Posted on 06/26/2025 1:55:40 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
A simple flat tire on an Audi should be a 10-minute fix. But thanks to today's hyper-connected vehicle systems, a TikTok video showed how it turned into a half-hour ordeal involving fault scans, resets, and drive cycles—all because of a nail.
(Excerpt) Read more at motor1.com ...
My wife wanted to buy an Audi. I started looking at reviews on the model she wanted. One fellow wrote that his engine seized up at 9000 miles and Audi refused to warranty it.
Nothing doing there. Bought an 2015 Acura instead.
It has not been in the shop yet except for oil changes.
A classmate of mine had a '60 Plymouth Savoy with a Slant Six, and it was also easy to work on. The engine sat there with plenty of of room on the right side he didn't need, and wide-open spaces on the left.
I went on an overland drive in one of those across Southern Africa.
It’s a detuned BMW six B58 engine. It’s found in basically every BMW plus a lot of Toyotas. One of the most common engines in the world. Very sturdy, especially de-tuned.
I’ve looked one over. The goal was to make a truck that could be worked on in the field or by an African mechanic or any Toyota or BMW dealer.
In fact, they have a deal in the States that BMW dealers or Toyota dealers can work on them for warranty work.
If you can fix a tractor, you can fix one of those beasts.
I live in the mountains, and they are extremely tempting.
You could also sit there and watch them rust away. And you were never getting 150,000 miles on that 1963 Chevy engine either. Sorry. Give me todays cars anytime. I’m driving a 14 years old Nissan right now and it runs just fine… I have no hesitation taking it on a road trip.
I rented an Audi recently. Was a nice drive. Great for what I needed. It was self driving. It turned for me, braked It was horrific
My idea of driving is a 1968 VW bug 4 on the floor or my dads boat 7 mpg 10975 Lincoln continebtal. Sound system. AC. V8? Nice speed and pick up
I can manage a seat belt (dad made us wear seat belts even back when you had to dig them from the seat cushions and the overreaching govt didn’t care) I can back up the car, can parallel park in Greenwich village on a Saturday can manage to do all this and survive
I like safety features, air bags, hate getting beeped to seat belt lock to together mail (in 105 heat).
Self driving. What is this?
Never said I was. I just liked the fact that I could work on it myself if I wanted to.
—”it cost 1800 bucks to replace the headlights on a Cadillac. “
A friend had one.
One night, I noticed one of head headlamps was out, and called him.
He said Ohhh YEAH! I know $1,800!! we will see long how the other side lasts!~
Insane.
About all I can sensibly do to my Tacoma is rotate and change tires, swap the air and cabin filter, and replace the ambient air temperature sensor.
I don’t have the articulated robotic hands that built the thing plus the factory and dealer training needed along with a well equipped modern shop.
2002 Toyota rav4. They say If it makes it to 250,000 it’s going another 250,000. Mine is at 270 and everything is fine. Original AC still blows cold. Still gets 32 mpg. Passenger window switch is glitchy. That’s the only problem. Feel blessed.
I like the idea of the Ineos, but is a BMW engine simple?
Plus you always have to check the Muffler Bearing.
I had a Tucson with the tire sensors . When I drove around for days with a slo leak tire the warning was invariably on the whole time. Eventually plugged the tire myself. End of problem.
Built in France, based on a British design, with some German parts (BMW engine for instance).
DO NOT KNOW HOW OLD YOU E-—
BUT I BOUGHT A NEW PONTIAC WAGON IN FEB 1965.
PUT OVER 444,000 MILES ON IT BEFORE FALL OF 1981.
WISH I HAD NEVER SOLD IT.
THEY ARE NOT TEACHING DECENT ENGINEERING TODAY
EVEN IN THE LATE 60’s-—Chevy tried the “peanut plugs”.
NEVER understood why.
NOT as tho weight of spark plugs can be an issue-—
HOWEVER-—TO CHANGE THE BACK 2 PLUGS-—THE ENGINE HAD TO COME OFF THE MOUNTS & BE MOVED FORWARD.
I SOLD AUTO PARTS IN THOSE DAYS.
WHENEVER SOMEONE WOULD COME IN FOR NEW PLUGS-—I WOULD EXPLAIN ABOUT THE 2 BACK PLUGS ACCESS ISSUES...THEN I WOULD SELL THEM ONLY 6 PLUGS & TELL THEM TO FORGET ABOUT THE 2 BACK PLUGS.
NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE THINKING ABOUT THOSE PEANUT PLUGS
The B58 is considered the most reliable gasoline engine on the planet.
https://www.slashgear.com/1579059/b58-engine-bmw-what-cars-have-under-hood/
Given the Ineos detuned it from its usual 350hp down to 250ish (for torque and to handle crappy third world gasoline), I would assume it’s even more bullet proof.
Militaries are buying them up like mad (mainly with the diesel engine that is sadly not here yet).
Body gone by 100k due to lack of galvanic protection, but drivetrain, if cared for was 300k just like today before the transmission replacement exceeds the value of the auto. Think the answer is to simplfy the drivetrain, build just about everything on proven frames, spend real money on coatings and reduce the special parts counts, and retro body styles that people liked.
While I can afford electric mirrors with defrost, 4 zone AC controls, in excess of 400HP and lane keeping assistance not everyone needs that. I would give up infotainment for tablet that I replace every 3 years. I would give up 100HP for another 200,000 miles or 6 mpg.
A Chevy 6L LS2 circa 2006 is near automotive perfection, cheap enough to just replace the block and heads when it is worn out, starter, water pump and alternator need not be in the worst place, everyone can tune, 20 years of upgrade parts. If there were a manufacturing defect to be introduced by GM skimping, the history compared to the others would be evident.
I have a 2012 Toyota Tacoma. It has about 5 or 6 idiot lights in the dash on all the time. These lights include the check engine light, TPMS, ABS and other BS. The dealer mechanics cannot get the lights to turn off. It’s a bunch of crap.
Yep..Wife’s first 2023 XC40 was f’n nightmare. Everything is run by a Google infotainment system which sucks on a good day. It would slam on the brakes with collision avoidance warnings and there’s nothing there. Slam on the brakes backing out of the garage.. nothing there. Infotainment would just go completely blank, no audio, maps nothing. Reset wouldn’t fix it but then out of nowhere it would start working again. Dealership were assholes. Manager tried to tell me how car computers work. I said I designed missile systems not the military..your archaic can bus BS came from people like me and our shxt works.
I could go on but after a BBB complaint, NHTSA case complaint and forwarding both ho Volvo corporate they gave us a new 2024 XC40 at no cost difference. I asked what they’d do with the 2023 and they said they’d sell it.
I said any sane person would send it back to the manufacturer, strip it down and find out what the problem is.
New one is a little better but still requires the doors locked for 90 minutes for a SW upgrade. POS.
Never again. I’ve stated before my classic 75 Vette I can rewire with 3 20’ extension cords and the AM/GM radio works fine.
Vehicle technology SUCKS. I’ll take an ATLAS to gps any day and if you need a camera to back up you shouldn’t be driving.
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