BMW patent - future for sportsmen?

[Mike]

Troubling trend?

Sometimes things that have nothing to do with drag racing can have ramifications that impact the sport.

The above video is from an attorney Steve Lehto who has a youtube channel discussing legal issues. This isn't about a case per se, but it got his attention as someone who works on his own vehicles. There is a growing "right to repair" movement in America.

BMW just applied for a patent for custom screw heads which makes that impossible for the regular Joe. I could see U.S. automakers doing this also not only on screws, but bolts also.

If this ever becomes the industry standard, it could make things interesting in some sportsmen classes, or limit options with OEM tech on newer cars.

 

[Jim]

Just look at what John Deere has been doing to farmers for the past few years. John Deere has been holding farmers hostage by requiring all repairs to come through John Deere.

 

[Mike]

As an aside, on a philosophical level I support right to repair. However, if such legislation was passed, the first thing to occur would be deep pocketed corporations suing to stop it. Then it would take a decade to get to the Supreme Court.

 

[ironpony]

With the thousand or so different fasteners out there is one more really going to matter.? Remember when TORX came out on cars everyone had a fit. Oh look everyone has TORX now let's add the little dimple in the middle. Every brand out there has some unique design, O2 sensor, oil pressure sending unit, why ?, you complain then go and buy the correct drive and continue working on it. IMO at least it is mechanical, John Deere was proprietary software blocking people out of repairing their own tractor.
I can get a screw or bolt out I can not get inside the computer to troubleshoot.
And is it truly BMW or Snap On wanting to boost sales....................Oh yes you want to remove that BMW 36 fastener, I have that bit right here. $129.95 but you should just buy the complete set of 10 for $995.50, would you like to apply for financing.

 

[TSK]

I’m still waiting for the day where the only people who can open the hood are at the dealership with a specific code.

 

[ironpony]

I’m still waiting for the day where the only people who can open the hood are at the dealership with a specific code.

And when the average person opens the hood at home what can they do besides look at it..............most fluid levels that you used to check are sealed now. Check the 710 level and maybe the air cleaner if you can get the lid off without removing the grill, headlight or battery.

 

[TSK]

On the previous Altima we had, it took me longer to take the plastic engine cover off than it did to change the spark plugs.

 

[sfw1960]

Times ~ they are a changing, but not necessarily for the better IMO.
When GREED becomes a common ENEMY of the entirety of EVERY working man, no cooperation or acceptance with the GREEDY Ph*X leads them to extinction.
The more I see - the more I see it as communism being called something else in this county... I don't see greatness in any of it, just more common folks getting a raw non-negotiable deal and being told to suck it.