campbeam

Compliments of COVID-19, there is a massive disruption to the supply chain. What is mainly impacting new vehicle manufacture is a shortage of semi-processor chips. New car prices have also increased due to these supply shortages. Also there has been an upsurge in demand for vehicles and this has resulted in increased used car prices. People are avoiding public transport because of COVID-19. Certainly looks like a good selling opportunity until the market is able to correct in 2022. I did think about selling my current vehicle but decided not to change my plans of wearing out this Aurion then bring online my backup project Aurion.

Following video outlines the changes coming to the USA car dealership model. Also I am thinking of a sales model used in other industries where there are display centres to view the product but no direct sales of walking out of the store with the goods. Instead it is possible to place an online order at the display centre and the goods are delivered directly to your address. Looks like this sales model is being applied to EV sales e.g. Tesla but there are still dealerships e.g. MG

Personally, it has little appeal for me. The sportsmatic transmission does an excellent job. The Aurion is not a performance sports vehicle. It rivalled the standard Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons. Perhaps I am not so enthusiastic because I read an article of how to fit a manual transmission to the lastest Supra using existing BMW components. Now that is achievable for an ethusiast using parts from wrecked BMW vehicles.

I had to go looking spefically for this YouTube video after my 1st viewing. I found it to be quite insightful as to what is currently happening in the China EV market. It also explains why the CCP is directing that there to be a consolidation of startups to transition into profitable businesses independent of the current level of govt. incentives. To my mind, the emergent winners are those businesses with battery supply capability i.e. Tesla, BYD and CATL. Immediate outlook for VW and other OEM vehicle manufacturers is not great in the China market. Also understandable about not wanting to have too much exposure with unprofitable sales.

I knew about Moore's Law but only recently about Wright's Law. Electric Vehicles are relatively expensive but should come down in price as production volumes rise. https://ark-invest.com/articles/analyst-research/wrights-law-predicts-teslas-gross-margin/ Following video meets my expectations of EV pricing to drive sales away from ICE vehicles.

This is where you need to find posts by @Squalled about exhaust modifications for his Corolla Sportivo.

It is not about cutting corners but having better engineering to reduce production costs. Sandy Munro has done YouTube videos on the teardown of various EVs so now able to do a comparison between Tesla, VW and Ford. Tesla's are supposedly being engineered for a planned longevity of 1 Million miles. Looks like they are constantly upgrading their product and releasing new versions just like a software company than a traditional vehicle manufacturer. They are also attracting the best engineering talent. No wonder that they are considered to be 5 years in advance of their competition. I have greater concerns about the quality of other EV's currently available e.g. MG and soon to be released e.g. Hyundai/Kia. Time will expose any shortcomings.

A recent post by @ZZT86 about how the vehicle is used and servicing interval has reminded me that hours of operation and not only mileage is a deciding factor. Commercial machines have an hours of operation guage and their servicing is based upon that. Because cars are not normally fitted with this guage, the odometer reading is used instead. I am thinking that 100-150 hours of engine operation would be a reasonable consideration. For most drivers, this will translate to approx. 6 months.

It may very well be a coincidence but I would start by removing and cleaning that O2 sensor.

I was a bit slow to work out the value of those 3D printed valve caps. 😁 Nice to see this video ending on a happy note. There is some hope.

Reducing costs is the key to the transition from ICE cars to EV. Interesting to see how quickly and frequently Tesla is revising a model reducing costs and achieving efficiency gains. Interesting point that Tesla is open to licensing its software and supply powertrains and batteries. Toyota will be using the BYD platform for its first EV, the BZ4X. Other OEM car manufacturers are entering into arrangements with other battery suppliers.

I do not know much about how a car dealership operates except seeing the new car model showroom, the service centre and the used car lot. To me, it is an integrated approach with the different areas creating synergy for profitability and survival. There is also an interdependence between the manufacturer and the dealership. In current times, we have seen how a particular brand's model have been made available via online pre-orders. The underlying success is that there is demand for the end product. Just viewed this recent video from auto expert John Cadogan. I am thinking that Honda's new business model with fixed driveaway pricing will be interesting with potential buyers delaying purchases until there is a special deal. It may have some degree of success while there is a shortfall in available of supply for the new car market. However, there should be increased supply and competition in 2022. Reduced dealership network may then translate to fewer sales. Certainly expecting Toyota Australia to be monitoring this business model and learning from any shortcomings.

I did a Google search yesterday and I was expecting that the selector cables need to be adjusted. However, it is something that I have never had to do on any of my vehicles. Just done another search this morning and this link appears to be more comprehensive in possible causes. https://cartreatments.com/car-wont-go-in-reverse/ Good idea that you are going to book the vehicle in on Monday for an independent inspection. Please let us know whether it is just a simple repair or something more involved and expensive.

It has only been recently that I have started to really consider that EV as a disruptive technology that will actually replace ICE cars in the mass vehicle market. I have also previously disregarded autonomous driving but not now because I have a vested interest that I may require it in my geriatric years. It pays to think ahead and plan for what suits the circumstances. We have already been forewarned about a possible road useage tax aimed at EV but I am sure will be applied to all vehicles. As for the fuel excise tax, it could easily be re-politicised as a fuel pollutant tax. When EV start to become more common, mechanics, crash repairers etc are going to have to evolve their skill sets or specialise. I think we will see petrol stations to transform with EV charging spaces similar to what I have seen in YouTube videos from Great Britain. Perhaps in the future we will see a number of petrol stations to fully evolve or be replaced by a fast food and EV charging space combo. I am certainly thinking that non-hybrid ICE cars will become worthless once EV takes over the mass market. By then, driving an ICE car [performance wise] would be the equivalent of riding a horse and not highly desired as a daily experience. At that time, there will also be a plentiful supply of used earlier generation EVs. There will also be posts on this Forum about battery and electric motor swaps. I am thinking that 2022 can potentially be the early days for mass market adoption in Australia in the major capital cities i.e. Sydney and Melbourne. 2027 could be a defining moment for the new 2022 ICE car buyer who wants to sell their car for cash to go buy an EV via an online order [cash only-no trade in].

