"The 6.2 is junk." [Archive] - TheDieselPage.com Forums

KidKodiak

08-04-2011, 13:01

Just met a neighbor today who happens to be a diesel mechanic. He said our beloved engine is junk.

I avoided an argument by simply saying 400,000+ is hardly junk. Somewhat under-powered, yes. But easily remedied. Life and fuel economy are unbeatable.

I then switched topics.

Now I'm curious what all you out there reply with when you hear the same statement.

I actually smile when people trash my 6.2 and my old trucks. I'm thinking "that's less demand for my parts.":cool:

DmaxMaverick

08-04-2011, 13:22

It's best to just agree, smile and move on. Or, you could snap back with something like, "you still got that old nag in the barn, don'tcha? Why not just trade 'er in for a better model. The maintenance is gonna kill ya, and if she takes off on 'er own, she'll take all her stuff 'n halfa yers." You'll get a good laugh or crickets chirping. Either way, he'll get off your back about the piece of junk.

Yep. Junk. I like that. Keeps us in a buyer's market, for us old farts with terminal GM Diesel disease.

I'll keep my 600K mile P.O.S., thank you very much.....

KidKodiak

08-04-2011, 13:48

Ha ha!

I'll keep that one for the right person.

But of course the diesel mechanic drove a 2002 Chevy 1/2 ton gasser. ???

Nice guy otherwise. I figure I'll continue to spend $2,000 on my 'junk" every time he spends $20,000+ on a "quality" new truck.

Or I'll just match his monthly payment and higher insurance costs. In two years we'll see which truck looks nicer.

At least I know everything on my rig is made in USA.

DmaxMaverick

08-04-2011, 17:48

woodwright

08-04-2011, 18:54

Yeah, don't praise the 6.2/6.5's too loud. I like being able to "take that old pile of junk off your hands". I don't think there is an easier V8 to work on and swap with.

KidKodiak

08-04-2011, 20:07

you're right, Woodwright. I should remember that statement too.

Dmax. I'm sure there are a few parts made elsewhere... especially replacement parts nowadays. But at least it isn't 60% Mexican like the new GM crew cabs.

I love Mexico and my Mexican friends. But a Corona or Negro Modelo wouldn't seem the same if it were brewed in Kalamazoo, now, would it?

To me, a Chevy Truck/GMC, Ford Truck, Dodge Truck should just stay a little bit more American built. I even wonder when I see that the new Buicks have Chinese motors, and Japanese transmissions.

Being from Michigan, kinda makes me sad to see these things.

Plus jamming Bruce Springsteen just seems more appropriate in my trucks.

DmaxMaverick

08-04-2011, 20:25

The 80's trucks were (are) mostly US made. The balance in Canada, Mexico, Japan, Germany, China, Malaysia, and a bunch more. Still "assembled" here. Nothing wrong with sourcing parts from abroad, to a point. At what point is it no longer "Made in USA"? I think we are approaching that lately, with every brand. Cummins engines have been cast in China for years. Cats too. How they doin? Yeah, the aftermarket market is tough. Shop around and you can still find parts that didn't get here on a boat. Just FYI: European and middle east (Turkey) suppliers have far better machine work than anything "secondary market" from China. Japanese stuff is premium, by the same standard. US companies have priced themselves out of the market, or outsource. It could have been avoided, but they'll go where the government isn't. Simple as that.

Not a Springsteen fan, but he made it clear where he was from. He even sounded proud of it. Imagine that!

Robyn

08-05-2011, 07:34

Yup
Sit around any campfire and start yacking about Cat, Cummins, Detroit, Mack, Ford, GM or whatever your favorite brand of Iron and you will always find somebody tossing a bucket of water into the fire.

I happen to like the 3406E Cat (early ones before the twin turbo stuff)

The Detroit 60 is a great engine, so is the cummins, but the Cat is a heavier built power plant.

Now lets talk Powerstroke. OHHHH YEah, THE 7.3 was ok. Now they had cam sensor issues early on that would leave you stranded.

The 6.0 engine had issues with head gaskets, Hmmm seems like we been there with the GM engines.

The 6.4 is no gift either.

The Cummins (Dodge engine) has had a nasty habit of eating timing cover dowels and thats a game ender.

The GM diesels have certainly had some issues over the years, but there is not one engine by any of the manufs that come way from the campfire chat without some dirt on its face.

I have owned, Ford diesels, Chevy diesels, Cats and Detroits, Ahhhh well, your gonna wrench on all of them sooner or later.

