Carmakers Still Trying To Use DMCA To Stop Car Mods

You shouldn't drive cars anyways because you have the possibility of running over an orphan.
 
You can try and pry my turbo, HPTuner software, and all the other mods off my truck from my cold dead hands. Tuning a PCM takes some research but it isn't all that difficult or dangerous. I tinker with my tune all the time.

Ridiculous. Gearheads have been tinkering with cars for a day and an age now. There are risks, but no more than with an un-modified vehicle.

There are proper places for running a tuned vehicle and there are rules at the tracks to promote a safe experience.

They can kiss my ass. I'm driving my truck to the track, having a good time and then driving it back home. When I get tired of 12#'s on a V6 4.3, I'm swapping to a boosted V8. they can blow me.

I will start a revolution if I have to..... I will be anarchy aardvark all over them.....
 
Ashbringer said:
Don't the DSM guys just replace the PCM all together? One that's totally programmable instead of dicking with what comes with the car? DSM is old but I imagine a lot of car modders do the same with even newer cars.
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If you have a pre 95 you can easily get all kinds of Eprom chips like DSMLink, for the 2G cars you can also get DSMLink but it was more expensive. Or you could go AEM EMS or the like for total stand alone computer but those were expensive and required tons of dyno time to get setup.

I have a DSMLink V1 in my 95 Eclipse GSX.
 
DogsofJune said:
You can try and pry my turbo, HPTuner software, and all the other mods off my truck from my cold dead hands. Tuning a PCM takes some research but it isn't all that difficult or dangerous. I tinker with my tune all the time.

Ridiculous. Gearheads have been tinkering with cars for a day and an age now. There are risks, but no more than with an un-modified vehicle.

There are proper places for running a tuned vehicle and there are rules at the tracks to promote a safe experience.

They can kiss my ass. I'm driving my truck to the track, having a good time and then driving it back home. When I get tired of 12#'s on a V6 4.3, I'm swapping to a boosted V8. they can blow me.

I will start a revolution if I have to..... I will be anarchy aardvark all over them.....
Click to expand...

What a bunch of nonsense. Everytime you drive your homebrew modded "vehicle" on public roads, you could potentially be endangering everybody around you.
Car companies spend millions and many years doing research, you really think your tinkering and "gearhead" knowledge comes close?

Majority of the time hobbyists have no clue about how the actual hardware/car/whatever actually work. Prime example was that "pro" overclocker on XS who thought he could get an engineering job at ASUS without even passing trig in high school.

Don't get me wrong, if I had the time and money I would be modding a car. But that car would go strictly on the track/private roads and nowhere else.
The irresponsibility is just ridiculous.
 
schoolslave said:
What a bunch of nonsense. Everytime you drive your homebrew modded "vehicle" on public roads, you could potentially be endangering everybody around you.
Car companies spend millions and many years doing research, you really think your tinkering and "gearhead" knowledge comes close?

Majority of the time hobbyists have no clue about how the actual hardware/car/whatever actually work. Prime example was that "pro" overclocker on XS who thought he could get an engineering job at ASUS without even passing trig in high school.

Don't get me wrong, if I had the time and money I would be modding a car. But that car would go strictly on the track/private roads and nowhere else.
The irresponsibility is just ridiculous.
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Irresponsibility.
I think you are operating from some surface observations that, while I see why you came to those conclusion, it's wrong.

An automobile is a multi-ton guided missile.
You think a nutjob with a rifle in a school is bad? Look at a busy play ground, then imagine
a guy in the lowliest of cheapest POS car barreling through it in a meth induced fit of murder. Modifying a vehicle does not even come remotely close the inherent danger that any idiot and their brother are given ready access to daily. Be mindful of perspective.

Further, it isn't so much that folks "know better" modifying vehicles as it is that they are not constrained the way the guys that have to design them to be sold en masse(and under warranty) are.
Your vehicle for example has to have a fuel and timing curve such that it can readily be lugged, up hill, in the dead of summer, overloaded, with bad fuel, and way past it's recommended service intervals. If you remove the provisions for operation reliably in worst case scenarios, it opens avenues to creating more power or efficiency. This is a very oversimplified example but it's true. I make no excuse for every idiot that cuts the springs on a car to make it look cool while also making it a danger to drive, but there are a TON of people that do know what they are doing and are passionate about it. I do not believe in legislating to the lowest common denominator and I will in fact fight blood and bone against it. And quite frankly as a long time professional in the automotive field, yes the aftermarket/enthusiast does frequently know better. The factory/engineers/designers are not omnipotent. Look at GM's track record for recalls lately if nothing else. I could write you a book on the failure rate of a number of parts on some very expensive cars that was corrected by jerkoffs working in their garage.

