heater cores on older for taurus? pull the entire dash assembly out of the car... thats on most cars tho its just stupid that under the dash is open but we still have to pull it completely out

 

How about non serviceable drivetrain parts on all new vehicles. Most ball joints are sealed (non serviceable) some of them require you to replace a control arm !
Most new GM 's have sealed wheel bearing/hub assemblies. Wheel bearing goes, your buying a hub (lots of cash). Or how about the Chrysler Cirrus where you had to remove the driver's front wheel to get to the battery. Same car, the oil filter is recessed into the bottom of the engine where you can't get a oil filter wrench on it, you gotta use a oil filter socket.
Don't have to mention the blown out spark plugs on the Ford V8's 99-03, replaced by the welded in 2-piece time bombs put in the 04-07's to replace them. You about gotta remove the PCM to get to the passenger rear on those trucks too (not really but it helps).
Or the driveshaft on 04-06 F-150's has a non-serviceable U-joint on it. SOOOOO, instead of buying a u-joint and replacing it, (50 bucks) you get to buy a driveshaft with another non-serviceable u-joint in it (HUNDREDS).

I think all cars are designed on computers nowadays and they just expect the service guys to figure it out. Not like the old days.

 

Worst engineering ideas?

The idiot who designed the garage door to my house to be 1/4" too low for my truck.

Anyone know where I can get a 3rd brake light cheap?

 

95-99 Nissan Maxima: to replace the alternator, you have to put the front end on stands, remove the passenger side front tire, remore the inner fender and all underside plastic shielding, drain the cooling system, remove the radiator and A/C condensor, and you're supposed to drain the A/C system and remove the A/C compressor but I got away with just unbolting it and having someone else hold it up. You then have to reach up and unscrew the 2 alternator mounting bolts in a space that doesn't allow for any air tools or even a big wrench, nor is there much swining room for the wrench and the SOBs are torqued on tight. To get the alternator out, you have to lower it and fish it around various parts and mounting points, all while balancing the A/C compressor. We had 4 arms and that still wasn't enough. It took HOURS to change the alternator, and to get a replacement alternator that actually fit properly, we had to get one from Nissan.

I hated working on that car (it was a 97), and being that it had 190k miles on it, I worked on it pretty regularly. The front brakes were a bit of a PITA too, but mostly because everything just rusted together. Oddly, I had to replace the front sway bar links and it was an incredibly simple job, only took maybe an hour to do everything. Other cars the links are difficult to get to, oddly placed, etc. Go figure...