I work for a multi-brand service. The bulk of cars coming refers to the two most common concerns:
1. about 40% of our customers drive cars of concern VAG (Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Seat, Porsche, Bentley)
2. still percent 30% is Ford group/Mazda/Volvo. Although Volvo’s are a bit aloof, by and large, it’s still the same Ford.
On them I have the most statistics, there are other brands.
Every year I am more and more convinced that there is something like conspiracy these corporations. No, I’m not paranoid, and not a supporter of conspiracy theories. Yeah, probably, about it already wrote. Just want to Express their opinion on this matter.
I have an observation: the old machines, made about the middle of the nineties, come to us, mostly for maintenance. This applies to any cars of any brand, especially Japanese, especially right-handers. From time to time they change the worn parts of the suspension and brakes, but this is normal and comes as no surprise and indignation. As it should be.
Surprise and indignation begin to Mature in my heart, when I see what happens with new cars. The owners of most cars designed after the mid-nineties, post for service and repair much more than owners of old cars. And it’s not because we charge more money for the work, and for the following reasons:
1. repairing modern cars have a lot more of, and replacing parts more complicated. For example, you need to remove the subframe to change the bushings of the stabilizer. From the point of view of maintainability, magical nonsense. But this was done on purpose.
2. spare parts are much more expensive because a lot is not sold in parts, only the Assembly. On the Jetta, for example, in the original directory bushings for front stabilizer do not delirous and are not sold separately from the stub. Again faerie nonsense, on purpose, to make money more. No, of course, Russian wit and here does not disappoint, and long ago found a substitute, but fat is a fact.
As a result, the price tag on servicing of most cars is rapidly increasing.
Most parts and assemblies of modern machines is subject to programmed wear and early failure. Machine and from a structural point of view designed to complicate the mechanics of replacing these parts, and therefore increase the cost of the work.
Here’s an example, not to be unfounded:
– led repeater lamps, Gaburici, bulbs license plate light and interior. Say, beautiful? Nice, but detail is changed only as a whole, separate bulbs does not happen.
– replacing light bulbs on many modern cars (Citroen/Peugeot, Ssang Yong, what first comes to mind) with the removal of the bumper (if in front) or with the analysis of salon (if back)
not detaljima separate the tie rod on many Nissans. In the original sale only in gathering with a rake. Thank God, at least not changing in the collection
sensors mass air flow, sold ONLY together with the pipe (the sum of more than three times)
– drive shafts, which can not be dismantled, and sold only in gathering.
– ice blocks, which are sold only together with a piston and a bunch of trivia
in – ear, are only sold together with the crankshaft
– Ford engines for which no repair parts, such as liners, piston rings and so on
– front lower arms, which in the original are only in the collection, and are not the original ball and silent blocks
– wheel bearings complete with hub or even the brake disc (Peugeot/Citroen, rear drive)
– non-removable (destructible when removing) ABS sensors
– fuel filters assy with integral fuel pump, and when it is replaced it is necessary to disassemble the interior
Separately say about the Skoda, which I recently just got frozen. In the throttle valve has a gear which adjusts how open or closed the damper. And there she is, a bitch, plastic! Detail is in the engine, it’s hot, it needs to constantly move, and it is PLASTIC!
Further more. It changes all the outrage only together with throttle valve control, which in turn varies with the intake manifold.
I don’t want to ride on Skoda, do You?
Now has already grown a whole generation of people who thought it was OK to change the fuel pump Assembly or front levers assy. Many smart people bring a ton of arguments in favor of this their usual positions:
“Why, why to extrude the lever unoriginal silent, this won’t be a factory Assembly, it will be worse!”, they say.
A lever is a piece of iron. If this piece of iron one worn bushing, why change the piece of iron, if the ball, and the second bushing are alive and well?
“Why change the fine filter separate from the pump? They have approximately the same lifetime!”, they echoed what I heard from employees of the dealer. Of course, they have the same service life, it is so programmed. And he, this time, way less than you think. I am itching to redo the fuel system on many machines, by God, to return to the old, reliable separate pump with filter mesh in the tank and hanging filter outside of the tank…
Examples are very many, are one. All modern cars are disposable, made of shit and sticks, and wrapped in a beautiful foil with LEDs. They are programmed to fall apart into dust under the plan at the expiration of the warranty period. Can start to fall apart before, but it resolved under warranty.
You say, what to do?
The old machine is also difficult to contain, especially those that have long been off the Assembly line. No matter how simple and reliable they are, time takes its toll.
I noticed on simple statistics: all VAG, all Ford, all the French come to visit us often, spread a decent amount for repairs and parts. Thought I’d see who comes to us rarely.
From premium brands – Mercedes. BMW and Audi have long turned to the trough, sucking money from the wallets with breakneck speed. Moers isn’t, as it turned out. First, almost no aftermarket parts except consumables. This is already about something speaks to me. Secondly, they really are rarely repaired. Many passing through 250-300 thousand without serious changes, doing only what is necessary under the rules, and that wear out (brake pads, suspension).
I recently changed to 360 000 km S-Classe pump, flowed. C-Classe fresh recently changed a couple of sensors. For the next six months, that’s ALL. Did global.
It is clear that mers not all can afford. I was looking for something simpler, and drew attention to Hyundai/KIA. Surprisingly, all the same thing as with mers, especially on SUVs and large cars. Yes, on the Solaris and Rio there are shoals, but what I like about these Koreans are old principles in the parts. Well there is no such nonsense to the drive Assembly change, or block the throttle from the manifold instead of one of the gears.
Chip hand is clear and legible. They want to grab a share of the market, then they will start to behave the same way as the others. May have already started, because they have in the last few years it’s been two updates lineups. Maybe the new machines do have new rules, just to us they have not yet sunk, as they are still under warranty.
