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New cars for lower income folks exist already. They're called the Nissan Versa Note, Mitsubishi Mirage, Ford Fiesta, Chevy Spark, Kia Rio, Kia Soul, Toyota Yaris iA, etc.
I don't get why people are so afraid of the electronic repair boogeyman. Things involved with the driving of the car are very robust, more so than the older electronics on some 20 year old vehicle.
Heated seats stop working? You've still got a seat. Fancy touch screen stop working? Throw in a cheap replacement or even just a discman with some speakers. Fancy automatic braking system on the fritz? Pull the fuse for it. For the most part they are unnecessary luxuries you can easily do without.
IME most modules control multiple functions like ABS, turn signals and ignition, or the entire functioning of the HVAC system and blower. Transmissions are often electronically controlled, air/fuel mixture, all kinds of critical functions. You cannot drive without ignition. You cannot see out without a defroster ( and those plug in the lighter socket ones do not work). Steering is now electronic. Sometimes emergency systems will lock up the brakes, or you car or truck gets stuck in low gear.
There is no electronic bogeyman but finding which module is defective often escapes dealers. They pick the most likely and replace it and hope the problem goes away. Modules cost as much as $900 and can cost an equal amount in time value to get to replace and put the car back together. Some modules pop right out. some require removing all kinds of things, depends on which car and which module. It seems like cheaper cars use fewer modules to control more items. Thus, if it fails, you lose more functionality and the module costs more to replace.
However it is not just electronics that make cars disposable. it is plastic steering gears or transmission parts, inaccessible plastic fuel pumps, sealed suspension parts (and sometimes plastic (including nylon). parts are molded in place, impossible to get to not meant to be replaced.
Crash safety wise, a smart car is the equivalent of a Mercedes E-Class for passenger and driver protection. I'd rather be in that vehicle than any SUV or pickup truck on the market. Now, for driving fun, ....
Have you seen what happens to the occupants as that plastic thing bounces all over the place? Yes the car survives, but the occupant - not so much.
I don't know that there would be a car "strictly" for the poor, working class folks. Some people have skewed budgeting when it comes to cars (someone making $30,000 a year buying -or more likely financing for 8 years- a $50,000 vehicle). There are also those who buy well below their means (someone making $100,000 a year buying a $6,000 vehicle) and people in between.
IME most modules control multiple functions like ABS, turn signals and ignition, or the entire functioning of the HVAC system and blower. Transmissions are often electronically controlled, air/fuel mixture, all kinds of critical functions. You cannot drive without ignition. You cannot see out without a defroster ( and those plug in the lighter socket ones do not work). Steering is now electronic. Sometimes emergency systems will lock up the brakes, or you car or truck gets stuck in low gear.
There is no electronic bogeyman but finding which module is defective often escapes dealers. They pick the most likely and replace it and hope the problem goes away. Modules cost as much as $900 and can cost an equal amount in time value to get to replace and put the car back together. Some modules pop right out. some require removing all kinds of things, depends on which car and which module. It seems like cheaper cars use fewer modules to control more items. Thus, if it fails, you lose more functionality and the module costs more to replace.
However it is not just electronics that make cars disposable. it is plastic steering gears or transmission parts, inaccessible plastic fuel pumps, sealed suspension parts (and sometimes plastic (including nylon). parts are molded in place, impossible to get to not meant to be replaced.
How often do such faults occur? The only ones I've ever heard of/encountered are window/mirror control modules in VWs.
New cars for lower income folks exist already. They're called the Nissan Versa Note, Mitsubishi Mirage, Ford Fiesta, Chevy Spark, Kia Rio, Kia Soul, Toyota Yaris iA, etc.
Exactly. There are plenty of decent cars for folks of limited means.
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