Is that possible anymore? I think all new cars are always online and always collecting data now, and you void your warranty (very different cost/benefit calculus than voiding a phone warranty) if you tamper with the antennas to keep it offline. Very sad state of affairs.

Exactly why I only buy used cars that predate all this insanity.

If we can keep cars from the 40s running, keeping cars from the early 00s running is no big deal. Honestly older fully mechanical/analog cars with manual transmissions are often cheaper and easier to maintain than modern ones with high complexity and DRM on every part.

Sadly my desire for privacy will likely prevent me from ever buying electric unless I build my own car, which I might.

> Sadly my desire for privacy will likely prevent me from ever buying electric

Me too. I'm not that sad about it, though. Saving an older car from being scrapped also brings environmental benefits.

We were considering a Hyundai Kona after seeing someone online just yank the modem without an issue. The first dealer I worked with said he could have their service department do it, but then couldn't get the model I wanted. The second had the model, but then said even disconnecting the cell modem would void my warranty, so they wouldn't do it without a letter from Hyundai corporate allowing it.

So now I own a brand-new Chevy Bolt. You just yank a single fuse and that takes out OnStar and nothing else.

> Is that possible anymore?

Absolutely. I don't buy cars that were made relatively recently.

Some modern cars do not have telematics systems. As far as I know, base model Nissans often don't. In other cases, some telematics systems can be easily disabled. (in the Ford Maverick, it's got a single dedicate fuse, and doesn't complain when you pull the fuse.)

Uh dude any car made in the last 15 years has this capability.

Correct, which is why I don't buy them.

This is far from true. Many cars made within the last 15 years don't have any sort of telematics system.