Thread Number: 72176
/ Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
Old cars vs New cars |
[Down to Last] |
Post# 954522   8/25/2017 at 21:49 (2,407 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
|
Post# 954528 , Reply# 1   8/25/2017 at 22:46 (2,407 days old) by brucelucenta ()   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
New Lexus retractable hard top. |
Post# 954529 , Reply# 2   8/25/2017 at 22:53 (2,407 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
1972 Ford LTD Convertible.
View Full Size
|
Post# 954537 , Reply# 4   8/26/2017 at 01:58 (2,407 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
4    
|
Post# 954538 , Reply# 5   8/26/2017 at 02:49 (2,407 days old) by washdaddy (Baltimore)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
I've always liked the older FULL SIZED cars. I do however like the safety features of today's vehicles. If I could just get the two of them merged together into one I'd be one happy camper. |
Post# 954541 , Reply# 7   8/26/2017 at 03:34 (2,407 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
8    
|
Post# 954544 , Reply# 8   8/26/2017 at 05:17 (2,407 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
5    
I wouldn't sell the two older cars we have sitting in the garage. But they have NONE of the safety features the newer ones have. There is something to be said for all cars. |
Post# 954552 , Reply# 10   8/26/2017 at 06:51 (2,407 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
I would never think of owning a new car, Then I could afford to drive a Desoto or a 300G everyday, dang the gas...Give me Full Time Chrysler Power Steering ANYDAY, If I ever want to drive a lumber wagon I will, I want effortless one finger control. |
Post# 954562 , Reply# 11   8/26/2017 at 07:55 (2,406 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
My favorite vintage cars are from the late 1950s, especially GM cars. I like the fins/wings as well as the design of dashboard controls. And the acres of chrome, of course.
Neither of these beauties would come close to fitting in one of today's grocery store parking spaces. As with vintage appliances, I'm glad there are people out there who have the passion (and inclination) to restore these cars. Having said all that, I wouldn't trade the reliability, safety and creature comforts of today's cars as my daily driver. Sure would be great to take the '59 droptop Caddy out for a drive on Sundays, though! |
Post# 954568 , Reply# 12   8/26/2017 at 08:35 (2,406 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
I live in a city and state which is frequently tied with the worst places in Florida for drivers causing bad accidents through bullheadedness. "I ain't gonna and you cain't make me" is an actual phrase here in Wyoming. Nobody who has driven here longer than one day enters the intersection the moment the light turns green - there's one or two cars who will be running the red light in the other two directions. Everyone who has lived here for longer than a day knows that only limped-wristed pussy-boys wear safety belts. The most important control in the whole car or pick'up truck is the hand-held cell phone.
So - much as I love vintage cars - the sad statistics we get to read in the papers every day here make it clear: The 1998 cars and later just have enormously higher survival rates. |
Post# 954572 , Reply# 13   8/26/2017 at 08:59 (2,406 days old) by joeekaitis (Rialto, California, USA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
5    
. . . I would treat myself to a meticulously restored Studebaker Avanti.
Then, again, I love Lava Lamps, too.
View Full Size
|
Post# 954574 , Reply# 14   8/26/2017 at 09:16 (2,406 days old) by beekeyknee (Columbia, MO)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
4    
I thought you were going to say the most important control in the car was the cigarette lighter and ashtray. As far as cars go, I think older cars were cool and stylish and new cars are safer and boring. I believe there are too many distractions in new cars. The radio alone is distracting. When phones and other gadgets are added to the mix, it becomes dangerous.
|
Post# 954575 , Reply# 15   8/26/2017 at 09:17 (2,406 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 954583 , Reply# 16   8/26/2017 at 10:14 (2,406 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
While I do appreciate the many safety features in new cars, I like old cars better as far a styling goes and to a certain extant the way they drive. Out of the 23 cars I've owned since 1969 I've had a 55' Cadillac Coupe deVille, 64' Chevrolet Impala SS and a 67' Buick Skylark. The Skylark was my favorite car out of all 23. It was just the right size, being an intermediate, it wasn't too big or too small. It was easy to handle, rode smoothly, best power steering ever, great 2 speed Buick auto trans and it consistently got 19 mpg for a heavy V8 that could get up and go. I learned to drive in old boats like these and I have a great fondness for them.
But I can also recall the terrible accidents that I used to see in the 50's and 60's when the occupants weren't wearing seatbelts and they were speared by the steering column in a head-on or thrown thru the windshield, or the engine was sitting in their laps. My parents used to tell us to not to look when we came upon a scene like this, and of course, kids being kids we did just what we were told not to do. But that being said, I can honestly say that I can't think of one new car that I can't live without. After owning 23 different cars, the thrill is gone for a new car. However, should I ever strike it rich, I'd love to own either a 51' Cadillac Convertible or Coupe de VIlle, 51' Chevrolet Bel Air convertible or HT, 51' Buick HT or another 67' Skylark. But since this is not likely to happen I'll stick with my trusty, dependable 07' Honda Civic, which has been the most dependable car I've ever owned, had it since new, 54.800 miles and it feels like a part of me when I drive it. To satisfy my craving for vintage autos I have been a subscriber to Hemmings Classic Cars and before that Hemming Special Interest Autos. I look forward to every issue, brings back lots of great memories and its a whole lot less expensive than actally owning one of these classic works of art. Eddie |
Post# 954592 , Reply# 18   8/26/2017 at 11:06 (2,406 days old) by JoeEkaitis (Rialto, California, USA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 954595 , Reply# 19   8/26/2017 at 11:25 (2,406 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 954599 , Reply# 20   8/26/2017 at 11:56 (2,406 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
One difficulty I see with this question is what exactly is an old car? It seems like it's one of those labels that could have a bunch of definitions... Even for the same person. At times, I can see calling a 10 year old car old...but it's not the same old as a 1960 car.
This said...most of the cars I've owned have been "newer old." I have owned--exactly twice--a car with less than 100,000 miles, but in both cases it was barely under 100K. I have gotten at least one car with over 300K miles at the time of purchase (although the drive train wasn't original & untouched). The newest car was 8 years old (one of the
What made these cars attractive was, frankly, the cost.
Although I have to admit...I wish I could have something a little less worn someday... Many of my cars have been entirely local puddle hoppers, but it would be nice to have something I can drive across the state without thinking about... Indeed, I've been without a car for some months now, and I was talking a woman I know about it. I commented how I'd like something I could do wild and crazy things with...like driving to a nearby city (which has attractions like Trader Joe's).
I like cars that are much older for history and styling. Although I doubt I'd want one as daily driver...unless I wasn't driving it much. Strangely, perhaps, it isn't the safety argument others have, but more a consideration of liking more modern suspensions ability to keep the car reasonably stable going through curves. |
Post# 954600 , Reply# 21   8/26/2017 at 11:57 (2,406 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
4    
My disdain for the hysterical ökodämmlichen Idioten back home in Germany who try to impose their personal rules on me doesn't extend to car safety. Much as I love our 74 Sedan deVille, I'll stick to airbags and rigid passenger compartments Any day. Too freakin' many jerks on the road. This post was last edited 08/26/2017 at 13:03 |
Post# 954602 , Reply# 22   8/26/2017 at 11:59 (2,406 days old) by rickr (.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
6    
I have two antique cars. A 1961 Oldsmobile Super 88 Bubbletop, and a 1955 Cadillac Coupe de'Ville. I love having and driving the old cars, however I feel much safer in my 2013 Volvo C70 retractable hardtop. The Volvo handles much better and is much easier to drive. Don't get me wrong. I still LOVE my old cars, and will always have them.
|
Post# 954604 , Reply# 24   8/26/2017 at 12:08 (2,406 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
Of course, when talking safety it seems to me that a lot comes down to a question of specific cars. Talk of eras can only be general. I recall there was some columnist for (IIRC) a Wall Street Journal Sunday supplement to the local paper that talked about his son getting an old Saab 900 about 10 years ago. There was some outcry--that isn't as safe as a new car! In some ways, probably true--but that car was probably, for its time, very safe. It might have even had technology no else ever had. That car was probably safer than some newer cars. I had a car 10 years newer, or so, with airbags--but apparently the crash protection was, ah, criticised by safety people when my car was new. In that case, an older Saab might have been, overall, safer. |
Post# 954605 , Reply# 25   8/26/2017 at 12:11 (2,406 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Neither of these beauties would come close to fitting in one of today's grocery store parking spaces.
That reminds me of a grocery store not far from where I grew up. It closed, and later reopened as a thrift store (which seems to be the fate of old grocery stores here...). We never went there when it was a grocery store, but I have been there a few times since it opened up as a thrift store. They had the old parking lot stripes left. Very faded...and yet still visible enough. And wow! How big the slots were!
Another memory: parking lots in the 80s that had 2 sets of slots--regular, and ones for compact cars. |
Post# 954607 , Reply# 26   8/26/2017 at 12:19 (2,406 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
But since this is not likely to happen I'll stick with my trusty, dependable 07' Honda Civic, which has been the most dependable car I've ever owned, had it since new, 54.800 miles and it feels like a part of me when I drive it.
55K miles is nothing in today's world. I'd think it should be easy for many cars to hit that these days with few troubles. It's when you cross the 200K mark (or so it seems) that you see the differences between "Yes, the odometer is high...but it runs like new!" and "This thing is ready for the junk yard!"
I talked to a car dealer recently, and he liked selling older Hondas (older by his standards--say 2000-2010 range) because they still could have usable life even at 200K miles.
