They really are try'n to ban cars20 years and older, keep an eye on the great state of California, what usually starts there speads, I know that statment is not fair to many Californians, but it's true, they do or did at least, have some of the greatest minds in technology, I'm too old now to worry tooo much about it, but I am a member of the sema, they keep track of stuff like that, but this further derails this thread.
If you're gonna call this a debate imp, at least contain your argument to the last 5 years. You keep citing "ghost stories" as a possible example of what could happen in the here and now. For every modification you make to your "what if" doomsday water scenario, I keep telling you that somebody smarter than you and I have already thought of it,..............and fixed it...................20 years ago.
One last point imp........
Belly pans. Again,.... if you'd ever even been under a new car in the last decade...you'd find it next to impossible to even see the freakin engine from under the car. A BMW ( and I'm sure a whole bunch of others) have a complete, full length, remove able belly pan under the car.
They do this for a slew of reasons imp, ol buddy,...From keeping road film, and debris from entering the engine compartment and contaminating/ fouling the components from underneath ( which directly contributes to how clean the drive train stays, and minimizes any damage from a piece of debris thrown up if struck) to Reducing the effects of aerodynamics on cars that are capable of 195 miles per hour off of the showroom floor.
What am I forgetting? I know that there was one more reason a new car has at least a cover under the engine....
Oh yeah!
Keeping road water spray out, and off of sensitive electronic equipment. ( like an ignition component)
The belly pans are so tight on a BMW. That when they leak oil from above, the pan traps it. ( and they always leak oil from above). owners are not aware of it, as it leaves no evidence of leakage on the garage floor. If the pan is that good at trapping stuff from coming out from above, I'm quite sure it'd be equally good at stopping stuff from getting up from beneath.
Not to mention ol' Bavarian Motor Works has absorbing materials on top of the belly pan to keep oil from reaching an owner's driveway. Gotta avoid warranty claims somehow!