Who still drives a stick in 2025?

[ultrarunner]

Part of engine longevity is due to modern oils… and being designed for unleaded fuel…

I can point to Camry and Accord from the 80’s with 250k+ miles owned by friends…

My bothers 82 300D Mercedes logged over 300k when he sold it and zero engine or transmission repairs…

Don’t forget the Volvos of the 70’s racking up miles…

 

[TMGT]

Part of engine longevity is due to modern oils… and being designed for unleaded fuel…

I can point to Camry and Accord from the 80’s with 250k+ miles owned by friends…

My bothers 82 300D Mercedes logged over 300k when he sold it and zero engine or transmission repairs…

Don’t forget the Volvos of the 70’s racking up miles…

Better lubricants help, but a lot has to do with design, better machining, better materials, and quality control.

As someone who use be a machinist for an engine builder, I was able to work on a number of different makes.

The most accurate/best cast blocks I worked on were Honda at the time. Any of the US made V8's were horrible on accuracy and QC!

 

[goeduck]

Better lubricants help, but a lot has to do with design, better machining, better materials, and quality control.

As someone who use be a machinist for an engine builder, I was able to work on a number of different makes.

The most accurate/best cast blocks I worked on were Honda at the time. Any of the US made V8's were horrible on accuracy and QC!

I recall reading that when the US car manufacturers first started having parts made in Japan, they contracted for certain specifications expecting to have to ride herd on the Japanese companies to meet them. After the parts went into service, the US companies noticed a drop in the failure rate of the parts. Astonished, the US companies checked out the tolerance of the parts and found that the Japanese were building the parts to a tighter tolerance than was required by the specifications. When asked why they did that, the Japanese said "because we could". Or something to that effect. That tells the whole story. In response to the thread, I still have a stick F250 from the 90s.

 

[masseyrider]

I recall reading that when the US car manufacturers first started having parts made in Japan, they contracted for certain specifications expecting to have to ride herd on the Japanese companies to meet them. After the parts went into service, the US companies noticed a drop in the failure rate of the parts. Astonished, the US companies checked out the tolerance of the parts and found that the Japanese were building the parts to a tighter tolerance than was required by the specifications. When asked why they did that, the Japanese said "because we could". Or something to that effect. That tells the whole story. In response to the thread, I still have a stick F250 from the 90s.

When the Mericans started to produce RR engines for the British during WW2 the Brits were concerned the Mericans wouldn't be able to meet their standards.
Turns out the Mericans built engines to much tighter tolerances than they could.
The tolerances in the Brit Rolls Royce engines was considered beyond worn out.
How the mighty have fallen.

 

[2manyrocks]

From what I remember reading in David Halberstam's book about the decline of the US auto industry called, "The Reckoning," the Japanese auto industry copied a British 4 cylinder engine, but kept refining the manufacturing and design to make it more reliable. But we're getting a long way from that apparently with the complexity of today's engines causing failures.

 

[WinterDeere]

Finding an exhaust manifold, even a rare one is one thing, many amateur mechanics and welders could even build a header if a manifold can't be found but there will be no way to keep a car from today with 12 or more ecms on the road, especially something not mainstream.

We are at the point where cars will not function without all the controllers in place and communicating, it's not as simple as converting an 70s car back to points or an 80s car back to carburetors. No one will be reverse engineering a dual clutch transmission control module, it will just be scrap metal. My original point is still, a standard transmission is easily overhauled by a home mechanic and even a traditional 3 or 4 spd automatic. When there were only a half dozen models out there the parts suppliers had the volume to keep making replacement parts and the demand was there because more people could actually install the parts.

I remember people making the same exact argument over fuel injected cars 40 years ago, and then great aftermarket fuel injection controllers hit the market 25 years ago.

I guess I just don’t see any bit of automotive electronics ever being made in numbers so small that there won’t be a good refurbished or aftermarket supply chain. That ZF transmission in your car is used not only in your model, but dozens of others as well, to the tune of many tens of millions around the world.

Making everything electronic makes everything from aftermarket and tuning way easier for those young guys with computer skills, not the other way around! Look at all the aftermarket tuners out there today, as just the tip of the iceberg.

It may be more a mystery for those who only understand points and carburetors, butnot the young guys who will be working on today’s cars when they get older.

 

[ultrarunner]

Great read and one I enjoyed…

Austin later the foundation for copies in France, Germany, Japan and the United Ststes.

In Germany it was part of BMW, Japan Datsun and USA it was the company that built the early Jeeps…

All trace back to Sir Edwin Austin.

 

[ultrarunner]

I remember people making the same exact argument over fuel injected cars 40 years ago, and then great aftermarket fuel injection controllers hit the market 25 years ago.

I guess I just don’t see any bit of automotive electronics ever being made in numbers so small that there won’t be a good refurbished or aftermarket supply chain. That ZF transmission in your car is used not only in your model, but dozens of others as well, to the tune of many tens of millions around the world.

Making everything electronic makes everything from aftermarket and tuning way easier for those young guys with computer skills, not the other way around! Look at all the aftermarket tuners out there today, as just the tip of the iceberg.

It may be more a mystery for those who only understand points and carburetors, butnot the young guys who will be working on today’s cars when they get older.

It’s odd to see so many sound vehicles with zero rust end up scrap because the cost of air bags, catalytic convertors or other emission parts make repair not viable.

 

[WinterDeere]

It’s odd to see so many sound vehicles with zero rust end up scrap because the cost of air bags, catalytic convertors or other emission parts make repair not viable.

From the insurance company's perspective, yes. But it seems a lot of these cars go to auction and get picked up by DIY guys who repair them quite successfully, when the cost of labor and time sourcing second-hand parts is taken out of the equation.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I'm driving a 2018 Mazda3 with 6 speed manual. It replaced my Hyundai Accent with 5 speed manual after 230,000 miles. The Mazda already has almost 100,000.

I was surprised to find that the Mazda has HLA, hill launch assist. It works in both forward and reverse.

Mazda 3 Owners Manual - Hill Launch Assist (HLA) - Brake

www.mazda3tech.com

Hill Launch Assist (HLA) is a function which assists the driver in accelerating from a stop while on a slope. When the driver releases the brake pedal and depresses the accelerator pedal while on a slope, the function prevents the vehicle from rolling. The braking force is maintained automatically after the brake pedal is released on a steep grade.

For vehicles with a manual transaxle, Hill Launch Assist (HLA) operates on a downward slope when the shift lever is in the reverse (R) position, and on an upward slope when the shift lever is in a position other than the reverse (R) position.

For vehicles with an automatic transaxle, Hill Launch Assist (HLA) operates on a downward slope when the selector lever is in the reverse (R) position, and on an upward slope when the selector lever is in a forward gear.

WARNING Do not rely completely on Hill Launch Assist (HLA):Hill Launch Assist (HLA) is an auxiliary device for accelerating from a stop on a slope. The system only operates for about two seconds and therefore, relying only on the system, when accelerating from a stop is dangerous because the vehicle may move (roll) unexpectedly and cause an accident. The vehicle could roll depending on the vehicle's load or if it is towing something. In addition, for vehicles with a manual transaxle, the vehicle could still roll depending on how the clutch pedal or the accelerator pedal is operated. Always confirm the safety around the vehicle before starting to drive the vehicle.