Morgan on Nostr: Never, ever buy a new car. I know, you've heard that all your life and it's good ...

Never, ever buy a new car. I know, you've heard that all your life and it's good financial sense. But these days it's not just about the money.

All new cars from the major brands come with an always-on connection back to the manufacturer. Even if you never connect your phone to the car's infotainment system, even if you decline to accept the terms on the car's screen, even if you never turn on the sound system, it is constantly sending data back to the mothership. Your identity is tied to the car's VIN (vehicle identification number) and everything you do with the car is recorded and transmitted, where it can then be analyzed, processed, and sold. It gets sold to insurance companies, the government, and data farmers who then sell it on to other entities like Google and Apple to improve their mapping services. You didn't agree to this? Too bad, it's not your choice.

This should be illegal, but it isn't. Why would the various governments want to outlaw a practice they benefit from?

The only way to avoid this data harvesting is to buy a used car. "But what about the extra maintenance?" Do your homework, have the car inspected by a trusted mechanic before purchase, and look for one-owner cars with low miles. Put the money you save on the monthly payment towards regular maintenance to keep it running well.

And yes, I know that the day will come when there are no more used cars without this built in tracking garbage. I absolutely love the *idea* of electric cars (except Tesla, fuck that shit) and I hope one day we reach the point where the majority of vehicles on the road are electric. Unfortunately, those are the most connected of all, basically a computer on wheels and the manufacturer has a vested interest in tracking and analyzing your data to improve next year's model.

However, if you buy a used gas/petrol car, even one with telemetry baked in, you can at least disable the antenna because you own the car. Look up your model and "disable 4G/5G antenna". There are methods for all of the major manufacturers. Unfortunately those manufacturers are pushing hard to stop you from doing so by doing things like tying the car's ignition system to that always-on connection or trying to get laws passed to prevent modification of that part of the vehicle for "safety reasons". They know a vehicle is a necessity for most folks and will try to use that position against you.

Fight back, keep control of your own property, and buy a used car if you have to have one.