Posted On: Thursday - April 30th 2026 1:03PM MST
In Topics: Humor Cars Artificial Stupidity US Feral Government
Long-term Peak Stupidity readers will have gathered by now that your lead blogger is no early adopter of "TECH"... and a lot of other non-software technology. We write about cars here quite often, and it's the same story there - never bought a new car, don't WANT a new car, don't want any newer stuff than is in the old cars, and they can't MAKE ME adopt, barring passage of the Motor Law.
We give the Trump administration credit where due, for things big and small. A very small thing I do appreciate was EPA Chief Lee Zeldin's move to stop the Feral Gov't from pushing hard the automakers to incorporate the Start/Stop system in new vehicles. Last summer we posted Good news regarding auto artificial stupidity. The touted savings of 5% in gas during city driving from this engine-off-at-stops "feature" is surely lost by the consumer in money spent on maintenance due to the increased complexity.
We had some good car talk in the comments* thereunder. Alarmist noted the battery drain during those engine-off times. I talked about the starters, but I don't think anyone happened to mention just the work on the battery doing so many starts, a lot of current draw each time. There are the safety worries too.
Anyway, the news was good. Besides that you could always disable these, at least on many cars, assuming Trump & Co. followed through, we may see less of this.
Now, let me get to an actual vehicle, the model of which I'm not quite sure of, but one of those huge SUVs. The old lady customer of my car mechanic friend wanted a general check-up on the fluids, belt, and so forth on this '22 monster her son had bought her.
There were codes. How can you NOT have codes claiming this or that problem in modern cars with thousands of sensors and hundreds of computers that are supposed to be working together? I imagine if every little problem could not be worked around, everyone would be like me, never buying a new car again. America would be the new Cuba, but with muted colors. Therefore, there is "limp mode" and such. The vehicle works around the electronically broken systems to get one
For this SUV, it turned out that there is an auxiliary smaller battery running some systems. After lots of work with the scan tool, my mechanic friend came to the conclusion that this small battery was bad, causing the minor problems he'd found. Along with others, one of these minor problems was with the start/stop system, so it was inactivated by the car. Crisis, what crisis? This mechanic had to replace that battery, clear the codes, and get this thing running, as the lady had come from far away to pick up the car that day.
His customer called him from 2 miles away on the way home. OMG, the vehicle is broken now. It shut down at the stop light! "Uhh, yeah, your vehicle has this start/stop system", he explained to her. Haha, she was advanced in age and had forgotten this
* I see that car guy Adam Smith was AWOL under that post. He must have been under a hood somewhere.
Comments:
Adam Smith
Saturday - May 2nd 2026 12:26PM MST
PS: Hello, Achmed,
𝐼𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑜𝑤?
No. It was a line in a scene from season 5 of Fargo.
It's the sort of dry humor that I love.
I think of Kia and Hyundai as (largely) the same company even though they are technically not. (Hyundai Motor Group owns a controlling 33.88% interest in Kia. Many models share platforms, engines, and other technology.)
Was the crank sensor just "partly" faulty? I would guess that most cars generally won't even start when the crank sensor goes out. Was it stalling once it got warm or something? (Heat changing the internal resistance of the sensor and therefore the voltage sent to the ecu?) I kinda remember you mentioning this a while back. Glad you figured it out.
I had to replace a window regulator on Mrs. Smith's car last year. There's a little plastic clip on the regulator that gets brittle with age and breaks. Oddly enough, it was cheaper to get a whole new regulator than just the plastic piece. Thank God it was a window and not the sunroof. I'm good at doing window regulators. (I have lots of practice.) As you can imagine, fixing a sunroof when those little plastic clips break is a much larger project.
Happy to hear it was just a tube and not a crack in the washer fluid tank. Not that those are a big deal but replacing a tube is certainly less expensive and easier. (Not that replacing a washer fluid tank is expensive or difficult. The last one I did was on a Dodge Dakota and the replacement tank cost ~$40.)
I really don't know much about Hyundai and Kia automobiles. I've never owned one, used one or worked on one. They are a little uninteresting (plain vanilla*, not there is anything wrong with that) to me but I do imagine that Koreans can (probably?) make a decent car. But somehow I also think they are lower quality than cars made in Japan. (I don't know if that belief is unfounded or not. Maybe they're nice and otherwise durable?)
I would think that with less than 100k on the odometer it would have plenty of life left in it? But, as I say, I don't know much about Hyundais. I guess I could watch this video to see what David Long says about it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlUk55SY-j0
Oh. I forgot to mention earlier. Sometimes EuroAsian Bob has some interesting cars for sale...
https://www.euroasianauto.com/
And when it comes time to look for a low mileage vehicle I've had good luck with autotempest.
https://www.autotempest.com/
You can search for what you like and then filter by year, price, mileage, color, etc. I like sorting them by mileage (low to high) to see what's out there.
