We should pay them to take our politicians!

 

If they're dumb enough to take our politicians, they're not smart enough to have any better propulsion systems!

 

A good car salesman can sell ice cubes to Eskimos. A naive, alien scientist is easy prey!

 

I've been thinking about this a bit. I live in Los Angeles and work in film & television, so that's my filter, but....

Had a friend take a day off to bring his son to his driving test.... but I was curious... how old is he?
19. The kid's NINETEEN.
I remember that we could all unofficially take our sixteenth birthday off of school specifically to go take our driving test. The very day I turned 15 1/2 got my permit, the day I turned 16 got my license. This kid waited THREE YEARS. And money (or an additional car) was not an issue.
It's rideshares, mostly.... taking a Lyft is cooler than driving mom's Toyota. The whole world many of us lived in-- learning how to work on cars, the heated arguments about Mustang vs Camaro vs Firebird, going to car lots just to look.... not even on the radar of people under 20. The idea of car ownership is not a big deal to them.
And those who do want a car? One of two things: either a vintage SUV, like an old Land Cruiser or a Jeep CJ.... or a Tesla. The Tesla is the only new car I hear people under 30 lusting after.
Hope I'm wrong, but... outside of collectors, I think the love of ownership of cars like ours dies when we do.

 

I'm looking forward to pairing a forthcoming e-car to my stable to offset the enormous amounts of dino-juice my XKR-S consumes.
As long as the e-cars are as lustful as the XKR-S, I'd be a buyer.

 

Yeah I hear what you're saying. My daughter was almost 19 when she got her license. ( She's 37 Now) If it hadn't been for her best friend, she probably wouldn't have gotten it then. Once she did, she became an avid car enthusiast. Her son who turned 16 last July, hasn't even given it a thought. I teased him at Christmas, as to when he was going to ask me (Pa) to help him get his 2003 Explorer Sport Trac, that his mother gave him up and running??? He just laughed it off. I decided oh well, if he isn't interested. One less thing I have to worry about. Kids?

Jack

 

You guys blame the kids, I blame the parents. They have coddled them too much, the reason I got my license asap is because I didn't have people to transport me around at my every whim. Divorce parents and both working meant I had to figure stuff out on my own, they weren't around all day. Of course I say this as a person who has no kids so this **** is real easy for me to judge!

 

I foresee a big market in playing cards to stick in the spokes. Maybe a new brand of Automobile Playing Cards to replace Bicycle Cards.

 

​​​​​​ T​hat is quite funny!

 

I actually started planning for the 1st car when I was 14. I knew I needed money, so I walked about 4 miles each way to wash dishes for $1.35/hour. After a few months of that, winter set in so Mom saved the day and shuttled me back-n-forth for a while until I found another job closer to our house. I did odd jobs around the neighborhood shoveling driveways, mowing yards, etc. - anything to supplement the "car fund".

I wasn't some altruistic, super-motivated, driven person. I was horny. Cars had back seats, and I wanted to own my own car so I could experience making out with a girl in the back seat of my own car. I had the car and driver's license in hand when I turned 16. At midnight, I backed out my parents driveway and drove over to Christine's house to take her "for a ride". "The Night Chicago Died" got me out of the neighborhood, and then Golden Earring's "Radar Love" popped on the radio and it was time to roll.

Both of my kids had their cars & DL's at 16, and I hope their memories of that 1st solo ride are as vivid for them as mine remains for me. I cannot imagine my (future) grandkids looking forward to an Uber or Lyft ride over to their girlfriend's house for an evening on the town. Bleah.

 

Same here. My mom drove me on my 16th birthday to the DMV and I drove us home. I dropped her off and went car shopping with money I had saved. Ended up with a 1966 mercury Monterey, 7 years old with 42,000 miles and big as a city block. I drove it for many years until the frame rusted through and snapped. Sadly, I drove it (almost sideways, like a crab) to the junkyard and got $45 for it.

Both my kids had their license on their 16th birthday, well except for my daughter who had to wait a day since the DMV here in PA was closed on Mondays. Boy was she PISSED. Both my kids worked and saved, and I had a deal that I would pay for half. At ages 22 and 20, they are still driving and caring for the cars they bought. They chose well. I love to watch them drive the XKR. With me in it.

 

Yes, the parents. I was in driver's ed, when dad picked me up after school, went straight for my license. Main car was a 1963 Mercury Monterey Custom, 390 4bbl, auto, with 4:55 posi. Drag car. Mom's was an XK140 Coupe. My first cwr was a 57 Chevy 210, 283 powerslide I got for $400 including taxes. I taught teen survival school theu the SCCA, BMWCCA, which is sponsored by tire rack. Kid is supposed to have 20 min driving before this school. Parents would bring them in to drop them off, but were uoset when told they were to stay and **** cones. The worst time I ever had was the last three years. I would ask the parent, how much time does he/she have on the road. A lot of maybe 5 miles. I would ask why they did not take them out more and the parents always answered "I don't have time". I mentioned driver's ed, and they said cost too much or a teaching instructor again too much. Teen Survival School is $75 for the day, so they option for the cheap not knowing, I could not teach driver's ed and the aspects of car handling at the same time. I wrote down on the class notebook the kids got, needs more time on street and mall parking. It is a shame the parents are not Interested in the kids safety or their retirement income if the worst would happen.

 

Mine had the 6.7l - 410ci 330hp monster. Smoking those bias ply tires was just too easy!

 

I think I am starting to see how the strategy to go to EV is being developed. Over the last month our gas prices have gone up about .50 cents a gallon and continue to go up daily. So place your order to beat the rush.

