Freedom to Fix!
- Thread starter thecrazygreek
- Start date
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I hope Jon Deere takes it in the shorts along with tesla and others that want to sell you stuff you can't work on. Don't rent their crap!
John Deer is a huge culprit in this issue. Our hay guy is a 3rd generation JD customer and has sworn off anything new. He constantly buys up older JD equipment and restores them to working order and maintains them.
I am semi retired now and am looking at buying and "restoring" 60s and 70s vehicles to re sell. The market for good running older vehicles is growing in my area. More and more people are just sick and tired of the initial cost and cost of just general maintenance on new vehicles. On board computers and things like electric brake calipers lead the way in high dollar repairs. Anything newer than 10-15 years old have become very hard for the average shop to keep up with. Few things are repaired, just replaced. I am just happy I am 66 and not 26 because it most likely will not improve much going into the future. Our country has become all about big corporations making more money while the little guy is forced to pay them rather than fix themselves. Sooner or later revolution will be the only way forward for the little guy. Teach your kids the basics.
I am semi retired now and am looking at buying and "restoring" 60s and 70s vehicles to re sell. The market for good running older vehicles is growing in my area. More and more people are just sick and tired of the initial cost and cost of just general maintenance on new vehicles. On board computers and things like electric brake calipers lead the way in high dollar repairs. Anything newer than 10-15 years old have become very hard for the average shop to keep up with. Few things are repaired, just replaced. I am just happy I am 66 and not 26 because it most likely will not improve much going into the future. Our country has become all about big corporations making more money while the little guy is forced to pay them rather than fix themselves. Sooner or later revolution will be the only way forward for the little guy. Teach your kids the basics.
Totally get it. My '20 Duramax is the last new car I'll ever own. It's SUCH a pain to work on and it creates issues which only the dealer can clear. I've treated it with kid gloves since new and maintained it perfectly..... and I hate to lose a car like that. But I'm looking for 96-97 F250 power stroke 5 speed in great condition. When i find it I'm buying it and selling my Duramax.
I'm 56 now and I thought this would be my 'retirement car' (to tow my Cruiser or RV places once I retire) since I bought it new. But I've come to realise new cars are not meant for long-term ownership, they are many to be kept for 5-10 years and scrapped.
I like my old 40s, pre-2000s cars and classics. I'll leave the new, self-driving cars to the cool kids.
I'm 56 now and I thought this would be my 'retirement car' (to tow my Cruiser or RV places once I retire) since I bought it new. But I've come to realise new cars are not meant for long-term ownership, they are many to be kept for 5-10 years and scrapped.
I like my old 40s, pre-2000s cars and classics. I'll leave the new, self-driving cars to the cool kids.
seems more than 70% of breakdowns, the last few years, for us is emissions related or sensor issues
we have had several loaders second lifed by Cat. 1/3 cost of a new loader and no emissions
we have had several loaders second lifed by Cat. 1/3 cost of a new loader and no emissions
I’m very glad to see there’s a big movement around the right to repair / freedom to fix. That helps but there’s an absolute war on consumers from the manufacturers. They are getting around this because there’s nothing that says they have to make it easy or inexpensive to fix which forces you into financing a new car over a simple repair.
New car light assemblies are often thousands of dollars if a single light goes out. Simple common wear items like starters and alternators require full engine removal to replace. A single integrated sensor in a wiring harness requires a full harness replacement. I do a lot of side work helping friends keep their modern vehicles working and the labor hours I put into simple stuff is astounding. The local Toyota dealership now charges $220 an hour so that’s not an option.
Best thing to do is maintain your old stuff and keep it running. Best way for us to fight back is to stop giving them money for new cars and keep this community active where we support each other and support vendors that are manufacturing NLA parts for our land cruisers.
New car light assemblies are often thousands of dollars if a single light goes out. Simple common wear items like starters and alternators require full engine removal to replace. A single integrated sensor in a wiring harness requires a full harness replacement. I do a lot of side work helping friends keep their modern vehicles working and the labor hours I put into simple stuff is astounding. The local Toyota dealership now charges $220 an hour so that’s not an option.
Best thing to do is maintain your old stuff and keep it running. Best way for us to fight back is to stop giving them money for new cars and keep this community active where we support each other and support vendors that are manufacturing NLA parts for our land cruisers.