Why good used cars will be popular in the near future...

[.455_Hunter]

I would suspect your social credit score will also be part of the expanded analysis.

https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-patent-cars-repossess-themselves-drive-away-if-missing-payments-2023-2?amp


Ford wants to patent a system that would let cars repossess themselves if drivers miss payments. At first, the cars would lose the use of features like GPS, air conditioning, and the radio. If the owner still skips payments, the car could lock them out and drive itself to a repo agency or even a scrapyard.

[BushMasterBoy]

You get drunk and the car drives you to the local cop shop and dials 911? Personally I like the Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis, Lincoln Town Car too. Nothing like a V-8 cruising on the Interstate.


https://www.businessinsider.com/blake-lemoine-ai-powerful-atom-bomb-destructive-chatbot-sentient-2023-3

[ray1970]

?Or even a scrapyard ?


Seems an appropriate place for a Ford to take itself.

[RblDiver]

You know...I have a slightly different take I'd be curious about. Essentially, if they're so connected to the network, how long before someone can "jailbreak" them, access all the hidden features that normally you'd have to pay for, etc. Given how consumers have the right to modify vehicles, I'd suspect even software changes like that'd count.

Alternatively, if you leave something valuable in the car and it repossesses itself, is that theft? What about a child in the car at the time, kidnapping? What if it gets in an accident while driving, who's at fault?

[BushMasterBoy]

Big corporations are alpha hotels. They could care less about you. Big Rip Offs (BRO)

[eddiememphis]

...how long before someone can "jailbreak" them...

...and drive the car into a bridge abutment if you happen to listen to right wing hate radio instead of NPR?

[JohnnyDrama]

The more "features" I see on new vehicles, the more I like my first generation Xterra. I took it in for an oil change and started talking to some of the guys at the shop. They were amazed that it had a manual transmission and armstrong windows, Those were custom features. At this point, maintenance is a hobby, but I think it is less expensive than a car payment.

[TRnCO]

The more "features" I see on new vehicles, the more I like my first generation Xterra. I took it in for an oil change and started talking to some of the guys at the shop. They were amazed that it had a manual transmission and armstrong windows, Those were custom features. At this point, maintenance is a hobby, but I think it is less expensive than a car payment.


I'm right there with ya on this. I'm 57 and our newest vehicle is a '17, our oldest is an '01. I don't plan to ever buy another new vehicle in my life. I'm happy being the driver in my vehicle, matter of fact, I think I can drive my vehicle better/safer than a smart vehicle can.

[def90]

My Jeep Wrangler broke 300k miles this past December and I have been planning for it's eventual replacement. I've been driving jeeps for close to 30 years now and am itching to get something different, maybe a Tacoma, a Bronco, a Mustang GT or maybe a Challenger while they still have the Hemi..

I've rented the Mustangs and Challengers on all of my business trips over the last year and the thing that scares me about all of the new cars is how digital everything is. The complete dash on these thigs is an LED screen. What happens to these cars 10, 15, 20 years down the road? Will there be a cottage industry of guys that still service these screens and the computers behind them? I know the manufacturers won't, they'll do an "end of life" on the electronics and wash their hands of it.

That said.. A new Bronco, Mustang, or Challenger at the level I am looking at will run anywhere between $50-70k. For that much money I could get a halfway decent original 1965-69 Mustang fastback and have some money left over to modernize the suspension and braking system and end up with a car I can service myself and has a pretty solid spare parts industry behind it.

I'm also tempted to dump $4-5k in to the Jeep and get all the small stuff taken care of and keep driving it as well.

[eddiememphis]

I... am itching to get something different, maybe a Tacoma, a Bronco, a Mustang GT or maybe a Challenger while they still have the Hemi..

Will there be a cottage industry of guys that still service these screens and the computers behind them? I know the manufacturers won't, they'll do an "end of life" on the electronics and wash their hands of it.

Buy a Toyota. Their reputation for reliability is earned.

I doubt there will be an aftermarket for repair. It is proprietary and there isn't that large of a market.

When I was selling Dodge parts, their radios were garbage. Chrysler would not sell them outright. You could only get them through an exchange program with their repair center. We had people driving for months without a radio or satellite navigation.

As all the functions become more integrated the likely outcome of a failure will be a nonfunctional vehicle.

Not like the olden days when you could go to Checkers and buy a sweet Kraco with a built in equalizer to replace the old radio.

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[Clint45]

Buy a Toyota. Their reputation for reliability is earned.

Toyotas are great... until they get in an accident. You'll be okay but the car will be undrivable, even with a low speed impact, due to the crumple zones.

Had careless drivers destroy 2 Toyotas last year, so now I drive a 40 year old all steel monstrosity.

[sbgixxer]

Your steel monstrosity won't crumple but your body may. I'll take the Toyota every time. My 2008 FJ hasn't been in the shop since.... ever. It's also taken me places off-road that are pretty ridiculous for a modernish vehicle.

[eddiememphis]

Your steel monstrosity won't crumple but your body may. I'll take the Toyota every time. My 2008 FJ hasn't been in the shop since.... ever. It's also taken me places off-road that are pretty ridiculous for a modernish vehicle.

Hey! I have one of those.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/FJ/i-2QwrB89/0/97bb901b/S/truck-S.jpg

[eddiememphis]

Toyotas are great... until they get in an accident. You'll be okay but the car will be undrivable, even with a low speed impact, due to the crumple zones.

Had careless drivers destroy 2 Toyotas last year, so now I drive a 40 year old all steel monstrosity.

Clint, that's most cars these days. They are engineered to divert collision energy away from the passengers.

[sbgixxer]

Right on Eddie... love the brick red.

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