a modern car ever again.

[@stretch34318]

My mom traded in her new rav4 for one of these few years ago, the benz is a lemon. the benz was in a wreck and the dealer fixed it and sold it to her before the wreck posted to the carfax. Issues with back hatch and rear driverside door as well as rear drivers side wheel alignment, not to mention it turning off while cruising down the hwy and who knows what else she hasn't told me about. It sounded like a diesel when she got it but got an update for it and the engine was much quieter at idle. Mess of a car.

[@RichPober]

Even high end cars, like Bentleys, have massively long wait times for spares where their suppliers have ceased trading and they have to find someone else to remanufacture the required part or assembly.

[@detreknash4505]

I'M SO USED TO 70-99 CARS🤷

[@SURENITY]

Old geezer 😂 You aren't missing out after around 2007.

[@detreknash4505]

@@SURENITY WHY I GOTTA BE OLD?CAR DIDN'T HAVE THESE ADVANCEMENTS NOW. NEVER OUTDATED, JUST FUNDAMENTAL

[@geraldscott4302]

Stay with them. The ONLY 2000s cars I can recommend is the Ford Panther cars with the 4.6l 2 valve engine, through the end of production in 2010-2012. They use mostly '90s technology. No touch screens. My 2006 Grand Marquis has a cassette player where new cars have touch screens.

[@oliverdelgado6952]

99 is too new for me 😂

[@nononsenseBennett]

I agree it's a problem having so many controls built in to the infotainment system. NUTS! A new Model 3 Tesla uses the infotainment screen to shift from park to drive. If that were to fail you couldn't use the car at all! Bring back switches and knobs!

[@ckm-mkc]

To be fair, in most cars made in the last 20 years, the PRNDL control is electronic, not mechanical. The actual gear change is made by a motor on the trans controlled by a computer module of some sort.

[@av_oid]

There are back up buttons: “In addition to manually shifting on the touchscreen, you can shift by pressing P, R, N or D located on the overhead console. In most situations, these buttons are not available until you press the brake and touch one of the buttons to activate it.”

[@josephj6521]

@@Jason-ml3vsI agree. Signaling whilst turning in a roundabout cannot be performed as you don’t know which button to press without taking your eyes off the road. Freakin dangerous. Or making multiple turns, signaling is impossible. The regulators need to put a stop to this madness as to me it’s not road-worthy.

[@brianwaldo2642]

I hate touch screens for vehicles. Unlike analog gauges and tactile controls, screens will eventually fail and put your car out of service. And then there’s the cost of repairing/replacing the parts which will be astronomical. Of course the manufacturers prefer these screens because they’re cheaper.

[@safffff1000]

Once learned the use and position of knobs, levers and buttons, you don't need to take your eyes off the road to use them

[@geraldscott4302]

Not only that, but most manufacturers have settled on 10 years as being the average lifespan of a vehicle. Many will not work on or sell parts for vehicles older than that. On old cars, you can rig and improvise a lot of things if you can't find the right part. That won't be possible with these computers on wheels.

[@yslee1401]

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto works well with touchscreens

[@safffff1000]

@@geraldscott4302I'm sure the large amount of old used Toyota's and Honda's will generate its own market for parts if the companies quit making them.

[@sunbeam8866]

@@safffff1000 So far, they are!

[@MattKremer39]

I had an '03 Accord with probably the same screen as the Wizard's daughter's MDX. It was neat having Nav in a 2003 with a quarter-million miles, but once the screen messed up, I couldn't control the fan direction, speed, or temperature. Luckily the screen worked intermittently, so I was able to set it to low fan speed on floor and defrost and just leave it there. Incredibly frustrating on an otherwise perfect car. The worst part is not even being able to drive the vehicle because you can't defrost the windows.

[@talesmaschio]

I’m an electronics engineer and I know how these screens work and all that can go wrong with them. Apart from the screen itself, I hate to be forced to touch a screen to change for example the audio volume. I love my 2011 XC60 with all its physical buttons and I’m gonna keep it for a long time still.

