Ups and Downs of motor car progress

[Saabnut]

Like many on here, one of the youtube channels I enjoy is Watch Wes Work.  This morning I was catching up and towards the end of his latest video he presents his opinion on progress of the motor car. I tend to agree with most of what he says, but other opinions may differ. The video itself if quite interesting, but watch from 21:55 for the relevant bit on progree. What do you think?

 

[SiC]

10 hours ago, Saabnut said:

Like many on here, one of the youtube channels I enjoy is Watch Wes Work.  This morning I was catching up and towards the end of his latest video he presents his opinion on progress of the motor car. I tend to agree with most of what he says, but other opinions may differ. The video itself if quite interesting, but watch from 21:55 for the relevant bit on progree. What do you think?

 

I watched that the other week on the plane to holiday. I fully agree with him believing that the 2000-2010 era will be another golden era.

For example:

- Crash safety more than good enough that you'll walk away in a bad shunt that older stuff you can't. 

- Performance more than adequate for the road - tbh roads seems to be getting slower anyway.

- Complexity is quite high but more than achievable to DIY repair. Including electronic stuff - unlike 2010+ where a lot of stuff is VIN locked down and not easily replaceable (yet at least).

- Naturally aspirated is king and the last generation of high power N/A. 

- Advanced suspension design that is superb to drive. Likewise chassis designed for fun - unlike the massive bland SUV craze nowadays.

- Very little or no driving aids bleeping incessantly at you. Including no telemetry that could potentially dob you into the authorities.

- Interiors that focus on being usable behind the wheel (i.e. buttons for pretty much everything)

- Relatively lightweight, compact structures. While the 00-era seem bloated from the 90's and before, it's nothing like stuff is now.

- Emissions were tighter than previous generations but easily passable providing the engine, fueling and exhaust systems are not utterly fucked. Unlike modern SCR/GPF/direct injection/etc where manufacturers are really having to push hard to meet regs. Especially if you compare to say a 00-era petrol that many were Euro 3 but still easily met Euro 4 regs without any changes. 

 

Right now 2000-era stuff is still readily affordable. A lot in shite territory too. Like a Golf GTI mk5 (which I guarantee it'll become a cult classic) can easily be had sub £2k. 

That won't last. It's why I'm having a go at trying different stuff from my favourite era of cars before it becomes silly money. From quirky Smart Roadsters to big engined naturally aspirated small saloon cars like my 330i to hot hatches like my Clio 172 or Golf GTI mk5. Both examples I had for sub £2k and that won't last forever. 

[Snipes]

I spent months trying to find something to replace the Stepway and ended getting a Carina E lol.

I think the biggest improvement has been OBD-2. All the faff of propriety software or reading diode morse code has been eliminated and I'm sure won't be missed, but honestly I think cars where more or less "solved" by about 1995.  

[EyesWeldedShut]

5 minutes ago, Snipes said:

I think the biggest improvement has been OBD-2. All the faff of propriety software or reading diode morse code has been eliminated and I'm sure won't be missed, but honestly I think cars where more or less "solved" by about 1995.  

^^ this. 
Sweet spot for me is 2003 - 2006.  @SiC has covered most of the bases there - OBD2 is the icing on the cake (with a decent reader).  Internet also means that a lot of the (old school) proprietary systems/controllers can be, at least, read - if not rewritten. If I brick one, eBay is a useful mine of cheap replacements.
Cheap(ish) tax, cheap parts, scrapyard donor vehicles aplenty. What's not to like?

Currently we run four cars in that kind of age band. One has a DPF, two others are non-DPF, meek turbo'd jobs and the other is a pezz n/a thing. This week I (unusually) have a 100% up rate but, if one goes down, I can (usually) fix it inside of six days weeks months or buy a replacement for SFA.

So, I guess, I follow the Watch Wes Work ideas but, if I could not do any spannering, then the options would be much different? 

 

[Matty]

47 minutes ago, SiC said:

I watched that the other week on the plane to holiday. I fully agree with him believing that the 2000-2010 era will be another golden era.

For example:

- Crash safety more than good enough that you'll walk away in a bad shunt that older stuff you can't. 

- Performance more than adequate for the road - tbh roads seems to be getting slower anyway.

- Complexity is quite high but more than achievable to DIY repair. Including electronic stuff - unlike 2010+ where a lot of stuff is VIN locked down and not easily replaceable (yet at least).

- Naturally aspirated is king and the last generation of high power N/A. 

- Advanced suspension design that is superb to drive. Likewise chassis designed for fun - unlike the massive bland SUV craze nowadays.

- Very little or no driving aids bleeping incessantly at you. Including no telemetry that could potentially dob you into the authorities.

- Interiors that focus on being usable behind the wheel (i.e. buttons for pretty much everything)

- Relatively lightweight, compact structures. While the 00-era seem bloated from the 90's and before, it's nothing like stuff is now.

- Emissions were tighter than previous generations but easily passable providing the engine, fueling and exhaust systems are not utterly fucked. Unlike modern SCR/GPF/direct injection/etc where manufacturers are really having to push hard to meet regs. Especially if you compare to say a 00-era petrol that many were Euro 3 but still easily met Euro 4 regs without any changes. 

 

Right now 2000-era stuff is still readily affordable. A lot in shite territory too. Like a Golf GTI mk5 (which I guarantee it'll become a cult classic) can easily be had sub £2k. 

That won't last. It's why I'm having a go at trying different stuff from my favourite era of cars before it becomes silly money. From quirky Smart Roadsters to big engined naturally aspirated small saloon cars like my 330i to hot hatches like my Clio 172 or Golf GTI mk5. Both examples I had for sub £2k and that won't last forever. 

Amen.