My father had an Acura Integra (based on the Honda Civic IIRC). The car didn't get obsessive must make this thing last! maintenance, but it lasted nearly 300K miles. A mechanic told me that with aggressive maintenance, he's seen those Integras go 500K+ miles. |
Post# 954639 , Reply# 27   8/26/2017 at 15:48 (2,406 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 954653 , Reply# 29   8/26/2017 at 16:46 (2,406 days old) by Stan (Napa CA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
5    
I've never owned anything newer than a 1976 (not shown here)
So I don't know the difference. When I ride with someone in a newer car, it's feels odd to me. I'm somewhat uncomfortable, not cuz I feel unsafe, just uncomfortable. Guess I'm use to the floating couch, and smooth ride. However, I also appreciate they way someone else's cars take corners, accelerates, and brakes, opposed to my old girls. Seeing the crash vidieo above.. Has me wondering what I'm doing still driving these old things. |
Post# 954655 , Reply# 30   8/26/2017 at 16:49 (2,406 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
4    
The visibility in older cars is mush better than newer cars! A nice thing about old cars is you can fix then all by yourself, when it come to newer cars mine as well forget about it. You would have to spend a lot on buying all of the tools, and diagnostic equipment, while you just need the basic tools and knolege to fix an old car.
|
Post# 954658 , Reply# 31   8/26/2017 at 17:03 (2,406 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
When I ride with someone in a newer car, it's feels odd to me.
I feel that way, too, and my newest car was a 1990s model...
A nice thing about old cars is you can fix then all by yourself, when it come to newer cars mine as well forget about it.
I have known at least one person who purposely bought cars from the 1970s because he could do the work.
Of course, newer car supporters will cite less need for repair, and less maintenance required. Valid points, although, of course, when something does go wrong it is more likely to cost $$$$. |
Post# 954660 , Reply# 32   8/26/2017 at 17:15 (2,406 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I've noticed when a new car gets hit real bad how much stuff under the hood gets exposed...
I've seen radiator fans, portions of batteries and even washer fluid vessels (siphoning, anyone?) become exposed... So, older cars w/ much more heavier metal (other than being heavier) are certainly crash-worthy, as well as maintain the right amount of stability on the road... -- Dave |
Post# 954666 , Reply# 33   8/26/2017 at 17:51 (2,406 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 954673 , Reply# 34   8/26/2017 at 18:12 (2,406 days old) by nmassman44 (Brooksville Florida)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Well I have 2010 Camry that is paid for. I love it because it's reliable, gas efficient and rides well. Gets me from point A to point B with no issues. Even though it's a 4 cylinder engine, it doesn't feel like one and my car has plenty of balls to merge into the traffic we have here on the highways. You can pine and whine about these old cars of yesteryear, I will pass.
This post was last edited 08/26/2017 at 18:55 |
Post# 954674 , Reply# 35   8/26/2017 at 18:12 (2,406 days old) by nmassman44 (Brooksville Florida)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 954675 , Reply# 36   8/26/2017 at 18:14 (2,406 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 954678 , Reply# 37   8/26/2017 at 18:28 (2,406 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Even though it's a 4 cylinder engine, it does feel like one and my car has plenty of balls to merge into the traffic we have here on the highways.
All my cars have had 4 cylinder engines, and, apart from the 4 cylinder oil crisis era econobox, the engines have been adequately powerful. Of course, it probably helps that all but the econobox had a manual transmission. (Real men drive manual transmissions, and what's good enough for a real man is good enough for me. LOL)
I remember when Honda released a V6 for the Accord. i read a review. The reviewer's take: the V6 was more expenisve, less fuel efficient, and not a whole lot more powerful than the 4 cylinder engine. But...in defense of Honda, 4 cylinder engines were often a hard sell in the US--unless gas prices were high... |
Post# 954679 , Reply# 38   8/26/2017 at 18:31 (2,406 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 954680 , Reply# 39   8/26/2017 at 18:33 (2,406 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 954685 , Reply# 40   8/26/2017 at 18:58 (2,406 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
Yes, Sean, leasing IS renting and you pay for the period you use it and no more. Trade it in and get another or pay off the residual and buy it outright or just walk away at the end of the lease period. It all depends on peoples circumstances and what they can afford and what they want. I personally never have leased a vehicle and my 2013 Silverado was paid off the day I bought it.
View Full Size
|
Post# 954691 , Reply# 41   8/26/2017 at 19:24 (2,406 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
I own seven four wheeled vehicles, ranging from a '50 Plymouth not unlike Stan's, to a '99 Chrysler 300M.
Clearly the '99 is much much safer than the 60's and 50's vehicles. Airbags, crushable space forward, antilock brakes, etc. It is also more reliable. But of course I love the older rides, I just don't like to commute in them. As for the driver being the primary safety factor, well, that depends. You can be safest driver in the world but if you're in any car and someone comes barrelling over the divider and hits you head-on, you'd have a much better chance of survival in a modern vehicle. And yes, bigger is also safer, in general. If I were to sell all my vehicles and settle on just one, I'd get one of the new Chrysler Pacifica minivans. They handle much like a big sedan, are not too bad on gas (esp. the new plug-in hybrid version), and are quite comfortable. They can hold a lot, as well, for trips to the hardware store for building supplies or elsewhere for furniture. I understand with all but the driver and front passenger seats "stowed", it can also hold a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood (or whatever). Plus I could see them doing well for single or double car camping trips. |
Post# 954697 , Reply# 43   8/26/2017 at 20:03 (2,406 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 954698 , Reply# 44   8/26/2017 at 20:08 (2,406 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 954716 , Reply# 45   8/26/2017 at 21:10 (2,406 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
7    
What's wrong with that? Before FIAT, it was owned by Daimler Benz, and in between by Dan Quayle's investment group, "Cerberos", which is the name of the three headed dog of Hell.
I think FIAT has helped to improve Chrysler's offerings. The new RAM pickup in addition to the Pacifica. They did seem to sort of miss the mark with the Renegade and the Cherokee, though. The Charger/Challenger/300 trio seem to have improved significantly under FIAT's ownership, although all three models initially predated the acquisition. What is odd, however, is that while FIAT is a successful international company specializing in small cars, it has fumbled trying to field a truly competitive small car in the US. The FIAT 500 family has been panned for its reliability woes, the larger 500L for a plethora of drawbacks. The Alpha based Chrysler 200 remake has fallen short in terms of mechanicals. FIAT announced it was going to concentrate on the most profitable segment, the SUV/Jeep, but I haven't really seen anything all that remarkable arise. Maybe the new Wrangler will do the magic trick of addressing its roadability and comfort issues and still keep the off-road crowd happy, but I doubt it. But Chrysler had many of these same issues before FIAT took over, and without FIAT Chrysler would probably be a dead duck. Latest rumor I read recently is that a Chinese operation wants to buy the Jeep brand off FIAT/Chrysler. That would be a mistake for FIAT, I think, since it contains some of the most profitable models it sells. But it could allow FCAU to field a competitive Dodge branded SUV line and/or off-road vehicle. The Durango gets good reviews but can't shoulder the load alone; it needs to be supplemented with a small SUV and a larger luxury version. Well, that's my take on it. I have seen FIAT's ownership as a net positive for Chrysler. |
Post# 954724 , Reply# 46   8/26/2017 at 21:48 (2,406 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
took over Chrysler. Parts availability has improved enormously. I hate, hate, hate, loath and detest the local Dodge dealer. Loathsome people. Monsters. Horrid. Every part, whether it be a peanut lamp for the panel display or a $3.50 plastic clip for the door lock is 'not owner serviceable' and costs over $500 to be replaced by them. Everything. So - I go to Laramie or Douglas or Fort Collins and the Chrysler/Dodge dealers there are happy to sell me the part for a few bucks, give me a tip or two and that's that. Under Daimler, it was impossible to get anything out of MOPAR without a fight.
And, dahlinks - let's not forget how rah-rah ameriKa some were about Whirlpool buying out Maytag and not those awful Chinese (you know, the ones who promised to keep the production and jobs here in the US?). Yeah, how did that work out? Oh, right.
|
Post# 954726 , Reply# 47   8/26/2017 at 21:50 (2,406 days old) by Xraytech (Rural southwest Pennsylvania )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I'm split on cars. My biggest requirement is that it's an upper-end General Motors product.
I currently have a 2013 Cadillac XTS Luxury, I like the feel of driving the car, as well as the front and side airbags, front and rear parking sensors, ABS, traction control. I also love the amenities not found on older offerings such as the keyless start, panoramic moonroof, heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, and remote start. The things I don't like are the standard 19" tires are very expensive, and you can't get aggressive snow tires for it, and secondly I'd like a larger car, however I realize this is the "new" full size. I also have an older car, while its not as old as some, it's still old enough for Classic plates. I have a 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. I love it's very large size, the 5.7 litre V-8, the floaty ride and the incredible feel and handling only found in a RWD car. It is new enough to have dual front air bags, but doesn't have traction control or ABS. It does have heated seats, however the other options I've become accustomed to weren't offered at the time. This car has better visibility than my 2013, and I still average about 20 mpg. It is a car I still feel safe in eve considering its age, and gives me the size and feel I like for daily driving to help keep the miles down on the 2013 since I average around 22/25k miles a year. Oh and the 1993 has a hood ornament which is my most favorite accessory.
