Think I will store lots of old components just in case they are needed.

Down the tip for me, collecting old tellys .

If the Chinese can do it, so will I.

Andy131 wrote:

I think a bigger issue than the ability of technicians to diagnose faults on older "electronic" cars is going to be the availability of the components. The life span of modern microprocessors is getting shorter - ie faster, more memory, different power useage. The manufacturers have to innovate to stay competitive.
So lets say it takes 3 years to design and test a new car, it then has a product run of 6 years - the ECU components have at that point been commonly available for 9 years - think about it if you expect the parts to be available for 10 years after the last car was made, then the processor has to be in production for 19 years.


19 years ago is the stone age for electronics

[quote="Yorky Bob"]

Northcroft wrote:

07 reg 160,500 still going strong, in my opinion a lot of the people on this forum have a lot of money and would not entertain a higher miles car, or a car older than 5 years of age, their attitude is like living in the 70s where 85,000 is too high

Modern cars should if cared for do 200,000 with ease in my opinion (and that of many others)

So using a simple piece of logic , most on here have cars with lower miles, most of the problems on this forum therefore relate to lower mile cars ?? . . .

Mowog said
At a Mercedes main dealer, a customer takes his A class (old shape) for a problem to be sorted.

Problem is....car won't start..e.g. Engine won't turn over.
After many trips to parts department from workshop, by technician and many, many parts being fitted including Ecu/throttle body, the technician said to me " you would never guess what the fault was..............the starter motor"
Well me being quite old fashioned thought that was the obvious thing to try first. BUT
the computer told him different!
Technicians go on courses but are only told what the manufacturer wants them to know.
suppose it reinstates that old fashioned term.....fitters

Not sure where this story comes from, but in my experience, decent test equipment, in trained hands, make fault finding easier.

It will be the mechanics who won't/can't move with the times that will be the problem.

As has been pointed out, the oily bits are (or should) be so well made and designed by now that they should last a very long time. The logic behind the little black boxes is a bit harder to understand.

Will your old fashioned reasoning explain when the headlight washers will activate by examing them? FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 84k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

The story comes from me!
I was given the old/ new ecu as it was an embarrassment to the technician!

The point I was trying to make was despite all the diagnostic equipment, the job was misdiagnosed and a raft of parts fitted and charged to the customer.

It needed just a starter motor

Last edited by Mowog on 31st May 2018 9:53 pm. Edited 1 time in total

 FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current