I remember when motor cars were simple to fix.

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Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
My first car was a B reg 850 mini....back in 1970. I am clueless on mechanics but recall replacing eg fuel pump, thermostat and even a new fibreglass bonnet.
My 65 plate Astra is computerised and impossible (for me) to understand.
EG......a warning light tells me tyre pressure is low. Apparently cold weather will cause it.
To fix it.....
I have to put air in.....then find a re-set button. Then I have to drive the car.
IF.....that doesn't work I have to re initialise ??? By pressing the reset 3 times then drive for a minimum of one hour at a certain speed.
IF.....that doesnt work I have take it in.
I only want to put some ****** air in the thing.
 

Hugh Manatee

Veteran
Wow. Best part of 5 minutes between double posts. Someone give the server a kick.
 
Last edited:

BoldonLad

Not part of the Elite
Location
South Tyneside
My first car was a B reg 850 mini....back in 1970. I am clueless on mechanics but recall replacing eg fuel pump, thermostat and even a new fibreglass bonnet.
My 65 plate Astra is computerised and impossible (for me) to understand.
EG......a warning light tells me tyre pressure is low. Apparently cold weather will cause it.
To fix it.....
I have to put air in.....then find a re-set button. Then I have to drive the car.
IF.....that doesn't work I have to re initialise ??? By pressing the reset 3 times then drive for a minimum of one hour at a certain speed.
IF.....that doesnt work I have take it in.
I only want to put some ****** air in the thing.

Yes, my drinking buddy has just bought himself a very smart Honda CRV, with all the bells and whistles. I asked him how he was enjoying driving it. "not very much" was his reply, "it is continually beeping and displaying little icon on the dash, in the door mirrors".

Oh for more simple days!
 

TVC

Guest
My car is constsntly moaning, either I didn't put the handbrake down quick enough, or it's a bit cold out, or as you say the tyres need a puff of air.

When I was a kid my dad bought a moggy traveller and a spare engine. He and I completely stripped and rebuilt tge second engine before swapping it into the car. So much fun (and it ran first time).
 

midlife

Guru
I remember adjusting my points .

I swapped my points on my Escort MYN 975L for some sort of electronic thingy :smile:
 

Nigeyy

Legendary Member
Yes, I feel like this. Gone are the (in)glorious days when you could get a car running with a screwdriver and a box of Swan Vestas. Mind you it has to be said car ignition systems do seem to be more reliable now and I don't miss points......

But there seems to be a creeping movement towards fancy dancy inaccessible things. I also particularly dislike the movement towards having no dipsticks but relying on sensors that you have to plough through umpteen menu choices. I'm far from a techno grouch but really, was the dipstick that unreliable and hard to use? Is it just using techno gadgetry for the sake of it?
 

Supersuperleeds

Legendary Member
Location
Leicester
My first car was a B reg 850 mini....back in 1970. I am clueless on mechanics but recall replacing eg fuel pump, thermostat and even a new fibreglass bonnet.
My 65 plate Astra is computerised and impossible (for me) to understand.
EG......a warning light tells me tyre pressure is low. Apparently cold weather will cause it.
To fix it.....
I have to put air in.....then find a re-set button. Then I have to drive the car.
IF.....that doesn't work I have to re initialise ??? By pressing the reset 3 times then drive for a minimum of one hour at a certain speed.
IF.....that doesnt work I have take it in.
I only want to put some ****** air in the thing.

Tyre pressure warning light on a 65 plate Astra are dead easy to fix.

Inflate your tyres and then get some black electrical tape, cut two strips of around an inch long and stick them over the warning light.

Every week give the tyres a kick to check they are okay.
 

Nigeyy

Legendary Member
I agree that many things have improved. But I also think some things aren't progress to some people who don't mind replacing headlight bulbs (though an led headlight cost may well force you to scrap the car given the cost) or replacing spark plugs (if you can remove whatever is now in the way or in some cases have use of an engine hoist.) I question this "progress".

Progress?

Certainly. Old cars were unsafe, uneconomical, unreliable, and terribly dirty for people an the environment.

I'm happy to take the modern inconveniences to know that a break down is rare with cars these days, and I would certainly take the inconvenience over being around the old dirty cars.
 

NickNick

Well-Known Member
Its what I love about our old Bedford TK, its so simple to work on it was a pleasure to restore, hardly any electrics and it will run of veg oil (needs cutting with diesel this time of year due to the cold). I hate the idea of having a vehicle that you are completely reliant on someone else even to change a bulb or the oil filter as they've made it so inaccessible and complex.

I also think modern cars contribute to the carelessness of so many drivers. You're completely isolated from noise & vibration, there's a billion safety features to protect you, there's ABS to compensate for bad breaking/driving... so many people get lulled into a dangerous (especially for those of us on 2 wheels) sense of comfort and security, don't pay sufficient attention, go too fast...
 
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