[@leonardcamsing1]

The GLA 250 is using the M270 which was produced at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim or Kölleda. The Mercedes engine which was produced until 2023 in Decherd at the Nissan plant was the M274 used in the infinity Q50 and Mercedes GLE & Metris. The Infinity Q30 and QX30 is pratically a GLA or A-class, apart from mostly design change, not the other way around

[@Nitroat-xo4tj]

the whole video is full of misinformation.. Also the a class amg is a completly diffrent motor! they didnt do any research at all, just stating that all a class are renault motors. thats completely false

[@chadhaire1711]

made is mexico? I have a 2024 CLA and it says the enigne is made in germany

[@keithwalton]

Only in 'murica is the m270 'assembled' by nissan as a joint venture. There are Renault-Nissan diesels badged as mercedes however like the OM699 used in the X class

[@smithjones1906]

There were precursors to this. The reason I got rid of my 1991 Oldsmobile Toronado was the screen was failing and replacements were unavailable. I _loved_ that car, most comfortable car I've ever owned. I think the response to this needs to be wider availability of replacement parts. As much as I hate to say it, perhaps government.. uhh.. "guidance" is required for that. The response isn't going to be turning back the clock to an era before electronics.

[@Psylliumhead]

Screen in a 1991?

[@emersonbiggens1502]

Still have my 91 Trofeo. Touch screen CRT for the win !

[@geraldscott4302]

The "government" is the cause of all these problems. They wanted disposable cars to force everybody to have to keep buying new ones. Of course many can't, so they will be left without cars when the supply of older cars that can be repaired is gone. Or you can build your own. You can literally build a tri five Chevy ('55-'57) out of repair panels. Same thing with many other classic cars. I just watched a guy build a '67 Camaro. He had to replace over 90% of the body, and ALL of the mechanical parts.

[@geraldscott4302]

@@emersonbiggens1502 That's actually a vacuum fluorescent display, not a CRT.

[@neverknow69]

So we hate the hvac system in our 2020 Chey Bolt EV. It will take over the settings even if not set to auto. The software decides it knows the best way to control everything. I miss the old buttons allowing us to actually set things.

[@m2mark1]

I`ve just bought myself a "new" 13 year old ford focus for £1000.00. When it breaks I can fix it for pennies or £100`s of pounds maximum...I can afford pretty much any new car but why would I? your video makes an excellent point.

[@anthonyslazas6413]

Never thought about the video screen going dead and having to replace them. Great video!

[@V8-friendly]

Yeah, my wife had to get her battery replaced at dealership on her Q5 yesterday: $500.- parts & labor. Stupid start-stop automatic wore it out prematurely, in my opinion. But heh, it saved her at least 20 gallons in gas over the batterie’s life. So 20 gallons for $500.- bucks? Smart!

[@robertmaybeth3434]

Is there not a way to turn off the start-stop feature? I've never had that problem, because if the car I were looking at had this awful, awful feature I'd walk away and start looking at other brands for sure. The only worse idea that I can think of is engines with "cylinder de-activation" i.e. when the engine shuts off 2 or more of the cylinders. Obviously the automakers did this in a desperate attempt to meet CAFE fuel consumption (with the customer's actual wishes and desires being left in the dust...).

[@Whatisthisstupidfinghandle]

Yes. Start stop also kills the starter motor. It actually says this in my car manual. I have it set to last setting and leave it off., so when I start the car by default it is in off position. I think I have only accidentally used the start stop half a dozen times in six years I owned the car

[@silverfoxfinance]

$500!? Does it need to be dealer done to reset all the electronics after the new battery is put in?

[@DreamforgeOG]

@@robertmaybeth3434 My guess is that since it's part of the EPA estimates, you can't actually disable it permanently. There are a few companies which sell disablers via a in-line plugin module that emulates the "Disable" press every time you start you car.

[@whatchis1120]

I feel you there I was going to to get the battery replace on our VW Touareg since its oem and coming up on 7 years the dealer quoted me $850, I thought it was going to be $500. I haven't called my indy yet, so hopefully less than $600 there. The start stop can cause them to lose charge but you all may not be driving enough to get it fully charged or if its sitting around.

[@EdwardTadsyrup]

"Downstairs mix up". Seems like Wizard is a Mighty Boosh fan. Not the first time I think I've heard a Boosh reference ❤.

[@CarWizard]

Whatcha doin in my waters?

