Bill raised the question, why does the new Jag cost so much? I think a lot a people will be asking the same question when it comes to repair work on new cars as auto companies strive to meet fleet mpg targets. Ford's solution is banking on aluminum to lower weight. The newest F150 shows they are willing to jump in with both feet to test the waters. BMW's solution rests with heavy use of carbon fiber in future cars. We've already been shocked by the prices of some of today's modern headlight assemblies. It is no secret that today's training schools for mechanics can not keep pace with technology changes in autos. The same will become true for auto body shops. One can only imagine what these new body materials will do to auto insurance rates. You don't just slap some bond on aluminum or carbon fiber for repairs. How do you see the future looking?

 

These are the good ole days...

 

Construction costs drive this as well, Dave. Everything is a subassembly. Adhesives, rivets, and molded plastic are all used to combine 5, 10 or even 20 parts into one unserviceable piece that must be replaced whole if any one of the components fail. The subassembly will always cost much more than the single part that actually failed, but the part is not even avaialble for sale, let alone removeable from the sub assembly without some home engineering to figure out how to break the thing apart and then reassemble it. Maybe this cuts down on labor time???

 

Or makes the parts guy rich.

Rick (as well as service guys) often deals with folks who don't like the fact that a replacement part has to be purchased as an assembly. It's obviously a lot more expensive and often doesn't seem to make much sense.

As I drive my new Jeep with the heated steering wheel, Blue Tooth, on screen radio selections, etc. I see $$$$ signs when this stuff and other electronics start to let go. I see the future of auto repairs being very very expensive!

 

Very much the same as with computers or other electronics. You don't repair the damaged/bad board, you replace them. I suspect that auto mechanics of the future won't ever repair parts, just replace them until the vehicle runs properly.

I haven't got a clue as to how they'll repair bodies, frames, light assemblies and chassis, but I suspect that they don't either.

 

I made the observation before. Many cars today have custom electronics and displays.
Your local shop won't be able to cobble one together using the part from another car.
There is an incredible amount of IP ( intellectual Property) locked up in making one of these parts.
It's actually in the manufacturer's interest to have them age out and you will have to replace it.

remember the old joke about if Bill Gates made cars.

 

It's easier & faster therefore cheaper to manufacture with assemblies rather than descrete parts. Although with exclusive non-standard parts, they decide when your part is obsolete!
I know first hand, I was an electronics repair tech for 17 years. Moved on after manufacturers started stamping out boards that were not designed to repair.