Will today's cars no longer be repairable in the future if they are classic cars?
A few days ago, a press release fluttered into our house that did not concern the cars of the past, but the classic cars of the future. It was about the fact that improper repairs can turn a car into a time bomb. One example given was the repair of a Honda in which the roof had been replaced but glued rather than welded. In a later accident, the car did not offer the expected protection, resulting in a court case in the USA.
This was followed by another interesting case that took place in our part of the world. It involved an Audi R8 that had suffered comparatively minor damage to the underbody and side sill after a minor accident. The brand-independent Swissgarant body store "autohauser" was commissioned to carry out the repair, but found no information on the necessary side sill repair in the manufacturer's documentation. A query to Audi led to the following information: "In this case, if the vehicle is to be repaired, the entire body must be replaced, as no repair to the CFRP or side sills is permitted with this type of damage."
The R8 was therefore a total loss. A repair would probably have compromised safety. But what will this be like in 20 or 30 years' time, when manufacturer-specific documentation is missing and even the car manufacturers' service departments no longer remember the special features of specific models from the past?
This has already been discussed several times. It is not only the increasing use of electronics that poses a risk to the future survival of cars, but also the increasingly complex design of car bodies with integrated materials of varying strength and bonding and welding methods that are difficult to repair.
