I guess (hope) it'll mean that the price will fall through the floor - assuming there are any left that haven't blown up due to a lack of oil or warped heads etc. from a lack of coolant:duh:.

But as far as the dealer is concerned, who cares? They're selling loads of new ones on PCP with that great selling point.....it "never" needs any sort of "hands on" checking. We'll do that for you sir/madam when the car tells you it needs doing ;).

Andy.

I think this is a brilliant idea, techs in a main dealer environment are working with cutting edge technology and can’t possibly know everything about every system fitted. How many people have started a job only to become stuck by a hidden screw or bolt? Some manufacturers Instructional data can be poor so using technology in this way doing new procedures is a step forward.

Monitored by sensors, and we all know sensors fail right. :duh:

I cant help but think the car manufacture is purposely taking away the owners ability to maintain their own vehicle, steering everything towards main dealer servicing.

In the event of possible routine service dates being missed there will be an auto reminder on the dash of impending doom and destruction should the FINAL warning be ignored, irrespective of the owners' (or non-dealership) capability.

Owners will be able to buy on a well known web site an instrument that will delete any warnings and reset dates and mileage elapsed. Cars will be rented, on tax exempt terms, with guaranteed trade in values in exchange for new vehicles. Electric, of course. Ownership will be retained by the dealership supplier to maintain market penetration. Exactly who will be penetrated and how is a matter of conjecture.

Responding to consumer demand, everything available on a single electronic screen.

Are oil level sensors not particularly reliable ?

Its safe to say the modern day motorist doesn't want/or have the skill to check or carry out their own vehicle maintenance, in some cases the car manufacturer may look upon this as a potential warranty claim issue, due to careless ownership.

Plus if these manufacturers want to copyright their vehicles to stop owners working on their own car, stop modifications, modifying suspension, ECUs and any changes to software that could lead to vulnerabilities in vehicle safety. We could suggest this is already being implemented in today's modern vehicle, hence the owner responsibility being phased out of certain tasks.

A work mate had a Mercedes with his last job, the service indicator told him it was due but the chap in charge of vehicles told him ''not to bother'' as they got rid of there cars at 18 months and it would not be a problem :eek:

A couple of weeks later the screen came up with a bigger warning that it was overdue and some warnings.

Two days later and about 3000 miles over due it service a warning flashed up and it went into limp mode, he was on a motorway stuck doing 30mph with as much power as a moped.

He rung his manager and was told to limp the car back to the office, it was booked into a local garage ( non Mercedes) and the car was returned as they could not service it ( SPECIAL TOOLS REQUIRED).

If this is what we have to come it will see a lot of perfectly good cars going to scrap as the cost of keeping them on the road will be more that the average person can afford.

When fuel injection first became available, those who fiddled with carburettors moaned endlessly in magazines about potential problems with sensors etc. Do we see many fuel injection systems suffering issues?

P.S Anyone remember the first widely available aftermarket fuel injection system by Tubantor - it cost £400 in the laterseventies!

That's the sort of thing i was thinking of or perhaps people wanting wind up windows instead of electric when they first came out. Now who wants wind up windows?