Yep, everything heads towards centralization, where the same few platforms is being reused for everything, and features being unlocked through subscriptions.
Volvo V50 is basically a ford focus.
In a Seat and a few other brands owned by VW, if you remove their logo from the engine, you'll find the VW logo below the sticker, literally the same car underneath.
Mini and rolls Royce nowadays use a lot of BMW parts.
GM bought the car division of SAAB and Volvo, none of which they own today. SAAB is still a thriving company in Sweden making fighter jets and other stuff.
Scania separated from SAAB before the GM purchase and is still in Sweden making great trucks and buses. Same with Volvo trucks, still 100% Swedish.
As for the trucking market, the only brands that are still American are Peterbilt and Kenworth. Volvo owns Mack. Mercedes-Benz owns Daimer who owns the Freightliner. Volkswagen owns Navistar (International). Yet because of the US import ban they all have to build specific designs for the US market, often with less thought and consideration put into the work.
GM owned the car division of SAAB. Purchased around the same time as they bought the car division of Volvo. Scania trucks broke out of SAAB before the GM purchase, and Volvo trucks where always Swedish. Same with the fighter jets. Otherwise NATO would use JAS Gripen instead of F-15, and Scania trucks would be used in America because they're superior.
Mercedes-Benz had a bad relationship and divorce with Chrysler.
This is incorrect. MB had a new car development time of over 8 years when they bought Chrysler , which was under 3 years. They kept that part of the company and sold the slag. As was their original plan.
Many features such as heated seats for example are now a subscription based fee. They come with the vehicle but you can’t use the feature unless you pay for it.
At least five automakers—Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, and Tesla—are rolling out a subscription model for certain options, meaning consumers would pay monthly or annual fees to use features such as active driving assistance or voice recognition, even if those features are already built into the car.
I’d imagine it will be easy to hack. It’ll just be part of any “tune” package going forward. But the fact that people are submitting to this is disturbing. I ALREADY BOUGHT THE SEAT, HEATING ELEMENT AND ASSOCIATED ELECTRONICS!
Thing is they aren't even safer nowadays. Particularly in the US for the last decade car dealers has been pushing big SUV's and pickup trucks, which are technically classed as "light trucks" instead of cars. This bypasses a lot of the safety regulations which applies to regular cars like sedans and station wagons.
It's gone so far that it's nearly impossible for those who actually need a pickup truck to find a model that's designed for what a pickup truck is supposed to be used as, i.e a light truck for farms which handles well in terrain. Farmers need a 8ft bed, farmers haul a lot of shit in the back, which makes it seem retarded to buy a $100k pickup truck you're afraid to haul shit in.
Ironically you might even be safer in a 1970's Volvo 142. Sure you will end up under the pile of rubble with a 5ton SUV on your roof, but the roof will remain intact and soon as the SUV is removed you can safely exit unharmed.
Only positive thing is that they're still built locally, buy one in the US and it's likely produced in Canada. Buy in Europe and it's made in Sweden. They did open a few new plants in China tho but those seems to serve the Chinese market.
I thought I read somewhere that China has a controlling stake in the company now. Fact check me on that one I suppose but it sticks in my mind that happened
when was that time? Even in the 80's they weren't competing with Toyota or Honda on reliability. They got their asses handed to them on this metric just like damn near every other car maker
Older Mercedes Benz diesels are absolutely super reliable. There are some over a million miles in the Middle East used as taxis. Older Volvos are also very reliable, though I agree the new models are mechanical nightmares.
Mercedes is well known for their unreliable electronics systems. The Robert Bentley shop manual for my last Mercedes had nearly 300 pages of wiring diagrams, and that was back in the late 1990s! (I can only imagine the situation is much worse today.)
They were also starting to use biodegradable wiring insulation around then, which, in the heat of an engine compartment, worked about as well as any other "green" bullshit does in the real world compared to the stuff that actually works.
After spending an entire afternoon with a master mechanic and every wiring diagram available for the W124, we never did figure out why the kickdown switch under the gas pedal reversed itself and would only let the car drive normally when it was pushed down. We "fixed" it with a piece of copper wire, and it unfucked itself on the highway the day I sold it. Somehow, the car survived downshifting into second gear at 80 mph, even after blowing a bunch of transmission fluid all over the back.
I'm not convinced that any engineer at Mercedes or VW knows where the electricity goes once it leaves the battery. A few years ago, MB was even shipping new vehicles with airbag software that hadn't been fully tested or certified.
I also had loads of fun setting the shift points on a non-turbo 240D by driving around the block, jacking up the car and tweaking an adjustment knob on a vacuum line an eighth of a turn at a time until it shifted right. And it still accelerated like a geriatric turtle on quaaludes. 67 hp, 3200 pounds, 0-60 in over 30 seconds. But you could push start the automatic, just like the pre-'66 Chryslers. Perfect apocalypse ride with mechanical injection. Just add diesel or something close enough.
Between 90's and 00, much of the electronic where all individual cables. Often taking up about 10% of the cars total weight with all the cable. Very hard to troubleshoot, very hard to fix problems. But a lot cheaper if you knew what you where doing.