*Have you tired Tillamook Vanilla Ice Cream? It is my current favorite now that they ruined BlueBell.
The sun is trying to come out so I should probably go mow the grass or something. I hope you have a nice evening.
Happy Saturday! ☮️
𝐼𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑜𝑤?
No. It was a line in a scene from season 5 of Fargo.
It's the sort of dry humor that I love.
I think of Kia and Hyundai as (largely) the same company even though they are technically not. (Hyundai Motor Group owns a controlling 33.88% interest in Kia. Many models share platforms, engines, and other technology.)
Was the crank sensor just "partly" faulty? I would guess that most cars generally won't even start when the crank sensor goes out. Was it stalling once it got warm or something? (Heat changing the internal resistance of the sensor and therefore the voltage sent to the ecu?) I kinda remember you mentioning this a while back. Glad you figured it out.
I had to replace a window regulator on Mrs. Smith's car last year. There's a little plastic clip on the regulator that gets brittle with age and breaks. Oddly enough, it was cheaper to get a whole new regulator than just the plastic piece. Thank God it was a window and not the sunroof. I'm good at doing window regulators. (I have lots of practice.) As you can imagine, fixing a sunroof when those little plastic clips break is a much larger project.
Happy to hear it was just a tube and not a crack in the washer fluid tank. Not that those are a big deal but replacing a tube is certainly less expensive and easier. (Not that replacing a washer fluid tank is expensive or difficult. The last one I did was on a Dodge Dakota and the replacement tank cost ~$40.)
I really don't know much about Hyundai and Kia automobiles. I've never owned one, used one or worked on one. They are a little uninteresting (plain vanilla*, not there is anything wrong with that) to me but I do imagine that Koreans can (probably?) make a decent car. But somehow I also think they are lower quality than cars made in Japan. (I don't know if that belief is unfounded or not. Maybe they're nice and otherwise durable?)
I would think that with less than 100k on the odometer it would have plenty of life left in it? But, as I say, I don't know much about Hyundais. I guess I could watch this video to see what David Long says about it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlUk55SY-j0
Oh. I forgot to mention earlier. Sometimes EuroAsian Bob has some interesting cars for sale...
https://www.euroasianauto.com/
And when it comes time to look for a low mileage vehicle I've had good luck with autotempest.
https://www.autotempest.com/
You can search for what you like and then filter by year, price, mileage, color, etc. I like sorting them by mileage (low to high) to see what's out there.
*Have you tired Tillamook Vanilla Ice Cream? It is my current favorite now that they ruined BlueBell.
The sun is trying to come out so I should probably go mow the grass or something. I hope you have a nice evening.
Happy Saturday! ☮️
Moderator
Saturday - May 2nd 2026 11:17AM MST
PS: "Have you ever driven a KIA, Mr. Moderator?
It's like flying a cloud."
Is that their commercial now? The answer is no though - this is a Hyundai.
We are at medium milage at this point, still under 100, and so far the engine/drivetrain haven't had problems besides a crank sensor (not so easy to diagnose - the various codes don't give time-stamps!) However, small things go unless you treat this car with velvet gloves. That would be, so far, both front window regulator pulleys (the splines in this plastic part stripped out) - 2 together in one day, and then the door handle mechanism. I have extras of both now. We ordered 2 of the pulleys for $10 apiece and then put them with the old regulators. As for the door handles, perhaps we got too many parts.
The rest of the problems were are own doings. One of the body work jobs was actually easier done than said. I put it off for a couple of months. Words to the wise: Don't test your windshields (back & front) spray bottle without filling it up. I tested it at about 1/4 full to save time in testing spraying - no problem - and the low-level sensor. It passed. Then I filled it up after I put luckily only one of the 2 body parts on and found it had a leak in one tube, higher up than 1/4 full.
All's well that ends well - I found JUST the right size piece of tubing at the HW store (he just gave it to me) that would go over the rubber tubes and make a splice that seems pretty solid. Even my mechanic friend did not call this a "hack job". (Pretty much everything anyone else does IS, IHO, haha!)
It's like flying a cloud."
Is that their commercial now? The answer is no though - this is a Hyundai.
We are at medium milage at this point, still under 100, and so far the engine/drivetrain haven't had problems besides a crank sensor (not so easy to diagnose - the various codes don't give time-stamps!) However, small things go unless you treat this car with velvet gloves. That would be, so far, both front window regulator pulleys (the splines in this plastic part stripped out) - 2 together in one day, and then the door handle mechanism. I have extras of both now. We ordered 2 of the pulleys for $10 apiece and then put them with the old regulators. As for the door handles, perhaps we got too many parts.
