If the EU adopt this...

[Simon Brown]

My Golf bought in 73 lasted fine for 40 years and only had to be replaced because I was stupid enough to not do anything about the known leaking windscreen until it eventually rusted the floor.

They do even if you don't do that. That Golf only ever had the oil changed just once, and the engine is still fine.

That is just plain wrong. The Getz I replaced the Golf with is in fact MUCH easier to maintain because it requires very little maintenance at all, no greasing, no ignition tweaking at all.

The only maintenance it has had in 10 years is just one oil change and a new battery and a couple of sets of tires.

It's the computer that means that you don't need to do a damned thing maintenance wise to the ignition anymore.

And that is all you need to do.

And that cost me quite literally $5 to buy one.

And that cost me quite literally $5.

Nope, just $5.

Don't need to know how it works to do all the maintenance it needs now.

Mine did in the first year when the free first service happened.

I did. And that cost very little to change the filter and oil.

I didn't when it developed a rather unusual battery fault.

I just replaced the battery, which I would have had to do in that 10 years anyway.

I bought one for $5.

Mine doesn't.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The fact is like many things these days, most can't be bothered to learn how a car works. Far more fun as a kid playing computer games.

[Dave Liquorice]

[Dave Liquorice]

diagnose

Does a "code reader" enable to you to control various aspects of the vehical. Say inflate/deflate the nearside rear air spring whilst monitoring the output of the ride height sensors in real time?

Or does it just give the stored fault codes that it might translate into brief explanatory text.

Which is why when the all-in purchase package comes to an end they trade it in. They can't service it themselves and don't want those, percieved to be, huge and unpredictable servive/repair bills. Even if those bills come to £1000/year (unlikely) the fact they were paying £150/month (£1800/year) doesn't matter it's a fixed regular amount that is easy to budget for. And of course, far more importantly, be seen with a spanking new car with half an extra bell and a useless whistle.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I dunno. There are loads on the market - some universal, some model specific. There's likely a forum for your particular vehicle which could tell you what's available.

Certainly the fault codes.

Yes. I keep seeing those ads for an expensive car at so much a month and think there must be a catch. It barely seems to cover depreciation.

My oldish BMW is pretty complex. Canbus galore, and things like memory electric seats. Yet only common or garden things that a Morris Minor had have actually failed. And it's 18 years old.

[bert]

In article , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

*Income tax service - We?ve got what it takes to take what you've got.

Dave Plowman [e-mail] London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Ironic coming from a socialist