View Full Size
|
Post# 954731 , Reply# 48   8/26/2017 at 22:04 (2,406 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
That Silverado pictured earlier was the 5th Chevy truck I have owned. Only reason I traded my last '95 because the frame and gas tank rotted out with this crap they put on the roads. I came from a Ford family as my great uncle owned the dealership, he died, new owners screwed everyone and Ford would do nothing. I never had problems with my GM vehicles with many going well over 100000 miles with nothing other than normal maintenance. They say your mileage may vary but my mileage has worked just fine. I had big problems with not only Fords, but Dodge and especially Toyota and the dealers were no help to fix anything.
|
Post# 954732 , Reply# 49   8/26/2017 at 22:12 (2,406 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 954743 , Reply# 51   8/26/2017 at 23:40 (2,406 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
Well, My work car is an '01 VW diesel Beetle with 245,000 miles on it that were all put on by me and I still love that car. My boat puller/winter weather driver is an 01 GMC jimmy with just over 100,000 miles on it. But I really enjoy driving our new Lincoln MKS in my profile pic. It's AWD, will go in ANY weather. It is a V6, but has more power than our previous 07 Cadillac DTS with the high performance version of the Northstar and won't start blowing oil when it gets 75,000 miles on it. It handles like a German car (have had 3 VW's, 1 Audi, and 3 Mercedes so I can compare) and is effortless to drive. We know it can handle a crash because Tony totaled our last MKS in 2016 by taking out a utility pole. Yes, the car broke into a zillion pieces, but the cabin was totally intact and he walked out alive in one piece. As much as I like some of the older Mercedes, Volvo, and VW cars, I think I'll keep our new Lincoln. It has blind spot monitoring, rear cameras, front and back parking sensors, and will call for help in an accident. It even has front seat butt massagers!
|
Post# 954761 , Reply# 53   8/27/2017 at 06:41 (2,406 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Now THAT I would drive every day!!!Had a 53 Plymouth and a 53 Imperial, Wish I had them back! |
Post# 954772 , Reply# 54   8/27/2017 at 07:56 (2,405 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
1) With few exceptions, American cars put out from the early '80s through the mid-90's were AWFUL. Poor quality, horrid design, badly made environmental controls, cheap plastic. 2) Today's cars frequently look like those bars of soap you see in the shower just before you toss them and put in a new one. Slippery, yes. Pretty, no.
Quality has improved, but our collective memories have not. Older people who can afford brand new cars have noticed but people under 50 who are still driving cars from that era are so not impressed by their poor quality.
Safety - there's no question that it's better for the energy from a crash to be absorbed through destruction of the car's front end, motor, frame, etc. than in the passenger compartment. Ditto elsewhere. This is one big reason cars from the '90s or so on tend to crumple like tin-foil up to the firewall - and then stay together really well.
I've got a customer who owns a temporary holding yard (just like 'previously owned automobile' it's American for 'junk yard'). He lets me browse there regularly. From what I can tell, except for American trucks (the Republicans exempted them from most safety regulations), the best US cars to be in really bad crashes are the Subaru and larger GM models and the ubiquitous FORD/Mercury/Lincoln 'Crown Victoria'/Grand Marquis/Town Car.
Trucks are awful at roll-overs.
Then again, when people refuse to wear safety belts, it's all academic. I was out one night with a bunch of Wyoming queens a few years back. Only one wearing a safety belt. When they called me chicken, I said I'd rather decelerate at the same rate as the car with the car absorbing the energy than the other way round. They weren't impressed.
But, then - our generation filtered air polloution through our asbestos cigarette filters, so it was a silly thing to discuss anyway. |
Post# 954836 , Reply# 55   8/27/2017 at 12:47 (2,405 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I have to admit that I'm one of those who has trouble remembering that quality on US cars has improved. Part of me feels like it's 1985, and Detroit is busy cranking out garbage. And, worse, trying to sell "improved" quality through various ads. Cheaper to buy a catchy ad campaign than actually improve quality.
Part of my problem is simply that I do tend to be behind the times--newest car I ever even looked at buying was 1990 something. But also there is a factor that I frankly know few people who drive a Detroit car. A lot of people I know went Japanese in the 80s, and just refused to look back. Someone my parents knew bought some Japanese car just because it was a cheap, fuel efficient second car. Years later, they realized that at 80,000 miles that car had all its original parts, unlike any Detroit car they'd ever had. And that was that--they decided we'll buy Japanese cars from here on out.
Admittedly, of course, those Japanese cars probably weren't as good as they were later on... I remember talking in 2000 to a mechanic about a 1980 or so Honda he was selling that he'd gone over. He commented that 150,000 miles or whatever it certainly was on a replacement engine. I then told him that my father's then Acura had over 200,000 miles, and not intention of quitting soon. The mechanic said yes, the Acura could do that. But the early Hondas in his experience didn't have an engine with that sort of life expectancy. This post was last edited 08/27/2017 at 13:09 |
Post# 954837 , Reply# 56   8/27/2017 at 12:55 (2,405 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Then again, when people refuse to wear safety belts, it's all academic.
Thanks to some of my relatives, I saw the whole "I won't wear a seat belt!!!!" thing when I was growing up. I had relatives who preached that classic line about how much better you were getting flung free from a car that crashed or some such nonsense. I had other relatives that had no argument, but just never bothered wearing seat belts. Of course, they shut up and started using belts when it became a law with a fine attached.
One of my grandmothers was really bad about not wearing a seat belt. I recall us having to remind her constantly to put it on when she rode with us. Her last visits out here we had mandatory seat belt laws. Past that, it was just plain common safety sense in this area--I don't honestly remember a time when I didn't wear a seat belt. I think my parents started wearing them in the 60s.
|
Post# 954842 , Reply# 57   8/27/2017 at 13:09 (2,405 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 954846 , Reply# 58   8/27/2017 at 13:17 (2,405 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
5    
|
Post# 954893 , Reply# 59   8/27/2017 at 16:47 (2,405 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
4    
...as much as I love vintage cars, especially late 50's and 60's, I will refrain from making any comments concerning which manufacturer is better or worse. Even if there were a million responses posted here you would never get a majority to agree on one brand. Very old cars are probably not the best choice for commuting or making lengthy trips from your home. As a retired oldster, I at one time made day trips to Los Angeles, San Diego or even Mexico. Now I rarely venture farther than the grocery store, and when I do I usually take my truck.
The "old" cars for the most part remain in the garage. I do occasionally use the Cadillac instead of the pickup since it's so enjoyable to drive and us full-figured boys love those big doors. The Buick goes out for trips around the block and for local car club events. Both vehicles are air conditioned, a must here in the desert where today's temperature is slated to reach close to 120. I'd like to figure out a way to be buried in the Buick but I doubt they could dig a hole big enough. Do the cremate cars? This post was last edited 08/27/2017 at 17:20 |
Post# 954934 , Reply# 60   8/27/2017 at 23:10 (2,405 days old) by Kevin313 (Detroit, Michigan)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
I enjoy the old and new.
My daily driver is a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica that is a comfortable ride and yet serves as a workhorse to schlep my vintage appliances and other collections around. My occasional drive - during good weather- is my 1964 Dodge 440 sedan which I've had for many years. It has a 318 V-8, push button automatic transmission, power steering and brakes. While it lacks many safety features - it does have seatbelts in the front only - it is still a pleasure to drive and gets over 21 mpg. |
Post# 954936 , Reply# 61   8/27/2017 at 23:11 (2,405 days old) by amyofescobar (oregon)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 954946 , Reply# 62   8/28/2017 at 00:15 (2,405 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
tnese are my favorite old cars. I am a big fan of old Fords.
|
Post# 954949 , Reply# 63   8/28/2017 at 00:47 (2,405 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Station wagons, once poo-pooed by some collectors, are really coming into their own now. So are cars from the 70's and 80's. It seems that only a few years ago they were just used cars. Maybe it has something to do with my getting older...rapidly.
What a wagon huh? 1959 Mercury from a show in Carmel CA.
View Full Size
|
Post# 954952 , Reply# 64   8/28/2017 at 01:46 (2,405 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 954954 , Reply# 65   8/28/2017 at 02:21 (2,405 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Station Wagon----Couldn't these be thought of as the first SUV's or "soccer mom" cars?When I was growing up we had a Rambler station wagon and an International Travelall.Don't remember what year they were.Rambler was red-International was white. |
Post# 954963 , Reply# 66   8/28/2017 at 05:09 (2,405 days old) by speedqueen (Metro-Detroit)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
My current car is a 1975 Cadillac Sedan De Ville. The ride is wonderful, I don't know how those folks lost control in that LTD, cars this long are so predictable when the tail slides out that if you cannot correct it, that is your problem, not the car's. And to 2nd Hans' point about visibility, I can certainly place where the car is. With visibility like this you don't need blind spot monitoring nor rear view cameras. This car has been terrible for reliability though, I think I'm the only person to invest more than a penny into repairs and maintenance in 40 years. I think I'm going to sell it and buy a late '60s Cadillac, when build quality was better. It's a money pit at this point and the body is rusted out, I think it is time to cut my losses.
About the '59 vs '09 crash test, the IIHS cherry picked the '59 to chose the worst car for crash performance made after the 1930s. The '59 chevy used the X frame which was why the '09 caused so much intrusion combined with the fact that the '59 in question was a base model with straight 6 engine that wasn't wide enough to absorb any of the blow. If they used Fords for the comparison the '59 would have fared better as Ford kept the old ladder type frame later. Ford also placed their steering gear behind the axle thus you wouldn't have seen the steering column and dash come inward. |
Post# 954966 , Reply# 67   8/28/2017 at 05:46 (2,405 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
Joe, Tony and I used to have an Eldo like yours but with a metal roof. It was a nice car but developed the Northstar curse. The worst car my parents ever owned was a 1984 Mercury Lynx wagon aka Ford Escort. That thing was a lemon from day one. It's also the car that made my dad swear off 4-bangers. He will buy no less than a V6 now. It made my mother never want a FoMoCo product ever again although my dad does drive a Ford Ranger. Mother likes Buicks/Chevys now.
