CV joints on the FWD driveshafts wear out (typically between 100,000-150,000 miles) and are mildly expensive fixes.
-Adam John Forbes wrote: > I've never owned a car (and I have owned many) which needed repairs to the > suspension or transmission. I can well believe that such repairs would be > more expensive on a front-drive car, but if repairs are never needed, the > cost of them is academic. > > John > > On Sat, 22 Jul 2006 16:33:20 +0100, Adam Maas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > >>Godfrey, >> >>The co-location of steering and drive makes even the simplest FWD car >>more mechanically complex than a RWD car, even if both have fully >>independant suspensions. The CV joints and drive shafts are what drive >>up the cost of repair, sometimes by quite a lot. Also transaxles are >>more difficult to work on as they are more mechanically complex >>(Primarily due to co-locating the differential and transmission). >> >>Ironically FWD is once again becoming restricted to smaller cars where >>it belongs as the superior handling and accelleration characteristics of >>RWD cars is making them more popular once again. And FWD cars only have >>superior traction under very limited circumstances. RWD gives superior >>traction under accelleration and also loses traction much later under >>hard cornering. FWD overloads the fornt tires cause earlier traction >>loss and a tendency to understeer badly when things go wrong. >> >>-Adam >> >> >>Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote: >> >>>On Jul 21, 2006, at 7:14 PM, P. J. Alling wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>>>It's much like front >>>>engine drive automobiles. The cost much less to manufacture and >>>>design. Repair becomes much more problematic, and the advantage to >>>>the >>>>driver isn't necessarily that great. >>> >>> >>>HUH? >>> >>>Front engine, rear drive cars were the norm for decades because they >>>were simpler to design and cheaper to manufacture. >>> >>>Front engine/front drive designs were invented >>> >>>- to improve traction by putting the power system's weight over the >>>driving wheels >>>- to increase space for carrying passengers relative to the vehicle >>>total volume, allowing smaller, lighter vehicles >>>- to lower costs to the buyers >>> >>>All of these are benefits that have advantage. Experience and >>>development in the designing and manufacturing of front drive cars >>>over the past 30 years has brought the cost of manufacture down to >>>match that of front engine/rear drive cars. >>> >>>I don't see how "repairs become much more problematic". The only >>>thing that becomes more difficult to repair about a front drive car >>>vs a typical front engine/rear drive car is the fact that the engine >>>and transmission are enclosed in a smaller space so it can be a >>>little more difficult to get to the parts. If you've ever worked on >>>any densely packed machinery (try a 1966 Jaguar XK-E, for instance) >>>you'd understand that this is a function of how much machinery you're >>>putting into how much space, not a matter of front drive vs rear drive. >>> >>>Godfrey >>> >> >> > > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