The rest of the problems were are own doings. One of the body work jobs was actually easier done than said. I put it off for a couple of months. Words to the wise: Don't test your windshields (back & front) spray bottle without filling it up. I tested it at about 1/4 full to save time in testing spraying - no problem - and the low-level sensor. It passed. Then I filled it up after I put luckily only one of the 2 body parts on and found it had a leak in one tube, higher up than 1/4 full.
All's well that ends well - I found JUST the right size piece of tubing at the HW store (he just gave it to me) that would go over the rubber tubes and make a splice that seems pretty solid. Even my mechanic friend did not call this a "hack job". (Pretty much everything anyone else does IS, IHO, haha!)
Adam Smith
Saturday - May 2nd 2026 8:56AM MST
PS: Good morning, Achmed!
𝐼 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑃𝑎𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝐼 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 (𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑙𝑦) 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑉𝑖𝑐 𝑜𝑟 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑠...
Yeah, I call all of them the Ford Panther because they are built on what Ford calls the Panther Platform. I prefer the 3rd gen as they are the most refined and (in my opinion) most durable/reliable...
https://tinyurl.com/37e52bry
I like the Town Car the best (it has a longer wheelbase than the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis, slightly different body panels and a nicer interior) but some people prefer the Mercury Marauder. They're all the same under the hood. As far as I can tell, (almost?) all of them were built/assembled in St. Thomas, Ontario.
Here's a nice looking one in white that (allegedly) has just 32,000 miles...
https://www.weberchev.com/inventory/used-2007-lincoln-town-car-signature-na-sedan-4-dr-1lnhm81v17y605104/
And since you like cop cars...
https://www.brannenchevrolet.com/used/Ford/2011-Ford-Police-Interceptor-115dbd49ac18383f49d7cdf5ef2094fe.htm
And here's a nice example of a Mercury Marauder...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/397892685653
(As you can see the Marauder fetches a premium for reasons.)
But I'm not really a Ford guy. So check these out...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/227289472695
https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-for-sale/listing/WDBUF65J84A508137/
This looks pretty nice too...
https://www.europeanmotorsusa.com/vehicle/used-2004-mercedes-benz-e-class-32l-5145147
Fortunately, there are still many nice low miles cars out there for Mrs. Newman when the time comes.
I agree with you about (most) Japanese made vehicles. They tend to be higher quality, often of the same or better quality than some of the premium cars that were made in Germany. For years Japanese cars were known for being made of the highest quality steel. They also had stricter manufacturing tolerances and higher quality control than American made cars.
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐾𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑚𝑜𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑒...
Have you ever driven a KIA, Mr. Moderator?
It's like flying a cloud.
☮️
𝐼 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑃𝑎𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝐼 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 (𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑙𝑦) 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑉𝑖𝑐 𝑜𝑟 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑠...
Yeah, I call all of them the Ford Panther because they are built on what Ford calls the Panther Platform. I prefer the 3rd gen as they are the most refined and (in my opinion) most durable/reliable...
https://tinyurl.com/37e52bry
I like the Town Car the best (it has a longer wheelbase than the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis, slightly different body panels and a nicer interior) but some people prefer the Mercury Marauder. They're all the same under the hood. As far as I can tell, (almost?) all of them were built/assembled in St. Thomas, Ontario.
Here's a nice looking one in white that (allegedly) has just 32,000 miles...
https://www.weberchev.com/inventory/used-2007-lincoln-town-car-signature-na-sedan-4-dr-1lnhm81v17y605104/
And since you like cop cars...
https://www.brannenchevrolet.com/used/Ford/2011-Ford-Police-Interceptor-115dbd49ac18383f49d7cdf5ef2094fe.htm
And here's a nice example of a Mercury Marauder...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/397892685653
(As you can see the Marauder fetches a premium for reasons.)
But I'm not really a Ford guy. So check these out...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/227289472695
https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-for-sale/listing/WDBUF65J84A508137/
This looks pretty nice too...
https://www.europeanmotorsusa.com/vehicle/used-2004-mercedes-benz-e-class-32l-5145147
Fortunately, there are still many nice low miles cars out there for Mrs. Newman when the time comes.
I agree with you about (most) Japanese made vehicles. They tend to be higher quality, often of the same or better quality than some of the premium cars that were made in Germany. For years Japanese cars were known for being made of the highest quality steel. They also had stricter manufacturing tolerances and higher quality control than American made cars.
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐾𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑚𝑜𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑒...
Have you ever driven a KIA, Mr. Moderator?
It's like flying a cloud.
