It is not as bad as we think

[Hasbeen]

Next time you are having a problem finding a replacement bit for your Triumph, don't complain too loudly if it takes a month or 2.

On last Christmas eve the module that tells my Honda S2000 that the passenger window is down, & the hood/top can now go down expired. Nothing exciting, it just stopped working, which meant the hood could not go down, nor the window go back up.

I connected a 12V source to the window to close it, & ordered a new module through my local excellent auto electrician. Month after month they reported Honda had not supplied the part. After 3 months Honda Australia did send the wrong part, which was not much help.

Finally after 6 months I chased my way through the Honda people in Oz to finally get to someone reasonably senior, who admitted they had no idea of when if ever the module might be available through them. He did at least admit common courtesy really did require they should have notified me through my auto elect, that they were no longer supporting S2000s.

I now have a second hand module, supplied through EBay, by a USA supplier, who sources them through the Japanese used parts network. It arrived 7 months to the day that I first ordered one from Honda. Had they had the decency to advise me they could not supply, I could have got it 6 months ago. How long this will last is anyone's guess

Obviously I have bought my last Honda, & will no longer complain if the people supporting our orphans take a little while to supply a part.

Hasbeen

[Howard_B]

I remember reading that at one time Honda undertook to supply spare parts for any vehicle they ever made, but sadly when their founder died this was stopped.

[FI Spyder]

That's the case with most Japanese cars. Not long after (relatively) I found out that the ICU (board that controls the accessories) was no longer available for my Acura Integra. Fortunately it is discrete components so you can repair it (if you can get to it). I'm restoring my '88 Tercel 4x4 wagon and parts are no longer available for it (some never were) except for some more common NOS parts so you have to find other parts that are close and make them work. We get spoiled working on out British cars.

[UKPhilTR7]

Recently I had to replace the front side light housing and lens. I had a bit of a game getting my hands on some and moaned a bit when I had to solder my old clip on to one. However, after a bit of searching (well 2 suppliers) I was able to get them delivered within a week and a half. Looking back I think I had nothing to moan about lol.

With the event of 3d printers I wonder if they will be able to help with some parts. The side light housing being one thing I thought could be made on there.

[Spike]

Stumbled across this on youtube the other day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMe9MOBjkmc. Wonder if it's the way to go for side lights

Not sure how we'd get the opaque look.

[dursleyman]

Couple of years ago we needed a new rear tailgate door for our 2005 Mercedes E class estate and the body shop reported that Mercedes could not find one anywhere in Europe, or even worldwide! They found one in the end but it took a couple of weeks and I never got a proper answer about the delay or where it came from.

I can get most parts for the TR7 delivered almost next day but I wonder how long this will continue, especially now that our government has announced we are going all electric from 2040. Just thinking about the infrastructure required to support that gives me a headache. Fine for the city dwellers but what about the countryside?
Then what about all the garages and businesses who depend on cars? Parts suppliers, fuel stations, oil companies etc etc etc. The list is endless. It will be an enormous revolution.

[John_C]

Russ, the electric car announcement is only a target and to get there relies on first developing the technology to actually make electric cars work which they certainly don't at the moment. That was why a few days before there was an announcement of tax payers money to pay for new battery research which is probably no bad thing. However, the ambition to ban all diesel and petrol cars by 2050 will be a smoke screen to ban diesel as there would be a lot of upset recent purchasers of diesels if only diesels were cited. This will change over time and a lot will depend on the British classic car economy. If it continues at similar value levels to where it is today then petrol will be ongoing as long as there are people prepared to manufacture and supply it.

Hydrogen will quite likely come to the fore before all this finishes playing out. As it can now be delivered in pellet form it can't be beyond the wit of man to create something that will then turn it back into liquid just prior to delivery into the cylinders of the combustion engine. Hydrogen will also fit in with our present infrastructure and will mean society can carry on and keep on the move without having to manufacture billions of batteries that we later have to dispose of. It will also mean we won't have vehicles parked up everywhere trying to take on additional energy to complete a journey.

[Hasbeen]

My guess is that once the stuff really hits the fan, even greenies will get over their fear of nuclear.

