Given the increasing computerization of modern cars, how could you possibly verify that this wasn’t possible on *any* car you buy?
The only way I can think of is “don’t buy a car made within the last 25 years”
The only way I can think of is “don’t buy a car made within the last 25 years”
You don't need to go that far back. None of my cars have any kind of connectivity, the newest one is 2014. I'll never own a car with any kind of remote connectivity, the risk is far too large to ignore.
I particularly hate the 'modern' trend of have a large touch screen tablet instead of all the knobs and buttons.
My own group of car buddies, pretty much all we do is shop and trade 2010s vehicles now, rather than buy new.
But can I please have an electric car, all the bells and whistles, that I take to a dealer/mechanic to get upgraded?
Maybe once a year?
If that, and at my choice....
That or earlier, yes.
My last car will probably be my current car from 2013, which I have replaced the engine in, and plan on replacing the transmission in when that goes, as well as other parts as needed. Rust is basically what is going to kill it and I can stave that off for a long time.
When that day comes, it won't really matter. I live near a quarter mile from a train station, 200 feet from a bike trail that connects to my city's bike network, and 50 feet from a bus stop. No need for a car really ever. Rentals exist for car needs every few months, but there are usually other options.
The key for me was to not be dependent on any singular mode of transportation and to have redundancy so that if any single option isn't working, I have at least one other option to go places.
Notably, you have to go back to 70’ish era to get that kind of equipment. Almost everything else has some kind of ECU.
Cellular connections didn’t start becoming somewhat common until the late 90’s-early 2000’s though.
E.g. 5th gen Toyota 4Runners: https://www.4runners.com/threads/how-to-disconnect-the-track...
If one wants to buy a modern car, and one cares about preserving disconnected functionality, one just needs to research if there's a workable fallback mechanism.
Or, you know, deal with the 20mpg but a vehicle that will last until the heat death of the universe #2uzfeClub
FWIW while cars are essentially backdoored nowadays with all the cellular/OTA updates BS you can still disable it. I suspect this won't be an option in the near future, the way things are going.
I can't wait to see Hacker News comments in 2035 lamenting how they used to be able to "just use a bypass cable" to make their cars not phone home, by the time EVs and even general ICE vehicles have telemetry so deeply integrated with the vehicle it's impossible/illegal to be disabled.
I also have 2008 mazda3. Great reliable car. Also no connectivity whatsoever.
I will not buy a post patriot act vehicle
If you're driving such old cars, I have to assume you're mechanically inclined. At which point, a simple bypass cable or literally just removing the telematics unit out of a modern vehicle should not be too much to ask for.
Bonus points for gaining moderate security with immobilizers that way, so any random guy can't just start your car with a set of wafer jigglers.
My 2001 Tundra is a beast that will never die, has amazing AC/Heat radio etc…
There are fleets of garage specials out there with low miles and tons of spare parts or are easy to maintain with a Chilton guide
I started my working life fixing cars and obce they started putting in electronics it became impossible.
So I stick with things I can fix
Buying a car from 2010 is a guarantee that you won't be able to drive it in 5-10 years..
Regarding driving aids, some cities in my European country are looking to make them mandatory in the city centre.
Overall this is being done to keep poor people from driving.
Annoyingly in post-Brexit Britain I need to wait two years until is *is* 30 years old to drive in ULEZ zones. It was fine until Brexit kicked in - yet another Conservative disasterpiece.
Ford Transit Connect, for example, which could just about do 60mpg on a steady 70mph motorway run.
I assume the questioner is asking about US mpg? The Prius was there for sure in US mpg (just, at 51mpg), not sure about others.
Not 2010, which makes this so infuriating..
A 1986 Honda CRX HF was rated 51 MPG highway. That was an engine with stone-age technology, and it was possible.
Just imagine +40 years of incremental development with modern materials and modern engine control systems. What could a 2026 Honda CRX HF do in MPG if that development had been allowed to continue all these decades? Certainly above 60, probably above 80 MPG? Maybe above 100MPG.
Instead society is selling us 6000+lb monsters with worse mileage than back in the mid 80s.
Diesel vehicles now have SCR and AdBlue, which fixes the problem properly, but they still have the EGR defect.