Are manual cars still a thing? Is there even a future for the old gear stick?

[pinball wizard]

It's generally not scheduled, it's done on a symptomatic basis. Tensioners do wear out, chains do stretch. Mercedes 4 cylinder motors are a case in point.

Technical point: the chain doesn't actually stretch. It elongates due to wear.

 

[Neuk_]

Really, care to show which cars with chains have the task shown in the service schedules?
Perhaps there are but I've never seen any.
I know of cars that have done >500,000 km with the original timing chain. Do you know of any timing belts that have done that?

I would have to do some digging to find different cars service schedules but I am sure there are examples to be found. What @Sinbad says applies, some manufacturers state that timing chains are life time items that never need replacing but the life time of a vehicle is open to interpretation. I don't doubt that there are examples of cars with timing chains that have done large distances as I am sure there examples of cars with timing belts doing the same.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

I would have to do some digging to find different cars service schedules but I am sure there are examples to be found. What @Sinbad says applies, some manufacturers state that timing chains are life time items that never need replacing but the life time of a vehicle is open to interpretation. I don't doubt that there are examples of cars with timing chains that have done large distances as I am sure there examples of cars with timing belts doing the same.

same thing with fuel filters,
some cars its replaced during services, and some say its lifetime component,
like gearbox oil, and wheel bearings,

or like my conspiracy addicted brain is telling me,
we make it deliberately obtuse and vague, so when it does break we can sell you a new car.

 

[Neuk_]

same thing with fuel filters,
some cars its replaced during services, and some say its lifetime component,
like gearbox oil, and wheel bearings,

or like my conspiracy addicted brain is telling me,
we make it deliberately obtuse and vague, so when it does break we can sell you a new car.

Yep, the general public go along with it but more enthusastic car owners do more preventative maintenance than manufacturers suggest.

 

[6spdmanual]

Somewhere around 200k. Though it wasn't technically for an automatic box but for a fancy dsg style box... Truly automatic was around 130k.

I assume no typo here? You legit mean in excess of R100 000? What car was this if you don't mind me asking?

 

[ToxicBunny]

I assume no typo here? You legit mean in excess of R100 000? What car was this if you don't mind me asking?

Can't remember the car, German sedan of some form though.

And yes legit in excess of R100k

 

[unobeat]

same thing with fuel filters,
some cars its replaced during services, and some say its lifetime component,
like gearbox oil, and wheel bearings,

or like my conspiracy addicted brain is telling me,
we make it deliberately obtuse and vague, so when it does break we can sell you a new car.

Yep

Like in my 2011 Auris
The fuel filter only gets replaced when changing the fuel pump as it sits inside the tank.

 

[The Voice]

On the topic of random seemingly unnecessary changes to cars, what do you guys think of electronic hand brakes?

I'm a bit concerned that one of the best methods of keeping a vehicle stationary is being changed to something else that's electric that could therefore potentially fail a lot sooner than its mechanical predecessor. Can you imagine finding your car smashed 300m at the bottom of a hill just because of a bad fuse, or some faulty wiring?!

 

[Crowley]

On the topic of random seemingly unnecessary changes to cars, what do you guys think of electronic hand brakes?

I'm a bit concerned that one of the best methods of keeping a vehicle stationary is being changed to something else that's electric that could therefore potentially fail a lot sooner than its mechanical predecessor. Can you imagine finding your car smashed 300m at the bottom of a hill just because of a bad fuse, or some faulty wiring?!

I'm sure their are fail-safes worked into the cars.

 

[Brieuse]

On the topic of random seemingly unnecessary changes to cars, what do you guys think of electronic hand brakes?

I'm a bit concerned that one of the best methods of keeping a vehicle stationary is being changed to something else that's electric that could therefore potentially fail a lot sooner than its mechanical predecessor. Can you imagine finding your car smashed 300m at the bottom of a hill just because of a bad fuse, or some faulty wiring?!

I far prefer it. You can hear it apply, there is a light indication too. Can also feel the brake pedal soften.

 

[Sinbad]

I don't even use the parking brake, unless I'm on a serious hill. P works fine.

 

[Claymore]

On the topic of random seemingly unnecessary changes to cars, what do you guys think of electronic hand brakes?

I'm a bit concerned that one of the best methods of keeping a vehicle stationary is being changed to something else that's electric that could therefore potentially fail a lot sooner than its mechanical predecessor. Can you imagine finding your car smashed 300m at the bottom of a hill just because of a bad fuse, or some faulty wiring?!

I much prefer it. How hard it grips doesn't depend on how tight you pull the handbrake lever, how stretched the cable it, and an extra set of shoes/pads on the car.

 

[Crowley]

I don't even use the parking brake, unless I'm on a serious hill. P works fine.

Mine gets activated as soon as I turn off the car and undo my seatbelt.

 

[ToxicBunny]

I much prefer it. How hard it grips doesn't depend on how tight you pull the handbrake lever, how stretched the cable it, and an extra set of shoes/pads on the car.

100% this..

My fancy ass BMW still has an old school handbrake and the cable has stretched and its pretty much pointless now... thankfully P on the gearbox performs a better function of stopping the car from moving

 

[pinball wizard]

I don't even use the parking brake, unless I'm on a serious hill. P works fine.

Serious hill... Get a car with hill start assist. **** we've become lazy.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

but how does one do a hill start with P on an auto gearbox?
thought you still need a handbrake, electronic or not to prevent one from rolling back.

 

[Tim_vb]

but how does one do a hill start with P on an auto gearbox?
thought you still need a handbrake, electronic or not to prevent one from rolling back.

My auto will only let you start with the brake pedal depressed, thought the was pretty much the standard

 

[Tim_vb]

Technical point: the chain doesn't actually stretch. It elongates due to wear.

Or the tensioner goes potentially wrecking your engine with no warning

 

[pinball wizard]

My auto will only let you start with the brake pedal depressed, thought the was pretty much the standard

Don't think @eg2505 has even driven an auto in his life.

 

[SauRoNZA]

On the topic of random seemingly unnecessary changes to cars, what do you guys think of electronic hand brakes?

I'm a bit concerned that one of the best methods of keeping a vehicle stationary is being changed to something else that's electric that could therefore potentially fail a lot sooner than its mechanical predecessor. Can you imagine finding your car smashed 300m at the bottom of a hill just because of a bad fuse, or some faulty wiring?!

I think the odds of a normal person forgetting to pull up the handbrake and the car rolling down a hill far exceeds the number of times an electronic handbrake will fail.

So for the greater good the odds are far better.

I know of at least three different instances of cars crashing unattended for this reason.

Actually I managed to do this myself once but then managed to catch the car before it got away.

The best and sure fire way is still to park any car in gear or Park. The handbrake is the fail safe for that.