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This is unintentionally a good example of someone who's aged out of his profession because he's not curious about how things really work anymore, despite the le

by avar 3y ago

This is unintentionally a good example of someone who's aged out of his profession because he's not curious about how things really work anymore, despite the lengthy intro claiming the exact opposite. He was repairing a Nissan Maxima, and either got an alert about a bad coil, or one coil was just entirely dead. He then wanted to replace just that bad coil. This is after he was told they should all be replaced, note how he never thought to even ask "why?" at that point, just assuming "what do they know? I've done this before!". He then finds that the car's computer checks all the coils, and just proceeds to alert on the next coil shortly thereafter. This isn't because each coil has some DRM module to make you put another dollar in, but the engine is checking the performance of the coils, presumably it's picking up on something as simple as resistance mismatch. So he blames the car, computers, the modern economy etc, and finally ends with some conspiracy theory about how BRICS are going to replace the USD as the world's reserve currency. There's lots of little annoyances related to the modern CAN-bus in cars, but not this sort of thing. If he'd gone with his initial plan the customer would have unknowingly ended up with a car where the performance of each cylinder differed, which can lead to subtle and more major mechanical issues down the road. It's also perfectly fine to just replace the one coil, get check "check engine" light, and just explain that problem to the customer. If they only want to spend $100 and not $100 times the number of cylinders that's their decision. But whatever the issue is, it's not that the computer notices that the engine's performance is abnormal, and alerts you about it.

rini17 3y ago
So you have no problem with junking cars that are most likely completely fine mechanically? Just because electronics is poorly made, prone to chain failure or because software does not support replacing some parts that otherwise could be replaced? Maybe having slightly different performance on one cylinder is completely fine. But with all the proprietary stuff, we aren't allowed to even ask!
- avar 3y ago
  How are you making the leap from the check engine light being on to the car being junk? You can just ignore it and keep driving if you think you know better. In this case the customer was implicitly asking the mechanic to repair the car to the point where that diagnostics wouldn't fire. Now, you can argue that those diagnostics are overly anal etc., but let's not blow this out of proportion. This is analogous to replacing a single blown tire with a new one of a slightly different size. Most modern cars will also detect and warn about that (e.g. noticing the difference in spin at the differential), and the manual most likely says "don't do that", but the car will probably be "fine" in practice.
  - rini17 3y ago
    The mechanic made the leap not me. He replaced thousands of coils and everything was fine, till the manufacturer decided to be anal, thank you for the right term. And then there are scrapyards full of fine, but artificially unfixable cars. I sometimes try repairing things myself and it's like this not only cars but with everything. So much unnecessary waste. But for you I'm just some weirdo that wants to drive with one slightly different wheel right? :(
    - avar 3y ago
      I'm not saying the manufacturer is being anal, I'm saying that's really the extent of what you can argue here. The car isn't "broken", it's just reporting an engine problem. The same car from the 70s would have had the same coil issue, you just wouldn't know it unless you opened up the engine and checked them with a multimeter. I think you misunderstood what he was saying, that's understandable because he's really talking about at least four different things: This Nissan story, another story about an F-150, observations that scrapyards are full of "OK" cars, and how BRICS is on the rise. I'm only commenting on the Nissan story, as it's the only one where he's offering enough specifics to see that he's simply wrong about it. A sibling comment pointed out that you can get these coils for around $20 a piece, he went to the dealer, so he likely decided to get the OEM certified ones for $100 a piece. That a mechanic doesn't know that is baffling. Every manufacturer does this, it's because the OEM parts are really intended for their own dealer and repair networks (which get a hefty discount) while the car is under warranty. Once it's past warranty you can get the exact same parts from any number of generic manufacturers. Often from literally the same factory as the OEM, the only difference being the lack of an OEM stamp/certification. I also repair things myself, including my car. I've got lots of what I think are legitimate beefs with the computerized aspect of doing that. But that doesn't mean that everyone who runs into any sort of "computer says no" issue is right about their particular complaint.
      - rini17 3y ago
        I don't see how that particular issue is baffling to you. These coils might not have been so cheaply and readily available back then. That happens all the time with proprietary parts.
grecy 3y ago
I'm also willing to bet the coils are easy to buy and dirt cheap on rockauto.com EDIT: Yep. Here they are for a 2010 Maxima (not sure what year his was) for $18.52 each. Rockauto is always, always the answer https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=12032829&cc=1444664&pt=7060&jsn=919 https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=12032829&cc=1444... I also just checked. Same price for a 2000 model year. Same for a 2020. This is not a problem.

by avar 3y ago

rini17 3y ago

So you have no problem with junking cars that are most likely completely fine mechanically? Just because electronics is poorly made, prone to chain failure or because software does not support replacing some parts that otherwise could be replaced? Maybe having slightly different performance on one cylinder is completely fine. But with all the proprietary stuff, we aren't allowed to even ask!

avar 3y ago
How are you making the leap from the check engine light being on to the car being junk? You can just ignore it and keep driving if you think you know better. In this case the customer was implicitly asking the mechanic to repair the car to the point where that diagnostics wouldn't fire. Now, you can argue that those diagnostics are overly anal etc., but let's not blow this out of proportion. This is analogous to replacing a single blown tire with a new one of a slightly different size. Most modern cars will also detect and warn about that (e.g. noticing the difference in spin at the differential), and the manual most likely says "don't do that", but the car will probably be "fine" in practice.
- rini17 3y ago
  The mechanic made the leap not me. He replaced thousands of coils and everything was fine, till the manufacturer decided to be anal, thank you for the right term. And then there are scrapyards full of fine, but artificially unfixable cars. I sometimes try repairing things myself and it's like this not only cars but with everything. So much unnecessary waste. But for you I'm just some weirdo that wants to drive with one slightly different wheel right? :(
  - avar 3y ago
    I'm not saying the manufacturer is being anal, I'm saying that's really the extent of what you can argue here. The car isn't "broken", it's just reporting an engine problem. The same car from the 70s would have had the same coil issue, you just wouldn't know it unless you opened up the engine and checked them with a multimeter. I think you misunderstood what he was saying, that's understandable because he's really talking about at least four different things: This Nissan story, another story about an F-150, observations that scrapyards are full of "OK" cars, and how BRICS is on the rise. I'm only commenting on the Nissan story, as it's the only one where he's offering enough specifics to see that he's simply wrong about it. A sibling comment pointed out that you can get these coils for around $20 a piece, he went to the dealer, so he likely decided to get the OEM certified ones for $100 a piece. That a mechanic doesn't know that is baffling. Every manufacturer does this, it's because the OEM parts are really intended for their own dealer and repair networks (which get a hefty discount) while the car is under warranty. Once it's past warranty you can get the exact same parts from any number of generic manufacturers. Often from literally the same factory as the OEM, the only difference being the lack of an OEM stamp/certification. I also repair things myself, including my car. I've got lots of what I think are legitimate beefs with the computerized aspect of doing that. But that doesn't mean that everyone who runs into any sort of "computer says no" issue is right about their particular complaint.
    - rini17 3y ago
      I don't see how that particular issue is baffling to you. These coils might not have been so cheaply and readily available back then. That happens all the time with proprietary parts.

grecy 3y ago

I'm also willing to bet the coils are easy to buy and dirt cheap on rockauto.com EDIT: Yep. Here they are for a 2010 Maxima (not sure what year his was) for $18.52 each. Rockauto is always, always the answer https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=12032829&cc=1444664&pt=7060&jsn=919 https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=12032829&cc=1444... I also just checked. Same price for a 2000 model year. Same for a 2020. This is not a problem.