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I'm still with you father on modern vechicles. Yes--the engine light comes on, and I can read a PID trouble code on many vechicles. The fault code is not alwa

I'm still with you father on modern vechicles. Yes--the engine light comes on, and I can read a PID trouble code on many vechicles. The fault code is not always the problem. It's just not that simple to fix a modern vechicle. I pull a generic pid of XXXX, but maybe, around 30% of the time it's just that error code. Manufacturers have scan tools that read there products very well. Much better than my Snap-on 2500mt. I can't buy their tools, nor will they sell their priority information to most mechanics. So, working on vechicles made after, I say, 2000 is really getting hard. So hard, I believe most vechicles made in the 90's will become collectable? Why--they have less do-dads, and Emmission sensors. It gets monumentally difficult if your trying to get a vechicle to pass CA Emmission tests. I thought OBD2 would make working on vechicles a breeze. I have not found it to be the case. I have found buying a new vechicle is a lifelong relationship with the dealership; at dealership repair prices. I think manufactures did this on purpose. "Get them to buy your vechicle, and keep them coming back?" A sales tatic that software companies have been relying on for years now? I still remember buying Lightroom 1 at $199.00, and thinking that's all I will spend. What a deal? I actually foresee a bunch of bricked, by failing emmission tests, vechicles in the near future.

_pmf_ 11y ago
> It gets monumentally difficult if your trying to get a vechicle to pass CA Emmission tests. In Germany, we have exemptions for what we call Oldtimers and Youngtimers (tax breaks, permission to enter environmentally restricted areas etc.).
- lttlrck 11y ago
  In Germany the vast majority of cars on the road are well looked after and relatively new - at least that was the persistent impression I got during my time there. In the US the average car age seems much older and they are less well maintained on average - the inspection is a breeze in comparison. So in Germany the overall amount of pollution is lower to start with so exemptions for older cars is a less objectionable and more clear cut. Comparatively. That's my thoughts on it anyway :-) I had a 1974 TR6 with an H kennzeichen! It was an adventure owning that car in Germany.
pteredactyl 11y ago
Good post. And that's why if I ever by a car it'll be older and not require a proprietary computer sensor to maintain. That and I have a hard time with the new "smart" driving technology. I was in my friend's Subaru last week and it beeped anytime he did anything remotely out of line...
- marshray 11y ago
  The bleeping smart driving features are off by default. If you want them, you have to specifically turn them on every time you start the car.
- stcredzero 11y ago
  I have a hard time with cars that panic if I reach in through an open window to undo the lock.
- jonknee 11y ago
  > Good post. And that's why if I ever by a car it'll be older and not require a proprietary computer sensor to maintain. If that day comes you should find a way to secure it because almost all older cars are very easy to steal. Those computer bits make new cars much more difficult to snatch.
  - soperj 11y ago
    Except when they steal your dongle signal and use that to open the door and start the car.
  - ams6110 11y ago
    Nobody really bothers to steal older cars though. Not enough money in them for the risk.
    - jonknee 11y ago
      They are in fact the most popular cars to steal. Especially Honda's. http://www.dmv.org/insurance/most-stolen-cars-and-other-vehicles.php http://www.dmv.org/insurance/most-stolen-cars-and-other-vehi...

_pmf_ 11y ago

> It gets monumentally difficult if your trying to get a vechicle to pass CA Emmission tests. In Germany, we have exemptions for what we call Oldtimers and Youngtimers (tax breaks, permission to enter environmentally restricted areas etc.).

lttlrck 11y ago
In Germany the vast majority of cars on the road are well looked after and relatively new - at least that was the persistent impression I got during my time there. In the US the average car age seems much older and they are less well maintained on average - the inspection is a breeze in comparison. So in Germany the overall amount of pollution is lower to start with so exemptions for older cars is a less objectionable and more clear cut. Comparatively. That's my thoughts on it anyway :-) I had a 1974 TR6 with an H kennzeichen! It was an adventure owning that car in Germany.

pteredactyl 11y ago

Good post. And that's why if I ever by a car it'll be older and not require a proprietary computer sensor to maintain. That and I have a hard time with the new "smart" driving technology. I was in my friend's Subaru last week and it beeped anytime he did anything remotely out of line...

marshray 11y ago
The bleeping smart driving features are off by default. If you want them, you have to specifically turn them on every time you start the car.
stcredzero 11y ago
I have a hard time with cars that panic if I reach in through an open window to undo the lock.
jonknee 11y ago
> Good post. And that's why if I ever by a car it'll be older and not require a proprietary computer sensor to maintain. If that day comes you should find a way to secure it because almost all older cars are very easy to steal. Those computer bits make new cars much more difficult to snatch.
- soperj 11y ago
  Except when they steal your dongle signal and use that to open the door and start the car.
- ams6110 11y ago
  Nobody really bothers to steal older cars though. Not enough money in them for the risk.
  - jonknee 11y ago
    They are in fact the most popular cars to steal. Especially Honda's. http://www.dmv.org/insurance/most-stolen-cars-and-other-vehicles.php http://www.dmv.org/insurance/most-stolen-cars-and-other-vehi...