Yeah, that and new vehicles are bullshit.
My current car doesn’t have a touch screen or an app, my climate controls aren’t buried three submenus deep, nothing in it is a subscription, and it doesn’t spy on me. I don’t want a new car with the way they’re making them now.
All of this and repairability. Given enough time, I could repair everything on my car. Newer cars throw up as many barriers to that as possible.
Hopefully you won’t run into the problem I had with my older car- parts availability. It’s only going to get worse as cars get older. Especially with the electronics.
The oldest car I’ve dailied was a Honda CRX that was just shy of 20 years old when I sold it. Supply was getting sparse on the ground, but I could get even some rare, single-model-year, variant-specific parts from the dealership parts counter until right around the end of my ownership.
Currently I’m driving a 17-year-old Fit and honestly, I’m not too worried. Even if I can’t get something new, it’s right about in the sweet spot for junkyard availability.
Newer cars do last longer, especially Toyota or Hondas.
I see this as a good thing. We are a wasteful culture.
My car is 15 years old, my truck is 18. No plans on upgrading until they bring back buttons and get rid of touchscreens and the spy crap.
You know what’s cheaper for everyone than buying cars? A good public transit system and safe, actually useful/enjoyable bike infrastructure. I’ve run the napkin math on this and it’s absolutely no contest.
Source: I’m a stranger on the internet and you will certainly not regret taking me at my word.
