#FishCarburetor

Automotive Conspiracy Theories and Urban Legends

Is there something about cars and car companies that make people tend to believe that there are all sorts of conspiracies keeping us from driving the car of all our dreams? I ask the question because I can think of at least a half dozen urban legends, conspiratorial glosses put on actual events, and outright conspiracy fantasies that are or have been popular among car enthusiasts and the general public.

Ronnie Schreiber Mar 22, 2013

298

Recent Comments

TheEndlessEnigma My 2016 FiST has been the most reliable car I've owned.
MaintenanceCosts I already set out total costs, so this time I'll list what's had to be done on my cars (not counting oil changes, recall, or free services):2019 Bolt (25k mi): new 12v battery, pending tires & battery cooling service2016 Highlander (from 43k to 69k mi): new front rotors, new pads all around, new PCV valve, 2x 12v batteries, light bulbs, pending tires2011 335i (from 89k to 91k): new valve cover gasket, new spark plugs, light bulbs, pending rear main seal1995 Legend (from 185k to 203k): timing belt/water pump, new EGR valve + pipe, struts, strut bushings, drive axles, tie rods, rear control arms, other suspension bushings, coolant hose & brake lines throughout, belts, radiator, valve cover gaskets, new power antenna, 12v battery, coils, spark plugs, tires, rear pads... it's an old car!
VoGhost Consistent with CR's data. I've spent about $150 total on the Model 3 in six years of ownership, outside of tires.
VoGhost It's just plain sad that Posky doesn't know that EV batteries are warrantied for 8 years / 100K miles.
Jkross22 It used to be depreciation was the most expensive part of car ownership. Seems like those days are over (New EVs and lux cars excluded). Maintenance + insurance have taken over. Dealerships offering 2 years of maintenance means nothing. That's $200 tops. It's the unexpected repairs - a wiring harness, computer module, heater core, AWD problems - that will cost dearly. Brakes can be expensive since many cars now can't have rotors resurfaced. Even independents are charging a lot for this work.

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