new cars.....they've come a long way tech wise

so i got back into the automotive field after about 10 years away from it.
all i can say is things have changed.

when i got out of it obd 2 was of course standard and cars were throwing lights for all sorts of things. same basic principles of what is out there today except it is far more 'technical' if that is the right word.

first thing i thought on my first day was it seems that being 'tech savvy' is far more important than mechanical aptitude.

when i was last in the shop full time cd/tape players were still pretty standard and it wasnt anything to see a car roll through the shop from the 80's.

my very first work order at hyundai on the first was a bluetooth update.
im thinking what the hell.

it was wild. you turn the radio off and install our hyundai usb flash drive into the cars usb port. yeah, it has a usb port. the radio pops on and starts playing we are the world. you have to let it play for at least 4 seconds. after that you go through a series of key stokes on the radio and it brings up the firmware version and after you hit another button the update starts.


i have been there for 2 weeks now and the oldest car i have worked on so far was an 05.

im seeing lots of ecm updates. that wasnt really happening 10 years ago.
thats wild too. before i was using a handheld diagnostic scanner from snap on. now its all on a laptop.
i plug the laptop into the dlc on the car and it brings up a huge menu.
navigate to engine then engine controls. make sure all accessories are off and verify which version of firware, then start the update. takes about 20 minutes.
when it is done you turn ignition off for 10 seconds, then back on. bring up any stored codes and clear them....done

i have not really done too much in the way of mechanical work this 2 weeks.

even the alignments are super simple and 'techie'

back in the day it was a bitch doing alignments. took 15 minutes just to get the car on the rack and all the heads compensated. now it takes about 2 minutes to compensate and youre ready to do the alignment.

in this 2 weeks i have not seen a single car with a factory castor adjustment, front or rear.
only about 50% of the cars have camber adjustments in the back and maybe only 25% have camber adjustments in the front.

so, alignments are super easy.

front and rear toe and its out the door. alignments are paying 1.2 at this shop and i have been averaging about 20 minutes. works for me as i am getting paid for about 46 minutes of work im not doing.

it is taking some getting used to. i guess its the new way of doing things. i dont feel like we are doing true 4 wheel alignments though.
i mean just cause there is not a factory adjustment does not mean it cant be done.
where else is someone supposed to get their car aligned if not at the dealer?
a car comes in with front or rear camber out and we just send it down the road cause there is no adjustment.

most of these cars have 5 inch touch screens right in the dash. as soon as you put it in reverse the screen lights up with your rear camera image and grid to show how far away you are from hitting something.

i dont like it though. im still going old fashioned and using my mirrors.

also on the first day i had a work order that stated the bluetooth headphones were not working properly with the dvd player.
friggin led's mounted in each head rest.

its wild and i have to say i dont think i like it.
i miss wrenching on stuff. you know, actually fixing it.

seems like these days im doing a lot of scanning/updating/clearing on the laptop or i am only removing and reinstalling.

the game has changed.

Worst thing about all the new tech in cars is the black box that records telemetry and dispenses it on command. That's only one step away from getting automatic speeding tickets whenever the car detects you going too fast for TPTB.

i forgot.
after you update the ecm and clear all stored codes, you start the car and the updated ecm cycles through for about 2 minutes and 'relearns' driving habits.
very strange to me....

I despise all the new tech.

I don't like my engine and other systems requiring a computer to run properly. I don't like my driving habits being recorded and I don't like the fact anyone can 'access' my car remotely.

My plan is to drive my current Subaru until the tires fall off and then look for a 'classic' car from the 60's, 70's or 80's.

a reply to: Metallicus

im not liking it either.
well, i like what alignments pay but thats about it so far.

i started wrenching at an indie shop in 1995. that was the first time i was being paid to work on cars. before that i just did it in the yard with my old man.
in 95 though the cars coming through the indie shop were a bit older.
lots of stuff from the 70's and early 80's.

hell, i worked on an anglia in that shop.

these days its just different. maybe i feel this way because i know what it was like to be a mechanic before.
im not liking it too much now.

seems like every damn car that comes in the first thing is hook it up to the laptop.

i miss diagnosing driveability issues without codes.
i miss hunting down the electrical gremlins. the intermittent problem.

we used to do real work.
example: car needs a brake like. back in the day you got the line sent over. straight, with fitting.
we had to bend the line. we had to flare them(double flare.maybe...bubble flare...quite possible....a double bubble flare....why oh snap yes)

these days if a car needs a brake line, it gets sent from the manufacturer bent, flared, and ready to go.

back in the day if a car needed exhaust work...we would cut out whatever section we needed. we would bend pipe. we would spread to fit.
not anymore.

we do from the manifold to the cat or from the cat back. thats it.
we get the section in from the manufacturer, ready to go....

i guess it is easier to a point but i really dont feel like a mechanic anymore.

originally posted by: Mugly
so i got back into the automotive field after about 10 years away from it.
all i can say is things have changed. when i got out of it obd 2 was of course standard and cars were throwing lights for all sorts of things. same basic principles of what is out there today except it is far more 'technical' if that is the right word.

