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From: Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: Speed limiters
Date: Sat, 6 Jul 2024 15:19:28 -0700
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On 7/6/2024 11:57 AM, Martin Brown wrote:
> How many gallons to the mile does that do?

It's relatively easy to get vehicles that will fall in the < 10MPG (not GPM)
range.  A friend's camaro clocks in at about 8MPG.  My old (75) Monte Carlo was
about 14.

> I saw a very unusual US car at a local show - one of 92 ever made and still in 
> pristine condition. Auburn 1935 Boattail 851 speedster (spent most of its life 
> in some pop stars garage). Now doing the rounds on the UK circuit - unless 
> there is something even more exotic it wins best in show. It looks like 
> something that Dan Dare ought to drive!

I am always amazed at how people spend their monies (which is a consequence of
how htey spent their -- or their parents' -- lives).  I have friends driving
"nonsense" cars -- a $300K Huracan, a $1.3M mclaren, etc.  And, "driving" is
an overstatement.  The cars "get rides" to shows to keep the wear and tear
to a minimum.  So, what value having something if only to say you *have* it?

> In some ways I miss the old days when you could take a mechanical car apart and 
> then put it back together again. These days everything is electronic and 
> firmware based. I don't miss the Ford bolt of year award though for the one put 
> in such a position that without the right custom tool you would inevitably skin 
> your knuckles getting it undone.

I see nothing wrong with "electronic" or "firmware".  The problem lies in
the fact that these systems are all *closed*.  So, you are helpless to
understand what is happening, why and how to fix it.  (and, they are designed
with large/costly FRUs whereas the "fix" may be something trivial)

I've been looking for an old (~'61?) Continental to "instrument".  But, as
this will require *replacing* the plant, you don't want something that
is advertised as "low mileage" (can you say, "arm and a leg"?).  And, those
that are higher mileage often have other issues (esp body related) that
would be a nuisance to fix.

I found one, locally, but it was a rag top <frown>

> Parking radar on the bumpers make trivial fender benders extortionately 
> expensive now and insurance premiums are rising to take account of that.

Bumper covers, in general, are A Bad Idea.  Way too easy to damage and
costly to replace (esp as they always will need to be repainted).

> The parking light failure sensor on my previous car failed (incorrect warning 
> every time you start the car). Cost to repair required an entire light cluster 
> assembly swap so no way was I going to do that! The parking light still worked 
> fine but the sensor thought it didn't.

Was the sensor optically based?  Or, did it monitor the drop across the lamp
(or current through it)?