☮️
Moderator
Saturday - May 2nd 2026 7:33AM MST
PS: "I wish there were some new car that I could recommend. I simply can't. I've heard of too many problems on these new soulless, overly expensive, appliances on wheels. And with all the bullshit nanny-state tech already implemented and on the way... Well, you understand."
I couldn't agree more. My wife would at least agree that she could do without all the nanny-state tech. We're fine with what we have on our 10 y/o Korea mobile.
I don't think she understands that we're not talking as if it's 2000 and we're looking at Toyota Matrices or Honda Civics. We could have gotten one of those BTW, very low milage, from an estate, but we let this friend of the family get it - I hope he treats it OK, but I don't think so...
I looked at that Panther. I didn't know that was (roughly) another name for a Crown Vic or Grand Marquis. I used to see a lot of the older, probably early-mid '90s models being driven by black people who had only the money to buy old cop cruisers from auctions. I'm sure they were in rough shape. It was kinda cool to have the black and white colors and/or the spot light on the drivers' side!
I'm in the middle of that video. Now, the guy got one with 34,000 miles, so I don' know if that's easy to reproduce, but he does show that their so easy to work on. There are lots and lots of parts available for American cars, which makes them much cheaper - the reverse is the drawback for many of the German cars, as you told me about here. (Yes, and they just charge more because "It's a Beemer!")
I'm partial to American and Jap cars. In fact, besides the Korea mobile - let me count here - all of my vehicles (I either owned or partially owned) besides it were American or Japanese. 5 of the former and 4 of the latter.
I couldn't agree more. My wife would at least agree that she could do without all the nanny-state tech. We're fine with what we have on our 10 y/o Korea mobile.
I don't think she understands that we're not talking as if it's 2000 and we're looking at Toyota Matrices or Honda Civics. We could have gotten one of those BTW, very low milage, from an estate, but we let this friend of the family get it - I hope he treats it OK, but I don't think so...
I looked at that Panther. I didn't know that was (roughly) another name for a Crown Vic or Grand Marquis. I used to see a lot of the older, probably early-mid '90s models being driven by black people who had only the money to buy old cop cruisers from auctions. I'm sure they were in rough shape. It was kinda cool to have the black and white colors and/or the spot light on the drivers' side!
I'm in the middle of that video. Now, the guy got one with 34,000 miles, so I don' know if that's easy to reproduce, but he does show that their so easy to work on. There are lots and lots of parts available for American cars, which makes them much cheaper - the reverse is the drawback for many of the German cars, as you told me about here. (Yes, and they just charge more because "It's a Beemer!")
I'm partial to American and Jap cars. In fact, besides the Korea mobile - let me count here - all of my vehicles (I either owned or partially owned) besides it were American or Japanese. 5 of the former and 4 of the latter.
Adam Smith
Friday - May 1st 2026 2:46PM MST
PS: Evening, Mr. Moderator,
𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑦 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝐴𝑑𝑎𝑚?
What else is there to say? That's wonderful. Great. $8000 for 22 years of faithful service. (Two failed seals on the enslaved cylinder and a little other maintenance not-withstanding.) That's about as good as it gets for anything mechanical let alone a car that is a driver. (That's how it 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 be but all too often isn't.) I'd say that car is a keeper.
Also... Thank you for the reminder. I have not changed my enslaved cylinder in several (5 or 6?) years now. (I've replaced it twice in 17 years.) As I would prefer to leisurely replace mine and not have to call a tow truck, I will do mine when I change the brake fluid this summer. (They just don't make enslaved cylinder seals like they used to.) (Damn... They're also like 3x the price they were 5 or 6 years ago. But I might be able to source a Bilstein or TRW or Sachs which I'll probably try and couldn't find last time I changed it because the standard OEM FTE brand enslaved cylinder didn't last but 6 or 7 years which is why I'm looking to do this before it, potentially, leaves me stranded somewhere.) (So, yeah. Thanks!)
𝑆ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑁𝐸𝑊.
I wish there were some new car that I could recommend. I simply can't. I've heard of too many problems on these new soulless, overly expensive, appliances on wheels. And with all the bullshit nanny-state tech already implemented and on the way... Well, you understand.
That's why I recommend things like the mid 90s Lexus 400...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQzEMiuEhyU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkMepmadSN4
I'd even recommend something like a 2000 Mercedes e320 or a mid 90s BMW as long as you understand that they cost slightly more to maintain. (Only because of the logo on the hood and not because they are actually any harder or costly to maintain. I really do prefer them.)
I would not recommend any BMW newer than 2005 (probably even 1997) unless you understand what you are getting into or are an enthusiast who knows how to troubleshoot the electrical and VANOS (Variable Camshaft Timing) things that are likely to come up.
The Ford Panther...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olcbhguSjCg
I'm generally not a Ford guy, but the Ford Panther is a good, reliable car.
