What make of cars are easiest to work on?

[eljefino]

Any fuel injected inline 4, or an ancient carb'd one from before computer control... because of their zillion vacuum hoses everywhere. Not only do the hoses create a diagnosis nightmare they get in the way of wrench spinning space.

I like the old saturn s-cars, they have their flaws like a crazy oil filter location but for the most part don't have any blind fasteners.

 

[Big O Dave]

Originally Posted By: MrCritical
Trucks. Old trucks.

An older rear wheel drive American vehicle would be the easiest to work on. That's why most vo-techs start training on them.

I once worked at a multi-line dealership. The Japanese, German, and American technicians all swore their's was the easiest to work on.

The honest answer is that they all have easier and harder areas of the vehicle to work on.


I agree completely!

 

[The Critic]

Most cars with the same drive type (FWD or AWD) and cylinder count (I4, V6, etc) are going to be about the same.

 

[crinkles]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
4 cylinder Toyotas, without any doubt. That's why I have one like oily boyd. No jack needed to do any maintenance short of brakes or tires. Everything, especially spark plugs, can be done by the weekend wrench, instead of paying hundreds of dollars at a mechanic.


i really need to drive my toyota up on ramps to change the oil... i am a big guy though...

 

[Ed_T]

Originally Posted By: crinkles
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
4 cylinder Toyotas, without any doubt. That's why I have one like oily boyd. No jack needed to do any maintenance short of brakes or tires. Everything, especially spark plugs, can be done by the weekend wrench, instead of paying hundreds of dollars at a mechanic.


i really need to drive my toyota up on ramps to change the oil... i am a big guy though...

SaME here, did mine 2 days ago. I'd like to do it without ramps but I can't figure out how to squeeze under the thing.

Easiest oil changer I had experience with was a 69 stick Mustang with 351 Windsor, no PS, no AC. Pop the hood, drivers side stand there and unscrew the downward angled OF, then reach down a little further and uncork the pan. Never had to jack it or get under it. Sweet and quick.

 

[moribundman]

Maybe if I were Mister Fantastic I could fit under my car that has about 5 inches of ground clearance...

 

[Shannow]

My E30 doesn't even have 5".

I once changed the starter motor on an R-16TL, RHD.

edit...I didn't take that pic. Better half had to take it, my hands were full.

 

[mstrjon32]

OW!

 

[artificialist]

It seems like no matter what drivetrain is fitted to the car, replacing an A/C evaporator core, heater core, or blend door is NEVER a straightforward task.

However, different designs require different skill levels on other A/C components.

Some manufacturers like to bolt the expansion valve to the evaporator, so that when the A/C compressor fails (Which requires expansion valve replacement), there is a ton of work to be done. This is common in Toyota and Honda cars.

Certain MOPARs tend to have a ton of stuff that get in the way of the evaporator.

 

[Steve S]

Probably why engineers are not heald in high esteem.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
(I4, V6, etc) are going to be about the same.


Ever try changing the back 3 plugs on a fwd V-6??

 

[deven]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: The Critic
(I4, V6, etc) are going to be about the same.


Ever try changing the back 3 plugs on a fwd V-6??


Yeah, its a PIA

 

[1sttruck]

"Maybe if I were Mister Fantastic I could fit under my car that has about 5 inches of ground clearance..."

For changing the oil on my stock Dodge diesel I sawed an inch or two off of the top of a 5 gallon bucket so that it would slide under the truck. I then sawed juts enough of an opening on the side so that with the bucket under the oil pan I could slide my hand in to take the drain plug off after I had broken it loose.

 

[BuickGN]

Definately old American RWD cars or trucks.

In my old days I started wtih transmission R&R. My dad came into the shop on our lunch hour and I installed a high stall torque convertor in his '87 turbo T, had it full of fluid and test driven before the lunch hour was up. Can't say that's possible with the new FWD stuff.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: The Critic
(I4, V6, etc) are going to be about the same.


Ever try changing the back 3 plugs on a fwd V-6??

Correction, I meant most I4s, most V6s, etc are going to be very similar.

Changing the plugs on a Ford V6 is difficult, but is no worse than a GM V6 or a Toyota V6.

 

[kkreit01]

2nd Gen Dodge Neon 2.0 SOHC was quite easy to work on.

 

[byez]

Perhaps I should have clarified the question a bit more as the answers are all over the board.

What modern day manufacturer (2000+) makes the most well layed out vehicles all across the line? Meaning no v6 vs. i6 vs. i4 vs. rwd vs. fwd vs. v8. Just in general all across the line the vehicles have intelligent oil filter locations, the ability to change a thermostat in ten minutes, transmissions that have drain and fill locations instead of dropping the pan, spark plugs that are reachable even if it is a on a rear side of a v6 etc.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Quote:
What modern day manufacturer (2000+) makes the most well layed out vehicles all across the line?


I'd say GM is the best for American and Toyota is the best for Japanese over all.

They have some bad designs but overall easier to work on than others.

Just MO..

Bill

 

[Audi Junkie]

Hanging out after hours w/ my mechanic, he changed the BLOWN TB in a rwd Volvo in literally 5 minutes while talking to me.

 

[BarkerMan]

I have found that Volvo's are easy to work on for the most part. Maybe it matters what facilities you have to do the work and how much you are willing to put up with. We had an A4 Audi in here that was receiving a major work over for some dyno pulls. I would not wish that car on any one. The same can be said for other Audi's. The easiest would be the late model 4Runners, V6 or V8.