Here's what our previous Lincoln MKS looked like after the altercation with a utility pole. Even as bad as the front was crushed, when I hit the start button, the engine started! Of course it was undriveable.
View Full Size
|
Post# 954971 , Reply# 68   8/28/2017 at 07:15 (2,404 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
Once you take the wheel of a Chrysler product with torsion bar suspension and full time power steering....Nothing else is in the running..In my opinion of course..LOL I love being able to steer and park without any effort. |
Post# 954979 , Reply# 70   8/28/2017 at 07:50 (2,404 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I hope nobody was hurt! Wow! And, yes - that's what I was talking about, the cars today are designed to absorb as much of the energy as possible, leaving the passenger compartment out of it to the greatest extent possible. Crumple zones and designed in 'failure' points, energy absorbing materials, etc.
The Pinto as designed was no more prone to catching on fire than any other car of it's era. It was the last minute changes (a weakness at FORD which also hurt the 64 1/2 Mustang, though in a different way) which caused that vulnerability.
I like my Chrysler Mini-Van, but am so unhappy with the local dealer that if anything major every blew up which required their special equipment, I'd junk it and buy something new from someone else. Anyone else, even sight-unseen off of Craigslist before I'd do business with them. |
Post# 954981 , Reply# 71   8/28/2017 at 07:56 (2,404 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
We have a '74 waiting on a THM400. Sigh. While the quality is 10^27 better than that of our '89 Fleetwood Brougham d' Elegance (a YUGO was better put together than that piece of trash), there's no doubt that GM had already lost their way. There were still some great cars - the last Fleetwoods of that era were extraordinarily well built by anyone's standards, the '91,'92 and '93 (yes they still were on the market in '93, never mind what some books say) were great cars. Just, '89 and '90 - We spent more time under the hood and under the car and in the trunk than behind the wheel. Trash from start to finish. |
Post# 955012 , Reply# 73   8/28/2017 at 12:13 (2,404 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Interesting article in the paper the other day . The top selling vehicle in Canada for the past 20 years isn't a car at all, it's the Ford F150 followed by the Honda Civic at #2. The F150 has also been the top selling truck for the past 50 years and unlike the US,, over 50% of Cdn F150's are sold with the V8 compared to just 30% these days in the U.S. |
Post# 955019 , Reply# 74   8/28/2017 at 12:52 (2,404 days old) by Xraytech (Rural southwest Pennsylvania )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Growing up the worst car we had was a 1987 Celebrity Classic sedan with the dreaded 4 cyl engine. It was traded in in early 1992 on a leftover 1991 Cabiler RS sedan. The odd thing I knew several people with Celebrities or the other A-body GM products that were trouble free and all ended up being high mileage cars. They all had either the 2.8 liter v-6 in the Celebrity or the 3.3 litre v-6 in the other models. I eventually owned a 91 Century that other than being bare bones basic was very trouble free
The pic below was exactly like the one we had except ours was gray. |
Post# 955024 , Reply# 75   8/28/2017 at 13:02 (2,404 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
The current issue of Hemmings Classic Cars has an article about the 1957 Oldsmoblie Starfire 98 convertible. My Dads' car was exactly like this one in 1957, only it was black, with a white top. This is the car we drove to Disneyland in in August 1957. It was a beautiful car. We drove the whole way to Anaheim from Richmond, Calif. on old hwy 99 with the top down. I remember that it was hot as hell! My Dad had a Desert Bag tied to the front bumper, in case we overheated far from a service station.
In 1958 when my Dad got his 58' Corvette my Mom got the 57' Olds and his secretary got Mom's 55' turquiose and white 55' Chevrolet Belair HT, a win-win for all concerned. Here is a photo of Mom standing next to the 57'Olds. Eddie CLICK HERE TO GO TO ea56's LINK
View Full Size
This post was last edited 08/28/2017 at 13:51 |
Post# 955026 , Reply# 76   8/28/2017 at 13:06 (2,404 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Ah, the Celebrity brings back memories... It was one of the cars I drove in driver's training--and it was probably overall the best of the lot. The Ford Tempo was probably for me hardest to drive--the steering was too sensitive for me--and the Cavalier drove fine (I liked it the best), but was--for the school--a reliability nightmare. (One teacher told me they were due to get a new car the next term, and the Cavalier would go away since it was the oldest car. The moment it went away could not possibly come soon enough for him.) |
Post# 955069 , Reply# 78   8/28/2017 at 17:09 (2,404 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 955100 , Reply# 79   8/28/2017 at 19:25 (2,404 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
I lost most of my interest in cars after the GM downsizing of 1977. They were never the same after that and I'm so glad I bit the bullet and bought my brand new 75 Electra at the time because word was out by then that 76 would be the last year. So it was either now or never.. Post 77 model year cars do little to excite me. |
Post# 955103 , Reply# 80   8/28/2017 at 19:52 (2,404 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Unfortunately where I live, I have to own a 4WD vehicle. Those that have experienced a winter in this neck of the woods would agree. I have an "81 Corvette that has rear wheel drive that I would gladly sell for the right price. The novelty has worn off.
View Full Size
|
Post# 955116 , Reply# 81   8/28/2017 at 21:40 (2,404 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 955122 , Reply# 82   8/28/2017 at 23:00 (2,404 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
I drove my 62 Plymouth Fury from Lenoir NC to St Louis Mo, a 12 hour trip, there and back I used less than a quart of oil and got better than 18 mpg , driving 70 and better most of the way...a good old wide block 318 and a pushbutton Torqueflite is a hard combination to beat. |
Post# 955124 , Reply# 83   8/28/2017 at 23:29 (2,404 days old) by Stan (Napa CA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
Louis posted scared me! LOL
At least enough to have it on my mind the whole time I was driving today. As I drove around (50 Plymouth) not wearing a seat belt.. As I have thousands of times (car doesn't have them)...I realized that my driving habits are completely out mooted, and I haven't been fully aware! I've adjusted to the car, and I've have these subconscious habits...not following as close as everyone else is, I'm anticipating stops....judging the speed of oncoming traffic, and not pulling out cuz I can't get out fast enough...Guess Ive been subconsciously aware of the limitations, but today I started paying closer attention. I also started to pay attention to how other people were driving, and for a moment, I felt that the world has jumped head, while I wasn't paying attention! Just wanted to share these sudden self observations, and thank those who mentioned the safety issues.
View Full Size
|
Post# 955132 , Reply# 84   8/29/2017 at 05:50 (2,404 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 955368 , Reply# 88   8/30/2017 at 22:39 (2,402 days old) by cadman (Cedar Falls, IA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Stan, I hear ya. The past two years I've been daily-driving my '59 Catalina, no seat belts, 4-wheel drums, 389, AM radio playing the oldies during my commute. It's a unique experience. I did upgrade to a power booster with dual chambers for safety, but they're still drums and you need to plan accordingly.
This year I've enjoyed my 1988 Olds so much (Touring Sedan, FE3 suspension and buckets) that the Pontiac only comes out on Fridays. To me that seems like a modern car, until I ride in something recent. Huge A and B posts, intrusive headrests, uncomfortable seats and complete isolation. It really takes the fun out of driving, or riding as a passenger for that matter.
View Full Size
|
Post# 955373 , Reply# 89   8/30/2017 at 23:48 (2,402 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 955378 , Reply# 90   8/31/2017 at 01:59 (2,402 days old) by Stan (Napa CA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 955379 , Reply# 91   8/31/2017 at 02:05 (2,402 days old) by Stan (Napa CA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 955406 , Reply# 93   8/31/2017 at 07:49 (2,401 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I hear you. So hear you - your list: -"global"parts (Makes me want to throw up when the car makers play their 'we're soooo American' game. -throttle by wire (It is getting better, to be honest, but then - how could it get worse?) -plastic headlights (And this is safer when you hit a pedestrian at 40mph exactly how? Like drowing in 30 feet of water instead of 300 is better?) -plastic engine cladding (Would, again, be OK if it were a good quality plastic, not recycled ABS) -plastic cooling system parts (Because 250F coolant is no problem to have spraying all over the place, right?) -"piped in"(or even fake) engine sound-WTF ?! :) (Sigh. I know. It's false advertising like those guys in the '70s who wore those gold neckchains with the numbers '9 1/2 or even 10'. Divide by two and you're still probably being overly generous..... -more prone to hail damage than "old skool" cars (I live in Cheyenne. Hail capital of The Known Universe. Tell me about it. Our '74 Sedan deVille just gets the dust shook off by hailstones which leave holes in newer Ford 150s. |
Post# 955445 , Reply# 94   8/31/2017 at 11:47 (2,401 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 955450 , Reply# 95   8/31/2017 at 12:21 (2,401 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
Hello, but most models of automobiles have been built for planned obsolesence since at least as far back as the 1930's, its the American corporate model for doing business.
There are good and bad things about both old and new cars, it boils down to what is personally most important to the buyer. I happen to love old cars,and would gladly have one as my daily driver. I like the styling, comfort, simplicity, visibility and drivability. Now for safety features, new cars can't be beat. But somehow, the touch screen controls for climate control and audio on the new cars seem like an unnecessary distraction and they compromise safety when the driver needs to look down at these screens to make a simple adjustment that on an older car can be made easily by feel, without the need for the driver to take their eyes off the road. Just my two cents worth. Eddie |
Post# 955452 , Reply# 96   8/31/2017 at 12:23 (2,401 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 955458 , Reply# 97   8/31/2017 at 12:49 (2,401 days old) by Iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
I have to say that I love a '65 Mustang and a 56 T-Bird as much as the next guy, but I side with new cars and their safety equipment.