𝐼 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒-𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔.
Yeah. (I agree.) Unfortunately, most new cars are absolute garbage. And even the few that might not be complete garbage... Well, they are very expensive and it's still a little too early to tell. Even those might have serious problems five years down the road.
A quick story... A few years back Mrs. Smith's brother was thinking about getting a new truck. Not because there was anything wrong with his old truck (there wasn't) but just because it was starting to get "old" (it's like a 2002 or something) (still running great, by the way) and he was worried about possible future breakdowns. I explained to him that his "old" truck was better than any new truck he could buy. So much so that it would be a better idea (and much less expensive even with the labor involved) to buy a brand new motor and transmission to drop into his old truck than to buy one of these new expensive shitboxes. As it turned out his "old" truck outlived him and no new motor, transmission or any repairs were necessary.
I hope Mrs. Newman can come around on this. Or... I hope they start building new cars that are worth a shit again. (Mrs. Smith would buy a brand new 1989 Acura Legend in a heartbeat. She loved that car!)
Cheers to a wonderful evening, Achmed!
Right. ☮️
𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑦 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝐴𝑑𝑎𝑚?
What else is there to say? That's wonderful. Great. $8000 for 22 years of faithful service. (Two failed seals on the enslaved cylinder and a little other maintenance not-withstanding.) That's about as good as it gets for anything mechanical let alone a car that is a driver. (That's how it 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 be but all too often isn't.) I'd say that car is a keeper.
Also... Thank you for the reminder. I have not changed my enslaved cylinder in several (5 or 6?) years now. (I've replaced it twice in 17 years.) As I would prefer to leisurely replace mine and not have to call a tow truck, I will do mine when I change the brake fluid this summer. (They just don't make enslaved cylinder seals like they used to.) (Damn... They're also like 3x the price they were 5 or 6 years ago. But I might be able to source a Bilstein or TRW or Sachs which I'll probably try and couldn't find last time I changed it because the standard OEM FTE brand enslaved cylinder didn't last but 6 or 7 years which is why I'm looking to do this before it, potentially, leaves me stranded somewhere.) (So, yeah. Thanks!)
𝑆ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑁𝐸𝑊.
I wish there were some new car that I could recommend. I simply can't. I've heard of too many problems on these new soulless, overly expensive, appliances on wheels. And with all the bullshit nanny-state tech already implemented and on the way... Well, you understand.
That's why I recommend things like the mid 90s Lexus 400...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQzEMiuEhyU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkMepmadSN4
I'd even recommend something like a 2000 Mercedes e320 or a mid 90s BMW as long as you understand that they cost slightly more to maintain. (Only because of the logo on the hood and not because they are actually any harder or costly to maintain. I really do prefer them.)
I would not recommend any BMW newer than 2005 (probably even 1997) unless you understand what you are getting into or are an enthusiast who knows how to troubleshoot the electrical and VANOS (Variable Camshaft Timing) things that are likely to come up.
The Ford Panther...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olcbhguSjCg
I'm generally not a Ford guy, but the Ford Panther is a good, reliable car.
𝐼 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒-𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔.
Yeah. (I agree.) Unfortunately, most new cars are absolute garbage. And even the few that might not be complete garbage... Well, they are very expensive and it's still a little too early to tell. Even those might have serious problems five years down the road.
A quick story... A few years back Mrs. Smith's brother was thinking about getting a new truck. Not because there was anything wrong with his old truck (there wasn't) but just because it was starting to get "old" (it's like a 2002 or something) (still running great, by the way) and he was worried about possible future breakdowns. I explained to him that his "old" truck was better than any new truck he could buy. So much so that it would be a better idea (and much less expensive even with the labor involved) to buy a brand new motor and transmission to drop into his old truck than to buy one of these new expensive shitboxes. As it turned out his "old" truck outlived him and no new motor, transmission or any repairs were necessary.
I hope Mrs. Newman can come around on this. Or... I hope they start building new cars that are worth a shit again. (Mrs. Smith would buy a brand new 1989 Acura Legend in a heartbeat. She loved that car!)
Cheers to a wonderful evening, Achmed!
Right. ☮️
Moderator
Friday - May 1st 2026 12:49PM MST
PS: At least, I'll WRITE more later on (may not be RIGHT).
Moderator
Friday - May 1st 2026 12:47PM MST
PS: "If you can find one you should buy her a mid 90's Lexus LS400 with super low miles.". I will get into your other suggestions that I see coming, but she does not get this stuff.
