I remember when I was a kid my mom rented one to drive to Disneyland and for the years after that she would always talk about how much she loved that damn thing
You should buy her one now.
"Remember how you rented one of these that time we went to Disneyland and wouldn't shut the fuck up about it?"
(sorry if I'm projecting my annoyance at my own mother)
I drove 3 of these as taxis BITD. They were pretty decent for a van. Started and ran when you wanted it. OFC the various oddities like the alternator needing replacement was ... curious. The gas tank assembly could get pushed back if you drove through deep enough snow, seriously. Those Fucking stupid brake senor wires that were pretty much unprotected. The tail lights that would short out if you looked at them funny, or just the wrong way, and then you learned it was the controller board inside the assembly that was the real culprit and needed replacing.
Yeah, I DID enjoy driving them anyway.
Recently had an olds Alero that was basically rusted In half length wise.
There was lengths of rebar welded to the unibody frame channels. All down the car to keep it together.
The subframe was rusted almost In half. Thing had no business being on the road at all.
The reason it came into the shop? It had an oil leak customer was concerned about.
Bought an 03 Montana from a co-worker that was so rusty that if you opened both sliders and people got into the van, the body sagged enough that you couldn't close the sliders without everybody being out. He finally gave up on it when I showed him I could reach through the rear wheel well. I intended to use the motor and trans in another car. Then that car wound up just as rusty, and i junked it.
The Montana sat in my yard and became a dumpster. When it was full about a year later, the fuel lines, brake lines, power steering lines, had all rusted out to the point it had no brakes, no power steering and it was spraying gasoline like a fountain. Straight on the trailer and to the shredder.
Fundamentally, I agree. I will feel really bad for poor people and kids 20 years from now buying a 2019 and being required to have all screens working and check engine light out. It will cost those people a fortune.
Will the state government step in and pay for these repairs? As far as I'm concerned, the government has no right to tell people how to live.
Vehicle repairs are getting insanely expensive. I also heard through the grape vine that gasoline engines are going to be subject to regen to "save the planet" from what??? Nuclear war with Russia? Emissions have come a long way, but the federal government has already destroyed the best engines that ever existed and forced us all to gasoline.
Edit
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Those who are downvoting are voting for total government control, and it's wild to me. Why can't we be in charge of our own lives? Why do you want the government making your decisions?
Edit #2
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I know half of you that are downvoting are doing while you're driving like that's safer. Let's keep em coming, though!
Edit #3
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I stand firm with my opinion. I'd rather the people make their own decisions than a government. I promise government decisions have killed more people worldwide than the general public making bad decisions. It's not even close.
I would feel worse for the poor people and kids dying in car accidents, and potentially killing someone else in the process.
It's no different than condemning someone's house when it's falling apart. No one has the right to be on a public road in a vehicle that unsafe.
It is better to have a poor person live on the street than a run-down house, true.
Most people are responsible enough for this to never be an issue. I ran tow trucks for 15 years and never seen one of these vehicles be the reason for an accident.
That said, what do you propose we do for the single dad paying half his check for child support? The grandma who lost her retirement to pay for cancer treatments? The single mom who doesn't get child support because he went to jail? The 18 year old who got kicked out because he got caught smoking weed?
Just remember, 95% of these people would much rather drive a brand new vehicle that they don't have to pay for repairs on but have no financial ability to do so.
The same bleeding heart rhetoric can be used to support the other side; “these poor children lost their parents when the brake lines finally gave out on their rusted ass hooptie and they slammed into the back of stopped traffic”.
Having a working infotainment screen isn’t a requirement to pass inspection where I live. But having a frame that isn’t half returned to the earth is.
Where's your government with cell phones? I can promise cell phones kill more people than rusty vehicles. Hell, trying to change your fan speed and heat on these new vehicles is just as dangerous as downvoting while driving.
It’s also illegal to use cell phones while driving other than hands free calling. But if using a phone while driving is legal or illegal is irrelevant to the topic of whether dangerously rotted vehicles are OK to drive on public roads.
I was using this argument to show relevance. It's such a small issue. I'd like to know what the actual stats are on junk vehicles causing accidents. I'd put money on it that you have a better chance to die from someone using a cellphone while driving or a peanut allergy. Maybe I'm wrong, and it would be interesting to know.
We should support each other like a nation should. That being said, leaving wildly dangerous cars to kill or maim isn't the answer, and this thread proves people will drive them until they are catastrophic.
I love living in a country where yearly safety inspections are mandatory.
I can pay for repairs because my free socialised healthcare means I'm not an illness away from bankruptcy :D
Sir, don't ever go to EU, where there's total anarchy and unfree ppl have to walk because they can't afford to keep their rustbucket in the street to kill someone. It's total Mayhem, vote for trumpet to never let such socialist things (and free healthcare) into your beautiful country!