Missy

KidKodiak

08-05-2011, 12:05

NH2112

08-05-2011, 12:57

My standard replies whenever I get asked when I'm going to give up my old truck and get something "better" and newer is: "come see me when yours is 20+ years old, with a couple hundred thou more miles on it." And "No thanks, I have this dislike of paying dealerships $100+/hour to throw parts at my truck till the problem goes away. I can buy all the Craftsman tools I need to fix anything on mine for less than what 3 hours of labor at the dealership costs you."

DmaxMaverick

08-05-2011, 13:19

True and True.

I've never been much of a Springsteen fan either. Just brings back memories of when "Made in USA" on packaging was more of the norm instead of the exception.

All I can say is that my next truck will be totally assembled in the U.S. and I'll probably just put in another "junk" 6.2L.

Ha ha.

Speaking of which, do I need a complete wiring harness from a truck with the 6.2, or will any wiring harness do the job?

I have a frame and cab from Arizona, and I'll rebuild the original axles from my CUCV Blazer. I'm thinking about just buying an engine and transmission from Jasper so I can at least have warranties on those two big-ticket items.

Don't complicate it any more than the punishment you demand. It's so simple, it's silly. Electrically, the 6.2 (or any GM mechanical injected Diesel) only requires 1 wire to run, which is only battery + to the pump to open the fuel inlet. The starting circuit is as simple as any gasser, with the addition of the glow plug system (again, a manual glow system is simple), HPCA (Housing Pressure Cold Advance), which helps cold starts, and the high idle solenoid (which can be manual, as well). The rest is standard GM stuff, such as instrumentation. Dropping a 6.2 into a GM gasser is extremely simple, with only minor accommodation. Not really a weekend project, but not much more than that.

There are a lot better options than Jasper. A LOT. As much as I dislike imported parts, I'd buy a new Chinese knock-off before a Jasper reman, and save a bunch of money in the process.

Robyn

08-05-2011, 16:23

Use the heavy red line that normally feeds the HEI. Use this wire to run a relay and then feed from the relay to the IP, branch off that line and feed through the cold advance switch (Rear Right of the engine in the head, closes when cool and opens at around 120F or so)

Feed this to the cold advance solenoid and the fast idle.

Use the alternator leads as per original and the starter is the same.

Dual batteries are a must have. As maverick mentioned, manual glow controls. Use a Ford starter relay and control it with a push button located in your fave spot. :)

Use an oil pressure sender to match the rig/engine as well as the temp sender.

Good to go.

Changing an entire wiring harness is a royal PITA and I don't recommend it unless its absolutely necessary.

Missy

KidKodiak

08-05-2011, 16:53

NH2112

08-05-2011, 19:31

Exactly. I realize that my truck isn't as capable as a newer one and doesn't have the creature comforts; if those things are a necessity then an older vehicle may not be what you want. I don't have a problem being the slowest guy on the road, and as long as I have wipers and something resembling heat I have all the creature comforts I need. I'd rather have simplicity than crazy power and luxurious comforts.

DmaxMaverick

08-05-2011, 19:37

Wow, TDP and the 6.2 seem to be the gifts that keep on giving. Such a relief that this will be simple enough for a novice like me to accomplish.

Missy and DMax, I owe you a bunch.

Guess I'll just start looking for a "junk motor" to take off someone's hands.

@NH2112 - I figure the $500/mo I don't pay the bank plus the $150/mo I save for not having collision insurance will make one hell of a nice truck. As long as I never drive a Duamax, I'll never know what I'm missing and will probably stay happy with my 6.2

I still like the 6.2/6.5 just fine. For just tooling around and light duty, way better on fuel, and tires. They won't do what the '01 does when I need that, but I don't always need that. If you like power (and using up tires), don't drive a Duramax, especially one that's been "cared for" by one of us nuts. Eating a Z06 for lunch is really cool, but comes at a price.

phantom309

08-06-2011, 00:55

I'd rather have simplicity than crazy power and luxurious comforts.

i dunno,. there's a lot to be said for power steering, and air conditioning,.(especially in these dog days of summer here with over 100deg) sure is nice to be able to drop the passenger window with a switch and never have to remove the seat belt, put it in park, and lean waay over to roll down a manual window,. i kinda like my tilt wheel,. and setting the cruise and then sitting flat footed on the floor is sure comfy,.that gps is a handy thing when you're looking for somewhere new and you're at a "T" intersection and you know which way to turn, seems to cut down on the "U" turns for me anyway,.the overhead console and compass is a great handy reference to help me at least head in the right direction,.
How far back do you wanna go without luxurious comforts?,.if you get right down to it,.it would seem that a horse and buggy has crazy power and luxurious comforts,. to a caveman,.

