Knurled wrote: 100,000 mile Maserati Biturbo.
This is clearly a lie. No such animal exists.
Knurled wrote: 100,000 mile Maserati Biturbo.
This is clearly a lie. No such animal exists.
I havent ever owned a car that was only 20 years old, but the ones I have had (alfa milano and mercedes 300sd) didnt really have that many electrical problems. I occasionally had to fix stuff on the alfa, but it wasn't ever that complicated. The mercedes I had to replace a couple of fuses that I think cracked just from age, but thats about it.
Knurled wrote: I blame the Japanese. No, really. Before the influx of Japanese luxury cars, BMW and Mercedes could charge whatever the heck they wanted for their cars, so they would not skimp on things like components and connectors (ever SEE an older Mercedes's electrical connectors? WOW!) and they weren't in a kind of perpetual gadgetry arms race which means lots of not quite fully developed crap thrown in the cars to try to stay ahead of everyone else. Then came the LS400, and the Q41, and then they had to start upcontenting and cost-cutting. Begin the crapfest. So if you want a dead nuts reliable Euro car, get nothing newer than 1990 or so. I'm not counting VWAG because VW could be hit or miss and Audi was more miss than hit, electrics-wise.
There was also the decision that several European car companies went with around that time to use biodegradable wiring. I believe it was the result of some ill-conceived environmental law that BMW decided to meet around the same time with biodegradable interior parts.
MadScientistMatt wrote: There was also the decision that several European car companies went with around that time to use biodegradable wiring. I believe it was the result of some ill-conceived environmental law that BMW decided to meet around the same time with biodegradable interior parts.
As I recall, it was an EU thing. Somewhere once I actually found an official report identifying the various biodegradable components in the various cars. Lost it, and have never found it again. It was very detailed and specific, which made it a great reference.
you are talking 20 to 25 year old high end cars...i look at the same age caddies and lincs, buicks and yes Japanese that also have electrical problems even the biodegradale wiring doesnt scare me as much anymore because most of was changed out and if it wasnt it most likely is in a yard somewhere but i know what to look for and where to look when it comes to that.
just remember in humans years a 25 year old car is like 300 years old
m4ff3w wrote:Knurled wrote: 100,000 mile Maserati Biturbo.I wish my Biturbo had electrical problems vs the engine scattered throughout the garage.
BWAHAHAHA, sorry dude, but this was EXACTLY what came to mind when reading Knurled's post, and then of course you responded in kind 
The trick is threefold. First, don't buy anything that has a VW sign anywhere on it. Second, make sure its new enough it doesn't have self-stripping German wire, so...1990ish. Third, don't get so new that a scan tool is required to make the windows know where up and down is, so pre 2000.
I'm 53, and I hope to make it through the rest of my life in fuel injected cars the have throttle cables and no traction control.
foxtrapper wrote:MadScientistMatt wrote: There was also the decision that several European car companies went with around that time to use biodegradable wiring. I believe it was the result of some ill-conceived environmental law that BMW decided to meet around the same time with biodegradable interior parts.As I recall, it was an EU thing. Somewhere once I actually found an official report identifying the various biodegradable components in the various cars. Lost it, and have never found it again. It was very detailed and specific, which made it a great reference.
Don't know if it was BMW or an EU thing, but I recall one of the displays at the Zentrum years ago featuring how much was recyclable in one of the BMWs. IIRC it was the 1st gen X3.
The biodegradeable wiring is more like most of the 90s, at least for mercedes. Like 1992-96 or 97..
My 1997 E36 didn't have any electronics issues during my ownership.
Raze wrote:m4ff3w wrote:BWAHAHAHA, sorry dude, but this was EXACTLY what came to mind when reading Knurled's post, and then of course you responded in kindKnurled wrote: 100,000 mile Maserati Biturbo.I wish my Biturbo had electrical problems vs the engine scattered throughout the garage.
I'm just glad I can entertain others in my Bitrouble misery.
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