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I've owned a Toyota, a Mazda, and two Hondas, and some Ford diesels, all with ICEs. All were over ten years old when I got them and beat to crap. None of these

I've owned a Toyota, a Mazda, and two Hondas, and some Ford diesels, all with ICEs. All were over ten years old when I got them and beat to crap. None of these vehicles have ever needed engine repairs. But they all needed work on the suspension, brakes, and electrics. And I've never heard anyone talk about an actual engine breaking, apart from carbeurated motorcycle engines. If other people's experience is the same, I'm surprised that this particular EV marketing point makes it past the bullshit detector. I'm also kind of disappointed that repairability isn't an EV marketing point, as electrical systems are easy to work on and diagnose compared to mechanical systems. Oh well, maybe the USA and China go to war then repairing and building becomes an American patriotic virtue

s0rce 7y ago
I've had gasket seals need repair and a bunch of emission related things have repeated issues like O2 sensors and then some engine-related things like throttle position sensors. But as you said many of the big ticket items were suspension issues. There are also a host of other non engine related things that plague older vehicles like AC, power doors/windows, etc.
- Scoundreller 7y ago
  Wouldn’t electrics have the same (or more due to weight) suspension issues? Or does the lower vibration change that aspect? What I really want is dynamic suspension that adjusts based on location. We already have cars going over every road: we could measure where the pot holes are or where the road is smooth.
chris11 7y ago
> as electrical systems are easy to work on and diagnose compared to mechanical systems. I'm not sure I agree with that. ICEs have a culture of DIY repairs. Sure, that could develop around electrics and hybrids, but HV electrical systems are dangerous. I'd say they are much more dangerous than ICEs.
- AnthonyMouse 7y ago
  > HV electrical systems are dangerous. I'd say they are much more dangerous than ICEs. Everything is dangerous. Gasoline is a volatile liquid carcinogen that bursts into flames when exposed to temperatures that numerous parts of the vehicle operate at, unless it evaporates first, in which case it explodes. An ICE engine block weighs several hundred pounds and can crush you to death. If you repair your brakes or steering improperly you may first discover it as your vehicle sails through a red light at a busy intersection or swerves out of control into oncoming traffic. If you stick your hand into a fan or belt and then it starts moving, you may no longer have a hand. Or an arm. Or enough remaining blood to stay conscious and call for help. There are ten thousand ways for idiots to kill themselves. But most people are not idiots, and have a strong personal incentive not to get themselves killed, which means that none of them are a justification for prohibiting people from repairing their own property.
- londons_explore 7y ago
  Have there been any deaths from EV electrics? Most of them operate around 400v, which isn't super dangerous (touch it, and it might kill you, but there's also a good chance you'll survive). They also have far more protection subsystems than a typical house or factory. For example, if you cut into a high voltage wire in a car and touch it with wet fingers, the battery contactor will disconnect before you can touch the other wire to cause a fatal current.
hef19898 7y ago
Actually the more electronics you have the harder fault isolation gets. Simple mechanics are rather easy in that regard.

s0rce 7y ago

I've had gasket seals need repair and a bunch of emission related things have repeated issues like O2 sensors and then some engine-related things like throttle position sensors. But as you said many of the big ticket items were suspension issues. There are also a host of other non engine related things that plague older vehicles like AC, power doors/windows, etc.

Scoundreller 7y ago
Wouldn’t electrics have the same (or more due to weight) suspension issues? Or does the lower vibration change that aspect? What I really want is dynamic suspension that adjusts based on location. We already have cars going over every road: we could measure where the pot holes are or where the road is smooth.

chris11 7y ago

> as electrical systems are easy to work on and diagnose compared to mechanical systems. I'm not sure I agree with that. ICEs have a culture of DIY repairs. Sure, that could develop around electrics and hybrids, but HV electrical systems are dangerous. I'd say they are much more dangerous than ICEs.

AnthonyMouse 7y ago
> HV electrical systems are dangerous. I'd say they are much more dangerous than ICEs. Everything is dangerous. Gasoline is a volatile liquid carcinogen that bursts into flames when exposed to temperatures that numerous parts of the vehicle operate at, unless it evaporates first, in which case it explodes. An ICE engine block weighs several hundred pounds and can crush you to death. If you repair your brakes or steering improperly you may first discover it as your vehicle sails through a red light at a busy intersection or swerves out of control into oncoming traffic. If you stick your hand into a fan or belt and then it starts moving, you may no longer have a hand. Or an arm. Or enough remaining blood to stay conscious and call for help. There are ten thousand ways for idiots to kill themselves. But most people are not idiots, and have a strong personal incentive not to get themselves killed, which means that none of them are a justification for prohibiting people from repairing their own property.
londons_explore 7y ago
Have there been any deaths from EV electrics? Most of them operate around 400v, which isn't super dangerous (touch it, and it might kill you, but there's also a good chance you'll survive). They also have far more protection subsystems than a typical house or factory. For example, if you cut into a high voltage wire in a car and touch it with wet fingers, the battery contactor will disconnect before you can touch the other wire to cause a fatal current.

hef19898 7y ago

Actually the more electronics you have the harder fault isolation gets. Simple mechanics are rather easy in that regard.