Nick

NH2112

08-07-2011, 07:19

Well, all of those are nice but I wouldn't consider any of them to be necessary. I've owned a few vehicles without power steering and other than when you're at a dead stop or trying to climb out of a rut off-road I didn't really find much of a difference. Out of all my vehicles only 2 have had AC, and I didn't have them while stationed in GA or OK. I don't have AC at home, either, only a couple fans to move the air; I've always been good at ignoring discomfort. If a vehicle I like has AC that's great, but a lack of AC isn't a dealbreaker. Power windows? Nice, I suppose, but I don't have a real use for them. I usually open all my windows before starting the truck, and if rain is in the forecast I'll just open the ones on my side - between the vent window, driver's door window, and rear driver's side door window I get plenty of ventilation. Or if I have all of them open and it starts to rain, the passenger side will just get wet till I can close them. Cruise? I find it more comfy to have my legs stretched out a bit, and the accelerator is in just about the perfect place. My left foot is usually up against the kick panel over the dimmer switch. I have GPS on my iPhone, but 99% of the time I plan and memorize the entire trip before I even start the engine so it's just a matter of glancing at my cryptic notes if the need arises. If I get caught in a traffic jam or road construction, oh well. I'm very patient, except when someone doesn't go IMMEDIATELY when the light turns green or is doing a mile or 2 under the speed limit.

I guess I'm just a minimalist - when I go camping I bring a Gore-Tex bivy sack instead of a tent (even in the winter), and a poncho strung up between some trees is enough overhead cover for when I'm not sleeping or want to do some reading on a rainy day. About the only comfort items I bring are my puss pad (Therm-A-Rest air mattress), lifeboat matches (I can still start a fire with no more than 2 every time), and TP. :D Otherwise, the only times I'm not a minimalist are when it comes to my cell phone and toolbox at work LOL

woodwright

08-07-2011, 10:52

I personally would pick driving an old beater over a new truck. I had an 05 Tundra with all the bells and whistles. Cruise, AC, sunroof, roll down back window, and 7 cup holders. After driveing it all week, I would still come home and take my old 70 K10 for a drive. I tend to look at everything from a repair standpoint. All those bells and whistles are a beeotch to fix. And $700 a month gets really tough in a slow month.

KidKodiak

08-07-2011, 11:17

I only use GPS to let me know when my street or exit is coming up, and to keep me posted on the speed limit. Other than that, they typically put you on the worst route possible.

Lucky for me my dad taught me how to read a road atlas when I was 7 and I was his co-pilot for a few cross-country trips after that. If a 7 year old can accurately navigate a driver from Michigan to Washington D.C., California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana, etc. through major cities.... then GPS is mostly unnecessary. When I'm in a totally unfamiliar city as a tourist, My GPS fits nicely in my pocket and is super useful. On the road, I make the route.

Power windows are great until the motor or switch goes out. Then you feel like a moron when you need the drive-up bank teller/ATM, or drive-thru. Or when someone in the lane next to you wants to tell you how sweet your ride is and then you have to open the door to talk. LOL

I have them on my suburban and do love the pw/pl. But when I'm driving my CUCV, I have the comfort of knowing I have nothing to fail on me.

If I can build up my 6.2 to have 190HP or so, I'm set for life. If I wanna race, I can buy my uncle's 1969 Boss 302. Or buy a Duramax. LOL

More bells and whistles = more stuff to break = more stuff to buy.

If a female doesn't like riding in my rigs, we can put the miles on her car.

@Dmax - You're saying headers are worth it, but the intake isn't? And/or don't shell out for the intake without the headers?

Ideally I'd like to invest in the most efficient 6.2 I can make: ported & polished heads (6.5 heads have better injector angle, but is it worth it the cost), headers, air intake, and exhaust.

Does 6.5 heads with 6.2 pre-chamber cups make sense economy-wise? Or is it senseless? And does the 6.5 intake manifold have any advantages over the 6.2?

30 mpg is my goal.

AJMBLAZER

08-08-2011, 08:38

Half the time the person doesn't know jack about the engine at all.

Either that or they've only driven a 3.08 geared old, tired truck.

...or their neighbor's uncle's mailman's cousin's best friend's hairdresser's giggalo had one back in the day and it was a POS due to that crappy Oldsmobile engine they had!;):rolleyes:

I just smile and move on. I do try to educate folks but most don't/won't listen or can't/won't understand.