I found the following YouTube video interesting more so the commentary. From viewing other YouTube videos, I am aware of a number of EV Canadian companies both in development of EV components and manufacture. I thought that they would be viewing the larger US market. In the commentary, mention was made of Govt incentive to purchase an EV. Just thinking that this is going to support their local EV industry and not just imported vehicles. Being synical, I expect that the Australian Govt [current or future] will make an announcement banning new ICE vehicle sales from 2040 or 2035 for the very reasons mentioned by the video's presenter.

Precisely why we buy Toyota; for their quality control and reliability. Regular maintenance and even preventative maintenance if you want reliability and longevity. Being DIY, I would much rather being doing extra oil changes than having to be doing an engine rebuild.

Statistically, their pool of potential idiots has to be at least 12 times larger. Hopefully those fools had plenty of cash on hand to part with.

Very relevant information in that video. If you are long term owner or have bought a used vehicle then you need to consider that servicing the vehicle as per extreme operating conditions is applicable. Until proven otherwise, best to adopt the old school approach of a 5000 km oil change interval. Different matter if you do a lot of highway driving and the vehicle is serviced using high quality synthetic oil and a genuine OEM quality oil filter that supports a longer oil change interval. Real deciding factor for the oil change interval is the level of contamination in the oil. I check the oil level and colour of the oil on the dipstick almost every weekend. After looking at the oil colour picture in the link below, I would expect that No.1 would show as being clear on the dipstick after a recent oil change. Current oil colour is in the 4-5 range on the dipstick so an oil change is due soon. When I drain the engine oil, it will probably look like the No.7 colour [black] By then, I will have done approx. 3000 kms of short distance urban driving [great circumstances for generating oil sludge]. https://carbuyerlabs.com/the-color-of-your-engine-oil-says-a-lot-so-pay-attention/

Following YouTube video has some interesting insights into the link between longer oil change intervals, type of oil, oil viscosity and the problem of oil consumption. Solution is to take a step back in time to the 90's with a shorter oil change interval of 5000kms. Consider using the lowest or lower oil viscosity range recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Quality full synthetic oil with higher levels of detergent additives and a lower evaporation rate are being recommended.

I have most likely viewed this YouTube video a few times . Even though the presenter [love his accent] is talking about Toyota vehicles with different engines and higher mileage, message is clear to me to check the condition/colour of the oil and not wait for 5000 miles/8000kms oil change interval. If you want the engine to last, then do frequent oil changes. As the engine ages, most likely it is going to require a shorter oil change interval. Even though times have changed, old school approach of 5000 km oil change interval still has merit.

Enlightening picture. Certainly a lot worse than what I was expecting to see. I would expect that there is a just as much or a lot more sludge around the valve gear. Service history should give some clues as to the degree of neglect. Those ridiculous 12mth/15K oil change intervals are a precursor to cumulative sludge build up. I will take a guess that the previous owner drove 20K kms per year and did annual oil changes. Probably minimised service costs then bought a new vehicle to repeat the cycle. Hopefully the mechanic will also have cleaned the VVTi controllers and PCV valve. I am guessing that the mechanic may be waiting approval from the dealership to remove the sump and clean the oil pick up screen and assembly. After that another engine flush then new oil and filter cartridge. Certainly interested to get all of the follow up details.

Absolute NO. This will cost you big Pounds. Have you used this Link assuming your vehicle is registered in the UK? https://www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla Seeing that I love a good conspiracy theory, guess this is one way to get older vehicles off the road. Maybe the UK Govt would like you to buy an Electric Vehicle. If you want to be stubborn or hard headed, go and get a newer ICE vehicle. Just in case you think that I might be having a go at you, the girlfriend had been telling me that I was hard-headed for 4 years before I agreed with her. 😇

Just checked my maintenance record this morning. It has been about 4 months so planning upon applying it to the whole vehicle at earliest opportunity.

Your therapy school has been effective in the detailing products and has been noted as Look Only. 😜 I had forgotten how much engine oil I have accumulated until I "rediscovered" the multiple hoards at the girlfriend's place. Last few EOFY specials have just been so tempting. My criterea for an oil special is a 50% discount. Now going to mandate a revised criteria for my own purchases.

Earlier 2021, Hyundai had a global recall for their Electric Vehicles to replace battery packs and their battery management systems. It would have been an interesting conversation with their Korean battery supplier LG Chem. Toyota is yet to release their EV onto the market and they are using different battery suppliers; BYD and Panasonic. One advantage of being slower to the market is that you can learn from other's mistakes whether it be a supplier related issue or how consumers actually use your product. It will be interesting to see how well the Toyota EVs are engineered for longevity compared to Hyundai/Kia. Similar to Tony, I previously would have been interested in upgrading to a recent Camry V6. Now I am more focussed upon an affordable EV that can outperform the V6 on the open highway. I previously mentioned 2035 but I am more thinking 2030 as a target year depending upon financial priorities.