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Modular car paradigm

 Cars with fully interchangeable parts
 
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Design a car whose parts are so interchangeable that they are replaced or overhauled as they wear out, and the car itself is never retired.

This would include the body and frame. A Honda Civic, for example, of 1988 and 2003 are not so fundamentally different that this would not be possible. Some companies such as Saab and Volvo have body styles that endure as long as this.

This could also be used to "scale up" the purchase of a car, by buying the options incrementally rather than all at once. If the old parts are repalced due to fashion considerations, they can be sold rather than destroyed. A "new" car could then be built up from old parts and upgraded over time as money becomes avaialble.

This would generate a huge aftermarket to drive costs down, and auction sites such as ebay could be used to locate and exchange parts. New cars could be bought piecewise, much like we buy computers today.

—nr6, Jul 18 2003

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       Could I mount a 1978 Pinto gastank onto my neighbor's Escalade?
—DeathNinja, Jul 18 2003
   

       Cars are built this way now. Are you suggesting there are parts on a car that can't be replaced?   

       "Sorry, sir, the problem seems to be your dixotrompter.. and well, that's the end. Can't replace that. Your car's worthless, sir."
—waugsqueke, Jul 18 2003
   

       So cars would never change, never improve. "We could improve the handling enormously if we just altered the suspension geometry slightly, but the old frame doesn't have a mounting point in the right place. Guess we're stuck with terminal roll oversteer."
—angel, Jul 19 2003
   

       Mopar?
—Shz, Jul 20 2003
   

       Yelloo   

       Ur idea is funny and good, but its sorta already done, but not totaly in the way you mean to. The problem would be that everyone having sorta the same car might ruin the indusrty and skyroket the car prices instead of lowering them, after all people would have much choice. Also, that might cause a strange uproar in not being able to brag to your friends about ur new car; being that replaced by "look at my new mount point thingy isn't it shinny?"
—Jolly_john, Jun 11 2004
   
      
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