I’d love one. What I’d really love to get rid of is as much of the electronics as possible. I realize they’re necessary for engine and transmission control to meet emissions standards. And ABS/Traction Control for safety. Those are good uses. But why do I need computer controlled lighting? Or windows? Or door locks? Or entertainment system?
I don’t necessarily mind some of those things, but they all add to complexity and expense - both initially and for repairs/maintenance.
Take my 2013 Mercedes Sprinter, for example. It’s got the following - engine control module, transmission control module (yes, those are separate), body control module (handles interior and exterior lighting, windows, door locks), “security” module (can’t remember the proper name for it, but it senses the electronic key and authorizes the engine start), trailer lighting module, special module (handles the electronic step and extras that an upfitter - such as an RV company - might add after manufacture), driver door module, passenger door module, electronic step module, instrument module, and I’m probably missing a couple more. These all communicate with each other over the CANBUS, which can be thought of as Ethernet for your car. And that’s a 12 year old car. Newer ones are even worse.
When something goes wrong, the mechanic - who is part computer technician and part wrench turner - has to plug his/her multi-thousand dollar computer into the car to see what is going wrong. The official Mercedes computer is something like a $30k - 40k up front cost plus several thousand more per user per year. Granted, Mercedes is on the high end here. Toyota’s diagnostic computer is significantly less - they have publicly said they need independent techs to help maintain their cars because they sell too many around the world to have them all serviced by dealerships. So they help those independents out by making their diagnostic computers affordable.
There’s much to be said for functional simplicity. My second car is a 1998 Chevy Suburban - very inexpensive to buy used and maintain. Parts readily available, since it has much in common with the Chevy/GM pickup trucks of the same era. It is functional and simple.
–Peter