Once that happens I expect transport will be steam powered, with a chip of nuclear material, installed on the production line generating the steam for the life of the vehicle.

Even if we stopped burning oil tomorrow it would have little effect on the oil & gas industries. With all our plastics, & most chemicals, medicines & fertilizers coming from oil or gas, we are going to be harvesting it for as long as it is available.

Battery power is great for my little remote controlled planes but it has a long way to go before it can power a D12 catapiler dozer.

[saabfast]

Russ, the electric car announcement is only a target and to get there relies on first developing the technology to actually make electric cars work which they certainly don't at the moment. That was why a few days before there was an announcement of tax payers money to pay for new battery research which is probably no bad thing. However, the ambition to ban all diesel and petrol cars by 2050 will be a smoke screen to ban diesel as there would be a lot of upset recent purchasers of diesels if only diesels were cited. This will change over time and a lot will depend on the British classic car economy. If it continues at similar value levels to where it is today then petrol will be ongoing as long as there are people prepared to manufacture and supply it.

Hydrogen will quite likely come to the fore before all this finishes playing out. As it can now be delivered in pellet form it can't be beyond the wit of man to create something that will then turn it back into liquid just prior to delivery into the cylinders of the combustion engine. Hydrogen will also fit in with our present infrastructure and will mean society can carry on and keep on the move without having to manufacture billions of batteries that we later have to dispose of. It will also mean we won't have vehicles parked up everywhere trying to take on additional energy to complete a journey.

The announcement was only to ban the production of NEW diesel and petrol cars after 2040. It is a typical political statement knowing that most of those making it will not be around to see it and there will probably be many other developments in the next 22 years including hydrogen as John notes. You should still be able to run the TR7/8 although hydrocarbon fuels will presumably be phased out some time after then if it happens (or just even more highly taxed). It will be interesting to see how the values of 'normal' cars move as it gets closer, increasing due to restriction of supply or reducing due to run down of the fuel/increased taxation etc. Don't think it will bother me either way.

[dursleyman]

Completely agree guys, and I don't think it will bother me too much either.

Just having a thoughtful moment I was remembering how we studied history at school, the agricultural revolution in the 1700s and the industrial revolution that followed in the 1800s. We are all currently living through a new revolution with microchips and computers and over the horizon - look out! - there is another one to move away from fossil fuels. It will be interesting to see how it works out.

[John_C]

Alan, the statement included something you and everyone else seem to have missed and that was the ban of all petrol and diesel cars ten years after the manufacture of these cars has ceased. So 2050 is the current target for getting our cars off the road.

I'm in favour of banning diesel as quickly as practicable but I'm sure the authorities are only including petrol engines currently to placate people who feel they've been duped into buying a diesel. I've always known diesel to be filthy and dangerous and would never have bought one but it seems most people are easily led.

[saabfast]

I hadn't seen that part John but its so long ahead that all sorts of things could change by then, and I will be 97 so its my kids (or grandchildren) who will have to worry about getting fuel for the 7! That's always assuming it has not melted into a pile of brown crumbs by then.
Agree about diesels, it was known when I was at school that diesel exhaust was carcinogenic - and that's a long time ago. Sometimes doubt MP's had an education.

[FI Spyder]

Not sure if you all realise it but the next generation battery is already here (in the lab) by the guy who invented the lithium battery so has some credibility. It's the lithium glass (as opposed to current lithium cobalt) battery and there's no shortage of glass (sand) in the world. It holds three times the charge (three times the distance), charges faster, not appreciably affected by temperature and has more recharge cycles (lasts longer). Checks every box on current battery short comings. The only question is what will they do with the obsolete electric cars produced until manufactures start using it on an industrial scale? Will they build replacement battery packs using new technology or let them go to the crusher and sell them new cars?

[UKPhilTR7]

Stumbled across this on youtube the other day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMe9MOBjkmc. Wonder if it's the way to go for side lights

Not sure how we'd get the opaque look.

Wow I like the look of this. Sure that we could make some of the lenses this way that are getting a bit hard to get.