New car vs. Restored classic?, What are the possibilities? Options

[flipb]

Probably nobody in this thread wants to hear this, but:

EV drivetrains are extremely simple and low-maintenance.

If the primary thing you need from your automobile is reliable transportation from Point A to Point B -- and let's say those are typically <100mi. from each other -- Most EVs are very well-matched to the task.

No variable valve timing, no ignition system issues... the basics of using three-phase electric motors to drive an axle is 100+ years old. The control systems are completely computerized, but they aren't that complex... throttle position sensors, speed sensors, etc. And most manufacturers now have more than a decade of experience building those to be robust with appropriate redundancies.

I will readily concede that a lot of ancillary systems (HVAC, Infotainment, etc) have the same issues in modern EVs as in modern combustion vehicles, sometimes more so if they are very tech-forward. But for drivetrain reliability, EV is pretty much the gold standard.

For everyone rushing to their keyboards to shout "what if I don't have charging at home" and "I drive 500 mile trips every day" -- yeah, we know. It's not for everyone. Few things are. But for people who fit the right circumstances, EV drivetrains are highly reliable.

[didenpx]

I believe I recently read in Wall Street Journal that EVs actually are in the shop more frequently and for longer periods than ICEs.

[VaccaRabite]

Later generations tend not to share those perspecitives. They see cars as A to B transportation devices. Leave maintenance to the dealers or an indy shop. Not interested in hot rodding. Not into car culture. Right to repair is not on their radar.

You might be too harsh on younger people. Yes, young gear heads are a minority. But it was the same for us 50 years ago.

But don't get me started on the continent who look at cars as just another internet device, with wheels attached.

I've heard some variation of this for ages. I don't believe it.

Car culture is going strong right now. Its just DIFFERENT from boomer car culture.
Each generation tends to want the cars they thought were cool when they were kids.
Boomers want cars from the 50s and 60s. Gen X wants 70s and 80s. Millennials want stuff from the 80s-2000s. Gen Z (my kids) are figuring this stuff out right now.

If I go to water-cooled VW shows and all the Mk1 people are "young" GenX and Millennials. But the bell curve looks like Millennials. Mk2 - Mk4 are almost all Millennials and GenZ.

Same goes for the "anything goes" type of shows. The old American iron is all boomers and older GenX. German air-cooled tends to be mostly GenX with some Boomers. And generally the newer the car, the younger the owner.

When I was young in the 80s, I remember the grandpa and uncle complaining that "no one was going to be able to tune up a car with all that electronic crap." Well, here I am, with a laptop I can plug into my 914, a tuning module for my old WRX and (probably) a tuning module for my current GLI at some point.

I'm not worried about the future of car culture. The kids are gunna be alright.

Zach