 

Exactly. For those that aren't clued in, here's how the endgame works:

Democrats constantly pound climate change, and when in office it swings back their way. Now electric cars are hot again. Gas prices go up. Dems in office now, not Republicans. Witness GM going from suing California to dropping out of the suit. The tide has changed.

The Dems are in bed with Big Tech. Big Tech wants to own the vehicles of the future. The big software play is happening right now, inside the cockpit of your vehicles. It's coming for the whole car, eventually. Very soon actually.

Republicans are in bed with Big Oil. Big Oil does not agree with climate change, and pushes back against regulations. Gas prices go down.

Electrified cars are powered by Software. This software will unlock the potential of future vehicles. Performance and reliability upgrades performed over the air. Apple, Microsoft, Google, Samsung and all of Big Tech have teamed up with Democrats to push the climate change agenda, which coincidentally involves expensive new electric cars, infrastructure and regulations.

And yes, anything with a microchip in it means a Monopoly. Control.

How many brands can survive this industrial revolution? How many do we need, if distinguishing between electric cars comes down to Style and Range only.

As to whether we have the right or ability to work on our own car, or take to an independent mechanic, remains to be seen. You already know how Big Tech wants this to go.

 

The Dems want mindless "Sheeple". So they can shove the Bullshit down ours throats, and we stand there Like poor Oliver, saying "More, Please Sir"

Jack

 

I think we willnstill be able to work on the E cars. We figured out everything so far. Techies make it, we fix it. I belong to the SCCA and when ourblocal go-cart franchise opened in St. Louis, we were shown the two types of electric carts, one fast 60mph and one faster 100 mph. If 10 minutes our group of racers were figuring out how to make more speed. The owner could not believe what we were saying. If make them faster, then it can be fixed, the answer was there.

 

What a shame this wonderful forum has turned into Jack's personal political forum. You forgot to add they are coming for your guns, too. yeah, like they have been every election since Kennedy. Who is the Sheeple here?

 

Agree, everything will change, it will be more about hacking or jailbreaking car systems to allow for mod's, the new technology will be new opportunity for the future generations to enhance. Instead of rebuilding a gas motor, it will be rebuilding a electric hub motor, or power rectifier, or whatever. Yes, what I am referring to may not have any real meaning in an electric car!

 

Of course it will come down to hacking or jailbreaking.. pushing the limits. Here's a few things to consider:

Any tinkering will obviously void any warranty.

Special software license keys etc will be the norm, in an effort to tie you to the mfg. Independent shops are screwed unless they agree to pay these ongoing fees, if they are even allowed. Tesla has that service thing locked up. Who else could even work on them? Or even a body shop?

How many customers actually hack or jailbreak their Apple iphone or Mac? 1%?

Now how many will attempt to hotrod their electric cars and risk electrocution by an extremely high voltage? And to gain what exactly? How much faster does an electric car need to accelerate? Who cares about top speed - that's going to be artificially limited anyway. And if you do speed, it's going to automatically report it to your insurance company. Or send your data to Apple, or Facebook, or any number of advertisers who happen to sell insurance or radar detectors or what have you. The future is going to be about Efficiency anyway, since performance as we know it is going to be a whole different ballgame.

What does the future of auto racing look like? Formula E is unwatchable to me. Changing batteries out during a race? Really?

Who will be capable of providing tech support for this new market?

Tech creates monopolies. Smaller companies get eaten or die - quickly. Remember Blackberry? Remember Pontiac? Plymouth? Jagu....

Electric cars enable power to be ceded to Big Tech. Not Big Oil. And certainly not the car manufacturers.

The manufacturers become an outsource partner. A final assembler. The real value is the Software that makes it all run together - seamlessly and efficiently.

Apple is exploring partnerships right now with a manufacturing partner. Rumors swirl about which Asian mfg it will be. Think Foxconn, but with Cars.

Tech = Control. Monopoly. Power. Money. Stock Price. Political Donations. Board Seats. $$$$ It's a vicious circle.

The John Deere situation now weaving its way through the court system and Right to Repair laws that will be fought over in every state.

Now think about Cars and not Tractors and you get the idea of the future.

Tesla has completely changed the landscape. They are a play on Tech - certainly not their mfg expertise or number of vehicles sold annually. Their stock price reflects this focus on tech, and every mfg on earth has taken notice.

Tesla has no racing pedigree. They have no historic legacy or brand. No fancy European badge or laurel wreaths. Nobody seems to care and they still sell all they can build.

So talk to me about brand loyalty in the future.

Best Tech Wins.

GM is now leading the way by jumping on this changing tide - a global, political and economic sea change that will affect everyone on the planet. Didn't you see their new logo? This is the NEW GM, not that stodgy old company out of Detroit that brought you the Monte Carlo. That was your dad's GM.

Climate change whether we like it or not, or believe it or not, isn't going away.

The stock market shows the tea leaves.

Now every mfg has to react to this changing landscape, and get their stock price going up in the right direction. According to the stock market, if you are still making ICE vehicles, then you are stuck in the past and your stock price reflects this.

Are consumers clamoring for electric vehicles? Or are they being foisted upon us?

Will it be an US vs THEM thing? Still driving ICE? Oh how quaint. Don't you care about the environment? I don't know how you afford that gas. And the Clunker Tax they just passed. Scorns and arrows will come from all directions.

Still driving yourself? Oh how quaint. Betsy likes to drive just for fun to get her nails done on Saturdays. She still won't do the parking though.

The digital economy comes to the auto industry - the last analog frontier.

Ever hear of the Grateful Dead?