I like old and simple. Old and simple can be a pain when you have a long list of things that need to be repaired/upgraded/replaced/fixed but as mentioned earlier...my truck is 20 years old and still going. It leaks and rattles some but it starts up every time. Judging by some of my friends and relatives' newer GM and other trucks from the last decade or so...I'm money ahead fixing up and living with my older truck and it's quirks.
Not to mention these old trucks have soul and character...newer stuff...not so much...but they do have a fancy $400 a month payment, fiddly bits, and no ground clearance!:rolleyes:

By the way, there are fixes for the slow windows. Upgraded wiring with better routes than the factory. It's not always mechanical. GM's wiring ideas back then were kinda...we-todd-did. The loss by the time the juice gets from the battery to the motor is rather sad. Sorta like the headlights.

argo

01-21-2012, 22:37

In line with this theme is actually an op-ed article I wrote about cash for clunkers in my local newspaper about 2 (3?) years ago. Here it is:

I am not a professional journalist, nor am I a political commentator. I am actually an Automotive Technology Instructor who teaches high school Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors the basics of diagnosing, repairing, and maintaining cars and trucks. One of the things I do to prepare lessons is head to the local salvage yard to look for examples, spare parts for shop cars or projects, and sometimes just for inspiration. Lately, however, instead of inspiration, I have been beset with feelings of discontentment when observing the flood of cars and trucks, many of which were in decent and in many cases, desirable condition, which had been discarded like garbage. Vehicles that had in many instances tens or hundreds of thousands of miles of reliable service left in them, instead relegated to the junk pile. Although the tide has ebbed in recent months, the tidal wave of "Clunkers" that flooded most automotive recycling facilities has left it's mark indelibly on the automotive landscape in this country. I have the feeling that it has definitely done more harm than good. In fact, I believe that the CARS rebate program was a poor idea on many fronts. Cash for clunkers, which destroyed countless decent, quality vehicles in the name of "Environmental Friendliness" turned out instead to be a greedy, corporate welfare affront to common sense and reasonable thinking. Let's break it down to understand why C4C was a foolish waste of taxpayer money, good cars, and a tool of debt enslavement to dig out failing corporate interests.

Financial Bad Sense:

The reasoning that many people used during this whole fiasco was that they were going to get rid of the "gas guzzler" they were "duped" into buying for something more fuel efficient to "save money". Many people saw this as an opportunity to lash out against big oil, because by getting a more efficient car, they could save money and "stick it" to the oil companies. First off, let me be clear that I have no love for these oil companies and the travesties they create on a daily basis, nor do I appreciate the way they rake our wallets over the coals. That said, however, this deal didn't save anyone any money, and those who "took advantage" of it in fact got taken advantage of.

As tax payers, we all got taken advantage of, because the 3 billion dollars that went into this lunacy came from our pockets to begin with. If you traded your "clunker", you got pillaged even worse, because you probably didn't buy your new car cash, but rather, you financed it. In addition, you are getting taxed on your subsidy at the end of the year, because it is considered to be income. Lets play with the numbers to see what a poor decision this was.