[@EdwardTadsyrup]

​@@CarWizardI knew it! I'm old Greeeeegggggg! ❤️😂

[@mikeschneider5077]

Last year, I bought a 2009 Kia Sedona minivan with 190k miles off Craigslist for $400. The tires were good, none of the glass was cracked, it drove straight without vibration, and it didn't leak anything. To my amazement, all the light bulbs worked, and still do. Needed some Lucas down the trans yap, but then they all do. The only thing that's rusty are the hood lift pistons. No EGR valves or other worthless planned-obsolescence sensors, and the thing has about twice the torque of a Chrysler or Dodge with the same 3.8L v6. Six-lug tires and truck suspension means it eats potholes.

[@cytherians]

My 2007 Audi A3 center arm rest compartment used a very cheaply designed plastic latch to hold the lid closed. Over time it cracked and glue held it for a brief time before more cracks happened. My solution? Remove the latch, add some magnets, then put magnets in the compartment lined up with the lid. Now it's magnetic closure, nicely firm, and superior to the original.

[@Nousername9-b1n]

Here’s a solution, don’t buy any modern car and get yourself an old Toyota or Chevy so you don’t have deal with this nonsense.

[@notsoeloquent]

Wtf is an old chevy? Maybe they exist somewhere far from the elements, but certainly not in any states that have winter.

[@Nousername9-b1n]

@@notsoeloquent There are ones where the body may be rusted but the frame is solid. People here in Minnesota drive them like that all the time.

[@DanGilliland-pi4vh]

Absolutely true,all the chea0 electronic crap that goes bad is bery complicated and extremely expensive to service .i have an 04 toyota 4runner with 80k miles that i will drive til the wheels fall off, new cars are unreliable way over priceed junk

[@The.Adam.D]

Thank you for what you do Wizard!

[@dimakhidarkovskiy2175]

I just enjoy listening them two good dudes talking about cars

[@Le_Dislike_Button]

you can 3d print a replacement panel knobs and buttons, throw in a microcontroller and a simple LCD from a 3rd party manufacturer, and have this kit perform the essential tasks in place of a fancy touch screen. There will probably be such aftermarket replacement kits for the more commonly owned vehicles sometime in the future

[@DigitalDissident]

No. Delusional.

[@TasneemKhan-h1r]

100% agree. my 2018 Honda touch screen decided to go bad where radio volume would go up to 80% or higher on it's own while dirving. the only way to shut the radio off is to pull over and shut the car off and let it sit there and restart it. The car was under warranty but Honda Dealer was never able to replicate it and factory won't issue recall because no one seems to be able to reproduce the issue but it happens in my car every summer and during long trips.

[@koolxxxyear]

I was a factory tech up to 2021. I saw that coming since 2010. Electrical becomes very complicated. Programming has always the main problem, plus new updates or new pats & new updates. $$$$. They look cool when it’s new. Many cars & trucks became “disposable” after 2018. Some parts already been discontinued. Good luck.

[@ozsgarage]

imagine saving money and working hard to pay for a top of the line German car, and you get a nissan, ferrari with toyota engines next

[@jaybeemhardscrote7466]

Ferrari with Totota engines would at least be an upgrade of reliability.

[@cloudyview]

Too be fair, I think I'd rather have a Toyota engine than all those other mfg's listed 😄

[@JollyGiant19]

This is not a top of the line Mercedes, it’s basically the cheapest SUV you can get from them

[@Zzus321]

The new Toyota Supra is a BMW.

[@edwarddapra7674]

I found myself most distracted by that beautiful DeLorean in the shop.

[@gvan217]

I was looking to the right

[@MrMfaust5]

Thanks so much man! You're absolutely right, new cars are glitzy for the first year out of the lot, but they are made of low quality flimsy materials! And they're destined for the scrap yard from the beginning!

[@loveandbaconbrian1901]

Physical controls for basic functions like A/C and radio let a driver reach for them with muscle-memory and not take their eyes off the road - or adjusting their eyes at night to the light on a screen and then back at the road - and are far safer as a result.

[@3dhaus]

Great conversation guys. Bad news though...for just about all of us. Because there aren't too many people willing to keep driving around in pre-2000's automobiles. I've never liked the idea of leasing, but if screens are going to be this big an issue leasing may be the smart thing to do going forward.

