I'M maintaining my tow vehicle

[AC0GV]

My f150 was a $60,000 truck in 2016. With all the mommy ware that is going to required in the future I can NEVER replace it. It would be $80,000 by the time it would need replacement. Cost per mile is going up also. Here are a few of the new expenses in the infrastructure bill.

SEC. 13002. NATIONAL MOTOR VEHICLE PER-MILE USER FEE PILOT.
(1) In general.--The Secretary, in coordination with the
Secretary of the Treasury, and consistent with the recommendations
of the advisory board, shall establish a pilot program to
demonstrate a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee—

SEC. 24209. REDUCTION OF DRIVER DISTRACTION.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct research regarding the
installation and use on motor vehicles of driver monitoring systems to
minimize or eliminate--
(1) driver distraction;
(2) driver disengagement;
(3) automation complacency by drivers; and
(4) foreseeable misuse of advanced driver-assist systems.

SEC. 24220. ADVANCED IMPAIRED DRIVING TECHNOLOGY.
(c) Advanced Drunk and Impaired Driving Prevention Technology
Safety Standard.--Subject to subsection (e) and not later than 3 years
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue a
final rule prescribing a Federal motor vehicle safety standard under
section 30111 of title 49, United States Code, that requires passenger
motor vehicles manufactured after the effective date of that standard
to be equipped with advanced drunk and impaired driving prevention
technology.

[oldwave]

Fee for mile will be to replace gas taxes for road maintenance with electrical cars I suspect,

[tractors1]

Oregon enacted a tax on dealers in 2018 for having the privilege of selling a new vehicle. Of course it gets passed on as a line item on the invoice to the vehicle buyer.......


Also applies to campers and trailers - glad I bought mine in 2013.



https://www.oregon.gov/dor/programs/...use-taxes.aspx

[ShelbyM]

Lots of "Driver Distraction" features are already on most new vehicles. Probably a good idea since folks apparently can't be trusted to drive w/o messing with their phones or watching videos on their navigation screens. And I expect most people won't complain if new technology helps keep drunks off the road. Anyway, hopefully we'll see some road improvements. My poor Casita was about beat to death on an interstate up in Wisconsin a couple of years ago. And I sure don't want to be on one of those bridges when"deferred maintenance" catches up with us! I've been using the build and price for new F150s also. Even a proletarian XLT like my current truck is well into the $50s. Not to mention all the cool stuff like 360 degree cameras, Tremor pkg, etc. Only consolation, if you can call it that, is the next new truck will likely be the last one.

[Jon in AZ]

My wife’s newer vehicle occasionally displays a steaming coffee cup on the screen. I’ve tried tapping it, but no coffee comes out. I think it’s broken.

We have three vehicles in our driveway, a 2006, a 2011, and a 2018. Guess which one is the most reliable and the most fun to drive?

[ThomasC]

Vehicle registration here for my TV is $60 for two years but it is $120 per year for my BigFoot. That is 4 times the cost and unfair for RVers.

[ShelbyM]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

My wife’s newer vehicle occasionally displays a steaming coffee cup on the screen. I’ve tried tapping it, but no coffee comes out. I think it’s broken.

Is it a Toyota? Out for a Sunday drive in my wife's new Prius and it told me I'd been driving too long w/o stopping and didn't I want to take a break!!

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by ShelbyM

Is it a Toyota? Out for a Sunday drive in my wife's new Prius and it told me I'd been driving too long w/o stopping and didn't I want to take a break!!

Yes, a RAV4.

[Raz]

And I thought the seat belt chime in my Honda was a pita

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by ThomasC

Vehicle registration here for my TV is $60 for two years but it is $120 per year for my BigFoot. That is 4 times the cost and unfair for RVers.

I live in the wild west of Alberta Canada. It cost me $109 Cdn to register each of my four trailers, for LIFE!

Sorry. Typically I'm not the gloating type.

[RogerDat]

We have a real issue with how we fund roads, bridges, and highways in Michigan. Fuel tax is a declining source of revenue as average fuel economy increases the number of gallons purchased decreases. That per gallon tax is a falling value and construction costs are a rising one.

Toss in electric cars which use the infrastructure but do not use gasoline and one can expect funding to only get worse if it continues to be based on fuel consumption tax. So finding a change is essential unless we want third world roads. Last time I drove in Canada I was amazed at how good the roads were compared to here in Michigan. Same weather generally speaking, frost & freeze cycles etc. But ours pound one constantly and rearrange the entire contents of the trailer every 50 miles.

It seems that those items in the bill are focused on studying "how" and setting up pilots to see how it might be accomplished. Which I think is logical. This is going to be tough. No one wants to pay more taxes and most people want good roads. Any solution will have some who benefit more than others, there tend to be so called winners and losers to most tax schemes. The loser can be pretty worked up and motivated to oppose the proposed changes. Little bit of research and study may allow avoiding the worst of those problems for people.

Thomas C pointed out the inequality of vehicle tax on RV vs auto. My guess is the RV paying more created fewer "losers" since many people own auto's but relatively fewer own RV's. Michigan does a one time plate for campers based on weight of trailer. I was less than a hundred pounds from having my plate cost close to $200 more.