Let's suppose you owned a car like the 1984 Oldsmobile Regency I recently sold. This car was one I owned for several years and was in excellent condition when I sold it to due to a growing family and the need for a more spacious and practical vehicle. It ran very clean, easily passing emissions testing and was clean enough to pass for 2008 standards (the last time I got it emissions checked). This was with over 186,000 miles on the odometer. so first of all, we can eliminate this car from the "gross polluters" list, because it wasn't. In fact, it ran very clean, because I maintained it. I put a new catalytic converter on it when the original failed, and I kept it tuned up. By the way, it was easy to fix and cheap to maintain. This car would get 23 MPG highway, and 16 MPG city. Since I do mostly highway driving, the city numbers didn't bother me that much. However, for the purpose of this discussion, let's just assume it was a 50/50 mix. the car would therefore have averaged 19.5 MPG. If we assume $2.809 per gallon of gas, and 15,000 miles a year, we can come up with an annual fuel cost of $2,160.77. Wow, that seems like allot. That's a monthly average of $180.06 for fuel. Consider the car only required liability insurance, however, and that there is no monthly car payment, and that it was easy and cheap to maintain, and we can get a better picture. The annual cost to insure this car was $336.44, and according to my records, it cost me $362.83 in maintenance and repairs that year. Now I realize that many people can't do their own vehicle repairs, so I'll adjust that figure for labor, and so for argument's sake, let's call it $1,200. So what we have is an annual cost of operation of $3,697.21, which works out to $308.10 per month. So what if then, hypothetically, someone traded a car like this in for a Camry "taking advantage" of C4C funds? Well, first off, they'd dump a gallon of "Engine Seize" down the crankcase, run the engine until it blew up (a gruesome process that likely releases more pollution into the atmosphere than 20 years of driving the car would have; if you don't believe me, do a YouTube search for cash for clunkers and watch the agony for yourself). The car would then be sent to a salvage yard, crushed, and recycled. So he or she would then take the $4,000 for the trade in value, and put that down on a modestly equipped 2009 4 cylinder Camry, worth $23,590. So he or she would then have to finance $19,590, which works out to about $368.00 per month for five years. Now considering that it is a new car with a warranty, we'll say maintenance will average $25 per month, for a total annual cost of $300 for maintenance. This car is EPA rated 22 MPG city, 33 MPG highway, for a 50/50 average of 27.5 MPG. Using our gas price of $2.809 per gallon and 15,000 mile per year average, we get an annual fuel cost of $1532.18, or $127.68 per month for gas. Consider that you need full coverage on a car with a loan, and the insurance cost for this car (according to my insurance company, anyway) is $1,411.56, or $117.63 per month. Annual cost of operation would therefore be $7,659.74, or $638.31 per month. That is an extra $3962.53 per year, or an extra $330.21 per month to save $628.56 per year or $52.38 per month in gas. So over the life of the 5 year loan, assuming your warranty didn't expire before the loan did, and you didn't have to foot the bill for major repairs, you would have spent $19,812.65 to save $3,142.80 in gas. If this sounds like a good deal to you, then we need to meet! I'll give you a crisp, new $5.00 bill for FREE if you give me one of your ratty, worn out $20 bills. In other words, it makes no financial sense.

Environmentally Unfriendly:

We discussed one way that C4C is not green; mainly because it sucks a bunch of green from your wallet, but let's talk environmental friendliness now. First off, I believe in environmentalism, at the practical level. We all need clean air, water, untainted food, etc. I believe it, and I know it. I think it's wrong to eliminate your catalytic converter, or to turn up your diesel engine until it "rolls coal". So I am not bashing environmental consciousness. What I am opposed to is a throw-it-away mentality that claims that if it's not new, it's not efficient enough and it should be discarded. Wastefulness, the last time I checked, was not very environmentally friendly. Have you ever considered the amount of energy and resources it takes to build a new car? Or how about to re-cycle an old one? To melt, shape, forge, stamp, bend, machine, assemble, paint, mold, etc all the components to build a car, then transport it? Surely its more than the 1,119 gallons of fuel that the above example would save. Further, it fosters an even bigger problem; apathy. American drivers are becoming more and more apathetic about maintaining their cars. The above example assumes that maintenance will be performed. However, if a car is not cared for, it doesn't matter how new or how efficient it is supposed to be; it will pollute more and burn more fuel than if it were properly cared for. How many cars are running around, new or old, with the "check engine" light illuminated on a daily basis? When we call a car that is a few years old a "clunker" and assign a subsidized rebate dollar figure to it, where is the incentive to care for or maintain it?

But my uncle's cousin's brother's friend's former roommate's grandmother's niece...

Yes, we know the story, there's this guy you know who made out like a bandit because he got $4,000 for a pile of trash that he bought from some old lady for $50 that he then traded in and got a slick new Malibu, right? Well, according to the math above... no. He'd have made out better by spending $3,500 on a nice low mileage 1988 Crown Victoria or Caprice Classic. But then, the government went and crushed them all, now didn't they?

Who did win, then?

Car companies, loan companies, and the government. When the economy slumped, and people stopped spending money they didn't have, the government dumped this clunker on the American public. People who were not good at math flocked to dealerships to get something that would save them money on gas. So cars started selling again, loan companies started making money again, and older reliable cars that weren't completely computer controlled and government monitored were removed from the road... permanently. You might have noticed that the government is kind of a control freak, so they didn't like those simple cars that couldn't be scanned in 30 seconds and tell big brother everything about your driving habits for the last five years. So dealerships, manufacturers, loan companies, and Uncle Sam won out of this deal. Which put us, the American public over a barrel; again.