Today's cars are more modular, when something breaks it's easy to replace. Problem is, you have to replace an entire module which is usually very expensive, even if the work is cheap, assuming you have a repair friendly car. Some brands don't like that you repair their car, particularly some Asian brands. In a KIA for instance you have to take out the engine just to change the headlights. 🤡
My parents owned a lot of Mazdas. Mostly MX-6’s from the 80’s and early 90’s. And the little truck they had in the 80’s. That truck was indestructible, they might still have it, my uncle owned it but he passed, it was a farm truck and it took a lot of punishment. So idk about modern newer Mazdas but the old ones seemed pretty good to me.
A Swedish Volvo holds the world record in most miles driven. To this day it's still in traffic many decades later. Japanese and Germans are not far behind, despite some over engineering. Old Volvo's are overbuilt and simple, that's how you win this game.
Yep my mom’s Saab broke down in July in the scorching heat, I was like 8 months pregnant and boy did it suck! She was freaking out, we were in rural MD, and she was sure I was gonna die of a heat stroke (lol I felt fine). She sold it not too long after.
I was lamenting the other day that car manufacturers used to have a unique identity.
It really was a special time that will never exist again.
BMW owns Mini and Rolls-Royce.
Mercedes-Benz had a bad relationship and divorce with Chrysler.
Volkswagen owns Lamborghini Bentley and Bugatti.
General Motors is partnered up with Honda.
Saab is owned by General Motors and doesn't even make cars anymore.
Aerodynamic designs eroded much of the unique body styles
Yep, everything heads towards centralization, where the same few platforms is being reused for everything, and features being unlocked through subscriptions.
Volvo V50 is basically a ford focus.
In a Seat and a few other brands owned by VW, if you remove their logo from the engine, you'll find the VW logo below the sticker, literally the same car underneath.
Mini and rolls Royce nowadays use a lot of BMW parts.
GM bought the car division of SAAB and Volvo, none of which they own today. SAAB is still a thriving company in Sweden making fighter jets and other stuff.
Scania separated from SAAB before the GM purchase and is still in Sweden making great trucks and buses. Same with Volvo trucks, still 100% Swedish.
As for the trucking market, the only brands that are still American are Peterbilt and Kenworth. Volvo owns Mack. Mercedes-Benz owns Daimer who owns the Freightliner. Volkswagen owns Navistar (International). Yet because of the US import ban they all have to build specific designs for the US market, often with less thought and consideration put into the work.
Volvo cars is owned by Geely Holding Group, from Chyna.
Cars yes, trucks, buses, heavy machinery, killdozers, drilling rigs etc are all still made in Sweden.
Yes i know.
GM owned the car division of SAAB. Purchased around the same time as they bought the car division of Volvo. Scania trucks broke out of SAAB before the GM purchase, and Volvo trucks where always Swedish. Same with the fighter jets. Otherwise NATO would use JAS Gripen instead of F-15, and Scania trucks would be used in America because they're superior.
This is incorrect. MB had a new car development time of over 8 years when they bought Chrysler , which was under 3 years. They kept that part of the company and sold the slag. As was their original plan.
ALL THE SAME SHIT ! AND ALL USE THE SAME SUPPLIERS !
ELI5…. Please.
Many features such as heated seats for example are now a subscription based fee. They come with the vehicle but you can’t use the feature unless you pay for it.
What manufacturers have this crap
https://www.consumerreports.org/automotive-industry/why-you-might-need-to-subscribe-to-get-certain-features-on-your-next-car-a6575794430/
That’s some bullshit. Pay 100k for a car and have to do that. I hope there is a huge backlash.
I’d imagine it will be easy to hack. It’ll just be part of any “tune” package going forward. But the fact that people are submitting to this is disturbing. I ALREADY BOUGHT THE SEAT, HEATING ELEMENT AND ASSOCIATED ELECTRONICS!
Now we drive plastic bondo cruisers.
I'm not sure that cars are safer, collision-wise. My cousin died in a horrible pile-up a few months back, and the wreckage was mind-blowing.
Thing is they aren't even safer nowadays. Particularly in the US for the last decade car dealers has been pushing big SUV's and pickup trucks, which are technically classed as "light trucks" instead of cars. This bypasses a lot of the safety regulations which applies to regular cars like sedans and station wagons.
It's gone so far that it's nearly impossible for those who actually need a pickup truck to find a model that's designed for what a pickup truck is supposed to be used as, i.e a light truck for farms which handles well in terrain. Farmers need a 8ft bed, farmers haul a lot of shit in the back, which makes it seem retarded to buy a $100k pickup truck you're afraid to haul shit in.
Ironically you might even be safer in a 1970's Volvo 142. Sure you will end up under the pile of rubble with a 5ton SUV on your roof, but the roof will remain intact and soon as the SUV is removed you can safely exit unharmed.
Volvo is Chinese now. Sad.
Only positive thing is that they're still built locally, buy one in the US and it's likely produced in Canada. Buy in Europe and it's made in Sweden. They did open a few new plants in China tho but those seems to serve the Chinese market.