Yes people can site the fact that their Daddy's 59 Cadillac took a head on crash and only got a dent. Well did ya mention that the extremely ridged body may have not sustained any damage, but it did transmit every bit of the crash energy to the passenger compartment. A Passenger compartment that didn't contain seatbelts, padded dashboards, or laminated glass.
There is just something comforting when you are seeing the front end of a Ford F-150 coming through your windshield and this bag explodes out of the dashboard and protects you as the three point harness is holding you away from harm.
Sure a newer car will sustain much more damage than one of older vintage in a crash. But remember every piece that breaks, crushes, or flys away is dissipating that crash energy away from it's occupants.
Then there is drivability. Nothing worse than a cold blooded Chrysler with a carbureted engine starting on an icy morning. That problem was mostly solved with electronic fuel injection. Six speed automatic overdrive transmissions, automatic four wheel drive. air conditioning, all things I'm thankful for.
There are so many reasons to love the newer cars. With that said, has anyone ever noticed that the Fiat 500 bears a strange resemblance to a Compact C-9 Vacuum cleaner?
This picture is what my Jeep Grand Cherokee looked like after the Drunk in the F-150 hit me head on. I crawled out with a fractured sternum, but I was able to crawl out.
View Full Size
|
Post# 955461 , Reply# 98   8/31/2017 at 13:33 (2,401 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
With safety in mind... I think I might have mentioned talking to a mechanic about an old Honda from about 1980. At that time, I was considering buying it since it was A) available and B) fit my limited budget. But examining the car, and driving it around the block, quickly killed my enthusiasm. One issue was how primitive it felt--although I could live with that. But the car really didn't feel safe--and the reason I was buying was because my old car had been totaled when someone smashed into it. I just thought "old econobox" at the time...but I wonder now if a lot of the feeling wasn't "econobox" and just plain "this is the way cars typically were in 1980."
I also recall that car didn't run particularly well cold. Someone with a Honda of that vintage said it was that way with his car, too. |
Post# 955463 , Reply# 99   8/31/2017 at 14:02 (2,401 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
I sure hear ya regarding touch screens in cars. I suppose the ones that are integrated into new cars are perfectly fine, but I recently had one installed in my 20 year old Cadillac and in many ways using it is akin to texting while driving. My age is definitely showing when I say it's complicated and involved. There's way too much there. Navigation (so I won't get lost going to the grocery store) and simple radio/CD I understand. I even can figure out Pandora with the cell phone and bluetooth. But beyond that it gets crazy, and the instruction manual on a disc is 92 pages long. The steering wheel controls help a little. I feel like a dummy.
I still say if you do distance driving on a regular basis then a newer car is much better. Older cars are fine for scooting around your area. There are people that live here in the Coachella Valley that commute to the Inland Empire and even Los Angeles. I don't think using a very old car would be wise. The 1957 Thunderbird I sold last year, aside from being a "girly" ladies' shopping car that I hated, was a death trap on wheels, even with the factory seat belts. I would never drive that car on the freeway. My Buick is 52 years old and even though I've had it on the freeway (it's very sea-worthy) I wouldn't drive it around on a daily basis...it doesn't squeeze into parking spaces that well either and even the smallest door ding would make me go ballistic.
Land yachts are a cross between parking and "docking" |
Post# 955464 , Reply# 100   8/31/2017 at 14:29 (2,401 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I love your 65' Buick Wildcat! In 1972 I had a very hot older boyfriend that had a 65 Buick Wildcat, it was the same color as yours, but the interior matched the exterior and his didn't have a vinyl top. I recall that we went to the drive in movies to see Alfred Hitchcock's, "Frenzy" in that Buick and had some fun during the intermission in that roomy front seat, LOL.
Buicks are my favorite old cars, they are beautiful and I love the way they drive. I agree with you about commuting in an older car though. But if I had a old car that I had gone through carefully to be sure that everything was in top shape I wouldn't hesitate to drive it on a long trip. They are the most comfortable cars for long distance auto travel. Eddie This post was last edited 08/31/2017 at 15:53 |
Post# 955490 , Reply# 101   8/31/2017 at 16:40 (2,401 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 955503 , Reply# 104   8/31/2017 at 17:54 (2,401 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
1965 Oldsmobiles....oh weren't those such very nice cars?
View Full Size
|
Post# 955506 , Reply# 105   8/31/2017 at 18:29 (2,401 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
The only old car I own is now is my 36 year old Corvette. Quite advanced for its year, nice smog pump, 190 HP from a 350 V8 and one of the first to come out of the Louisville KY factory that should have been an '82, but Crossfire Injection didnt work, mine had a 4bbl. It was still an '81, even though it was built in August 1981. My '13 Silverado has 355 hp from a 5.3 V8 (327) and the truck is so much easier and comfortable to drive than the Vette.
|
Post# 955508 , Reply# 106   8/31/2017 at 18:33 (2,401 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 955513 , Reply# 107   8/31/2017 at 19:45 (2,401 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Sean, ironically we have the same birthday, but I was 18 in 1972. I have owned 36 vehicles since. Yes, many old vehicles do ride like being on the living room couch. But those of us who now dont want to mess with old vehicles because newer ones are (somewhat) easier to deal with. My Vette owners manual is less than 50 pages, my Silverado is 1000 pages plus and tells you nothing but caution, warning, danger. I told the dealer to set everything on Auto and it works fine, going on 5 years now. Vette rides like a buckboard, Silverado rides like floating on air. I will gladly ride in somebody elses old vehicle, but I am too old to mess with that on any old vehicle any more. Tired of climbing under, covering myself in crap. I'll pay the dealer to fix it. So far it has been oil changes and thats it.
This post was last edited 08/31/2017 at 20:36 |
Post# 955516 , Reply# 108   8/31/2017 at 20:14 (2,401 days old) by rickr (.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 955517 , Reply# 109   8/31/2017 at 20:19 (2,401 days old) by rickr (.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 955518 , Reply# 110   8/31/2017 at 20:24 (2,401 days old) by brucelucenta ()   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
What, no cd player?!!!! |
Post# 955521 , Reply# 111   8/31/2017 at 21:12 (2,401 days old) by rickr (.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 955523 , Reply# 112   8/31/2017 at 21:46 (2,401 days old) by cadman (Cedar Falls, IA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
Rick, beautiful Olds! Funny, the gridwork on the brake and accel remind me of the '62 Starfire grille. Clever!
Speaking of road warriors, this is the cross-country appliance hauler. '87 Scottsdale setting out for Wisconsin tomorrow pulling the Shasta reissue. Gold vinyl benches, vinyl floor, crank windows, but cold A/C. And I swapped out the mono-AM radio for a Delco AM/FM (how deluxe!). I also added rear air shocks for handling situations like the one in the pic ; ) It's also equipped with a Pull-Rite hitch which pivots about the rear axle so it tows like a 5th wheel. Never any sway. Purrs like a kitten but loves the ethel.
View Full Size
|
Post# 955525 , Reply# 114   8/31/2017 at 22:30 (2,401 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Nice Suburban Cory. Todays Suburbans look somewhat similar in length but much more rounded. Still use more gas towing things. Neighbors tow a travel trailer to AZ every year with their 2500 Silverado and get mid teens for mileage. Pay for convenience, I guess. My Silverado can tow any boat out of this lake and not break a sweat. Newer vehicles do seem to use less gas as this '13 uses much less than my '95 did.
|
Post# 955583 , Reply# 118   9/1/2017 at 10:31 (2,400 days old) by firedome (Binghamton NY & Lake Champlain VT)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
that we've had over 150 of them as a curbside amateur under-the-radar dealer/flipper. 1930s to mid 1970s US and also many British sports cars. . Growing with them, we also daily drove full size US '60s and '70s cars almost exclusively as our family drivers and boat and horse trailer pullers: Chrysler and GM wagons and 4 doors, up until the late '90s full sized Olds, Buicks and Mopars were our favorites.
We sold our non-power steering '58 Olds last month, so the only old car now will be the '68 Chevy Caprice 4 door hardtop Sport Sedan we're in the process of buying as we speak. But we no longer want old cars as daily drivers, as wonderful as they are - since the late 90s it's been Japanese SUVs: Montero (1) Trooper (2) Xterra (2)... we really like the Xterra due to full truck frame, it's extreme capability in snow and off road, much needed in NY and VT, it's carrying capacity, modern safety features, the superb Nissan VQ V6 (0n Ward's 10 Best Engines for over 10 years, longer than any other) , but foremost it's simple easy to use non-touch screen analog old fashioned knob controls. And it will still get well over 20 mpg on our many trips to the north. |
Post# 955594 , Reply# 119   9/1/2017 at 11:37 (2,400 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
No more "tune-ups", thousands of miles between oil changes and for us in the rust belt , years and years of no rust worrying. Those are three significant features of new vehicles. Still when my two wheeling days are over, hopefully not soon, I'd love to get myself another big land yacht for summer driving fun.
I'm very happy with the Forester and doubt I'd ever go back to a car as my daily driver. I'm just shy of 6' and with the seat at full height I still don't touch the ceiling. It's easy to step in and out of with my bad back and visibility from the drivers seat is way better than the competition. I love the adaptive cruise control,, that's going to be a must-have from now on. I only wish it had rain sensing wipers like my old Mazda 3.. those were great. It's odd how Subaru doesn't offer that option in N.America yet but when I checked their UK website, they have it there.
|
Post# 955631 , Reply# 121   9/1/2017 at 17:06 (2,400 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
My maternal Grandma was probably one of the first women to drive an automobile in the state of Kansas. Her father owned a hotel in Sharon, Kansas and he bought one of the first cars in that little town in 1910, a 1910 Hupmobile. He taught grandma how to drive it when she was about 12. She got a bad spiral fracture of her arm once from cranking it when it backfired.