argo

01-21-2012, 23:00

Let me be clear: I am not a curmudgeon (although some might beg to differ). I am not " anti-technology". I believe in technological improvements. However, I don't believe in technology for the sake of technology. Why the hell do I need a computer to roll my windows up and down, blow my horn, turn on my headlights, control my power seats, etc? Why do I need a computer to work my stereo? Why do I need a built in GPS when I can get a Garmin or a TOM-TOM? Why does an average car need to have 12 computers networked together on a multi-layered high speed data LAN? How did people manage to drive cars before Computers did everything? I don't want useless widgets and doodads. Yes I want cold AC, hot heat, power windows and mirrors, and delay wipers. Yes I'd like to have ABS if it's simple and doesn't require a factory scan tool to "talk" to it. I already own a "tire pressure monitor". I own three or four. I got them from the auto parts store for about $10.00 each (there are cheaper ones, but I like the tough, reliable and accurate ones). Who needs "ACTIVE PARK ASSIST"? Oh, maybe people who shouldn't be driving because they don't have the spacial recognition and coordination to park a car by themselves?

No, I'll take my older, more reliable, easier to work on vehicles any day. But then, I am one of those kooks that believes (no joke, I truly do) that the 1980s "B", "C", "D" and "G" body cars were the best cars ever made, and that the people with those bumper stickers that say "Real trucks don't have spark plugs" have it all wrong. You see, I believe that "real trucks have vent windows".

And yes, I know that means that I just admitted that my 1993 Suburban is not a real truck! A 1991 or earlier Suburban would be, though. So would a 1987 or earlier Chevy or GMC pickup. Or my 1996 F-150.

Yukon6.2

01-23-2012, 09:42

Go Argo Go
I love your write up.I think it sould be printed on all the front covers of news papers,sent to all schools ect.
C4C was the bigest enviromental disaster this century.
Thomas

argo

01-23-2012, 16:44

Go Argo Go
I love your write up.I think it sould be printed on all the front covers of news papers,sent to all schools ect.
C4C was the bigest enviromental disaster this century.
Thomas

Thanks. However, brace for more, because as long as the "Citizens United" decision allows corporations to contribute giant gobs of cash to SuperPACS, they will continue to come up with and implementing programs like C4C to milk the public dry and add to the corporate coffers. This is not a Democrat or Republican thing; I am an Independent. This idea that cash = speech = 1st Amendment rights will be our undoing.

More Power

01-23-2012, 17:07

My daughter mentioned last fall that her car's trans was slow to engage in reverse when cold. She drives a 2005 Chevy Malibu. I thought, "well, let's check the ATF". Damn if I could find the dipstick, so out comes the owner's manual. Turns out the transmission is not serviceable - "take it to the dealer" the book says. A week later, the power steering went dead in a parking lot. "Check the PS fluid", I said. Damn if I could find the PS pump/cap/stick. Out comes the owner's manual... The book says it's not serviceable, "take it to the dealer". Turns out, the PS is electric assist, and there's a special bulletin that provides a free steering column (for the sensors). We barely squeaked under the 7-year 60K limit.

Oh, and we replaced the entertainment system a few months ago because it had a habit of eating CDs.

Our 2001 GMC HD, on the other hand has been one of the most trouble-free and quality vehicles I've ever owned. The quality difference between the two vehicles mentioned here is huge. We'll be driving a 6.5 Blazer before long. Easy to work on is part of it.

Jim

argo

01-23-2012, 20:33

We'll be driving a 6.5 Blazer before long. Easy to work on is part of it.

Jim

That is the crux of it. I am ASE Certified, GM Certified, and Certified by about 10 other vehicle and/or heavy equipment manufacturers. I know how to work on all of it, but it's pointless. Without access to special dealer only tools and equipment, you can no more fix a car than a carpenter could built a McMansion from a stand of trees for lumber, a pen knife to cut it, and a rock for a hammer. Without a factory scan tool, I can no more effectively diagnose a modern car than Smokey Yunick could assemble a small block with nothing more than needle-nose pliers and a butter knife. That is how modern cars make me feel. I know how to fix them, but my hands are tied. It's not knowledge (or a lack thereof) that keeps me from being able to repair modern vehicles, it is lack of access to proper equipment. That is very frustrating. This is why I don't mind fixing newer cars (it pays very well) and I teach kids how to as well (I want my students to have the opportunity to earn a healthy paycheck), but I couldn't care less about owning one of these heaps. I will stick to my vent window equipped trucks, my full sized boxy body on frame rear wheel drive 1980s GM cars, and old classic cars. I'll have decent, comfortable, safe, better looking and smoother driving vehicles that are easy to repair and maintain, are cheap to repair and maintain, and are more reliable than modern cars.