[@brianwhitney9181]

I can't wait to see a New Jeep Grand Wagoner owner come into a Dealership and say my $100,000.+ vehicle's screens all went black can you fix it.😂

[@jdslyman1720]

Yep. I don't consider that a Grand Wagoneer, as the only one I would get would have that old inline 6 in it , mechanical 4wd, and woodgrain on the sides😁 Some of those still pop up from time to time in my area.

[@ingresswizard9044]

Nothing like a face full of fake diamonds when the drivers airbag explodes!

[@joesmith9216]

LOL!

[@errolcarter3741]

This is crazy! Even Luke Skywalker's fighter jet had switches! Wait, that was long time ago in a galaxy far far way. Nevermind.

[@SamSaengsavang]

I got to drive a 2022 Explorer as a rental. It had about 85% car functions relegated to a touch screen and also a gear shift knob. This was vastly different than the conventional buttons on the center stack and gear shift lever on my original 2015 Pilot. I found the touchscreen to be very cumbersome especially if changes needed to be made on the fly. Would prefer a well thought out button & switch design than trying to swipe and slide a screen with greasy fingers.

[@redcrowsadventureschannel]

Hello wizard, good video! I just want to tell you about your mechanic Grimes. He's a very good Mercedes guru. He knows a lot about cars especially Mercedes-Benz. Keep him. Do not let him go because he is a jewel for you guys because I'm looking at the video right now about the Mercedes and he knows a lot and rest is uniform. Laugh out loud but keep him cuz he's a good dude. Great video thank you❤

[@1fnjo790]

The Wizard needs thin lanky techs that can fit their arms and hands into places his won't fit anymore. I'ld feel sorry for the horse if he were The Horse vet😂

[@FragEightyfive]

I have a 2001 VW Jetta that hasl manual HVAC controls. In 2003 (2002?) VW added their new climatronic system where the controls went from cable to electronics (buttons and servos). Between the cup holders being right over the controls, and the leaky vents that pumped cold air on the HVAC control which would get a lot of condensate they seemed to fail often compared to the (never heard of them failing) manual controls. IIRC the control units were like $750 used 20 years ago on a car with a base price of $13k or $14k. I'm glad my 2001 was all manual HVAC controls. One thing I loved about all manual controls is you can precisely set air temp coming out of the vents and how much air comes out of which vents.

[@Infernal_Elf]

Thanks for the info im still wondering why cables sliders and springs went away like a toyota corolla 1993 has. Nothing wrong with that works great. Electro mechanical is as far as it should go. only place one needs a computer is ABS and Fuel injection but fuel injection can be done mechanically also.

[@beaconsandhelos]

It started with airbags. If one airbag opens the car most likely will be totalled. Even if fixable. Simply because of the costs. The cars have gotten much more reliable yet much much less sustainable.

[@JollyGiant19]

It’s funny to see someone talk about airbags as if they’re a bad thing

[@beaconsandhelos]

@@JollyGiant19 I don't say they're a bad thing, just very expensive.

[@volvo09]

Airbags don't total a car by themselves. If they go off the body and chassis damage is quite extensive already. You don't get airbag deployment from a little tap and a simple bumper cover replacement, it's almost always a lot more extensive.

[@beaconsandhelos]

@@volvo09 I had an accident, a car hit the front passenger door. The passenger window airbag deployed. There was zero glass inside the car. Not because of the airbag but because it was safety glass. I had absolutely nothing, not even whiplash. The car and I were pushed around quite a bit but I did not hit that curtian airbag . Yes, the door was toast and would have been very expensive to replace but the insurance totalled the car because of the airbag deployment. Procedures mandated the airbag and all of the sensors must be replaced and all electronics checked, which was a five-figure estimate.

[@volvo09]

@@beaconsandhelos how old was the car? It's also highly possible that it wouldn't be "just" a door. The door latch and hinge pins would have been pulled in and deflected the A and B pillars, requiring straightening. If it was a brand new car and it was really only the door it may be doable, but expenses add up fast with structural body work, especially when insurance companies have to pay for it to be done right... You could have bought the car back from the INS company and had it repaired with the payment they gave you also if you didn't believe it, it's often possible.

[@missourirebel9669]

This is why vehicles from the 70's and 80's are so expensive now

[@geraldscott4302]

You can say that again. Ford Pintos are selling for $20,000 on Auto Trader. I own a '72 wagon. Rust free. It needs a little work, but I believe I could turn it into a $10,000 car for under $1000 in parts.