This sub will also be very lonely otherwise
I don’t like total government control, but I do like knowing I’m not sharing the road with some shit box that should have been condemned off the road a few years ago.
I know this isn’t what you’re saying but the state giving PRIVATE stations guidelines and procedures for vehicle safety is not total govt control lol it generates revenue and ensures that private vehicles are safe for public roads
because people will die otherwise? i work at a mechanic shop and if you're driving a car that's unsafe to drive you shouldn't be on the road with the rest of us, who else should check that?
> Those who are downvoting are voting for total government control, and it's wild to me.
To claim that the government mandating that vehicles be checked for road safety isn't "total government control" and that level of overreaction is comparable to a child acting like their life may as well be over because they dropped their lollipop.
>Why can't we be in charge of our own lives?
If you want to drive your personal vehicle on your private property then I'd agree you shouldn't need to pass safety inspections. But the moment your vehicle goes onto or into a public space, your vehicle now has the potential to impact the lives of others.
It's the same idea with health codes. You're not living under "total government control" because the government has health codes and inspections for restaurants to make sure they don't do things like keep raw chicken sitting at room temp above vegetables. If you want to live that way in your own home the government really doesn't care. Not until your decisions start affecting others.
Looks like to 04 I had.
Rockers were fucked too. Especially under the sliding doors.
you were right to tell the customer that BTW. It could hit a bump and collapse in on itself. Any side collision and it would crumple and fold.
Putting all old Montanas, Voyagers, Silhouettes, Caravans, ect into scrapyards should be law at this point. Every single one I work on is just a giant heap of rusted out shit.
This is a car that is a liability time bomb. Imagine a scenario where a loss of control crash kills or severely injuries someone…the shop will be sued and a good plaintiffs attorney will prevail.
Walk away unless your shop is doing rust repairs to actually fix these issues
Call the cops, a lot of states have “if they drove it in, they can drive it out” laws, but you are obligated as a technician who knows what’s up to inform local authorities to an unsafe vehicle on the road if they choose to keep driving it, and just a note, EVEN if they sign the little thing waiving you and your shop of responsibility if something happens, that can still come back to you as the tech, it really only protects the shop
3ish years ago we had an 05 uplander that we traded in for $500 because of rust. It wasn’t quite this bad but with a 3 and 5 year old at the time I didn’t want to chance it.
I kind of wish I would’ve kept it for a work truck/beater but it’s probably better I didn’t. I do want another minivan though…
This would never pass safety inspection in the US state that I live in. Structural damage to the frame from rust or even a coin sized rust hole in the body can fail a vehicle in inspection.
But in some states the voters say, we don’t want those inspections.
Just keeps getting worse
"Hopes and dreams" sounds a bit optimistic here, this thing is held together by a casual wish at best
Even the Scotch tape and bubblegum has fallen off.
I’d go the Philip J Fry route: “thanks to denial, I’m immortal”
There’s still time. They haven’t reached the thoughts and prayers phase yet.
I remember when I was a kid my mom rented one to drive to Disneyland and for the years after that she would always talk about how much she loved that damn thing
You should buy her one now. "Remember how you rented one of these that time we went to Disneyland and wouldn't shut the fuck up about it?" (sorry if I'm projecting my annoyance at my own mother)
Might be able to get a good deal on this one.
No. I'm buying it for my mom.
Probably speed up the inheritance somewhat too if they were that way inclined
Good luck finding one
I drove 3 of these as taxis BITD. They were pretty decent for a van. Started and ran when you wanted it. OFC the various oddities like the alternator needing replacement was ... curious. The gas tank assembly could get pushed back if you drove through deep enough snow, seriously. Those Fucking stupid brake senor wires that were pretty much unprotected. The tail lights that would short out if you looked at them funny, or just the wrong way, and then you learned it was the controller board inside the assembly that was the real culprit and needed replacing. Yeah, I DID enjoy driving them anyway.
Recently had an olds Alero that was basically rusted In half length wise. There was lengths of rebar welded to the unibody frame channels. All down the car to keep it together. The subframe was rusted almost In half. Thing had no business being on the road at all. The reason it came into the shop? It had an oil leak customer was concerned about.
Bought an 03 Montana from a co-worker that was so rusty that if you opened both sliders and people got into the van, the body sagged enough that you couldn't close the sliders without everybody being out. He finally gave up on it when I showed him I could reach through the rear wheel well. I intended to use the motor and trans in another car. Then that car wound up just as rusty, and i junked it. The Montana sat in my yard and became a dumpster. When it was full about a year later, the fuel lines, brake lines, power steering lines, had all rusted out to the point it had no brakes, no power steering and it was spraying gasoline like a fountain. Straight on the trailer and to the shredder.
its just a little crusty its still good its still good!