In fact, Adam, I've got one vehicle that cost me (purchase price and all maintenance) under $30/month I just calculated earlier today, over 22 years! Yet, because it had a problem with the clutch pedal interlock relay (well, I mean in finding OUT that that was the problem), and was trouble for a couple of weeks, the clutch slave, sorry, enslaved cylinder failed twice, and, what else, that's almost about it, in 22 years(!) she thinks it's a troublesome car. Haha, what say. you, Adam, a shade tree mechanic?
So, I mean, she means NEW. I just don't agree that new means trouble-free for very long. No matter the warranty, it can still be trouble.
Well, I'll right more later on.
In fact, Adam, I've got one vehicle that cost me (purchase price and all maintenance) under $30/month I just calculated earlier today, over 22 years! Yet, because it had a problem with the clutch pedal interlock relay (well, I mean in finding OUT that that was the problem), and was trouble for a couple of weeks, the clutch slave, sorry, enslaved cylinder failed twice, and, what else, that's almost about it, in 22 years(!) she thinks it's a troublesome car. Haha, what say. you, Adam, a shade tree mechanic?
So, I mean, she means NEW. I just don't agree that new means trouble-free for very long. No matter the warranty, it can still be trouble.
Well, I'll right more later on.
Adam Smith
Friday - May 1st 2026 10:27AM MST
PS: Good afternoon, everyone!
I planned on submitting a real comment yesterday, shortly after I posted that first gen Camaro doodle, but Mrs. Smith invited me to join her for drinks on the veranda. And then we watched some TV for a while, and then before too long it was time for bed. (Anyway...)
Mr. Alarmist, I really do think the first generation Camaro is the sexiest Camaro. (I'm also partial to the third gen because I had one for about a decade and it treated me very well.) If you can't find a first gen Camaro on that side of the pond then maybe you can find an old Chevelle or GTO or something? (Perhaps I'm just a hopeless dreamer/optimist?)
𝑀𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑏𝑢𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑐𝑎𝑟, 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑠, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛'𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 "𝑔𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛". 𝐼'𝑚 𝑡𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛' 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑟...
If you can find one you should buy her a mid 90's Lexus LS400 with super low miles. If you can't find one of those a late model third generation Ford panther might be a nice choice. (I prefer the Lincoln Town Car. Maybe like a 2010 or so.) For straight up durability a 7th generation Buick LeSabre with the 3800 is a pretty good choice. I also think the older Chevy LS based cars and trucks are a nice mix of durable and low/inexpensive maintenance.
If you're feeling a little more adventurous you could (maybe?) find her a nice LS swapped Jaguar...
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ls+swapped+jaguar
I would steer her away from any new car. (New meaning anything newer than 2010 or so.) Cars peaked, quality wise, somewhere between 1990 and 2005. (With a few outliers like the 2010-2011 Lincoln Town Car and such and some from the mid 80s like a Mercedes 300sd or an old Ford pickup with a 460 under the hood. Or something like that.)
Many of these new cars, with the 3 cylinder turbo charged engines, are pushing too much power out of too small an engine. I would imagine many of these will self destruct for various reasons before they have finished depreciating. (And don't get me started on the electronics and spy tech*.)
While I am generally not impressed with newer cars there are a couple things that have caught my attention. The first one being the M256 straight-six engine...
https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1112013_the-advantages-of-the-mercedes-benz-48-volt-system
https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2021/11/27/2021-mercedes-s-class/
https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2022/08/28/2022-mercedes-s580/
https://carbuzz.com/mercedes-benz-53-most-powerful-straight-six-powertrain-you-can-buy-2026/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_M256_engine
Of course, most of us are not really interested in shelling out 100+k on a car. (Plus all that fancy expensive insurance and ad valorem tax to go with it.) But who knows? Maybe I'll be able to find one of these in a broken down but otherwise nice condition a few years from now.(?) (By then, I might not even be interested.)
The other new thing that seems interesting to me is this...
https://www.motortrend.com/news/aramco-dedicated-hybrid-engine-hev-phev-powertrain
https://carbuzz.com/aramco-dedicated-hybrid-engine-erev/
https://americas.aramco.com/en/news-media/news/2026/when-efficiency-meets-exciting
Unfortunately, these are still in the prototype phase so I have no idea how good (or not) these will be in the wild. (I do think this is a really good idea though.)
𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛'𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 "𝑔𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛"...
Even the best, most durable machine will eventually "go down" in some way. Diligent maintenance obviously helps but, unfortunately, nothing is truly bullet proof.
*About that spy tech...
https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2026/04/29/the-eyes-are-on-you/
I thought there was something else I wanted to mention but I can't remember what it was. I guess it wasn't important. (Oh well...)
I hope you guys all have a wonderful Friday and an even better weekend.