I thought I read somewhere that China has a controlling stake in the company now. Fact check me on that one I suppose but it sticks in my mind that happened
They own the car division, that was formerly owned by GM. Everything else still has the original owners.
GM never owned Volvo cars.
Ford bought Volvo cars in ‘99, then sold it to Chinese Geely about 10 years later.
(I had a Volvo that had a bunch of Ford branded parts on it.)
So tl;dr if you buy a Volvo the money goes to China.
The "good" Japanese cars (what CEOs and yakuza bosses get driven around in), you can't get here.
when was that time? Even in the 80's they weren't competing with Toyota or Honda on reliability. They got their asses handed to them on this metric just like damn near every other car maker
My merc has over 300k miles and still going strong. 2008 my.
210k on my 2001 Audi, most reliable car Ive owned...
Had an audi a6 2.7t. Chipped. Sport pack. Loved it.
How often do you speed and nearly run off the road. That tends to be the MO of Audi/BMW drivers.
I actually make an effort to signal and give right of way to people because of that stereotype.
My camry had over 500k when i sold it.
Older Mercedes Benz diesels are absolutely super reliable. There are some over a million miles in the Middle East used as taxis. Older Volvos are also very reliable, though I agree the new models are mechanical nightmares.
Mercedes is well known for their unreliable electronics systems. The Robert Bentley shop manual for my last Mercedes had nearly 300 pages of wiring diagrams, and that was back in the late 1990s! (I can only imagine the situation is much worse today.)
Mid 1990s, especially when the W210 E Class came out, I would say is when Mercedes quality started to go downhill.
They were also starting to use biodegradable wiring insulation around then, which, in the heat of an engine compartment, worked about as well as any other "green" bullshit does in the real world compared to the stuff that actually works.
After spending an entire afternoon with a master mechanic and every wiring diagram available for the W124, we never did figure out why the kickdown switch under the gas pedal reversed itself and would only let the car drive normally when it was pushed down. We "fixed" it with a piece of copper wire, and it unfucked itself on the highway the day I sold it. Somehow, the car survived downshifting into second gear at 80 mph, even after blowing a bunch of transmission fluid all over the back.
I'm not convinced that any engineer at Mercedes or VW knows where the electricity goes once it leaves the battery. A few years ago, MB was even shipping new vehicles with airbag software that hadn't been fully tested or certified.
I also had loads of fun setting the shift points on a non-turbo 240D by driving around the block, jacking up the car and tweaking an adjustment knob on a vacuum line an eighth of a turn at a time until it shifted right. And it still accelerated like a geriatric turtle on quaaludes. 67 hp, 3200 pounds, 0-60 in over 30 seconds. But you could push start the automatic, just like the pre-'66 Chryslers. Perfect apocalypse ride with mechanical injection. Just add diesel or something close enough.
No more "warranty cars" for me.
Between 90's and 00, much of the electronic where all individual cables. Often taking up about 10% of the cars total weight with all the cable. Very hard to troubleshoot, very hard to fix problems. But a lot cheaper if you knew what you where doing.
Today's cars are more modular, when something breaks it's easy to replace. Problem is, you have to replace an entire module which is usually very expensive, even if the work is cheap, assuming you have a repair friendly car. Some brands don't like that you repair their car, particularly some Asian brands. In a KIA for instance you have to take out the engine just to change the headlights. 🤡
That is all that needs to be said. Those engines are reliable. Shame the rest of the cars weren't.
Have two Hondas and a Toyota in the garage…
Not all Japanese vehicles are created equal. Toyota and Honda are in a different league than Mazda and Mitsubishi for instance.
and every other car not named lexus or acura
My parents owned a lot of Mazdas. Mostly MX-6’s from the 80’s and early 90’s. And the little truck they had in the 80’s. That truck was indestructible, they might still have it, my uncle owned it but he passed, it was a farm truck and it took a lot of punishment. So idk about modern newer Mazdas but the old ones seemed pretty good to me.
The non rotary engined ones were better than the RX-# cars they made and they are still good cars, just not Honda and Toyota good iMO.
I must’ve had a lemon, my Civic was always messing up. We have a Honda van now, it’s pretty good.
what year? Honda's started going downhall mid 2000s
My father in law was a car guy from Detroit. He said there was three things wrong with german cars, They were over priced, over rated, and over here.
A Swedish Volvo holds the world record in most miles driven. To this day it's still in traffic many decades later. Japanese and Germans are not far behind, despite some over engineering. Old Volvo's are overbuilt and simple, that's how you win this game.
Are the Germans in the room with you now?
My mom had two Saabs. Both sucked. My uncle had a Mercedes, it was super slow and was like driving a brick.
Yep my mom’s Saab broke down in July in the scorching heat, I was like 8 months pregnant and boy did it suck! She was freaking out, we were in rural MD, and she was sure I was gonna die of a heat stroke (lol I felt fine). She sold it not too long after.
Because they arent being built by germans and swedes anymore.
Never was the case. Mercedes’, buy two so you can use one while the other is in the shop.