Even look at factory performance cars, if you can say john doe does not have any business modifying his car, then it's a damn small step to saying nobody needs to buy a 3 or 400hp Mustang or Camaro or Porsche as a street car. Hell you can go buy a ho-hum four door sedan that has more power than a late 80's v8 Mustang (which in it's day was a spunky car).
Nobody "needs" that kinda power on public roads. Period. But if a person wants it, can afford it, and can use it without loosing their license or getting thrown in jail for killing people, more power to them. There is no difference in saying one ought not to modify things then saying they don't need to buy fast street cars off the showroom floor.
None.
 
Ramses said:
Irresponsibility.
I think you are operating from some surface observations that, while I see why you came to those conclusion, it's wrong.

An automobile is a multi-ton guided missile.
You think a nutjob with a rifle in a school is bad? Look at a busy play ground, then imagine
a guy in the lowliest of cheapest POS car barreling through it in a meth induced fit of murder. Modifying a vehicle does not even come remotely close the inherent danger that any idiot and their brother are given ready access to daily. Be mindful of perspective.

Further, it isn't so much that folks "know better" modifying vehicles as it is that they are not constrained the way the guys that have to design them to be sold en masse(and under warranty) are.
Your vehicle for example has to have a fuel and timing curve such that it can readily be lugged, up hill, in the dead of summer, overloaded, with bad fuel, and way past it's recommended service intervals. If you remove the provisions for operation reliably in worst case scenarios, it opens avenues to creating more power or efficiency. This is a very oversimplified example but it's true. I make no excuse for every idiot that cuts the springs on a car to make it look cool while also making it a danger to drive, but there are a TON of people that do know what they are doing and are passionate about it. I do not believe in legislating to the lowest common denominator and I will in fact fight blood and bone against it. And quite frankly as a long time professional in the automotive field, yes the aftermarket/enthusiast does frequently know better. The factory/engineers/designers are not omnipotent. Look at GM's track record for recalls lately if nothing else. I could write you a book on the failure rate of a number of parts on some very expensive cars that was corrected by jerkoffs working in their garage.

Even look at factory performance cars, if you can say john doe does not have any business modifying his car, then it's a damn small step to saying nobody needs to buy a 3 or 400hp Mustang or Camaro or Porsche as a street car. Hell you can go buy a ho-hum four door sedan that has more power than a late 80's v8 Mustang (which in it's day was a spunky car).
Nobody "needs" that kinda power on public roads. Period. But if a person wants it, can afford it, and can use it without loosing their license or getting thrown in jail for killing people, more power to them. There is no difference in saying one ought not to modify things then saying they don't need to buy fast street cars off the showroom floor.
None.
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That may very well be the case, and I will be the first to admit I have zero knowledge or understanding of how cars "work".
I did however have friends in high school who would spend all their free time tinkering with and modifying their cars - to the point where one set his trans am on fire at a gas station nearly killing 5 people (fire department was quick and prevented an explosion).
I guess I cannot fathom how people feel comfortable modifying and tweaking past specified performance something which essentially amounts to controlled explosions within a confined space.
 
I can tell you that engines really have not changed that much since their inception.
A steam engine is much more frightening.

Honestly the engine is the least scary thing on a car to have people meddling with, tires and brakes are #1 top center importance for safety, and any idiot can and does work on them countless times across the whole world. We know that this is not Armageddon material because it's been happening this way for many many decades with a relatively low rate of error.
 
I use a Moats Quarter Horse to control the ECM on my 93 SVT Mustang Cobra.
GT40x-E crate motor,Ford racing ceramic coated shorty headers, BBK X-pipe w/cats, Bosh 42# injectors, 255lph pump, Vortech supercharger, pro-m 75mm massair, , Center Force clutch, welded in subframe connectors, 3:73 gears, short throw shifter, A/F Ratio gauge,boost gauge, aluminum radiator to keep it cool, new head and tail lights. New wheel bearings, rotors and breaks all 4 corners.

It's my car and I will mod it the way I see fit. It is safe and sound, I keep the oil changed and make sure the mechanical systems are all in tip top shape.

Some how I doubt this will never happen, if it does everyone should not buy a new car for a year or two.
If it does happen, all the old cars will get a nice bump in value.
 
Oh yeah, PS: I never ran over an orphan. Ever.
My wife nearly ran over three nuns when I was teaching her how to drive 25 years ago.
I never seen a bunch of nuns move so fast in my life. Even after spending eight years in catholic school!!!
Would of been good payback after all they put me through. That could be a whole other thread.
 
schoolslave said:
What a bunch of nonsense. Everytime you drive your homebrew modded "vehicle" on public roads, you could potentially be endangering everybody around you.
Car companies spend millions and many years doing research, you really think your tinkering and "gearhead" knowledge comes close?
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Yawn, and the research a development from the producers of aftermarket equipment means nothing I suppose? Driving a modded ride take responsibility, like most things.

Edelbrock, Procharger, Turbonetics, etc, all provide violent dangerous equipment according to your philosophy? More so than if the vehicle was original equipment? Ok.

Maybe you do think it's nonsense, and that is your opinion, but for myself, I dislike this proposal of not being able to modify my vehicle.
 
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