Then later on when she and grandpa got married in 1919 they had Model T Fords until about 1930. Model T's didn't have a clutch, they had a planetary transmission that was the forerunner of the modern automatic. There were 3 pedals, one for reverse in the middle, one for forward on the left that you held all the way out for high and to the floor for low, halfway down for neutral and the right pedal was a brake of sorts. It took a great deal of skill to get the hang of the Model T. My grandma would load all four of her girls into the Model T and drive by herself 50 miles on rutted dirt roads to visit her parents, and never thought twice about it. Then in 1930 grandpa got a Chrysler with I believe a 4 speed transmission, ( but 1st was so low that it was seldom used in day to day driving, and was rather driven like a 3 speed). Anyway, it had been several years by then since grandma had driven the Hupmoblie, so grandpa tried giving her a crash course in driving with a clutch. The tensions reared and poor grandma became so unnerved by grandpa's lack of patience that she gave up driving and never drove again. What a shame, since she had been so independent, and one of the first women to drive in her state. I've included a link below about how to drive a Model T. It took some skill. Now we have cars that are driveless and in the not to distant future they will probably be commonplace. It will be wonderful for the elderly and disabled that can't drive, but seems a shame that people are fast becoming so dependent on technology to drive. I'm glad that I learned to drive in the old days, when we even had to use hand an arm signals for our drivers license test and parallel park. Eddie www.barefootsworld.net/ford-t-4-b... CLICK HERE TO GO TO ea56's LINK |
Post# 955633 , Reply# 122   9/1/2017 at 17:12 (2,400 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
|
Post# 955671 , Reply# 125   9/1/2017 at 22:29 (2,400 days old) by iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
|
Post# 955808 , Reply# 126   9/2/2017 at 23:34 (2,399 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
I remember when the Honda Accord first came out. I scouted around and asked for opinions. One that stuck in my mind was that while the car itself ran and handled well, at least when new, the various components (like interior stuff) was cheap and tended to fall apart.
Later I learned that in Japan, the government tries to force the citizenry to constantly buy new cars by mandating planned obsolescence via stringent inspection requirements after a few years. Such as, all the rubber in the car has to be replaced, whether or not it needs it. My suspicion is that the Japanese car companies of that day knew that either all the rubber would be replaced after a relatively short period, so why install rubber components that would last a lot longer? Turns out the cost of replacing all that stuff (not only rubber) and getting inspected is so expensive that most Japanese would simply trade in their few years old cars and buy new ones. These days however there are Japanese cars and trucks that seem to last forever, at least in the USA. Perhaps Japan, Inc. realized that a Japan-spec vehicle would not last very long in the USA. Me? I bought a '64 Valiant in '76. Still have it. I can't say it's been trouble free, and it's been parked for the last 17 years, but with a little work it could be on the road again. Part of my retirement list of things to do. |
Post# 955855 , Reply# 127   9/3/2017 at 06:56 (2,398 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
I'm 6ft tall but only 145 pounds. I have a hard time finding cars that fit my BLB...bony little butt. Tony had a '94 Lincoln Town Car when we met. It fit fine. He later got a 2000 Town Car that didn't fit me at all. Then we had a 2003 that fit fine. My grandmother had a '92 Mercury Grand Marquis that she bought new. She had a stroke in 2007 and she sold it to me for a work car. It rode and drove fine but again, the seat hurt my BLB and my back. My 2001 VW Beetle commuter car's seat fits me better than just about any car I've had myself....and I've had my share since I was 16...from my little 1987 Chevy Nova (Toyota Corolla) that only had two options on it...AC and rear defroster...all the way up to our MB S500, Caddy's DTS and Escalade, and our new Lincoln MKS (the MKS fits me beautifully but if I put the seat at a good height for my long legs, my head will hit the ceiling due to the sunroof.
But I personally prefer small cars since I drive in lots of traffic and park in cramped parking decks at work. Much easier to handle. I think it's funny how much power today's cars have in much smaller engines. My MKS V6 has only ONE horsepower less than my MB S500 had in it's 5.0L V8.
|
Post# 955938 , Reply# 133   9/3/2017 at 14:49 (2,398 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Yes, they do produce more power for the size engine, but there still is no feeling on earth like putting your foot into a big old four barrel and hearing a big v8 moan! |
Post# 955946 , Reply# 135   9/3/2017 at 15:49 (2,398 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
Apparently the BMW's and others are so quiet that they have a synthesized engine growl that is piped thru the audio system . Listen to the two videos, one with and one turned off. CLICK HERE TO GO TO petek's LINK |
Post# 955965 , Reply# 136   9/3/2017 at 19:13 (2,398 days old) by GusHerb (Chicago/NWI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
If I bought a car that plays fake engine noise on the speakers I would disable it right away. I would rather hear something less pleasant sounding that's real than something that sounds good but is fake. |
Post# 955985 , Reply# 138   9/3/2017 at 20:59 (2,398 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
4    
|
Post# 956001 , Reply# 139   9/3/2017 at 23:59 (2,398 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 956008 , Reply# 141   9/4/2017 at 02:43 (2,398 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
On the subject of turbo fan jet engines, the main reason why they are not practical for cars is that they are rather low torque at lower rpms. Think the old slushomatics of early Chryslers. Sure, if you rev one up until it howls, then you have to deal with the howling. And the transmission/reduction gear would take a beating.
Modern engine/trans combinations are more fuel efficient while still offering decent performance by having far more gear ratios than older three speeds. Nine and ten speed trans are becoming common. This allows the car engine to stay in its sweet spot, keeping revs and fuel consumption down while still offering acceleration when needed. So now modern automatics can be more fuel efficient than manual trans, although a stick shift is always more fun to drive IMHO. As far as limited space between bumper and grille/trunk lid, etc. I believe Chrysler more or less led the pack with that approach in the late 1990's. They had adopted advanced computer design technology, along with AMC's platform approach, and were able to bring new somewhat trend setting models to market a year or two before the competition. Aerodynamics and styling are one reason. But another reason is that government regulations do indeed affect bumper design. I think it was back in the 70's or 80's that the feds started requiring car mfg's to design the cars so that they could withstand low speed collisions (like maybe less than 5 mph) without suffering a major repair expense. The way modern cars seem to handle this is to use a Styrofoam form for the jbumper, with a very thin vacuformed shell over that. On top of that, they make the shell relatively inexpensive to replace. But it does impose some design constraints and has been a big gripe for fans of European cars who find they can't buy them here in the USA because the foreign car company doesn't want to go to the bother and expense of ruining their sporty design to meet American regulations. It's probably less of an issue today, what with the foam filled bumpers, but I believe it is still a gripe for some car nuts. |
Post# 956096 , Reply# 142   9/4/2017 at 13:02 (2,397 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
...it would look like an old Webster's Unabridged Dictionary...thick! People love to chat about cars which is a good thing. I certainly don't need to be concerned about vehicle styles in the year 2050 and beyond. 2020 is starting to look doubtful. When it comes to design, give me angles. The cars I grew up with from the late 50's and thru the 60's, a time that even as a little kid, if a 59 Pontiac breezed by you knew exactly what it was. Most of today's cars look very similar to me...4 doors (how awful) and have the same shape, like a cube from your Whirlpool Ice Magic.
A few years ago I was eyeing this beautiful "angled" 1965 TOL Mercury Park Lane convertible that was for sale. I still had that blasted 57 Bird and the "suddenly too small for comfort Corvette" so I had no garage space. It was before I bought the Wildcat. I still regret it.
View Full Size
|
Post# 956106 , Reply# 143   9/4/2017 at 13:52 (2,397 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 956109 , Reply# 144   9/4/2017 at 14:01 (2,397 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 956117 , Reply# 146   9/4/2017 at 15:07 (2,397 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
back in the day if you were driving along or just looking a block or two ahead and glimpsed a car passing by it was almost automatic you'd know what it was.
That seems like almost a century ago... Sigh...
Certainly by the 80s, it seemed like there was often little difference between divisions of Detroit car makers. Is it a Chevrolet or a Cadillac? Better check the emblem on the front just to be sure. LOL
It's gotten to a point where it's hard for me to tell different manufacturers apart--at least in the 80s I could tell a Ford from a Chrysler with one glance. Although my present difficulty might be in part to the fact that I'm not paying a whole lot of attention to new cars.
|
Post# 956121 , Reply# 147   9/4/2017 at 15:13 (2,397 days old) by vacerator (Macomb, Michigan)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Yes, it denoted the model year unless the identical lens was used for consecutive model years. Examples: '71, and '72 Ford Custom 500, Galaxie, LTD. '73, and '74 Fords also, and '75, 76 77's, 78's. |
Post# 956126 , Reply# 148   9/4/2017 at 15:27 (2,397 days old) by Xraytech (Rural southwest Pennsylvania )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 956184 , Reply# 149   9/4/2017 at 22:25 (2,397 days old) by pulltostart (Mobile, AL)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
1976 Cadillac right here in Mobile with 38,000 miles. Beautiful color combination! More photos in the ad.
lawrence CLICK HERE TO GO TO pulltostart's LINK on Mobile Craigslist |
Post# 956187 , Reply# 150   9/4/2017 at 22:28 (2,397 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I drive my mom's mini van, but I have a 1986 Chevy Camaro Z28, and I am putting a Chevy 350 small block V8 in it, can't drive it until I move to Idaho because it would cost more money to put all of the smog equipment on it, and the registration is VERY expensive in California. I just like how simple old cars are, and you can fix them yourself. When it comes to newer cars, it is impossible to do the work yourself on a newer cars, but you can do all of the work on a old car.