We also do commercial and heavy vehicles by weight. A 16,000 lb. school bus camper conversion was really expensive to plate. Feeling is weight impacts road wear so vehicle taxes for these items are based on weight. Also the tax is somewhat progressive an RV is a luxury item, a really large RV is probably even more expensive. I know car plates are somewhat based on size/weight but that is also a stand in for value. Ones Ford Focus is less weight and less expensive than an F-150 pickup. The focus costs less to plate.

I don't think I have had a vehicle in the last 20 years that didn't cross 200k miles. My Escape went to around 250k before I traded it in. A 1970's or 80' vehicle was considered great and well maintained if it crossed 100k. Not to mention all the extras now included. Or the extensive refinements to drive and suspension systems. Go for a ride in an a pre-1990's vehicle. Worlds different than the same type of vehicle today. Our mileage on many models was unheard of in prior generations of autos. That is even more true of plug in gas/electric hybrids.

[RogerDat]

The real pain is buying a vehicle in Michigan one pays sales tax on the purchase. Adds 6% of purchase price to the cost when transferring the title and getting that first plate.

You borrow the funds to purchase a $10k camper and you will be paying $600 sales tax and the lender leaves a large paper trail as to the price you paid.

There is an exemption for sales between family members. I would be shocked if the price reported for sales between friends was accurately reported in all cases. "Yeah I bought that late model car for $500, it needs work" when $5000 might have been closer to the real sale price.

I'm guessing a lot of old cars get reported as bought for $100 with a wink and a nod between buyer and seller.

[FRED SMAILES]

Old guy with old truck. Can't relate.
Fred

[floyd]

If any one on this thread finds this post offensive, say so and I will immediately delete it.



If you have a 2015 or newer then your vehicle is likely being monitored and tracked already, or at least has that capability.

I did read that if the mileage tax is implemented that transponders may be added to track older cars. I doubt it though, since the vehicles average about 14 years of service nationally and the 2015s will be 10 years old before such programs can be fully implemented.
Personally if the federal tax must be increased I would prefer a flat fee per vehicle.

While I would rather not live with tracking my every mile driven, that train has left the station.

The car companies and insurance companies are already using tracking for diagnostics, warranties, and insurance rates.
Bottom line? This is just one more baby step in a journey which has already begun.
Might as well enjoy it, there are some benefits to all the electronics as well.
I still have this to drive under the radar...

[Alex Adams]

The reality is that sooner or later cars and trucks will use little to no gasoline or diesel fuel. So charging a gas tax will become unviable. Alternate means of raising revenue to maintain the roads will be necessary.

As far as the safety stuff goes, it will probably lead to fewer accidents which could result in your insurance rates going down or staying level (reduction by inflation).

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by floyd

If you have a 2015 or newer then your vehicle is likely being monitored and tracked already, or at least has that capability..

Many of the soon to be required safety items are already in cars/trucks but are operator controlled and not always on. My 6-year-old f150 honked the horn every time I got out to check the RV if the engine was running, I paid $100 to have that disabled. The engine shuts off after 10 minutes of idling (driver adjustable) a must in Wisconsin winters. An alarm goes off if a pet or child is inside with the doors looked. That can be shut off but the first time I had to sleep in the back seat I unhooked the battery cable to get some sleep. Of course we all have trackers running at all times, it’s just that we can’t see the maps. (If you do want a tracker that every one can see phone ap aprs-tx is used by some in my area and it can be turned on and off.)

[Sisu]

I’ve got a 2006 Cummins 4x4 2500 with 53K. It’s for towing the boat and the 17’ Bigfoot. If I ever sell the boat I’ll ship the truck to my son in Hawaii for towing a boat there. Neither he nor I will pay what they want for new trucks.
I recently bought a 1999 4Runner which I’ve gone through. Will drive it south and ship it to Hawaii for our vacation vehicle. Daily driver is a 2005 Rav 4.
Recently drive a 2021 4x4 Suburban that we rented on our mini vacation. Took nearly the entire two weeks to figure out all the electrical BS on this rig. I had fun playing with it but I’ll NEVER buy a new one. I’ve got enough wrenching skills to keep the older ones running.

[Ervin in Portland]

TV is a 2003 Toyota Tundra, just a simple, completely reliable V8 without all the bells and whistles that newer cars/trucks have. Has the original CD/cassette player in it. Many have made it to a million miles, hope mine makes it to 350k. Has 172k, runs like the day I bought it.

Looking at buying a RAV4 Prime to replace my 1998 RAV4 daily driver with 220k on the clock. Is a plug in hybrid yet read so many posts about how confusing the electronics are (owners manual is 600 pages!) kind of intimidates me.

[jerrybob]

Two friends chat and one brags about his new car
“So I got a new Tesla Model X, it drives itself!”

“Nice! Where is it?”

“No idea...”

[AlanKilian]

Originally Posted by jerrybob

Two friends chat and one brags about his new car
“So I got a new Tesla Model X, it drives itself!”

“Nice! Where is it?”

“No idea...”

With all the self-driving capabilities being added to vehicles lately, there's GOT to be a country song about a guy who got left by his truck.