What do you miss most in todays cars?

[Dave MacGregor #18998]

Just an idea for a simple discussion.

Anyhow, I miss the following ...

*  a choice of interior colors beyond dull gray, charcoal, and lackluster taupe
*  true padded dash
*  rear wheel drive body
*  and most of all truely appealing and especially innovative styling that differentiates models and makes.  Too many cars today look too much alike regardless of who makes them anymore

How come we see some concept cars that peak our interest and then when the model comes out, its so watered down its not even worth a second look let alone even a first glance?

[George UK]

Take a look at the site Porter posted about Harley Earl
I think most people agree with you.

[Bill Gauch]

I miss the ability to buy replacement parts. Call a parts place and they dont sell it; Call the dealer and they dont stock it after 5 years and cant get it after about 6 years; Well, its off to the junkyard.

I miss the ability to take my car to a general mechanic who knows everything about every car made in the last 30 years. Now, your choices are to take the car to a quickie-brake-and-oil place, take your car to a full-on criminal or take it to the "technicians" at the dealer.

I also miss the lack of uniqueness (see my other recent post, "Re: Tired of Negative Car News") of cars.

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

I miss being able to immediately recognise a make and model from a long way away, and from any angle.

Plus, Chrome Bumper Bars, that are actual bumper bars that go all the way down to the bottom of the front or back.

And, polished Stainless Steel mouldings.

Painted plastic bars and lower panels just suck.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

[Robert Bothwell CLC #20850]

I miss:
  Springs in the seats;
  Cars that you dont have to crawl in and out of.

Of course, there are also things I dont miss - like carburators! points -- 13 mpg on the road -- bias ply tires with tubes.
Bob B.

[gerald ross]

i miss wing windows and true, simple vents.

[denise 20352]

   I miss the sporty, responsive steering.  Todays cars steer so easily that you can coast down the road with two fingers on the wheel, and you dont even get the satisfaction of wrestling them into a parking space anymore.  They almost park themselves.

   I miss the lumpy bucket seats.  Todays cars are so comfortable that Im often tempted to relax and enjoy the ride, instead of jockeying for a better position.

   I miss the feel of the road.  I used to be able to feel the vibration and hear the familiar low-piched rumble over a rough road, remember shouting "WHEE!" as I went through a pothole and was tossed up into the air.  These days, its like you glide over the road.

   I miss the tight floor tunnel that used to hug my legs tightly.  In todays roomy cars, Im always tempted to move my legs around and stretch them out.

[Sue 5125]

Big fins with round taillights surrounded by lots of chrome

[Rusty Shepherd CLC 6397]

I agree with just about everything listed so far and Ill add one: the starting-a-carbureted-car procedure and the thought process that precedes it;i.e. is the engine cold, warm, or in-between?,what is the ambient temperature?,how long has it been sitting?,followed by 1.pumping the accelerator and/or 2. depressing the accelerator (how far?), then cranking followed by 1. engine starting (and often not quickly) 2. engine starting and then dying.(repeat procedure or try a different one?) or 3. engine not starting (whats wrong..flooded? starved?).

[Geoff Newcombe #4719]

I agree completely with Dave in his first post.
I, like others, miss the days when one could tell year, make, and  often model after just a quick look at the car.  I too am sick and tired of  gray or black interiors as the only choices, I didnt buy a new Chevy Colorado last year for that very reason.  I miss carburetors, points, condenser, and coil, all of which I could usually repair/replace myself.  F.I., electronic igniton, computers, all require (for most) a trip to the dealer or a fancy repair $hop just to diagnose and repair whatever the problem is, more often than not that trip is on the end of a chain or on a flat bed.  But we can miss and pine for these things all we want, there will be no going back as far as new cars are concerned.  The only way to return to, and enjoy, the cars we miss is to keep restoring and driving them; when were gone there will be fewer and fewer to take our places.    I think we see that already in the decline in popularity of the brass era cars.  

[Charles D. Barnette #1465]

For me it is the beauty of and the feeling of elegance and pride of ownership with superb design. It is sort of like the US Supreme Court Justice trying to define "pornography" when he said I cannot define it-I just know it when I see it. I frankly do not see it in todays cars with Asian and German influence and most so high up in the air that a "rollover" factor has to be listed as a statistic. I believe it was there however in the Cadillac Sixteen concept that GM elected not to build! Charles D. Barnette

[Robert Bothwell CLC #20850]

Not to mention a long, pointy hood with a beautiful goddess leading the way. Or a BIG steering wheel. Or side-mounted spares with fenders able to support them.
Bob B.

[Lars Kneller 8246]

I miss the ability to punch the gas and go when cruising down the road.  New cars have to unlock the torque convertor and shift out of overdrive before the car will get up and go.  I also miss the exhaust rumble of a big V-8 without a catalytic convertor.

[David #19063]

Yes Lars, I miss that V8 exhaust rumble too!

David

[Geoff Newcombe #4719]

YEAH !

[Mick]

Cars ? ... Cars ? They dont build cars anymore !

They build computers with wheels !

I miss the fun of being able to fix anything myself, room in the engine compartment to fit both hands and more.  Now I have to be an expert and have unaffordable tools to do it in order to replace a brutally inflated price on a plain plastic part, and pray that doing whatever, nothing else got dislodged.

Mick

[Dale]

I miss chrome and V8 rumbles.

But I agree with much of what Denise said too. My everyday car is a 1995 Holden (Holden is a GM subsidiary here in Australia). Its boring, and white, and boring, and fuel injected, and boring, and a 3.8ltr V6, and boring, and rear wheel drive, and boring, and has an auto transmission, and boring, and has grey trim.

BUT... heres the thing, it has about 200,000 miles on it, still goes pretty much as good as when it was new, still uses no oil or water, still gets exactly the same economy, and every single morning it starts first time, whispers up the road, and gets me to work in relative comfort. But the best thing is that its just a work hack, and I can get away with spending next to no time caring for it. I may wash it next month, but then again probably wont. And hey, I may even pop the hood and have a look under there, but then again I probably wont. And thats good because I can then spend more time on my Cadillacs, which is much more fun!!

As much as Id like to think it would, the reality is the 1968 Caddy I own (which I dearly love) would have severe problems with the same kind of abuse.

[Ed Dougher]

LOL!

[Ed Dougher]

That pretty much sums up how I feel about my Mazda driver, which has rung up 153,000 bulletproof miles at this point.  And the dishwasher.  That Kenmore refrigerator isnt far behind!

Then again, I actually would feel bad if something happened to my wifes Taurus.  Its like that favorite old pair of jeans.  That thing just wont die, and at this point, I keep up with the maintenance just to see how long it will actually go!  Its got some war wounds from daily commuting, but its still as healthy as a horse, mechanically.  The oil even stays clean for a long time after I change it, as it closes in on 200,000 miles.

[Bill Gauch]

How did you manage to keep a Taurus going?!? My mom needed 3 head gaskets, 1 new engine, 1 new transmissions, a bunch of suspension work and a new set of engine mounts. My father-in-law needed 1 new head gasket and a new set of engine mounts. My aunt needed a new head gasket and umm, what was that again.... oh yeah, a new set of engine mounts. Should I go on?