[@erolserif5357]

they are actually Renault engines.. mercedes has a deal with Renault supplying the engines for their A class cars/SUVs

[@captainvector]

Yup. Renault and Nissan (and Mitsubishi) have a partnership

[@hankitytankity]

Just wonderful. What decent doesn’t come with a touch screen? One cannot even swap out radio decks anymore. I kinda wish manufacturers would go back to making simpler cars. I have no problem with latest emissions standards, just let opt out of the things that cannot be replaced or repaired.

[@primafacie6442]

I moved away from modern cars after similar faults on a tail light unit on my VW Passat and BMW X5. Both were integrated LED lights and look very nice, but a small defect in each failed the annual road fitness warranty. Each unit required integration with the cars CPU and reboot time (2-4hours) and total cost (oem parts and labour) was $1000+ USD, just for a defective brake light!😮

[@SombreroKnight]

Not surprised that it had a Nissan built engine I mean the euro market X class Truck is literally a rebadged nissan Frontier/Navarra.

[@1maico1]

It doesn't. The M270 engine was designed and made in Germany. Nissan in the UK made the QX30 for the US market using the Mercedes platform and engine.

[@knutarneaakra6013]

Old diesel cars old diesel pump no ecu. Works all the time no problems😊 gonna keep mine for a long long time to come😊

[@hokie9910]

At this point, I think we can all agree that the Japanese have mastered electronics….Mercedes, BMW, GM, Stellantis…not so much

[@geraldscott4302]

Electronics are TRASH no matter who makes them.

[@hokie9910]

I have 2 100 series Landcruisers with over 500k between the 2 and a tundra with 370k…everything works

[@freddyhollingsworth5945]

coworker just spent $4,600 on her Infinity SVU to get the main screen replaced so he could use her heat....Warranty just ran out...

[@clearvus]

This isn’t just a problem with cars. This is a problem with anything using computers and software. Digital rot is real. It won’t be that you can’t fix the problems that appear. You just won’t be able to get the parts that are compatible anymore.

[@stephencurry8552]

BMW spent millions to fully understand what angstrom of light to use for its instruments in order to provide the best night vision! One reason I adore my E39 M5, Now cars have brightly lit screens? LOL! And when the screen goes, so goes all of the function of the vehicle. No thanks.

[@kalashnikov1343]

Modern engineering is so sad.

[@stephencurry8552]

@@kalashnikov1343 So is a kalashnikov. If you live in the US, you should leave. Go live with little vlad.

[@kalashnikov1343]

@@stephencurry8552 kalashnikov is not modern engineering, and it's most certainly not sad. Any sane historian knows it was a utilitarian engineering marvel for its time, hence why it's still so popular even today. It was an evolution of the sturmgewehr. Please separate your irrational derangements from reality. I am not part of your delusion.

[@demoralize4730]

​@@stephencurry8552this is a car channel, sir

[@demoralize4730]

​@@stephencurry8552this is a car channel, sir 😂

[@houseofno]

Imagine when these poorly made screens go out and you have to pay thousands to replace this screen to use basic functions on the car. In the old days you owned the Mercedes. Now the Mercedes owns YOU. "Wait you want $20,000 for a new screen so I can have heated seats and climate controls?" Dealer: "Yes."

[@kalashnikov1343]

Imagine some of the newer vehicles that are using screens for mirrors 😮

[@2steaksandwiches665]

It all went downhill after the electric starter. Thanks Cadillac.

[@wydopnthrtl]

😆

[@aliendroneservices6621]

And don't get me started on those new-fangled *_electric_* headlights! What was wrong with acetylene?

[@2steaksandwiches665]

@@aliendroneservices6621 You there! Fill it up with petroleum distillate, and re-vulcanize my tires, post haste! /Mr Burns

[@DETmichigan-yy6lf]

My 2007 Focus ST with the 2.3l Duratec & 5 speed manual just rolled over 350,000 Miles. not ONE tech failure EVER 😂 3 starters 2 clutches are the Only "big" Repairs i did. Drained & filled the manual gearbox every 60k miles. Changed the engine oil every 5k since new with Supertech walmart synthetic oil & Supertech filters. still getting 33MPG's in this beast

[@benjaminl.dallaire9890]

Best thing to do is lease them and send them back to the dealer to before major issues arise and let them sort out the problems.