Look at this thing.
That right there is Icarus flying too close to the sun. That is four timing chains, four idler pulleys and eight (count 'em! EIGHT) chain guides ON THE BACK OF THE MUTHERFUCKING ENGINE in order to make the valvetrain work. That is refined hubris, an affront to the Gods that says "none of this shit will ever wear out ever in the life of the car" because it is an engine-out catastrophe if any of that shit responds in a linear fashion to the pressures of time. Its remedy is the stuff of legend, like the exotic mechanics who mutter under their breath about the fabled "congratulations, you have found the most inaccessible point of the car" plaque behind the gas tank of the Lotus Esprit.
Compare and contrast.
Ok, 2018 goal is to buy a house, then 2019 is buy an electric car (based on today's options, a Bolt). I'll shed a quick tear now for not needing a mechanic because I doubt I will ever feel bad.The Chevy Bolt’s maintenance schedule requires owners to rotate tires every 7,500 miles, replace the cabin air filter every 22,500 miles and have the coolant flushed every 150,000, according to Chevrolet.
I'm also in the Bolt club. I've looked at all the electrics, and there isn't one that is as much a "Car" as the Bolt: practical, straightforward, simple, won't matter if it gets door-dings, getcha from one place to another place you go a lot, car. A Chevy. I never thought I'd ever own a Chevy. (Still don't buuuuuut...)
That's where I'm at, too! I'm hopeful there will be more options when I'm ready to buy, but for now the Bolt is the obvious winner for me. I've seen a couple on the road, and they pretty much just look like cars. I've driven a Volt and found it pleasant enough even on longer drives. I'd love for Honda to have an electric Civic. If the Ford Focus electric gets an update to have a more modern range, that might be an option, too.
I legitimately believe that the future of private car ownership belongs to the rich and the rural. Uber's all 100% into self-driving cars but that's because they basically want humans to stop fucking with their profitability; they're a useless middleman though and a future of on-demand transport doesn't call for a car in every driveway.
I agree, but what do you think about schedule? The hype wants to suggest it's just a year or two off, but it seems so much more long term, especially to get to the point of replacing individual ownership on a large scale. I was disappointed when I learned Teslas don't stop at stop signs or red lights. I'd been under the impression they could pretty much drive themselves in all but the most difficult conditions (severe weather, conflicting road markings, some construction). I assume the first pretty good self driving cars will be privately owned luxury cars, though maybe the Uber scenario will hit first.
In my opinion, Tesla is going exactly the wrong way. Tesla wants to make a self-driving car; google wants to make a self-driving system. The problem with a self-driving car is that a couple missteps and they're all grounded; the problem with a self-driving system is it needs wide acceptance before it can do anything. Also in my opinion, I think the economy is going to be Raoul driving you from place to place a lot more often than Google driving you from place to place. Technology advances during labor shortages and we're about to be sitting on a massive labor surplus. The Gutenberg bible happens because the Black Death kills all the scribes; calcification of the harem system happens when you've got a nation full of Ottomans that need something to do with their time.