journey on":2c62ei68 said:
Man...I love German auto design. I'll disagree with the above, and do my part to take this thread further off topic.
Got rid of the last one a few years back, but we had three MBZ's - awesome cars, wife and I miss them dearly. My wrenching skills are typical backyard variety, I'm certainly no pro - but I did all the maintenance on those cars myself, and it was always a joy. Avoiding the dealership kept the cost of ownership very reasonable.
Take your typical MBZ oil change...the dip stick tube is flared at the top, and goes right to the bottom of the oil pan. A simple rubber plug goes in the flare, and the dipstick tube itself is used to suck the oil out via a vacuum cannister attached to my compressor. Next, and typically right up front and on top - the oil filter housing unscrews, a canister oil filter is removed (empty of oil, as it drains downward), and you're left with a massive hole in which you pour the replacement oil - no funnel, no muss. Replace filter, done.
No climbing under the car, didn't even change out of street clothes. A pair of disposable gloves and 15 minutes, all done.
Contrast that to my current Honda Element...one needs to be a contortionist to get the oil filter off. Some dope thought it wise to put it on the back side of the engine at the bottom, but only accessible from the top. After getting the unique combination of filter wrench, universal joint and ratchet that barely fits in the tight area, one gets to belly over the hot valve cover, which is a minor concern because the real enemy is the exhaust pipe next to the oil filter that wants to scald the skin off your forearms when you touch it. It's like playing a game of Operation (you old timers know that one), only there's no buzzer - just lasting scars. And, if you think your punishment has ended - nice try. The oil from the filter has no clear path down to the drain pan. Nope...it nicely covers the frame and axle as it drains down, leaving you with a fun chore on your back with a rag...which you can never quite clean up completely, given the nooks/crannies it works its way into.
And then, there's the Honda creaks/rattles/leaks...the Benzes drove almost like new when sold, all well over 10 years old and each with 125K+ on the odometers.
The Honda always gets me where I need to go, and it is indeed functional - I'll drive it until it drops. Still, the different priorities of Honda engineers compared to their German counterparts have been pretty obvious to me.