RE: [alfa] Wing warping and modern cars

["Gregory Youngblood" <greg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The funny thing is I'm a computer person by profession. :) I love the
gadgets, the toys, etc. I also want them to work right. And I get annoyed by
what I consider laziness.

Don't get me wrong - the older computers did a surprisingly good job for the
simplicity compared to modern monstrosities. My problem is that, like you
said, the technicians have come to rely upon them to the point of ignoring
basic training and instinct.

They can hear and feel an engine stumble as something causes it to miss --
yet, it must be normal because the computer says so. While an "old-timer"
might tell you to run some Marvel Mystery Oil in the tank, or stop buying
cheap no-name gas from the corner 7-11 and buy some quality gas, or adjust
the timing (if possible), or change a spark plug, or... You get the idea. 

It's just like someone said somewhere else about programmers -- programmers
have been commoditized. Instead of appreciating the creative and often
artistic efforts that go into creating good programs, now it is acceptable
for "standards" and "processes" to create code that "simply" satisfies the
lowest common denominator of the requirements, never mind that it will
require a complete rewrite to add features later. The same is true of the
"real mechanics" (of which I most certainly am NOT). They have been
"commoditized" with the use of computers so that their skill in working with
the mechanical machines, and figuring things out in almost the same "black
magic" way a programmer creates a masterpiece program, is no longer
appreciated. If the computer says nothing is wrong, then nothing is wrong,
close everything up, no problem found, charge for an hour of "tear down and
inspection" labor, and move to the next car.

Ok, enough non-Alfa content. Now for some Alfa content. If things keep going
like they are, I'll have some money saved to take my spider in and have a
couple of things checked out and hopefully fixed. I'm really looking forward
to having the spider back for driving. I've missed that 1974 "work of art",
it's mechanical "computer" (SPICA), and the look on people's faces when this
lowly little yellow car takes off and either leaves them behind or prevents
them from leaving me behind despite their best efforts. Not to mention the
wind in my face and water on my feet (ok, so it leaks a little, I'm going to
fix it, really.). :)

Greg

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Benjamin Kaupp [mailto:bkaupp@domain.elided] 
> Sent: Monday, December 08, 2003 11:09 PM
> To: Gregory Youngblood
> Subject: Re: [alfa] Wing warping and modern cars
> 
> I understand your hatred of computers, but I did like in my 
> Audi and BMW (and Jaguar and Land Rover, come to think of it) 
> being able to get an idea of what was wrong before I started 
> tearing up the entire car. I agree that people have come to 
> rely too much on computers and in doing so, come to believe 
> the computers too much... But, since I am not one of those 
> gem old timers (and I can only very rarely afford to utilize 
> their knowledge) I would sometimes really love to have a 
> computer in my Spider to tell me where I should start looking.
> 
> -Ben
> 
> On Dec 8, 2003, at 7:53 PM, Gregory Youngblood wrote:
> 
> > In my opinion this is exactly what's wrong with so many 
> cars now. The 
> > mechanics are not mechanics anymore, they are computer technicians 
> > changing modules when something goes out.
> >
> > The problem is, the "computer" doesn't have enough sensors 
> to really 
> > tell exactly where EVERY problem is. So, those "old time" mechanics 
> > who know motors, those gems that you can almost never find, are the 
> > few that can still fix the nagging problems that are the 
> early signs 
> > of larger problems down the road, where the "new" mechanics 
> say "there 
> > is no problem because the computer doesn't report any errors".
> >
> > I'm sorry -- I've been annoyed by motors that miss 
> intermittently, by 
> > cars that shift oddly, by various other minor problems on cars with 
> > "computers".
> > Sometimes, when I find those gems I mentioned above, they 
> say "XYZ and 
> > you'll be good", and they'll be right! Plus, I've had 
> friends that had 
> > a car that began behaving oddly while in warranty - "No 
> problem found, 
> > no errors".
> > Once out of warranty something would self destruct. Then the error 
> > code was the damaged engine. It never did record the error 
> of what was 
> > going out to cause the engine to die.
> >
> > On the flip side, I do like the Tiburon and Suburu that you 
> mention, 
> > though my favorite choice for a US available new sports car is not 
> > cheap by comparison -- the new RX8.
> >
> > Greg
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: owner-alfa@domain.elided [mailto:owner-alfa@domain.elided] 
> On Behalf 
> >> Of Benjamin Kaupp
> >> Sent: Monday, December 08, 2003 8:53 PM
> >> To: alfa@domain.elided
> >> Subject: Re: [alfa] Wing warping and modern cars
> >>
> >> with better milage and a better sound system. It will be 
> safer in a 
> >> wreck and I know that if I have a problem, I can plug it into a 
> >> computer and I'll know what's wrong.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> --
> Benjamin Kaupp
> User Group Connection
> bkaupp@domain.elided
> 831.295.2591
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