2 minutes?
what kind of computer takes you 2 minutes from CTD to login and recall vehicle that is worth mention as a machine fit to do pvp ?
I have the kind of computer that gives tons of "Avatar already logged in" and "Timeout occured try again" after a CTD..
Well, I think the problem is pretty specific to the combo flamethrowers+vehicle with "good" protection. My guess is that when vehicle protection was designed, it was to partly a sort of timer (so (L) vehicles eventually would break), and that the protection would be useful - that is, you'd survive longer in a vehicle with better protection.
When vehicles were designed there weren't any "mid-level" fast-reload weapons - it was either mann mph (doing 2-4 dmg - not that much TT deteroation and on the other end of the scale mod merc doing enough damage to go through and destroy "SI". Also beside the "autofire" those weapons didn't have automatic fire.
The flamethowers - with enough power to reduce the TT seriously but not enough power to "go through" and reduce SI - came later into game, and the people who were working on vehicle decay didn't think of the TT decaying effect when they came ingame.
I guess maybe just the TT decay should be adjusted, so there is a limit on how fast the TT-value can decay. And also add a public "mentenance option": If set, anyone can repair - and refuel - a vehicle. If not set, only the owner can repair and refuel the vehicle.
Why limit refuelling? Think the other way around: Today, as far as I know, if someone tries to refuel someone elses vehicle it comes a message "internal error occurred". Now, if you enable public fuelling, it means that if you get stuck at a spacestation without fuel, you can call for someone else to refuel it - you don't need someone else to bring oil, give you the oil and then you refuel. And, as besides fuel trades there is not really any need to trade in space, you can disable pvp trading (with lootable stackables - you could still trade coins, rockets and welding wire) in space, and if you disable pvp trade noone can cheat with stackables by having "storage avatars" at space stations. (Dunno if there are any.) Ok, but what about crafters and people bringing gold to enhance SI? Well, dock mothership at planet spacestation, and summon up whoever is doing the SI. If the one doing the SI for some reason can't do the operation at the time he/she can just use ship+SS teleporter back to planet and trade back. All safely.