Common automotive myths

[RomanChariot]

This is a nice threat topic Madman. 


6) keeping an older high mileage car running is usually wiser than replacing with a newer low mileage car (Not always. Your time has a lot of value to).

I think the argument is that it is less expensive to maintain an older car than buy a new one and that has been proven to be true many times. The problem is that most people don't maintain their vehicles so they end up with major unplanned repairs that cost them both time and money

7) you should teach your wife or daughter to change a flat tire (No. They should call you and/or your insurance company/roadside assistance and not risk getting hit by another vehicle while changing the tire. If they are stuck on the road, they should leave the car and get safely away from the road).

Knowledge is always a good thing. Part of that knowledge is knowing the best way to handle a situation. I have taught my wife and daughters how to change a tire but I have also taught them that if they get a flat tire on a busy road they should drive slowly to a place where they can safely get off of the road. I would rather pay the cost of a tire and wheel than risk their lives. I have also taught them to call me once they are in a safe place to do so.

[r0tor]

As long as I'm in one of my cars, I'm braking and swerving at all cost to dodge deer...

Have you ever seen one of those things go through a windshield?  I have and it wasn't pretty.

[veeman]

Especially on a car forum, most people say maintaining an older high mileage car is a wise move.

Anecdotally from my personal life experiences and hearing from many other friends and family members I have not found this to be true at least half the time. A couple of important caveats:

Most people don't have the knowledge and tools to fix broken things or even do basic maintenance. Many people on a car forum, on the other hand, enjoy working on their cars. Some actually do it or have done it for a living.

Most people don't want to spend the time, often a chunk of a Saturday, going to the dealership or independent shop to do the above and much more of the above is needed on a high mileage older car compared with a newer low mileage car.

I know well a few people who drive their cars until the wheels fall off. One dude I know put 300 thousand miles plus on a Jeep Grand Cherokee. He liked that car so much he even had it professionally painted at over 200 thousand miles. 

I also know well a few people who sell their car as soon as it hits 70 thousand miles.  They get oil changes and occasionally need a brake job. They get good money on trade in and enjoy a new car every 3 years. 

I will also say you can maintain a German luxury car by the book and it will still cost you an arm and a leg to maintain it after warranty runs out, which is typically 4 years/50 thousand miles. 

[veeman]

As long as I'm in one of my cars, I'm braking and swerving at all cost to dodge deer...

Have you ever seen one of those things go through a windshield?  I have and it wasn't pretty.

Depends. Going 50 mph on a two lane road, with traffic moving in opposite directions, you're probably better off slamming the brakes and aiming the center of your car for the deer. Especially if there's a ditch on one end and a blind spot for oncoming traffic in the other lane. You swerve at that speed you will often lose control.

By googling almost all publications say never swerve for a deer.  Slam the brakes and hit the deer. 

[CaminoRacer]

The common advice of buying a gently used car instead of a new car has generally been bad advice for the past ~2 years, if you can get the new car without dealer markup. Better off buying the new car at MSRP with a warranty than overpaying for a used car. (Frequently priced the same as the new car for popular Toyota/Honda models)

[CaminoRacer]

I swerved for a deer in Kentucky once. It was right by my house, on a 2 lane road. There was a tiny 1 lane road off to the side that I veered down at the last second. I was actually quite impressed with my reaction time.

[veeman]

Personally just for me I can think of almost no reason why I would want my wife or daughter to change a flat tire on the side of a road or even a mall parking lot. 

I've done it myself a few times.  If they wanted to know, I'll show them but I'm not offering it. Last thing I want is the car to roll off the jack and crush my wife or daughter. A lot of things can go wrong especially for a novice with horrible consequences.

Why I say wife or daughter and not son?  I guess I'm not woke enough. I'll also make my son snow plow our driveway but not my daughter.   

[Eye of the Tiger]

I swerved for a deer in Kentucky once. It was right by my house, on a 2 lane road. There was a tiny 1 lane road off to the side that I veered down at the last second. I was actually quite impressed with my reaction time.

I would have wrecked multiple times if I didn't swerve for deer.

