New cars are worse than old cars

[johngottfredson]

I really dislike new car technology. Driving my older, analog cars that don’t beep and flash and try to tell me what to do is so much better of an experience.

Is this a natural part of being in your forties and elevating stuff from “the good old days” above what the kids these days are into, or is there something inherently superior to simpler, honest vehicles?

Regardless of what you say, I’m entrenched in my opinion. Because I’m in my forties.

 

[AaronPaige]

I 100% agree I hunted out my tj for this reason, I bought a jk new back in 2016 and with in 300 miles I had most lights on the dash come on, my wife’s Camaro has been in the shop several times for things most older vehicles don’t even have, and now that we “need” a new truck I’m having a hard time letting go of my pre emissions dodge. New vehicles are not exciting to me

 

[UNSTUCK]

My newish truck with front cameras and bumper sensors got a magical “system update” through its built in cell phone a few weeks ago. Now it insists I’m about to run into something every time I stop at a red light. The camera displays on my screen and the distance lines go to the red, indicating a near hit, yet I can clearly see in the screen there is nothing in front of me.
However, the heated seats and steering wheel are fantastic on those COLD 40* Arizona winter mornings.

 

[Houndoc]

I really dislike new car technology. Driving my older, analog cars that don’t beep and flash and try to tell me what to do is so much better of an experience.

Is this a natural part of being in your forties and elevating stuff from “the good old days” above what the kids these days are into, or is there something inherently superior to simpler, honest vehicles?

Regardless of what you say, I’m entrenched in my opinion. Because I’m in my forties.

Hard pressed to call much of anything someone in there 40s knows as "old " but I guess that goes with being in my 50s.

 

[Houndoc]

It is a mixed bag.

I appreciate the much better air quality that 40 years ago and having an F250 that gets mid 20s MPG is darn cool.

But also almost got stranded last week because of a dead battery in the FOB of my push button start car.

 

[Hickey]

I dream about this truck in a weekly basis:

 

[DaveB]

I learned how to drive in a 68 Camaro and wheel in a 59 Chev Apache 4x4 so the new stuff is nice but I like the old stuff for its simplicity and the memories that come with it.

 

[Herzog]

I wonder if there's a good enough market for just simple ass vehicles again. I currently only use my 82 F350 for plowing but it's becoming my favorite vehicle. Stupid simple to fix anything on it, like, I forgot how simple and it blows my mind.

I think a good trade off is having a semi-modern vehicle for long trips (mostly for the comforts) but an oldie just for getting around.

 

[jeeper]

I used to be on the good ‘ol days vehicle thing also.
Until I drive old vehicles again.
The ride quality, sound quality, seat comfort, etc are sooo much better now.

I used to think backup cameras were dumb. Learn how to back up like a real man.
But they have made things way better, and I wish my kids car had one. Enough so, that I’ll be adding one.


But I’m still pretty minimalist. I don’t want full electronic systems in the vehicle. More basic is better. Less to go wrong and have to maintain.

 

[Kevin B.]

I'm conflicted. I like a smooth, quiet ride. I like engine power. I like good mileage. I like comfy seats and good sound systems.


I don't like a tightly packed engine bay that makes you take the rig apart every time you need to replace a spark plug. I don't particularly like touch screens, or drive by wire, or anything that requires dealership level diagnostic and repair tools to isolate and fix when they break. I absolutely don't like the idea of sensors that phone home to report on your driving habits or disable the vehicle if you're doing something the Mothership doesn't like.

I wonder if there's a good enough market for just simple ass vehicles again.

I think there's a market, it's just not big enough or lucrative enough to attract investment money. My brothers and I talk frequently about what it would take to bring a "people's car" back to market - simple, robust, with modular and open-source parts. Probably a money loser, but it's nice to dream?

 

[N-Smooth]

I think a nice, new daily is hard to beat. I never step out of my Cummins and say “aww man I hate the heated leather, heated steering wheel, smooth ride and 850 lb ft!”

Buuuut I still love driving crappy, old Jeeps that handle like garbage and could break down at any given moment. It’s a sickness.

 

[Hickey]

I think a nice, new daily is hard to beat. I never step out of my Cummins and say “aww man I hate the heated leather, heated steering wheel, smooth ride and 850 lb ft!”

Buuuut I still love driving crappy, old Jeeps that handle like garbage and could break down at any given moment. It’s a sickness.

Wanna buy a YJ?

 

[85CUCVKRAWLER]

I think vehicles peaked 2000's, early 2010's. You get that mix of efficient fuel injection with good ride quality, simplistic assembly, straight-forward design choices, and basic creature comforts.
-back up cameras
-heated seats
-lights on side view mirrors to indicate a vehicle
-basic bluetooth
-aux ports
-traction control (throttle control)

You could also buy a cheap commuter car at the time that wasnt a maintenance hog or cost $30k brand new.


New vehicles now are garbage. I rent a car every week for work and everything sucks. Particularly anything Kia/Hyundai/Nissan. Chevy products are just junk all around as well but barely a step ahead of Kia's. They all have a host of crash avoidance systems, or HUD systems, or touch screen controls, it all sucks. Cars are also seriously ****ing up basic bluetooth, which is amazing to me considering it ancient technology now.

The only outlier ive had was a basic 2022 Honda Accord which felt like i was in a time machine back to 2004.

 

[Gary T]

I dream about this truck in a weekly basis:

Do you dream in Russian?

 

[Hickey]

Do you dream in Russian?

I use the YouTube translator for that.

 

[I Lean]

Do you dream in Russian?

 

[mbryson]

View attachment 169497

Clint is always a good pull

 

[Vonski]

Become familiar with CVT trannys if looking at new (or newer) cars. I’d personally avoid any/all of them, but do your own research.

 

[DAA]

My LJ was already old when it was new.

- DAA

 

[DesertRam]

I like some of the new car features, but you can keep all that nanny crap. My wife's 2020 tries to drive for me (smart cruise, lane correction, and on and on). I hate it. I'd rather drive my "old" 2011 commuter car or 2006 Ram.