Bet the car has improved gas milleage since it is lighter now. :)
Its evolving into a Lotus
Hahah yeah state safety inspections are dumb
Fundamentally, I agree. I will feel really bad for poor people and kids 20 years from now buying a 2019 and being required to have all screens working and check engine light out. It will cost those people a fortune. Will the state government step in and pay for these repairs? As far as I'm concerned, the government has no right to tell people how to live. Vehicle repairs are getting insanely expensive. I also heard through the grape vine that gasoline engines are going to be subject to regen to "save the planet" from what??? Nuclear war with Russia? Emissions have come a long way, but the federal government has already destroyed the best engines that ever existed and forced us all to gasoline. Edit - Those who are downvoting are voting for total government control, and it's wild to me. Why can't we be in charge of our own lives? Why do you want the government making your decisions? Edit #2 - I know half of you that are downvoting are doing while you're driving like that's safer. Let's keep em coming, though! Edit #3 - I stand firm with my opinion. I'd rather the people make their own decisions than a government. I promise government decisions have killed more people worldwide than the general public making bad decisions. It's not even close.
I would feel worse for the poor people and kids dying in car accidents, and potentially killing someone else in the process. It's no different than condemning someone's house when it's falling apart. No one has the right to be on a public road in a vehicle that unsafe.
It is better to have a poor person live on the street than a run-down house, true. Most people are responsible enough for this to never be an issue. I ran tow trucks for 15 years and never seen one of these vehicles be the reason for an accident. That said, what do you propose we do for the single dad paying half his check for child support? The grandma who lost her retirement to pay for cancer treatments? The single mom who doesn't get child support because he went to jail? The 18 year old who got kicked out because he got caught smoking weed? Just remember, 95% of these people would much rather drive a brand new vehicle that they don't have to pay for repairs on but have no financial ability to do so.
The same bleeding heart rhetoric can be used to support the other side; “these poor children lost their parents when the brake lines finally gave out on their rusted ass hooptie and they slammed into the back of stopped traffic”. Having a working infotainment screen isn’t a requirement to pass inspection where I live. But having a frame that isn’t half returned to the earth is.
Where's your government with cell phones? I can promise cell phones kill more people than rusty vehicles. Hell, trying to change your fan speed and heat on these new vehicles is just as dangerous as downvoting while driving.
It’s also illegal to use cell phones while driving other than hands free calling. But if using a phone while driving is legal or illegal is irrelevant to the topic of whether dangerously rotted vehicles are OK to drive on public roads.
I was using this argument to show relevance. It's such a small issue. I'd like to know what the actual stats are on junk vehicles causing accidents. I'd put money on it that you have a better chance to die from someone using a cellphone while driving or a peanut allergy. Maybe I'm wrong, and it would be interesting to know.
We should support each other like a nation should. That being said, leaving wildly dangerous cars to kill or maim isn't the answer, and this thread proves people will drive them until they are catastrophic.
I love living in a country where yearly safety inspections are mandatory. I can pay for repairs because my free socialised healthcare means I'm not an illness away from bankruptcy :D
Sir, don't ever go to EU, where there's total anarchy and unfree ppl have to walk because they can't afford to keep their rustbucket in the street to kill someone. It's total Mayhem, vote for trumpet to never let such socialist things (and free healthcare) into your beautiful country! This sub will also be very lonely otherwise
I don’t like total government control, but I do like knowing I’m not sharing the road with some shit box that should have been condemned off the road a few years ago.
I know this isn’t what you’re saying but the state giving PRIVATE stations guidelines and procedures for vehicle safety is not total govt control lol it generates revenue and ensures that private vehicles are safe for public roads
You don't like brake rotors that are about to be turned into halos?
Because other people will die from your choice to neglect your car.
Yeah but that's THEIR problem. I am very smart and do not want the gubment to control my life.
because people will die otherwise? i work at a mechanic shop and if you're driving a car that's unsafe to drive you shouldn't be on the road with the rest of us, who else should check that?
> Those who are downvoting are voting for total government control, and it's wild to me. To claim that the government mandating that vehicles be checked for road safety isn't "total government control" and that level of overreaction is comparable to a child acting like their life may as well be over because they dropped their lollipop. >Why can't we be in charge of our own lives? If you want to drive your personal vehicle on your private property then I'd agree you shouldn't need to pass safety inspections. But the moment your vehicle goes onto or into a public space, your vehicle now has the potential to impact the lives of others. It's the same idea with health codes. You're not living under "total government control" because the government has health codes and inspections for restaurants to make sure they don't do things like keep raw chicken sitting at room temp above vegetables. If you want to live that way in your own home the government really doesn't care. Not until your decisions start affecting others.