|
Post# 956476 , Reply# 152   9/7/2017 at 00:23 (2,395 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I will only like old cars, and old cars only. I don't like today's ugly, boarding, cheaply made cars. The cars that are made currently will not be on the road in 10 or 20 years from now, they will most likely be in the junk yard. New cars are made for obsolescence, while the old cars can be fixed easily and last forever!
|
Post# 956513 , Reply# 154   9/7/2017 at 10:36 (2,394 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
There is a lady in Orlando Florida who has a 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente 4 Door Sedan with over 600,000 original miles, and it has been her only car since 1964. If you take really good care of your cars, it will last you a life time, if you don't care about your cars, they won't last that long at all.
|
Post# 956538 , Reply# 155   9/7/2017 at 13:28 (2,394 days old) by cfz2882 (Belle Fourche,SD)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
those are cool cars-I have an '82 z28,bought it in 1990 with ~81000 miles,now has ~265,000 miles :) |
Post# 956546 , Reply# 156   9/7/2017 at 15:49 (2,394 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 956559 , Reply# 157   9/7/2017 at 18:18 (2,394 days old) by cfz2882 (Belle Fourche,SD)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
my '07 GMC canyon has that-it is handy,was suprized my base model truck had it-mine only tells there is a low tire,more modern TPMs probably tell which tire is low :) |
Post# 956562 , Reply# 158   9/7/2017 at 18:59 (2,394 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
My '13 Silverado gives you the warning, which tire and how low it is. I had a nail in one that lost a couple pounds a week. Once it got to a certain level, it warns you. When I bought it, I told them to just set everything on auto and what needs to warn me does. Back up sensors work great but you need to still watch all your mirrors, especially your rear view one inside.
|
Post# 956592 , Reply# 159   9/8/2017 at 01:44 (2,394 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
A video that gives a 40 year overview/review of a 1970s Cadillac. I have some nitpicks, but it's interesting. Although I feel a little old--some of the features on this car which are new to the reviewer are things I remember, like a floor mounted high beam switch...
This post was last edited 09/08/2017 at 02:25 |
Post# 956593 , Reply# 160   9/8/2017 at 02:02 (2,394 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
4    
|
Post# 956594 , Reply# 161   9/8/2017 at 02:23 (2,394 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 956604 , Reply# 162   9/8/2017 at 08:37 (2,393 days old) by vacerator (Macomb, Michigan)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
the convertible was the most expensive. The msrp of a 1975 was over $10,000.00. 8,950 were built that year. A downsized 1979 custom built Eldorado convertible was featured on the tv game show Sale of the Century. |
Post# 956606 , Reply# 163   9/8/2017 at 08:48 (2,393 days old) by Iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Convertibles were and became even more expensive because 1976 was the last production year of a factory convertible. After the 1976 model year, a convertible was obtained by sending a newly produced hard top to another factory where the top was removed, the frame reinforced and a rag top installed. This process added heavily to the sticker for those wanting a convertible.
|
Post# 956724 , Reply# 166   9/9/2017 at 04:40 (2,393 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 956732 , Reply# 167   9/9/2017 at 05:30 (2,393 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 956733 , Reply# 168   9/9/2017 at 05:33 (2,393 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 956735 , Reply# 169   9/9/2017 at 06:37 (2,393 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Stomping the floor to dim the lights, stupidest thing they ever did was move the dimmer switch from the floor where it belongs! |
Post# 956773 , Reply# 171   9/9/2017 at 13:48 (2,392 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
dimmer switch from the floor where it belongs!
I wonder where the best location would be? I am so locked into having it on the turn signal--every car I've ever driven has had it there--but I can see one argument for having it on the floor--it can be operated while the driver's hands stay fully on on the wheel. Although floor mounting could be bad if the driver needs to work a clutch at the same time he or she needs to dim a light.
I remember my parents got their first car with turn signal dimmer switch in the early 1980s. It may have been that switch that prompted my father to comment he wondered what would happen when a modern switch wore out and need replacing. Although, interestingly, all the switches still worked (and were original) when the engine on that car blew.
Other interesting memory: a few years ago, a bus I was riding had headlight failure. The bus was basically a large van, and as I recall the driver was able to stagger back to the garage by holding the high beam on (I think probably a "flash to pass"position). |
Post# 956786 , Reply# 172   9/9/2017 at 15:07 (2,392 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 956801 , Reply# 173   9/9/2017 at 16:22 (2,392 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I preferred the headlight dimmer on the floor too! Also, I think that the old sealed beam headlights that were the standard for years were better too. All cars used essentially the same headlight bulbs. They were universally available, easy to replace and they didn't blind oncoming drivers like these new halogen headlights. And additionally, there were no plastic covers to get cloudy, yellowed and hazey, requiring either repair or replacement.
It used to be that the controls on cars were fairly standardized too. It was easy to get into another car and you pretty much knew where all the controls were and how they functioned. There is much to be desired about the old cars. And Joe, I too remember the starter being on the floor of some cars too. I learned to drive stick in a 39' flatbed Chevrolet truck, and the starter was on the floor. There was also a throttle on the dash so you could set the throttle and drive without using the gas pedal. This was helpful for farmers and ranchers when they need to use the truck in the fields, like for dropping off bales of hay. And don't even get me started about visibility, or the lack thereof in the new cars. I love my 07' Honda Civic, but the blindspots are the pits! I've never owned a car with worse visibility, from all angles! Eddie |
Post# 956804 , Reply# 174   9/9/2017 at 16:40 (2,392 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
If your parent's first car was an 80's then you're a very young person...I hate you
Not necessarily. What if one's parents were 80 at the time of purchasing their first car? LOL And you hate me? Join the special "We Hate Lord Kenmore Club" which is large, and growing with each and every last one of my posts. LOL
Actually, I probably worded my comment above poorly. They bought first cars in the 60s, but this 80s purchase was the first that had a turn signal dimmer switch. |
Post# 956824 , Reply# 175   9/9/2017 at 19:49 (2,392 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 956829 , Reply# 176   9/9/2017 at 20:11 (2,392 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I never think to ask for a seniors discount, although I am old enough, oh well, part of getting older, you forget to ask and then its too late. I have had cars with dimmer switches on the floor, my first, a 63 Rambler. I do like the little left finger dimming or bright is much easier.I wished you had a blind them switch for those jerks that have to put 12 high beams on to blind you.
This post was last edited 09/09/2017 at 21:16 |
Post# 956830 , Reply# 177   9/9/2017 at 20:43 (2,392 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 956849 , Reply# 178   9/9/2017 at 23:45 (2,392 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 956923 , Reply# 181   9/10/2017 at 11:11 (2,391 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Greg,
I have not had any more issues with the MKC since my last round of problems in March/April. I do love the styling, comfort, conveniences and ride. I can drive for 10 hours and not have an aching lower back or thighs. I will have to bring it in shortly to have my last free oil change and service. There is another TSB for the heated seats which I will get done as well. The first TSB was supposed to improve the length of time to warm the seats but it really didn't help. Hopefully this 2nd TSB will make an improvement. I am also going to have them look at the exhaust tips which are starting to rust. I know someone else that had the same issue with the exhaust tips and his entire exhaust system had to be replaced because it is all one piece. Gary |
Post# 956941 , Reply# 183   9/10/2017 at 14:09 (2,391 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
I learned to drive on the Northern California coast backroads and US HWY 1. They are winding, mountainous roads that require a lot of shifing if you are driving a stick and at night requiring frequent headlight dimming due to oncoming traffic on two lane roads. I never found that the floor dimmer switch was difficult to use because a shift was required at the same time I needed to dim the lights. This is a situation that comes up not that often, you can see the oncoming car before you need to shift, so dim, then shift, no problem, or visa versa. As I recall it was second nature to use my left foot to activate the dimmer switch, its' all about what you get used to.
Maybe if I were to go back to the floor dimmer switch I wouldn't like it as much as I remember, but from what I recall it just seemed more natural to use my foot, and it took a while to adjust to the dimmer on the turn signal. To me it just made more sense because your hands are better occupied being on the wheel, especially on windy roads. But what do I know? I've only been driving for over 50 years now. And I've driven lots of old cars, and they had their strengths and weaknesses, just like the new cars. Nothing is perfect. My two cents worth. Eddie |
Post# 956944 , Reply# 184   9/10/2017 at 14:40 (2,391 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 956946 , Reply# 185   9/10/2017 at 14:51 (2,391 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
IMO, any time a woman isn't as good as a man behind the wheel it's because she hasn't had the same exposure, training, practice, etc. than the man/men she's being compared to.
It's not just women who get attacked for their driving--I've noticed the same thing (although perhaps to a lesser degree) about other groups. There was some very ugly commentary on YouTube car videos about one the people involved in making the video, who had Asian ancestry.
I have to wonder if commentary about driving skills isn't largely about a white man trying to sell himself on the idea that he's somehow superior.
I ride the bus--I don't have a running car at the moment--and I've actually found that all--and I repeat all--the women who have driven a bus I've been have been quite competent. I don't think this next point is particularly valid past being my limited experience with one transit agency, but the bus drivers who have made me nervous have all been men. (Although there have been thankfully very few of those.) One regular driver a while back even had slightly aggressive tendencies behind the wheel. Another passenger and I agreed we were both happier not paying attention to the details of what was going on--like left turns where he probably should have yielded. |
Post# 956961 , Reply# 187   9/10/2017 at 17:02 (2,391 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 956964 , Reply# 188   9/10/2017 at 17:54 (2,391 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
thanks for the compliment! But no one knows better than I that I'm not always right, and I sure hope that I can always admit it when I'm wrong.
