Is the use of plastic on new vehicles out of control?

[Number_35]

Back in 1980 I owned the fastest car Chrysler Corp sold- a 1979 Plymouth Arrow GT 2.6; 0 to 60 in a blistering 10 seconds flat. It averaged 25 mpg.
43 years later I have a 4 door sedan that weighs @1,200 lbs. more and runs 0 to 60 in 4.1 seconds; it also averages 25 mpg.
I hate progress.

I'm not doubting you at all, but am shocked that an Arrow with the sad Mitsu 2.6 was the best Chrysler could do at the time.

1979 was a low point for Mopar - the Leanburn system was very problematic, the company faced bankruptcy, and the K-Cars were still a year out.

 

[Nick1994]

The high quality plastic that cars are made of now aren't the same thing as a $0.99 Halloween candy bucket.

I'd hate to have a car full of metal that corrodes, rattles, weighs a ton, and costs a fortune.

Cars today don't have any more plastic than your 430k+ mile Corolla. I'm assuming the plastic stuff has faired pretty well?

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

New vehicles seem to be produced with more and more plastics. The entire front end, rear end, under the hood, the bottom side, interiors, are just plastered with plastics. Vehicles have become mostly "throwaways". I changed the oil in my daughter's VW Tiguan a couple of weeks ago, and I noticed that the oil pan and drain plug are plastic. Really? This is going a bit overboard with the use of plastics. I wouldn't mind it so much if prices didn't keep going up, but that's certainly not the case. Where does this plasticizing end?

BMW started the trend in the 90s. Great for the parts dept.

 

[MCompact]

I'm not doubting you at all, but am shocked that an Arrow with the sad Mitsu 2.6 was the best Chrysler could do at the time.

1979 was a low point for Mopar - the Leanburn system was very problematic, the company faced bankruptcy, and the K-Cars were still a year out.

From rememberroad.com:
It was a car that “vaulted the quarter-mile,” per Car and Driver, and 17.8 seconds at 78 mph and did 0-60 mph and 10.1 seconds. Road & Track recorded a quicker 0-60, at 9.6 seconds, faster than the 10.4 of the Mustang Turbo 2.3 or the VW Scirocco. But that wasn’t the whole story. “The car moves,” said Car and Driver, which reveled in its instant response and noted in the government’s 50-80 mph pass test (hey, wasn’t the speed limit 55 mph?) the Fire Arrow was the fastest missile in the Chrysler quiver, eclipsing even the 360 cid V8 Chrysler 300. With patience, the Fire Arrow topped out at 108 mph.

I actually liked the 2.6; it was reliable and it looked to me as if much of the design was cribbed from the iconic BMW M10. One thing I did learn; the manual said to change the plugs and they meant it-once I waited until summer break so I could change the plugs at home. On the way home at a tick over 16k miles one plug died...

 

[captainbeandip]

Just replaced the plastic OEM radiator in the 2002 Wrangler. Piece of crap only lasted 21 years.

Did you replace it with a plastic one or a metal one? Did you "upgrade" it, or just go with pretty much the same thing that was in there?

For a Wrangler, I'm guessing you probably have plenty of replacement options to choose from.

Maybe even plastic body panels?

 

[4WD]

I'm not doubting you at all, but am shocked that an Arrow with the sad Mitsu 2.6 was the best Chrysler could do at the time.

1979 was a low point for Mopar - the Leanburn system was very problematic, the company faced bankruptcy, and the K-Cars were still a year out.

Drove a 79’ PowerWagon for 17 years - guy who bought it took the tags off and used it on his ranch …

 

[Rmay635703]

plastics seem to be getting stronger and engineered to offer a cost cutting solution for oems. pennies add up quickly.

However this isnt something thats new. With what i see rolling out, fabric is replacing leather and soft touch.

I’ve found the opposite, you sneeze wrong and the entire front bumper explodes, the 50 cents of plastic costs a couple grand to replace assuming anyone is still making parts.

If there is a cost savings nobody gets it

 

[proveitwithdata]

this is the current thinking.

These arent your grocery bag plastics. That being said i understand that if the correct material is not specd for the job, of course you'll have issues.

for instance you buy a new toyota yaris, designed to be a compact hatchback with a design life of 6 years. Customer keeps its 26 years, and starts noticing plastic engine brackets are cracking at the slightest touch. Is this a design flaw, or a customer expectation issue

 

[AZjeff]

Did you replace it with a plastic one or a metal one? Did you "upgrade" it, or just go with pretty much the same thing that was in there?

For a Wrangler, I'm guessing you probably have plenty of replacement options to choose from.

Maybe even plastic body panels?

Replaced with a Denso OEM style plastic replacement . I don’t care if it only lasts 10 years I likely won’t own it. OEM is recognized as the best but are hard to find and expensive. Aluminum radiators don’t have a good rep unless expensive either. Tons of aftermarket for jeeps but not aware of any plastic body parts. Hardcore guys want tougher body parts, steel or aluminum, mall crawlers copy the hardcores and never touch dirt.

 

[cptbarkey]

BMW started the trend in the 90s. Great for the parts dept.

Not so great for the brittle cooling systems, hence my last BMW was my last. Disgraceful lazy engineering.

 

[MCompact]

Not so great for the brittle cooling systems, hence my last BMW was my last. Disgraceful lazy engineering.

Tell me about it! The cooling system in my E36 has only lasted 28 years so far. I’m beyond disappointed.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Tell me about it! The cooling system in my E36 has only lasted 28 years so far. I’m beyond disappointed.

Seriously? All original?

 

[Soft Cars]

There was one day the little girl ( 4 years old ) from next door grabbed my magnetic parts tray and was determined to stick it on her aunt's Saturn Vue. She couldn't find anywhere on the car where the parts tray would stick. The parts tray I had contained an unusually powerful magnet. I keep it stuck to the file cabinet out in the garage and it's still there today.

 

[bbhero]

Why does part of that verse from Sirmixxalot song come to mind here… “ plastic parts are made for toys.”

 

[cptbarkey]

Tell me about it! The cooling system in my E36 has only lasted 28 years so far. I’m beyond disappointed.

Hello unicorn, also not a 2000 5 series.

 

[ATex7239]

I wish things were still built like my old Studebaker. Slap good ol’ straight 30 and some leaded in it, finish off my RC Cola and Moon Pie then off to do the Jitterbug with ten cents in my pocket. It was the cat’s pajamas.

 

[grampi]

Cost cutting is not for the benefit of us, the customers.

Obviously...

 

[hemioiler]

The only plastics I can't stand are the ones that obviously look plastic either on the exterior or interior. So work trucks for example, white with black plastic on the bumpers, looks terrible. Or even more upscale trims but then black plastic stuff on the hood, so the Ram Rebel hood or the Power Wagon. It just looks cheap.

 

[Astro14]

The only plastics I can't stand are the ones that obviously look plastic either on the exterior or interior. So work trucks for example, white with black plastic on the bumpers, looks terrible. Or even more upscale trims but then black plastic stuff on the hood, so the Ram Rebel hood or the Power Wagon. It just looks cheap.

How do you feel about the Chevy Avalanche?

 

[proveitwithdata]

The only plastics I can't stand are the ones that obviously look plastic either on the exterior or interior. So work trucks for example, white with black plastic on the bumpers, looks terrible. Or even more upscale trims but then black plastic stuff on the hood, so the Ram Rebel hood or the Power Wagon. It just looks cheap.

how about shiny piano black on the exterior bumper on the bz/soltera evs?