ACK!!! 911 KERS
05-18-2011, 04:41 PM
#16
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
If some of you guys made car companies' decisions, we would all still be driving carbureted, straight-axle cars. Implementing new technologies is a natural evolution of the automotive industry and pretty much any other industry as well.
One major downside is that Joe at the local mechanic's shop will eventually become obsolete--in 20 years, no one will be able to work on new cars. Buy it, drive it until it breaks (3-7 years), have minor services performed at the dealership while under warranty, and recycle it. Residual value on these techno-wonders is going to be next to nothing since no one will be able--or want, for that matter--to fix them once out of warranty.
One major downside is that Joe at the local mechanic's shop will eventually become obsolete--in 20 years, no one will be able to work on new cars. Buy it, drive it until it breaks (3-7 years), have minor services performed at the dealership while under warranty, and recycle it. Residual value on these techno-wonders is going to be next to nothing since no one will be able--or want, for that matter--to fix them once out of warranty.
Sometimes "progress" really isn't.
05-18-2011, 05:10 PM
#17
Drifting
What do you expect them to do? It isn't Porsche's fault. Look at the automotive industry as a whole--what are the major trends? Do you expect Porsche to go in a different direction? I don't like where the auto industry is headed either; however, I just don't see the issue with KERS. It allows our beloved ICE to exist while making overall economy better and providing improved performance instead of a decline. That's a lot better than some other options.
I'll put $5 down that you will enjoy driving one when the opportunity arises.
I'll put $5 down that you will enjoy driving one when the opportunity arises.
05-18-2011, 05:48 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Posts: 972
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One major downside is that Joe at the local mechanic's shop will eventually become obsolete--in 20 years, no one will be able to work on new cars. Buy it, drive it until it breaks (3-7 years), have minor services performed at the dealership while under warranty, and recycle it. Residual value on these techno-wonders is going to be next to nothing since no one will be able--or want, for that matter--to fix them once out of warranty.
If Joe is willing to learn he can keep up. Some things are getting easier. A lot of diagnostics are done by the car itself instead of digging for clues about what went wrong. Often the problem identified way before it becomes a major problem.
There are some efforts at standardization and optimization that make things easier to work on. Stuff like signaling/control buses and whatnot.
Even the politicians are slowly coming around about forcing manufactures to have more open systems.
Some components are becoming self contained and unfixable but they are replaceable.
Assuming Joe the mechanic can only tune carburetors is insulting to many real mechanics.
I don't know if KERS in the 911 will work well or not. Lots of technologies seemed like a good idea at first look and then went nowhere. Some had terrible initial implementations but finally got perfected. We will see.
05-18-2011, 10:18 PM
#21
Rennlist Member
What do you expect them to do? It isn't Porsche's fault. Look at the automotive industry as a whole--what are the major trends? Do you expect Porsche to go in a different direction? I don't like where the auto industry is headed either; however, I just don't see the issue with KERS. It allows our beloved ICE to exist while making overall economy better and providing improved performance instead of a decline. That's a lot better than some other options.
I'll put $5 down that you will enjoy driving one when the opportunity arises.
I'll put $5 down that you will enjoy driving one when the opportunity arises.
But it's harder to explain how direct injection makes cars more environmentally friendly, so we get complicated contraptions like KERS added on so the marketing people can dazzle the political people and appease the "activists"
I have nothing against innovations in technology - this one just seems dumb though
05-18-2011, 10:38 PM
#23
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
05-18-2011, 10:48 PM
#24
Race Car
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: With A Manual Transmission
Posts: 4,728
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
That prototype will need a lot of work for me to like it. How many decades can you run the same circle round headlights? Can SOMETHING on the outside actually advance other than the tailights?
05-19-2011, 12:27 AM
#25
Nordschleife Master
I've heard that Porsche is looking to return in some way to F1. I know these rumours have been dismissed previously, but obviously the addition of KERS to a 911 is an indication that there may be involvement at some level with F1 now or in the future.
05-19-2011, 08:53 AM
#26
The Penguin King
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
05-19-2011, 09:29 AM
#27
Race Car
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: With A Manual Transmission
Posts: 4,728
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Yes, that's what's frustrating. Porsche people can be too old fashioned. This drawback crap ons car that never really advanced look wise is retarded. Why would anyone want retro looks on modern 911's.
05-19-2011, 10:50 AM
#29
Drifting
Assuming Joe the mechanic can only tune carburetors is insulting to many real mechanics.
I don't know if KERS in the 911 will work well or not. Lots of technologies seemed like a good idea at first look and then went nowhere. Some had terrible initial implementations but finally got perfected. We will see.
I don't know if KERS in the 911 will work well or not. Lots of technologies seemed like a good idea at first look and then went nowhere. Some had terrible initial implementations but finally got perfected. We will see.
I'm not hating on independent mechanics. They deserve the business much more than dealerships. But to say that the mechanic around the corner in any given small town will be able to repair 911 KERS or a crashed Ford MySync (or whatever they call it) is just not true. He may be able to diagnose it by plugging in his scan tool, but he isn't repairing it. Unless you consider repairing it "take it all out and replace the whole thing." The cars that he has the ability to repair are already decreasing in number to a small degree, and you can't run a business when you don't have any customers. That is an extreme example, but you can't refute that the amount of potential customers for an independent will be decreasing. Obsolete was a stretch, and 20 years is definitely a stretch--I'm using a hyperbole to get the point across.
I completely agree that there will be bugs, and the first rendition will probably have a lot of issues. You have to start somewhere and begin releasing to the public, as that is the only way you can accumulate that much testing knowledge and improve upon it. KERS seems like a pretty cool innovation with a performance upside.
My point is that there are two sides to it, but complaining about it is pointless. It is obviously the direction the auto industry is headed, and Porsche is a big player these days. There are upsides and downsides; just accept that it is going to happen and adapt accordingly. Hang on to your beloved air-cooled 911 or grab one/more while they are still priced reasonably. I sure will.
Where were all the haters when the 918 Spyder was released?
