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Americans’ junk-filled garages are hurting EV adoption, study says (arstechnica.com)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 10 points 1 year ago (12 children)

It is a reason to not buy a new car which means people who aren't buying new cars won't be buying EV's.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (4 children)

    They won't be buying new cars in the near future, but their cars will be wearing out and spare parts for old cars always become hard to find. Either they will be spending a large part of their time maintaining the car, including making parts from scratch, or they will forced to buy a new car anyway.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Our 10 year-old Highlander still drives like new. It's our newest vehicle, and one of Toyota's last generation of vehicles without a cellular connection.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (1 child)

    The average car is 12 years old. Car makers start to drop support (making/stocking parts) when the car is about 10 years old. Come back and talk to me about that car when is is 25 years old and tell me how it is. I have a 26 year old truck, the bed has holes, the frame is showing signs of rot - I'm trying to decide if it is worth trying to rebuild the transmission, my mechanic isn't intersted in part because they are not sure if they can find the parts - they will be more than $1000 in labor in before they know wihch bearing it has and thus can check if it can be had.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

    The average car is 12 years old. Car makers start to drop support (making/stocking parts) when the car is about 10 years old.

    I haven't had any issues with getting parts for my 2008 Sienna, or parts for my 2007 Honda Metropolitan scooter. But the Sienna uses the 2GR-FE though, which only recently stopped production a few years ago, and the scooter is based on the still-currently produced Ruckus 🤔... Still.

    Come back and talk to me about that car when is is 25 years old and tell me how it is.

    No need - I have two 46 year-old vehicles: a 1980 Honda XR500 motorcycle from 08/79, and a 1980 Mercedes 240D from 12/79. The motorcycle is currently torn apart in the garage, undergoing a full restoration. Believe me dude, I know aaaaaaall about the frustrations of long-discontinued parts 😂😂

    I have a 26 year old truck, the bed has holes, the frame is showing signs of rot - I’m trying to decide if it is worth trying to rebuild the transmission, my mechanic isn’t intersted in part because they are not sure if they can find the parts - they will be more than $1000 in labor in before they know wihch bearing it has and thus can check if it can be had.

    Man I feel that so hard with the Mercedes. Poor thing has cancer and I'm not sure if it's possible to save in its current condition. It's got almost half a million miles, but goddamn it drives so, so nice... I think it needs a clutch though. Luckily, since W123 cars are sought-after classics at this point, there are still options, but it's gonna be a hell of a process if I decide to attempt a restoration. My dad (with help from me and my siblings, friends, and neighbors) somehow managed to save a pretty rusty 1963 VW Beetle almost 20 years ago, was about a 5 year process. That car recently went to a collector... I'm mad about it, but only in the "goddammit I wanted to inherit it" kinda way 😅

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    The average car in the US is 12 years old. That average is higher in other countries. But regardless, that's not because cars are unfixable. It's because most people opt to buy a new or newer car when they feel like the vehicle they currently own is more expensive to fix than they'd like and a lot of that has nothing to do with the longevity of the vehicle and everything to do with how vehicle purchase can be financed vs how car repair can be financed.

    It also has a lot to do with people who don't or won't fix things before they snowball, and or become astronomically expensive problems. Taking care of a vehicle is about doing regular maintenance (which most people don't do), and getting at the very least an annual inspection (which most people also don't do unless they're forced to).

    I won't be buying a new car ever. I can say that with absolute certainty. I have rehabbed my current car in just about every way I can. Machined/honed block, new valves, new piston/lan rings, new head gasket, new water pump, new thermostat housing, new valve cover, new injectors, rebuilt transmission with new clutch, all new hoses, all new gaskets, new HP fuel pump. I will continue to do so because to me it's worth it. Doner cars are readily available, but I probably won't need one specifically because my car is considered and enthusiast car. I have walked into a dealer and ordered parts and my car is 15 years old. I also owned a 20 year old version of this car with the same ability to order parts directly from the dealer.

    Most people aren't buying used unless they have no choice. They will continue to buy new cars regardless of the controversy surrounding them.

    I think it's a bit disingenuous assume that older cars will not be available. Especially considering that the EV's that are new right now aren't going to survive 25 years without costly repairs of their own. I'd salvage an engine from an older car. I wouldn't salvage a battery pack from an older car.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (6 children)

    You could always pick up a 9-year-old Bolt

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (5 children)

    Not worth the cost of admission. The amount of money it costs to refurb that battery pack is still too high.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (4 children)

    A bunch of the earlier ones had their batteries replaced under warranty and are effectively only a couple years old. They're also dirt cheap and undervalued at the moment.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    I would argue that even if you did get a used one with new batteries, you'd still face degradation down the line and additional problems that would or could be mitigated in older ice cars which are much more likely to have replacement parts available (even if those replacement parts don't come from the same type or brand of vehicle). For instance. I know for a fact that there's a trend of using Honda engines in older first Gen mini coopers. Buying a rebuilt engine has the potential to be pretty cheap.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    I have one of those Bolts.

    Not only was the battery replaced, the 8 year warranty on it was reset. Also, the idea that EV batteries die after a couple of years like in phones was unfounded. The batteries in EVs are actually properly temperature regulated unlike the ones in mobile phones. The primary degradation in an EV battery happens when the battery is new and stays basically flat for the rest of its life.

    EVs have been on the road long enough for studies to determine that most batteries will last at least as long as most people will own the car.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (1 child)

    After a couple of years? No. But 25 years isn't an unreasonable amount of time to want to own a vehicle if you take care of it. We treat vehicles these days like they're disposable and honestly I don't think a 25 year old battery pack is going to be particularly desirable.

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