[CaminoRacer]

I hate how many people pull off on the shoulder when they could easily make it to the next exit and change the tire in a safe parking lot or gas station

Of course most tire blowouts are due to lack of maintenance. Getting a nail in your tire usually leads to a slow leak which is easily fixed. The blowouts are usually from improper pressure over months/years. Or wearing them down too far

[Laconian]

Or a big sharp piece of black metal lying in wait in a puddle! RIP that CrossClimate

[CaminoRacer]

Or a big sharp piece of black metal lying in wait in a puddle! RIP that CrossClimate

oof.

A few weeks ago there were multiple 5 gallon buckets on the highway. Everyone had to slalom around them. One truck couldn't avoid one and hit it with the bumper and started dragging it along, so he pulled over. (Doubt there was any damage to the truck, maybe a light scratch on the bumper)

[GoCougs]

Especially on a car forum, most people say maintaining an older high mileage car is a wise move.

Anecdotally from my personal life experiences and hearing from many other friends and family members I have not found this to be true at least half the time. A couple of important caveats:

Most people don't have the knowledge and tools to fix broken things or even do basic maintenance. Many people on a car forum, on the other hand, enjoy working on their cars. Some actually do it or have done it for a living.

Most people don't want to spend the time, often a chunk of a Saturday, going to the dealership or independent shop to do the above and much more of the above is needed on a high mileage older car compared with a newer low mileage car.

I know well a few people who drive their cars until the wheels fall off. One dude I know put 300 thousand miles plus on a Jeep Grand Cherokee. He liked that car so much he even had it professionally painted at over 200 thousand miles. 

I also know well a few people who sell their car as soon as it hits 70 thousand miles.  They get oil changes and occasionally need a brake job. They get good money on trade in and enjoy a new car every 3 years. 

I will also say you can maintain a German luxury car by the book and it will still cost you an arm and a leg to maintain it after warranty runs out, which is typically 4 years/50 thousand miles.

Generally, I agree - maintaining an older vehicle is usually a bad idea if driven regularly/normally. Hondas, Toyotas, some Nissans? One can probably go 10-15 years. Most anything else, mos def less.

Finances is a big part of it. A new $5k engine in a vehicle worth $5k when running is not worth $10k - still only worth $5k with the new engine, maybe a smidge more. Then let's say the transmission goes 6 months later - another $5k. Now you've spent $10k keeping a $5k vehicle on the road.

The other issue is availability. Getting stranded late at night in a snow storm, being without a vehicle due to length repairs, or being late for work. All bad.

The last issue is safety. Vehicle safety improves each year such that a vehicle ~10-15 years old is notably less safe than a new vehicle.

IME, 10 years in age and 150,000-180,000 miles is about the sweet spot with Japanese cars, preferably having purchased 1-2 years old with less then 20,000 miles. My plan for the SQ5 was/is less than 5 years and less than 100,000 miles (currently at 2.5 years and 60,000 miles, and so far so good!).

[GoCougs]

Depends. Going 50 mph on a two lane road, with traffic moving in opposite directions, you're probably better off slamming the brakes and aiming the center of your car for the deer. Especially if there's a ditch on one end and a blind spot for oncoming traffic in the other lane. You swerve at that speed you will often lose control.

By googling almost all publications say never swerve for a deer.  Slam the brakes and hit the deer. 

Correct - never swerve, unless of course it's obvious one can (going super slow, wide open highway) but that is almost never the case. Those fuckers can't resist just running out onto the road with little if any warning.

[RomanChariot]

Generally, I agree - maintaining an older vehicle is usually a bad idea if driven regularly/normally. Hondas, Toyotas, some Nissans? One can probably go 10-15 years. Most anything else, mos def less.

Finances is a big part of it. A new $5k engine in a vehicle worth $5k when running is not worth $10k - still only worth $5k with the new engine, maybe a smidge more. Then let's say the transmission goes 6 months later - another $5k. Now you've spent $10k keeping a $5k vehicle on the road.

