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Simply obvious

In the past when older motorists like me hark back and wonder none of the major manufacturers produce a less complex car than is currently on offer with the advantage of ridding them of some of the weight they have put on, as pointed out by James May a while back we are rightly told that this is not an issue with the new car buyer. Now we find that things are more serious with every week that passes, I wonder with so many people dependant on a reliable car with minimal running costs if the time may have come where a major manufacturer could find success with a car that reverses many trends. Obviously they would need good NCAP ratings and would need an efficient injected managed engine. However, just think of the publicity it would generate if a manufacturer were able to advertise a full toolkit, servicing instructions in the handbook and if your still not able don’t worry as good design ensures low workshop charges. I know it sounds unlikely, but not that unlikely with some of the changes coming, the numbers tell me that this crisis has barely started yet, a bit like the phoney war in 1939.

Asked on 28 March 2009 by

Answered by Honest John
A modern car has to meet rigorous safety and emissions standards and cannot do that without complex electronics that actually limit the life of the vehicle itself. The closest you can currently get to simplicity is a Citroen C1/Peugeot 107/Toyota Aygo or a FIAT Panda Active or a new model Suzuki Alto or a Hyundai i10 1.2 Comfort, but even they will soon be required by the EC to have ESC as well as ABS. There is a lot of talk about government paying scrappage to get old cars off the road and new ones bought, but expensive failures on cars more than 7 years old are already scrapping them.
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