There were no protocols for the lights coming on other than a problem somewhere then. I think Californian laws, and the obvious need to know helped things along. There was also a mixture of electronics and mechanical, for instance a computer taking readings off a mechanical/cable driven speedometer to calculate the distance for your next fill up, if the cable was faulty or broken, you would be snookered unless you had a feel for the car, but even then....?

Huge dashboard touchscreens are one of the most stupid thing added in cars lately. All the car accessories controls (ac, radio, rear defrost, etc...) are on it nowadays.
If your screen fails for some reason, now what ? No more radio, heat/ac and such until the screen is fixed or repaired ?
What is wrong with simple button ? At least with those I can manipulate accessories by feel without taking my eyes off the road.
I am not a mechanic as you see my rant is more user oriented, but I agree with you OP, things have changed.

originally posted by: Metallicus
I despise all the new tech.

I don't like my engine and other systems requiring a computer to run properly. I don't like my driving habits being recorded and I don't like the fact anyone can 'access' my car remotely.

My plan is to drive my current Subaru until the tires fall off and then look for a 'classic' car from the 60's, 70's or 80's.

I can agree with that up to a point, but there's no doubt that a computer can run a car more efficiently, and reliably than one without. I've had a plethora of cars right through the era's you mention, while the most modern ones have been the most reliable, starting in the late 80's-90's. I do agree that remote digital spying is not cool, but that happens here and now. As for the way you drive, it presently is a bit of a mismash. I have an XJ diesel V6, brilliant engine, but has a DPF in the exhaust that needs to burn all the exhaust to ash, otherwise it will clog, like a spud stuck in the exhaust pipe. that requires high revs/gear speed to make the filter activate and burn the particulates, so if you just tootle around town and never get the engine really hot as a rule, you are buggered. So you need to do a burnout, and nothing to do with driving habit. On the other hand, I also have an Espace V6, naturally aspirated, no turbo, and just as quick as the XJ, a mad thing, and the driving habit of that would equate to the XJ, except I am not burning off particulates if I was in the notion.

i dont like a lot of the user friendly features.

i dont like the push button ignitions.
i mean it was cool on my dads 60's valient. that was the 60's.
i dont like not having the key. only the fob that has to be in range.

I like almost everything about newer cars except for the ridiculous screens. They last longer, are far safer, get better mileage, handle better, it's easier to diagnose problems, less maintenance, more power, still easy to work on (I suppose this actually varies a lot based on the vehicle type and problem). I don't particularly care for the style on many of them, but that's not really a concern for most people.

a reply to: MuglyMaybe it is time to work at a independent shop. That is where all the OLD cars and trucks go to get fixed.

I really don't understand why you hate new tech...
Not all new cars are big trendy tech gadgets like a glorified smartphone
Some cars, are still for real petrol heads with all the convenience gizmos and sophisticated electronics to make your drive even faster, safer, and a generally pleasant experience.

I recently upgraded from a 1997 M3 to a 2014 M4, and I was really blown away by how amazing it is to drive compared to my previous one. All the necessary buttons are on the steering wheel and the screen is very useful to make a tone of adjustments (power delivery, brake bias, traction control, stabilization control, comfort or sportive suspension, fuel economy, service alert, etc,)
Although I loved my good old M3 I wouldn't go back...

i agree with you domo and akula.
from a consumer view cars have come a long way in a positive way.
they are more efficient and responsive.
a lot of things are basically maintenance free.

better fuel economy and better handling...

i dont consume new cars though. my newest is an 05 base model 300.

ceeker, i also think i agree with you and need to get back to an indie.
im not leaving the dealership anytime super soon but i think the indies are more up my alley.

i want to be more than a parts hanger....

either way, these new rides have a lot of bells and whistles

a reply to: Metallicus

The computer should come with a legal to drive drunk option, wherein the factory drives you home.

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