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Date:         Mon, 16 Sep 2013 13:11:40 -0500
Reply-To:     mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject:      electronics rant, (don't read it if you don't want to)
In-Reply-To:  <EkeU1m00r08X5Fr01keWFu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Fellow listers: Keep your old vanagons, they can be fixed.

Please forgive me for posting a NVC rant.

My Toyota Prius has a display unit, called the Multi-function Display, in the center of the dash. This unit has a touch screen which is the means of controlling the AC, heater, audio, and is how one switches among various informational readouts. Mine failed, it will no longer take any instruction. Touching it just elicits ............. nothing. So, I cannot change the heat from face to feet (or the AC), I cannot change the AC or heat fan speed. AC works, I don't know about heat. AC works on "automatic," which means the car, via some hidden sensors and computers, decides what temperature setting, where to blow air, and at what speed. Radio presets are only accessible via this unit, also, so no can use. The radio (and cd player) works, and there is an old fashioned tuning knob, so that's ok. Sound volume even has an old fashioned knob.

Arghh!!

Toyota dealer wants (yep, written quote) $6312 for this gem of some idiot engineer's or marketing guru's dreams, installed. Or, they will install an "exchange" unit (reconditioned) for $2964.

This does have a more generic point -- why are such electronics used, when simple mechanical devices serve as well or better? Oh, I know the answer -- profit. But even at that, I could buy a lot of computer for $6312. Of course, that's all this device is, an in dash computer.

Keep your vanagons, they can be fixed, and such electronics are becoming more and more the norm in automobiles.

I found a used unit with half the miles that my car has for $150. I can install it myself, or the dealer will install it for $200. But what is the logic of buying used electronics that have shown a propensity for failure?

Arrgh ........ !!

mcneely


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