Cheers! ☮️
I planned on submitting a real comment yesterday, shortly after I posted that first gen Camaro doodle, but Mrs. Smith invited me to join her for drinks on the veranda. And then we watched some TV for a while, and then before too long it was time for bed. (Anyway...)
Mr. Alarmist, I really do think the first generation Camaro is the sexiest Camaro. (I'm also partial to the third gen because I had one for about a decade and it treated me very well.) If you can't find a first gen Camaro on that side of the pond then maybe you can find an old Chevelle or GTO or something? (Perhaps I'm just a hopeless dreamer/optimist?)
𝑀𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑏𝑢𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑐𝑎𝑟, 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑠, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛'𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 "𝑔𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛". 𝐼'𝑚 𝑡𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛' 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑟...
If you can find one you should buy her a mid 90's Lexus LS400 with super low miles. If you can't find one of those a late model third generation Ford panther might be a nice choice. (I prefer the Lincoln Town Car. Maybe like a 2010 or so.) For straight up durability a 7th generation Buick LeSabre with the 3800 is a pretty good choice. I also think the older Chevy LS based cars and trucks are a nice mix of durable and low/inexpensive maintenance.
If you're feeling a little more adventurous you could (maybe?) find her a nice LS swapped Jaguar...
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ls+swapped+jaguar
I would steer her away from any new car. (New meaning anything newer than 2010 or so.) Cars peaked, quality wise, somewhere between 1990 and 2005. (With a few outliers like the 2010-2011 Lincoln Town Car and such and some from the mid 80s like a Mercedes 300sd or an old Ford pickup with a 460 under the hood. Or something like that.)
Many of these new cars, with the 3 cylinder turbo charged engines, are pushing too much power out of too small an engine. I would imagine many of these will self destruct for various reasons before they have finished depreciating. (And don't get me started on the electronics and spy tech*.)
While I am generally not impressed with newer cars there are a couple things that have caught my attention. The first one being the M256 straight-six engine...
https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1112013_the-advantages-of-the-mercedes-benz-48-volt-system
https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2021/11/27/2021-mercedes-s-class/
https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2022/08/28/2022-mercedes-s580/
https://carbuzz.com/mercedes-benz-53-most-powerful-straight-six-powertrain-you-can-buy-2026/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_M256_engine
Of course, most of us are not really interested in shelling out 100+k on a car. (Plus all that fancy expensive insurance and ad valorem tax to go with it.) But who knows? Maybe I'll be able to find one of these in a broken down but otherwise nice condition a few years from now.(?) (By then, I might not even be interested.)
The other new thing that seems interesting to me is this...
https://www.motortrend.com/news/aramco-dedicated-hybrid-engine-hev-phev-powertrain
https://carbuzz.com/aramco-dedicated-hybrid-engine-erev/
https://americas.aramco.com/en/news-media/news/2026/when-efficiency-meets-exciting
Unfortunately, these are still in the prototype phase so I have no idea how good (or not) these will be in the wild. (I do think this is a really good idea though.)
𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛'𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 "𝑔𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛"...
Even the best, most durable machine will eventually "go down" in some way. Diligent maintenance obviously helps but, unfortunately, nothing is truly bullet proof.
*About that spy tech...
https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2026/04/29/the-eyes-are-on-you/
I thought there was something else I wanted to mention but I can't remember what it was. I guess it wasn't important. (Oh well...)
I hope you guys all have a wonderful Friday and an even better weekend.
Cheers! ☮️
Moderator
Friday - May 1st 2026 8:11AM MST
PS: Nice job, Adam. Those are indeed real classics.
Thanks, Possumman. I will probably not need one though. My wife occasionally talks about buying a new car, not so much out of status reasons, but she wants one that doesn't need any work and never "goes down". I'm tryin' to tell her...
Thanks, Possumman. I will probably not need one though. My wife occasionally talks about buying a new car, not so much out of status reasons, but she wants one that doesn't need any work and never "goes down". I'm tryin' to tell her...
Moderator
Friday - May 1st 2026 8:09AM MST
PS: Good morning, gentlemen. I barely see any 2nd Generation Camaros/Firebirds/etc. around these days, Alarmist. That's the Jim Rockford and Smokey & the Bandit body style, as you know. An occasional 3rd generation one is out and about.
I will have to ask my friend what is going on with his 1967 Camaro. It has never run in 25 years, but I know he still has it.
I will have to ask my friend what is going on with his 1967 Camaro. It has never run in 25 years, but I know he still has it.
Possumman
Thursday - April 30th 2026 5:16PM MST
PS. There are dongles for most start stop systems that are plug and play to disable them.