The other issue is availability. Getting stranded late at night in a snow storm, being without a vehicle due to length repairs, or being late for work. All bad.

The last issue is safety. Vehicle safety improves each year such that a vehicle ~10-15 years old is notably less safe than a new vehicle.

IME, 10 years in age and 150,000-180,000 miles is about the sweet spot with Japanese cars, preferably having purchased 1-2 years old with less then 20,000 miles. My plan for the SQ5 was/is less than 5 years and less than 100,000 miles (currently at 2.5 years and 60,000 miles, and so far so good!).

With the cheapest new car right now costing $20,000, a 60 month loan will be in the ballpark of $400/month. If you drop a new engine in a car for $5000 you would pay off that engine in 12 months. I have been driving for 40 years and I have never had the bad luck of losing an engine and transmission in a car in the same year.

[Eye of the Tiger]

How about "never" "never" anything. Swerve or brake, whatever the situation calls for. Usually not both, but not "never".

[r0tor]

Depends. Going 50 mph on a two lane road, with traffic moving in opposite directions, you're probably better off slamming the brakes and aiming the center of your car for the deer. Especially if there's a ditch on one end and a blind spot for oncoming traffic in the other lane. You swerve at that speed you will often lose control.

By googling almost all publications say never swerve for a deer.  Slam the brakes and hit the deer. 

A). No.  Cars these days have ABS and stability control.  The chance of losing control over a swerve is minimal.

B). You always try to swerve towards their ass as it scooches them quicker in that direction.  Aim towards their center and they freeze, aim towards their front and they try to spin around and wipe out and become a barrier.


...living in this area I would probably be in an accident every 1-2 years not dodging deer...

[Eye of the Tiger]

I'm just going to get a giant steel plate bumper to destroy deer. No brakes or swerving.

[r0tor]

I'm just going to get a giant steel plate bumper to destroy deer. No brakes or swerving.

As a kid a deer got wacked by a truck going probably 60mph in front of our house... the truck kept going, most of the deer landed about 150 feet away... the deer's innards remained at the point of impact and our mailbox was bright red

:Puke:

[FoMoJo]

I'm just going to get a giant steel plate bumper to destroy deer. No brakes or swerving.

[Morris Minor]

1) off road tires are good for winter driving on paved roads

Off-road tires are de rigueur in the brodozer community for paved road driving in any season. High-decibel droning road noise plus loud pipes are must-haves for the wispy-beard lifestyle.

[Morris Minor]

A). No.  Cars these days have ABS and stability control.  The chance of losing control over a swerve is minimal.

B). You always try to swerve towards their ass as it scooches them quicker in that direction.  Aim towards their center and they freeze, aim towards their front and they try to spin around and wipe out and become a barrier.


...living in this area I would probably be in an accident every 1-2 years not dodging deer...

In defensive driving school, to cope with deer etc., or the proverbial refrigerator falling of the truck in front, my kids were taught to both stamp as hard as they could on the brakes ("try to break off the pedal") AND swerve.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Off-road tires are de rigueur in the brodozer community for paved road driving in any season. High-decibel droning road noise plus loud pipes are must-haves for the wispy-beard lifestyle.

The noise might scare away the deer... hmm

[veeman]

Off-road tires are de rigueur in the brodozer community for paved road driving in any season. High-decibel droning road noise plus loud pipes are must-haves for the wispy-beard lifestyle.

I see them also a lot on Ford Broncos and Jeep Wranglers driven in wealthy suburbs by white collar mom and dads.

I don't mind them at all because the cars don't make loud noises and the drivers don't drive like hooligans. I just chuckle to myself because the drivers think their huge ass off road tires are great in the rain and ice on paved roads when I know my small diameter dedicated winter tires on steelies on my compact Veloster are better in the cold.

[giant_mtb]

I see them also a lot on Ford Broncos and Jeep Wranglers driven in wealthy suburbs by white collar mom and dads.

I don't mind them at all because the cars don't make loud noises and the drivers don't drive like hooligans. I just chuckle to myself because the drivers think their huge ass off road tires are great in the rain and ice on paved roads when I know my small diameter dedicated winter tires on steelies on my compact Veloster are better in the cold.