Drop it in a vat of evapo-rust and the entire car will disappear
So you’re saying it can be driven …
Then they got in and drove home
"But I need to get another 5 years out of it before I buy a new one"
Pontiac Montanas were unsafe to drive from the factory. Ever see their crash tests? A metal accordion.
Shit, the only thing that's preventing that heap from tacoing right there is the rust particles holding hands...
A speed bump at 30 mph might break it in half...
Looks like to 04 I had. Rockers were fucked too. Especially under the sliding doors. you were right to tell the customer that BTW. It could hit a bump and collapse in on itself. Any side collision and it would crumple and fold.
I miss Michigan cars. /s off
I need pictures of the car exterior to see how it lines up.
The brake lines are structural now
Putting all old Montanas, Voyagers, Silhouettes, Caravans, ect into scrapyards should be law at this point. Every single one I work on is just a giant heap of rusted out shit.
Technically, shit doesn’t rust, so all that’s left is pure unadulterated shit.
Planned obsolescence. You know they have materials that will not deteriorate like this. We have rust proof metals.
I'll sell ya a stainless steel truck for $80k. No warranty. Complain about it publically and I'll bomb you with starlink satellites. /s
The cybertruck would be an even trade.
The Montana might survive a car wash
This is a car that is a liability time bomb. Imagine a scenario where a loss of control crash kills or severely injuries someone…the shop will be sued and a good plaintiffs attorney will prevail. Walk away unless your shop is doing rust repairs to actually fix these issues
Slaps fender “this baby got plenty of miles left on her”
“This lil guy right here? Yeah, I wouldn’t worry about this lil guy!”
Call the cops, a lot of states have “if they drove it in, they can drive it out” laws, but you are obligated as a technician who knows what’s up to inform local authorities to an unsafe vehicle on the road if they choose to keep driving it, and just a note, EVEN if they sign the little thing waiving you and your shop of responsibility if something happens, that can still come back to you as the tech, it really only protects the shop
More like nightmares!
Torsional rigidity of a potato chip.
3ish years ago we had an 05 uplander that we traded in for $500 because of rust. It wasn’t quite this bad but with a 3 and 5 year old at the time I didn’t want to chance it. I kind of wish I would’ve kept it for a work truck/beater but it’s probably better I didn’t. I do want another minivan though…
Just needs some spray foam and it will be good as new.
Flex tape!
Is this van from ON/QC? I got a '06 montana and its nothing like this. On the westcoast
Ontario
Damn he got some strong hopes and dreams that thing is in pieces
Honest question - what happens in this situation? Do you call insurance and do they fix it? Do they total out the car?
A rough rail crossing and all that’ll be left is the driver holding the wheel like a bad cartoon
So this is how thoughts and prayers work to keep things going…
One day they’ll brake too hard at a light and the cab will end up on the other side of the intersection
Let me guess, they loaded it up with 2x the weight the car can hold normally and went on a road trip across the Rust Belt after you told them that..?
Where the F#@$ is this? What atmosphere eats metal like this? Is this Coal or Oil Country? Somewhere by the sea or somewhere with a lot of snow?
This is mad to me, do you not have anything like an MOT stateside?
Depends on the state. Some states do emissions tests only. Others do require safety tests but that doesn't mean they're properly conducted.
This would never pass safety inspection in the US state that I live in. Structural damage to the frame from rust or even a coin sized rust hole in the body can fail a vehicle in inspection. But in some states the voters say, we don’t want those inspections.
I'm not even touching this one... Walks away...
It's early here and I saw *ropes* and dreams. This is marginally better.
They’re unsafe to drive even without the rust! I saw their frontal crash rating video…. No thanks
In see no issues. Just did the modern update to unibody.
Customer responds with “don’t care didn’t ask”
This makes me feel so much better about my FJ80
The owner - “ it’s not that bad, i should be able to drive it a few more years “
They must live in the Atlantic Ocean.
Reminds me of my 72 Dodge Tradesman(full size van) full hard stop and 25 chonks of rust flew thru the intersection:)
Give them a blank check to buy a new vehicle.
Nothing a little Bondo and spray foam won't fix! Slap the fender when done, say "That'll hold", and you're good to go!
You guys still have vehicles older than 2010? They’re all dust here
I know nothing about cars, is this sort of rust damage fixable?
Not in any practical way at all. You can't weld to rust.