They won’t be buying new cars in the near future, but their cars will be wearing out and spare parts for old cars always become hard to find. Either they will be spending a large part of their time maintaining the car, including making parts from scratch, or they will forced to buy a new car anyway.
Our 10 year-old Highlander still drives like new. It’s our newest vehicle, and one of Toyota’s last generation of vehicles without a cellular connection.
The average car is 12 years old. Car makers start to drop support (making/stocking parts) when the car is about 10 years old. Come back and talk to me about that car when is is 25 years old and tell me how it is. I have a 26 year old truck, the bed has holes, the frame is showing signs of rot - I’m trying to decide if it is worth trying to rebuild the transmission, my mechanic isn’t intersted in part because they are not sure if they can find the parts - they will be more than $1000 in labor in before they know wihch bearing it has and thus can check if it can be had.
The average car is 12 years old. Car makers start to drop support (making/stocking parts) when the car is about 10 years old.
I haven’t had any issues with getting parts for my 2008 Sienna, or parts for my 2007 Honda Metropolitan scooter. But the Sienna uses the 2GR-FE though, which only recently stopped production a few years ago, and the scooter is based on the still-currently produced Ruckus 🤔… Still.
Come back and talk to me about that car when is is 25 years old and tell me how it is.
No need - I have two 46 year-old vehicles: a 1980 Honda XR500 motorcycle from 08/79, and a 1980 Mercedes 240D from 12/79. The motorcycle is currently torn apart in the garage, undergoing a full restoration. Believe me dude, I know aaaaaaall about the frustrations of long-discontinued parts 😂😂
I have a 26 year old truck, the bed has holes, the frame is showing signs of rot - I’m trying to decide if it is worth trying to rebuild the transmission, my mechanic isn’t intersted in part because they are not sure if they can find the parts - they will be more than $1000 in labor in before they know wihch bearing it has and thus can check if it can be had.
Man I feel that so hard with the Mercedes. Poor thing has cancer and I’m not sure if it’s possible to save in its current condition. It’s got almost half a million miles, but goddamn it drives so, so nice… I think it needs a clutch though. Luckily, since W123 cars are sought-after classics at this point, there are still options, but it’s gonna be a hell of a process if I decide to attempt a restoration. My dad (with help from me and my siblings, friends, and neighbors) somehow managed to save a pretty rusty 1963 VW Beetle almost 20 years ago, was about a 5 year process. That car recently went to a collector… I’m mad about it, but only in the “goddammit I wanted to inherit it” kinda way 😅
A bunch of the earlier ones had their batteries replaced under warranty and are effectively only a couple years old. They’re also dirt cheap and undervalued at the moment.
It is a reason to not buy a new car which means people who aren’t buying new cars won’t be buying EV’s.
They won’t be buying new cars in the near future, but their cars will be wearing out and spare parts for old cars always become hard to find. Either they will be spending a large part of their time maintaining the car, including making parts from scratch, or they will forced to buy a new car anyway.
Our 10 year-old Highlander still drives like new. It’s our newest vehicle, and one of Toyota’s last generation of vehicles without a cellular connection.
The average car is 12 years old. Car makers start to drop support (making/stocking parts) when the car is about 10 years old. Come back and talk to me about that car when is is 25 years old and tell me how it is. I have a 26 year old truck, the bed has holes, the frame is showing signs of rot - I’m trying to decide if it is worth trying to rebuild the transmission, my mechanic isn’t intersted in part because they are not sure if they can find the parts - they will be more than $1000 in labor in before they know wihch bearing it has and thus can check if it can be had.
I haven’t had any issues with getting parts for my 2008 Sienna, or parts for my 2007 Honda Metropolitan scooter. But the Sienna uses the 2GR-FE though, which only recently stopped production a few years ago, and the scooter is based on the still-currently produced Ruckus 🤔… Still.
No need - I have two 46 year-old vehicles: a 1980 Honda XR500 motorcycle from 08/79, and a 1980 Mercedes 240D from 12/79. The motorcycle is currently torn apart in the garage, undergoing a full restoration. Believe me dude, I know aaaaaaall about the frustrations of long-discontinued parts 😂😂
Man I feel that so hard with the Mercedes. Poor thing has cancer and I’m not sure if it’s possible to save in its current condition. It’s got almost half a million miles, but goddamn it drives so, so nice… I think it needs a clutch though. Luckily, since W123 cars are sought-after classics at this point, there are still options, but it’s gonna be a hell of a process if I decide to attempt a restoration. My dad (with help from me and my siblings, friends, and neighbors) somehow managed to save a pretty rusty 1963 VW Beetle almost 20 years ago, was about a 5 year process. That car recently went to a collector… I’m mad about it, but only in the “goddammit I wanted to inherit it” kinda way 😅
You could always pick up a 9-year-old Bolt
Not worth the cost of admission. The amount of money it costs to refurb that battery pack is still too high.
A bunch of the earlier ones had their batteries replaced under warranty and are effectively only a couple years old. They’re also dirt cheap and undervalued at the moment.