cars are too complicated

I recently noticed that most cars are just way too complex to upkeep. In Europe diesel cars where hugely popular and some of the 2000-2008 or so are quite easy to upkeep.(pre DPF era) Of course they still have turbo’s and injectors and sensors, but still they are possible to keep without breaking the bank. Most realible cars are gasoline 4 cylinder cars from 2000 up, there was an era, where cars had twin cam, naturally aspirated engine(no turbo), multiport injection(no choke and no carb related issues). Still basic ABS and airbag so quite safe. Good( brands like toyota avensis/corolla, nissan primera and such are still usable, Friend of mine, drove 16years with avensis, up to 240tkm and no issues. Just basic maintenance. With modern cars this is impossible.

Modern gasoline cars have always turbocharger, most have even two. GDI, gasoline direct injection makes problems with intake valves carboning up. Modern diesel cars are even worst, as they have DPF, diesel particle filter, (most cars from 2008 have DPF). Complex turbo charging systems and Piezo electric injectors and huge amount of electronics to control it all.
Common issues:
EGR: (exhaust gas recirculation) issues, carboning(sooth) of intake track
swirl flaps: intake tracks are moderated with flapper valves that are many times plastic or controlled by plastic parts that brake, EGR sooth blocks these
Turbo: turbo failures or failures to control turbo, Variable vain turbo chargers get stuck because of sooth. Or control modules, servos or vacuuam actuators fail.
Injectors:
Extreamly high injection pressures and up to five injections each piston stroke need piezo injectors that are prone to failure.
DPF:
DPF collects diesel sooth during normal driving and needs to cleaned with regeneration that happens automatically between 200-500km. During this 10-20 minute period car smells like burning rubber. Car needs to preferrably be driven at highway speed during this and not to shut down. How ever there is no notification that this is taking place. So short driving can get the DPF totally blocked. DPF regeneration is started with excess diesel fuel injection that goes to exhaust and burns and raises the DPF temperature to 650 celcius. This fuel can go past the piston rings and oil dilution and raising oil levels are very common in these cars.

To sum it up, modern diesel car is too complex, it can work in long distange driving, but upkeeping it by individual the cost is too high and it has too complex technology.

Gasoline cars where simpler for a long time, but newer ones with GDI and turbos are almost as complex as diesel cars. The era of simple cars is pretty much over.

Another issues is accessory computers, Modern electronic transmission, they all add to the complexity. Many cars have computer in every door. I think the ideal point was one computer ECU, which controlled the EFI. beyond this more computers don’t add much. Just complexity.

If we think about hybrid cars, they are even worst, they have the complexity of normal car and then add the electric engine and batteries that degrade. Long term ownership is impossible, they can be leased for a while, but owning these long term is just not financially feasible.

Fully electric car is simpler in some sense, but there is a problem with battery, normal people cannot take financial risk that would bankcrupt them. With electric cars the battery failure could cost more than new car, at least 10t to 30t euros. It is a risk that no sensible person would take. Only possibility is full battery coverage. The risk would be similar financial risk as to drive 30ke car without any insurance. You could loose it all.

I would buy well known brand, that is recogniced making quality. Buy a model that is been at the market for some time so technology has matured and problems have been found. Never buy CVT transmission, Prefer Gasoline cars. No GDI gasoline. Prefer cam chains no cam belts. Two wheel drive car is much simpler that than 4WD car, and the extra maintenance and difficulty of 4WD transfer box being at the way of other work, like clutch change or exhaust work.

I drive W212 merceds with Diesel V6 2009, and yes it has issues. My luck is that it’s not 4WD as they have problems with front differentials. My car is a sedan which doesn’t have air suspension rear strut issues that Station wagon models have. This car is pre addblue, so no issues with addblue frozin, leaking, cracking reservoirs. This car how ever needs long driving to burn to DPF, it has computer for engine, entertainment, rear computer, i think each door has own computer. Without full diagnostic computer it’s a total nightmare to work with.

Happy motoring.