Well, I don’t really have to ask what the idea is, since I’m pretty sure I already know the answer. The big idea behind automakers building cars, trucks, and vans the way they do these days couldn’t be to force consumers to bring their vehicles into the dealer for repairs and maintenance instead of caring for their vehicles themselves, could it? I’m thinking, yeah, it could.

Well, I don’t really have to ask what the idea is, since I’m pretty sure I already know the answer. The big idea behind automakers building cars, trucks, and vans the way they do these days couldn’t be to force consumers to bring their vehicles into the dealer for repairs and maintenance instead of caring for their vehicles themselves, could it? I’m thinking, yeah, it could.

Could I be wrong? Sure, but it seems rather coincidental, just a bit too convenient, that common repairs, routine maintenance, and parts that in the past were frequently changed by vehicle owners are now hidden from view not to mention from reach. Shall I elaborate? Okay, I will.

Imagine going out to start your car one morning only to learn that your battery is dead. Inconvenient, yes, but it’s not exactly an incapacitating problem. Normally, you would remove the battery and have your spouse, a friend, or a family member take you to get a new battery. You would replace the battery or you would ask said spouse, friend, or family member do it for you.

So, what happens when you look under the hood and you cannot even find the battery, much less get to it? Crazy you say? I agree. Looking around, you discover positive and negative posts so you try to jump-start the car, but that doesn’t work. Now what?

You know there is a battery in this car somewhere, so you pull out the trusty owner’s manual. You gasp, “Oh, no they didn’t!” but you soon find out, oh yes they did.

You literally have to remove the driver’s side front tire -and the fender- to get to the battery!

By the time you go through all of this, you are more than a little angry. That is, if you are even able to handle this kind of repair on your own, and you haven’t paid a small fortune for the dealer to take care of it. If you have paid an exorbitant amount of money for the marked up parts and extreme cost of labor, not to mention a tow truck to get it to the dealer, you are probably a lot angry.

You are no doubt thinking that you’ll pay more attention to what is under the hood -and what is not- the next time you purchase a vehicle.

Next, your car or truck starts running somewhat sluggishly. What do you do? Changing the fuel filter is simple and it’s cheap, so that’s a good place to start. Yeah, unless you have to drop the fuel tank to get to it! And, it’s not so cheap either, not if it’s attached to the fuel pump and you have to purchase an entire pump assembly to acquire a new filter.

What if you can’t drop the tank and replace the fuel pump yourself? I’m sure this is true of more vehicle owners than just me. Now, you again have to pay for marked up (not to mention unnecessary) parts and high hourly rates for labor. At least this time you may be able to forego the tow truck and drive your vehicle to the dealer.

No matter how much you are tempted to drive your car or truck through the showroom window, doing so would be a very bad idea. It is not only illegal; it is also dangerous, so resist the temptation. Compose yourself before heading to the dealer, if possible, or ask someone to accompany you or take the vehicle in for you.

Yeah, I know, I’m probably just being paranoid. There probably isn’t really any collusion or conspiracy against consumers. These things are probably just done in order to build vehicles more proficiently. Manufacturers probably have to make automobiles this way to keep them nice and compact and make them more fuel-efficient. Yeah, that must be it.

Okay, rant over, but this consumer will definitely not purchase another vehicle without finding out where all the parts are hidden first.