I would also join this endeavor. This country needs a small, light pickup truck again that a guy can fix in his driveway with basic tools.
Comment on You guys need to stop
Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 7 months agoIf I ever win the lottery, I’m hiring a 50 people like you to build an incredibly basic production car together. Make it barely or technically meet the modern technology standards to be road legal in all 50 states, but use the simplest mechanical solution to everything a car needs to do. I assume a lot of systems would have to be installed as a “backup” to the electrical version, but I’d want to build it to be able to function perfectly with all the computers disconnected. Probably ship it with instructions phrased as warnings of what not to do.
CommissarVulpin@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Yes! Something the size of a 90s ranger, or even a little smaller. Built with flat glass and a bench seat if we can get away with it.
CADmonkey@lemmy.world 7 months ago
This exists in the motorcycle world, actually. You can buy a 2023 Suzuki DR650. It will have a speedometer, an air cooled 650cc single cylinder engine, and that’s it. No ECU, no LED lights, no ABS, nothing. It doesn’t even have fuel injection.
In the automotove world there is/was something sort of close to what you’re describing. It’s called a Mitsubishi Mirage. 3 cylinders making a furious 78 horsepower, gets great mileage, and is absurdly easy to maintain and repair. And ever since they started making the current Mirage in 2014, it has been given so much hate because it’s a no-frills economy car. People literally bitch about how you can see a couple of screw heads when you open the door, and cry that it’s slower than a Mustang and less luxurious than a Lexus.
So be prepared to hear that when designing a basic car. There are automotive writers and reviewers who are very out of touch, and can’t understand that a basic cheap car is a good thing.
Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Interesting about the Mirage. Next time I’m looking for a commuter car, I’ll have to look for one of those.
CADmonkey@lemmy.world 7 months ago
There are two basic kinds of Mirage. There is a hatchback and a sedan. The sedan has a huge trunk (My wife is 5’-9", I’m 6’-0", and we can both fit in the trunk) and a decent amount of rear legroom.
My wife and I have a 2017 “G4” Mirage, which is the sedan. Ours is a 5 speed manual, the only “option” we got is bluetooth which we never use. It does have power windows and locks standard. It has a steel oil pan, not an aluminum one, so it doesn’t strip out as easily. The only problem we have had with ours is a gas guage that started acting up last month. Other than that it’s a solid car that gets us 45+ mpg highway.
Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Is it light enough that the car can get out of its own way, despite the low horsepower engine?
Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Oh absolutely, I’d expect this imaginary car would be an ugly thing, and constantly panned by reviewers. People would be outraged that some nobody burned his hundreds of millions in lottery money on a trash looking car. Meanwhile, every mechanic constantly recommends it for a daily driver because it just works and is super easy to fix.
Getawombatupya@aussie.zone 7 months ago
Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 7 months ago
It might look like an economy car of yesteryear, but not like the Homer
Noved@lemmy.ca 7 months ago
As long as the price reflects that absolutely. I feel like one of the reasons cars are getting so pricy is because we are filling them with so much bloat. Ex. Heated seats, power windows, tablets. Like, what happened to a base model car?
Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Yes, I would want the price to reflect the simplicity, and lack of extras should help with that. Let the aftermarket companies do heated seats and fancy stereos.
Noved@lemmy.ca 7 months ago
Open source car? Lol. Design it as easy to aftermarket as possible. Let aftermarket companies sell full seats and ECT. Use only standard connections and hardware
Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Surely there is an open source car by now. Some sort of street legal kit?
I do think open source car is the best label to describe what I’m dreaming of. But factory built to take advantage of bulk order pricing for the parts and because people who are actually willing and able to put their own car together are rare.