Modern cars have killed the DIY enthusiast

Are you your own first-line computer support person? I’m sure most of you are. You install software yourself, adjust settings, and troubleshoot technical problems. Those of you with web hosting accounts no doubt do at least some of the administration on those accounts.

Do you do any “tech support” on your car? Very few of us do. There was a time when it was common.

When I was a kid, Saturday mornings would see lots of men (yes, it was almost always men) out in their driveways with their heads under the hood, working on their cars. I remember working on our family car with my dad, who even used a strobe light to set the timing of the spark plugs. Nowadays the timing is not user adjustable, as it is handled by computer circuits.

It was commonplace for many owners to change oil themselves, change spark plugs, test circuits, and many other maintenance tasks. It was not even unusual to see folks changing brake pads or other more labour-intensive tasks.

Nowadays, much of that home tinkering is simply not possible. Modern cars are more complicated, requiring specialized tools and diagnostic software. The tasks have also become physically more difficult.

Compare the under-the-hood view of a modern car with one from, say, 30 years ago. The modern engine compartment is significantly more crowded, with little open space to manoeuvre. Instead of clearly identifiable parts and functions, the modern engine compartment seems an almost impenetrable jumble of machinery. Professional mechanics, with the aid of computerized shop manuals, know which components must be loosened, rotated or removed to permit access to the desired part. While it used to be possible, with some basic mechanical aptitude, to tinker and figure things out by trial and error, that’s mostly no longer possible.

I still replace dirty air filters and failing batteries myself, which I’m sure is more than most drivers do. Automobile association research finds that a huge percentage of drivers can’t even be bothered to keep their tires at the correct pressure.

I find it somewhat sad that home automobile tinkering has, of necessity, become a lost art. I wonder if the growing complexity of personal computers will lead to a similar future for them.