It's actually worse than just "hard to repair because computers." In many modern vehicles/farm equipment, components that have any electrical connection can't simply be replaced, if you try it, they won't work. An authorized dealer has to connect a computer to the vehicle/farm equipment and program the new part to work with the vehicle's ID number. Until that's done, the part will refuse to work. I recently read an article about a component rebuilder who found a way around this for power steering parts on GM cars/trucks. I thought I knew a little about "right to repair" until I read this article, I would have just assumed that if the power steering rack in your GM car went out, you could just go to a junkyard or parts store and buy a new one, install it, and be ready to go. Not true anymore, a dealer has to activate your new part, which, of course, they won't do unless they do the repair themselves. All for our safety and enforced by encryption and copyright/computer hacking laws. I expect that the parts rebuilder will now have a legal battle over copyright etc. to fight in court if they actually try to sell these rebuilt steering racks.
OMG YES. I am going through this exact same thing right now with the o2 sensor on my Honda. I have a great local mechanic who does all the work (and doesn't try to upsell me on BS every time I go just because I'm a woman) and he did all the work but I still have to go to the stealership to get the computer reset. It's crap.
My dad worked for GM for decades, he commented on this before, after a certain year of manufacture all the vehicles weren't worth buying bc of that. UGH.
I'm inclined to stop buying new vehicles, we only have one recent model, a 2018 that just went out of warranty, so of course, it will need expensive repairs very soon... Our other two are 15 and 16 years old. The trouble with that is that cars rust so badly here that you can't find an older vehicle in good shape, 15 years is about it if you want to get a few years before the rust holes start appearing. It might be worth it to go to another state to buy an older car and avoid all the hassles with the newer ones.
I love seeing this! Especially bc there's a trope that many farmers are obsessed with their "toys". I'd love to see this put pressure on John Deere and others to make things more repairable again.
This same thing is why my household buys older cars & vintage harleys, I don't want to have to go to the dealership every time something breaks. From Apple products to washing machines there are hundreds of items in my life built to block me from fixing them myself, infuriating.
I'm conflicted. At one side, it's good to have trained experts deal with the repairs. On the other side, it would also be nice to give people the chance to learn and repair their stuff. I mean, it's their stuff right?
It's actually worse than just "hard to repair because computers." In many modern vehicles/farm equipment, components that have any electrical connection can't simply be replaced, if you try it, they won't work. An authorized dealer has to connect a computer to the vehicle/farm equipment and program the new part to work with the vehicle's ID number. Until that's done, the part will refuse to work. I recently read an article about a component rebuilder who found a way around this for power steering parts on GM cars/trucks. I thought I knew a little about "right to repair" until I read this article, I would have just assumed that if the power steering rack in your GM car went out, you could just go to a junkyard or parts store and buy a new one, install it, and be ready to go. Not true anymore, a dealer has to activate your new part, which, of course, they won't do unless they do the repair themselves. All for our safety and enforced by encryption and copyright/computer hacking laws. I expect that the parts rebuilder will now have a legal battle over copyright etc. to fight in court if they actually try to sell these rebuilt steering racks.
OMG YES. I am going through this exact same thing right now with the o2 sensor on my Honda. I have a great local mechanic who does all the work (and doesn't try to upsell me on BS every time I go just because I'm a woman) and he did all the work but I still have to go to the stealership to get the computer reset. It's crap.
My dad worked for GM for decades, he commented on this before, after a certain year of manufacture all the vehicles weren't worth buying bc of that. UGH.
I'm inclined to stop buying new vehicles, we only have one recent model, a 2018 that just went out of warranty, so of course, it will need expensive repairs very soon... Our other two are 15 and 16 years old. The trouble with that is that cars rust so badly here that you can't find an older vehicle in good shape, 15 years is about it if you want to get a few years before the rust holes start appearing. It might be worth it to go to another state to buy an older car and avoid all the hassles with the newer ones.
oh yea, the rust is real. I forget about that sometimes. I'm lucky to live where we don't see much of it, no salt on the roads!
I love seeing this! Especially bc there's a trope that many farmers are obsessed with their "toys". I'd love to see this put pressure on John Deere and others to make things more repairable again.
This same thing is why my household buys older cars & vintage harleys, I don't want to have to go to the dealership every time something breaks. From Apple products to washing machines there are hundreds of items in my life built to block me from fixing them myself, infuriating.
I'm conflicted. At one side, it's good to have trained experts deal with the repairs. On the other side, it would also be nice to give people the chance to learn and repair their stuff. I mean, it's their stuff right?