4 ms·

This comment might apply to cars 15 years from now. Tesla is likely the closest to "car as a service" but it has been coming along for a few years across the e

This comment might apply to cars 15 years from now. Tesla is likely the closest to "car as a service" but it has been coming along for a few years across the entire auto industry.

mrguyorama 8y ago
My understanding is that ford is really really bad for this as well, requiring incredibly expensive computers, software packages, and training to repair even basic things without it pissing off the ECU
- stochastic_monk 8y ago
  This is why I will never again own a Ford. (That, and the endless recalls.)
  - jacquesm 8y ago
    And the bits falling off the car within the warranty period, that turn out not to be part of the warranty after all. In my case: a transmission brace that broke under light use in under a year on an F150.
    - mywittyname 8y ago
      Or the aluminum hood on my car that has a massive paint defect that isn't covered by the paint warranty because it needs to "rust" through for them to cover it. They added that clause to the warranty agreement knowing that aluminum will never rust, rather than fixing an issue they knew about for over a decade.
  - navigatesol 8y ago
    I just finished up the second of back to back Ford leases this month (2010 F-150, 2014 Fiesta ST) and didn't have a single issue with either car. 8 years, 2 cars, only oil changes, tires and brakes (on the ST). I guess your mileage may vary, literally.
    - mrguyorama 8y ago
      I know ford is currently having SERIOUS issues with a certain automatic transmission essentially exploding at the slightest provocation.
- navigatesol 8y ago
  >My understanding is that ford is really really bad for this as well, requiring incredibly expensive computers, software packages, and training to repair even basic things without it pissing off the ECU As a family who has owned Ford cars and trucks for 25+ years, this is news to me. Do you have a link or anything to substantiate this? It would be surprising if true.
  - mrguyorama 8y ago
    An example of how Ford tried to shut down third party repair efforts: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/01/ford-tries-shut-down-third-party-repair-tool-copyright https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/01/ford-tries-shut-down-t...
    - navigatesol 8y ago
      This is Ford suing someone for, essentially, trying to break their DRM. While I don't agree with the practice, it's Silicon Valley 101. I guess the ICE dinosaurs can learn new tricks after all? But I don't see how it relates requiring "incredibly expensive computers" as the original comment stated, nor do is it unique in any way to Ford. I can only speak from personal experience, but I've owned a ton of cars from all makes and models, and my Fords have been average or better when it comes to repair frequency/cost. I'm sure it's partially a byproduct of the vehicles being relatively "plain".
JohnFen 8y ago
> This comment might apply to cars 15 years from now. I'm already wary of this, personally, and it's one of the major reasons why I won't even consider buying a new car these days.
holy_city 8y ago
How is that fundamentally different from a leased vehicle?
seem_2211 8y ago
A worrying trend. Especially considering Tesla seem to take months to fix even basic fender bender problems.
asdff 8y ago
I think its already relevant for Tesla. You can't buy replacement parts and wrench your own fix, you have to buy a totaled Tesla to pull parts from and you void your warranty, unlike any car ever made in the past 100 years but right in line with the tech sector anti consumer practices we let slide.
JoblessWonder 8y ago
I think Volvo is trying out a "car as a service" feature where you pay a flat monthly fee (lease) but if your car breaks down or needs service they just give you a new one. Edit- Here is the link in case I missed any specifics: https://www.volvocars.com/us/shopping-tools/purchase/care-by-volvo https://www.volvocars.com/us/shopping-tools/purchase/care-by...

This comment might apply to cars 15 years from now. Tesla is likely the closest to "car as a service" but it has been coming along for a few years across the entire auto industry.

mrguyorama 8y ago

My understanding is that ford is really really bad for this as well, requiring incredibly expensive computers, software packages, and training to repair even basic things without it pissing off the ECU

stochastic_monk 8y ago
This is why I will never again own a Ford. (That, and the endless recalls.)
- jacquesm 8y ago
  And the bits falling off the car within the warranty period, that turn out not to be part of the warranty after all. In my case: a transmission brace that broke under light use in under a year on an F150.
  - mywittyname 8y ago
    Or the aluminum hood on my car that has a massive paint defect that isn't covered by the paint warranty because it needs to "rust" through for them to cover it. They added that clause to the warranty agreement knowing that aluminum will never rust, rather than fixing an issue they knew about for over a decade.
- navigatesol 8y ago
  I just finished up the second of back to back Ford leases this month (2010 F-150, 2014 Fiesta ST) and didn't have a single issue with either car. 8 years, 2 cars, only oil changes, tires and brakes (on the ST). I guess your mileage may vary, literally.
  - mrguyorama 8y ago
    I know ford is currently having SERIOUS issues with a certain automatic transmission essentially exploding at the slightest provocation.
navigatesol 8y ago
>My understanding is that ford is really really bad for this as well, requiring incredibly expensive computers, software packages, and training to repair even basic things without it pissing off the ECU As a family who has owned Ford cars and trucks for 25+ years, this is news to me. Do you have a link or anything to substantiate this? It would be surprising if true.
- mrguyorama 8y ago
  An example of how Ford tried to shut down third party repair efforts: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/01/ford-tries-shut-down-third-party-repair-tool-copyright https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/01/ford-tries-shut-down-t...
  - navigatesol 8y ago
    This is Ford suing someone for, essentially, trying to break their DRM. While I don't agree with the practice, it's Silicon Valley 101. I guess the ICE dinosaurs can learn new tricks after all? But I don't see how it relates requiring "incredibly expensive computers" as the original comment stated, nor do is it unique in any way to Ford. I can only speak from personal experience, but I've owned a ton of cars from all makes and models, and my Fords have been average or better when it comes to repair frequency/cost. I'm sure it's partially a byproduct of the vehicles being relatively "plain".

JohnFen 8y ago

> This comment might apply to cars 15 years from now. I'm already wary of this, personally, and it's one of the major reasons why I won't even consider buying a new car these days.

holy_city 8y ago

How is that fundamentally different from a leased vehicle?

seem_2211 8y ago

A worrying trend. Especially considering Tesla seem to take months to fix even basic fender bender problems.

asdff 8y ago

I think its already relevant for Tesla. You can't buy replacement parts and wrench your own fix, you have to buy a totaled Tesla to pull parts from and you void your warranty, unlike any car ever made in the past 100 years but right in line with the tech sector anti consumer practices we let slide.

JoblessWonder 8y ago

I think Volvo is trying out a "car as a service" feature where you pay a flat monthly fee (lease) but if your car breaks down or needs service they just give you a new one. Edit- Here is the link in case I missed any specifics: https://www.volvocars.com/us/shopping-tools/purchase/care-by-volvo https://www.volvocars.com/us/shopping-tools/purchase/care-by...