Adam Smith
Thursday - April 30th 2026 3:52PM MST
PS:
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣿⠟⠋⠉⠉⠀⠀⢨⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣍⣉⣉⣉⣉⣿⣿⣉⣉⣉⣉⠻⢿⣷⡝⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣾⡿⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡮⢻⣽⣶⠶⢶⡀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⣿⣯⣴⣶⣶⣶⡶⣾⣿⠿⠿⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⡟⢻⠿⠿⠿⢏⠀⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⡀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣀⣠⠤⠤⢶⣒⡶⢾⣟⠿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠿⠛⢊⣉⠥⠴⠒⠋⠉⢉⣉⡭⠿⠏⠉⠉⠉⠚⠛⣛⣿⠿⠿⠛⠛⠉⠉⠲⠾⡆⠀⠀⣠⣴⡖⢚⣷
⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⡤⠔⠒⠋⢉⣡⠤⠖⠚⠉⣉⠴⣚⠽⢚⡭⠞⠉⠀⠀⠐⠊⠁⠀⣀⡤⠴⠒⠋⠉⠀⠀⢀⣀⠤⠔⠒⠋⠉⠁⠘⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣀⠤⡗⣲⢾⣿⣿⣧⠞⠀
⠀⡠⠖⠉⠀⢀⣠⠖⠋⠁⠀⢀⣠⢖⣫⠵⢊⡥⠞⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡤⠶⠚⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⡤⠖⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣇⡤⠴⠒⠋⠁⠀⢰⢣⣿⣯⣏⣿⠁⠀⠀
⢸⠒⣲⣶⢤⣯⣤⣤⣤⣄⣔⣋⣀⣉⣠⣚⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡠⠚⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠴⠊⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⡤⠴⠒⠋⢉⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣎⣿⣿⣿⡽⣿⠀⠀⠀
⢸⡄⣹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣲⠶⣶⣒⣦⡄⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣾⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⣸⠀⠀⢀⣠⣤⡶⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣼⡟⠀⠀⠀
⠸⣗⠮⣟⣳⡿⠿⣻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⢻⣛⣛⣛⣿⡇⢀⣴⣦⠀⠀⠀⢠⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⢠⡣⣴⡾⠟⠋⠁⠀⠀⠻⠿⠿⠿⠟⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠈⠓⠲⣦⢬⣭⣙⣓⠚⠯⠽⠿⠿⣛⣛⣛⣛⣛⣿⣿⣿⠿⠿⠾⠿⢯⣽⣟⣇⡘⠋⠁⠀⠀⣰⠿⠯⢍⠻⣿⣿⣷⠮⠛⠋⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠓⡦⠼⣯⣻⣿⠓⠒⠒⠒⢢⢤⠤⣤⡤⣤⡤⢭⣉⣉⣉⣉⣉⣉⡹⠧⠔⠒⠚⣽⢣⡾⡿⢦⡇⢸⢿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠷⠤⣈⣉⠙⠦⠤⢤⣀⣘⡤⠤⠽⣧⣼⣇⣀⣉⣉⣀⣀⢳⡀⠀⣀⣀⣤⣾⣿⠸⣧⡧⢼⡇⣸⣿⡟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠙⠛⠷⠶⠦⠤⠤⠤⣄⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣩⠋⠙⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣤⠴⣋⣴⣿⡿⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠉⠉⠉⠁⠀⠀⠈⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⡿⠟⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠉⠉⠉⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The Alarmist
Thursday - April 30th 2026 2:02PM MST
PS
I wish I could find a 1969 Camaro SS in Europe. Something I could effortlessly work on myself.
Gone are the days, especially in the EU.
🕉
I wish I could find a 1969 Camaro SS in Europe. Something I could effortlessly work on myself.
Gone are the days, especially in the EU.
🕉
Yes, it was intermittent. It was dangerous, as it didn't happen but maybe once every few trips, but the engine would cut at an intersection - a manual, unintentional start/stop system, if you will. If you didn't notice this, and especially if you were facing downhill at the light, you might let off the brake, be start rolling, and then have nothing when you hit the gas.
I know that we guessed a few other things before this code popped up at the right time, as, luckily, it did that as my mechanic was plugged in. (That's what I mean about the lack of time-stamps.)
That washer fluid bottle was a replacement one from a junkyard (yep, about $40 for me too), as the first one still has pieces left along the highway - long story.
About a decade ago, when I was shopping for cars, the mechanic suggested that Kia/Hyundai had the quality of Jap cars but that wasn't priced in yet. He may have a different opinion now though.
I forgot to tell you this part, Adam, about new vs. used. I was very close to getting a new one of this model, but first I went and checked what the property tax would be. Over a thousand $ a year! Later, I figured the lady may have included a bunch of options, because even this 2 y/o one started at $400-something, not terrible, I guess. I was nice enough, but I did tell the lady "We'll get a used one, then." The tax wasn't the only reason, but it was still the deciding factor for me to go used.