Which one of those white collar moms or dads said to you "my offroad tires are great in the snow?"

[veeman]

Which one of those white collar moms or dads said to you "my offroad tires are great in the snow?"

It's a generalization which anecdotally, in my life experience, has been correct regarding those white collar Moms and Dads who drive Ford Broncos and Jeep Wranglers on large all terrain tires but don't use their cars for any off roading. And I've had a few conversations with these Dads, all of whom love their Jeeps and Broncos. 

10 years ago after I gave my Sonata to my nephew, I almost bought a Jeep Wrangler. I wanted a Jeep Wrangler unlimited (that's the stretched out one) in Chief Blue color and would have gotten one. I test drove it. Found out the 4WD is part time only and 99% of the time the car is driven on paved roads in RWD mode. Found out those awesome looking all terrain tires did not have the 3 peak mountain snowflake symbol on them. I still would have gotten that Jeep but the highway ride and handling at 70 mph plus really sucked.

I'm sure the current Jeep Wrangler is much much better and I'm sure the Ford Bronco is excellent in the winter on paved roads with their all terrain tires. Some of these all terrain tires even have the 3 peak mountain snowflake symbol on them. 

But there's a reason police Ford Explorers in the winter use skinny winter tires and not wide all terrain tires. They're better on icy and light snow covered paved roads.


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[GoCougs]

^ Totally. Yuppies in their Wranglers and Broncos and such are out there, with brodozers and nuevo rich family teens in 4Runner and Tacomas, during the first snow, screwing around.

A/T and off road tires are generally not good in the snow that is some measure of driveable (i.e., not feet deep). No only due to their typical width, but their tread compound; esp. the knobbies; is rather hard in order to resist abuse from rocks and roots and such (which is the exact opposite of what you want in snow and ice).

[AutobahnSHO]

That people read the owner manual.

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Yes it's the jack.

[MrH]

Off-road tires are de rigueur in the brodozer community for paved road driving in any season. High-decibel droning road noise plus loud pipes are must-haves for the wispy-beard lifestyle.

!

[Eye of the Tiger]

I got premium touring tires on my 4x4 TRD. It can corner slightly faster than a school bus.

[giant_mtb]

It's a generalization which anecdotally, in my life experience, has been correct regarding those white collar Moms and Dads who drive Ford Broncos and Jeep Wranglers on large all terrain tires but don't use their cars for any off roading. And I've had a few conversations with these Dads, all of whom love their Jeeps and Broncos. 

10 years ago after I gave my Sonata to my nephew, I almost bought a Jeep Wrangler. I wanted a Jeep Wrangler unlimited (that's the stretched out one) in Chief Blue color and would have gotten one. I test drove it. Found out the 4WD is part time only and 99% of the time the car is driven on paved roads in RWD mode. Found out those awesome looking all terrain tires did not have the 3 peak mountain snowflake symbol on them. I still would have gotten that Jeep but the highway ride and handling at 70 mph plus really sucked.

I'm sure the current Jeep Wrangler is much much better and I'm sure the Ford Bronco is excellent in the winter on paved roads with their all terrain tires. Some of these all terrain tires even have the 3 peak mountain snowflake symbol on them. 

But there's a reason police Ford Explorers in the winter use skinny winter tires and not wide all terrain tires. They're better on icy and light snow covered paved roads.


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No shit that dedicated snow tires are going to be better than all-terrain/all-season.

One of the most popular A/T tires of all time is 3PMS rated...the BFG KO2.  Wrangler DuraTracs are 3PMS.  Falken Wildpeak AT3W's are 3PMS.  Toyo Open Country AT III's are 3PMS. 

IOW, some of the most popular "cool-looking" A/T tires are 3PMS rated.  Are they better than a dedicated snow tire?  Well, no...but two truck tires cost as much as your entire set for your car.  Many people get by just fine with one tire set.

If you're getting into M/T tires...then yeah, those are pretty useless in on-road snow conditions.  They're stiff/hard and way too blocky.