Your description of starting off on a steep hill without using the E-brake is how I was taught too, but I haven't owned a manual trans car for 20 years, so it might be a challenge, but I wouldn't be afraid to attempt it. Using a clutch is like riding a bike, once you learn, you never forget. I was also taught to curb the wheels when parking on hill, just like you were, parking downhill, wheels turned towards the curb manual trans in reverse gear, parking uphill, wheels turned to the left and allow the right tire to gently touch the curb, with gearshift 1st. And in heavy traffic I was taught to also use my hand and arm signals, to be sure other drivers knew your intent. I don't use the arm turn signals anymore, but if I'm stuck in stop and go traffic on the highway I'll still sometimes use my hand signal for stop, left arm down palm facing back. Old habits die hard. But you are correct about all the great safety features too. In 2000 I hit another car in the rear when he pulled suddenly in front of me. I was driving a 98' Honda Accord. I jammed both feet on the brake and literally had my ass out of the seat standing on the brake when the airbag deployed and slapped me in the face. It kind of even burned my face, but I had no injuries other than being stunned. That experience made me a believer in airbags. I feel the same way about ABS, great safety feature. And anyone that thinks you are any safer in a huge 55' Cadillac, without seat belts, think again. I vividly remember seeing these old tanks in terrible accidents in the 50's and 60's in the Bay Area before my family moved to the country. It was common to see lots of blood from occupants that hit the windshield, or were impaled by the steering column. Even so, I still love old cars and I realize that if I were ever lucky enough to acquire one, driving it would be different than what I've become used to and not as safe. One thing about new cars that is not safer are the ubiquitous power windows. Go into the drink and unless you're able to break or kick out a window, say your prayers, cause you're probably gonna drown. And you would be hard pressed to find any new car now with windup windows. I love the convenience of the power windows, but I sure hope that I'll have the presence of mind to roll the window down if I ever find my car heading into the water. Eddie This post was last edited 09/10/2017 at 20:26 |
Post# 956972 , Reply# 189   9/10/2017 at 19:17 (2,391 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
My '81 Subaru had a hill holder clutch that was supposedly patented by Studebaker. Stop on a steep grade and it locked and it let go as you went forward, no e/brake necessary. Nobody around here has a manual Subaru now. Even though I have a 36 year old Corvette, I prefer my newer Silverado I have now for the ease and safety things. Vette is for sale, want it? Sorry, no air bags in it.
|
Post# 956977 , Reply# 190   9/10/2017 at 19:47 (2,391 days old) by cadman (Cedar Falls, IA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I just could _not_ get through that video. I actually own a '76 Eldo (restored it in high school and still have it) and know these cars inside and out. Somehow the most unique things about the design escape him and the usual tropes make their appearance.
I do get tired of the 'huge car, puny HP' comment from people who have always had 200HP 4-cylinders available. Apparently knowing about torque curves or gearing isn't a requirement to be 'a car guy' these days. Mine has been souped up a bit, but in factory trim and tuned correctly, these 5000 pound cars get up and boogy! Edit: Did this guy bury the lede or just miss the obvious? Not only are these Eldos FWD, but this one happens to have a rare '77 option- Electronic Multiport Fuel Injection (making more HP than he claims, sure, but drastically improving drivability).
View Full Size
This post was last edited 09/10/2017 at 20:09 |
Post# 957396 , Reply# 192   9/13/2017 at 12:59 (2,388 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
A case-in-point is a 1980's Mercedes that I used to frequently see as often as from when it was new up to a-few-years-ago that I no longer do...
It had those new-fangled headlights & even the wipers (and washers) fading & showing their age--to where the cleaning apparatuses probably no longer worked... -- Dave |
Post# 957610 , Reply# 195   9/15/2017 at 04:24 (2,387 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 957768 , Reply# 196   9/16/2017 at 13:53 (2,385 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 957780 , Reply# 197   9/16/2017 at 16:21 (2,385 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 957781 , Reply# 198   9/16/2017 at 16:21 (2,385 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 957784 , Reply# 199   9/16/2017 at 16:49 (2,385 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
Yes, new cars lose a lot of value--starting the second you first start it to drive it off the lot... But that's always been true--those cars of the 60s dropped in value, too. It's just that they have had enough time to become collectible, and thus start appreciating in value. Indeed, I half wonder if the situation wasn't worse once with depreciation. (Perhaps someone who was around and paying attention can tell us what the depreciation realities were like in past decades vs. now.) |
Post# 958370 , Reply# 200   9/20/2017 at 21:37 (2,381 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 958394 , Reply# 201   9/21/2017 at 00:07 (2,381 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
4    
thanks for sharing the video of the daily driver Model A Ford.
When my parents got married in1948 my Dad was in law school on the GI Bill. He owned a 39' La Salle at the time. Anyway, they went on a modest honeymoon on the Russian River and came back with only $7.00 to last for the next two weeks before either of them would get their next paycheck. So my Dad sold the La Salle for a couple of hundred bucks and they bought a 1930 Model A Tudor for $75.00. Mom didn't have her license yet and no one wanted to teach her so she taught herself in the Model A. Then she went down to the the DMV and took her test. They had a Skye Terrier at the time that shed all over the inside of the car. The examiner got in wearing a blue serge suit, and immediatly began brushing off the dog hair. Well this Model A had tendency for the throttle linkage coming loose, and wouldn't you know it it came loose during Mom's exam. She was only 4'9", but she knew how to fix it. So when the car died at a stop sign, she got out, rolled up the hood, took out her screw driver and reconnected the linkage. By this time Mr. Blue Serge Suit had had quit enough. He said, "Lady if you can drive this thing, you can drive anything, take me back you got your license". My Mom used to love telling us this story. Every time I see a Model A I think of it. Thanks for letting me share it with you. Eddie |
Post# 958415 , Reply# 202   9/21/2017 at 06:42 (2,381 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 958421 , Reply# 203   9/21/2017 at 08:05 (2,380 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
Another Model A video. This one interested me in that it shows the realities of driving a really old car where just about nothing is automatic. Even something as simple as starting the car is considerably more complicated than we are used to. It's a bit a long--20 minutes--but it's probably not necessary to watch the whole video.
|
Post# 958438 , Reply# 205   9/21/2017 at 11:56 (2,380 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
thanks for sharing another great Model A video. Watching it reminded me of how much I used to enjoy the rhythm of driving a three speed manual transmission. It was something that just became second nature.
And the tightness of that 89 year old Ford was very impressive! The steering wheel didn't vibrate at all and such seemed like those brakes did there job just fine too, although I realize that our modern brakes are vastly improved, for mechanical brakes they were pretty good. Ford was one of the last auto companies to use hydraulic brakes, Henry Ford was slow to change something he felt was laready successful. Eddie |
Post# 958442 , Reply# 206   9/21/2017 at 12:28 (2,380 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 958451 , Reply# 207   9/21/2017 at 13:32 (2,380 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 958459 , Reply# 208   9/21/2017 at 14:18 (2,380 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
You're welcome, Eddie!
And I have preferred manual transmissions, although I've never had anything less than a 4 speed. But the rhythm of shifting gears is enjoyable. And it definitely becomes second nature.
And the tightness of that 89 year old Ford was very impressive!
It is...although I'm wondering if that isn't the result of a ton of money being poured into the car. I don't know the history past what gets talked about in that video, but I have to assume that there is no way that car could have lasted all these years in that condition without needing major work (quite possibly more than once). |
Post# 958952 , Reply# 209   9/24/2017 at 22:49 (2,377 days old) by appliguy (Oakton Va.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
When I was your age Sean I felt exactly the same way you do but time has shown me that new cars are not bad either. Now I do feel that we are starting to give a little more control of our cars to computers then we should (i.e self parking and self driving cars and such) but the fact is cars of today are much better made and on a whole tend to be more reliable and more economical as well as environmentally cleaner then what you refer to as “old cars” and I refer to as “vintage cars” and there will be plenty of todays cars around in 10 or 20 years. Look at a lot of the cars that are on the road now, a lot of them are 10 to 20 years old and they are still being driven everyday and todays cars are built even better then cars that were built at the turn of this century. I was born in 1976 and I grew up around cars of the 60’s 70’s, 80’s & 90’s and I can tell you that cars from these era’s are a lot more maintenance intensive both mechanically and bodily. Most American cars of the 70’s and 80’s were not put together very well and were not always very reliable. For example the rear windshields on my folks 1968 Pontiac Tempest and 1974 Chevrolet Caprice rusted out and started leaking with in the first two years my folks owned them and both were bought brand new by my folks. My dad fixed both rear windshields but said it was a major undertaking and today it would cost a fair amount of money to have a body shop do the work. The power windows on my dads 1979 Buick LaSabre were always going out and after trying to fix them himself multiple times to avoid a big repair bill he gave up and the only window that still worked was the drivers window. Oil changes, filter changes, timing belt changes, etc. all had/have to be done with more frequency then they do on the cars of today. Oh and as someone that owned a 1959 Ford Custom 300 club sedan for a while let me tell you that while vintage cars are easier to fix than modern ones, parts for them can be just as expensive and in some cases a lot more expensive then it would be to have a modern car repaired by a reputable mechanic. That also goes for body work, especially if you are driving a vintage car that is not real easy to get body parts for. Bodies on vintage cars were not made with as good of corrosion protection as modern car bodies so I hope you have a friend/relative who either works at or owns a body shop or that you are proficient in doing the body work yourself and that you have all the expensive tools it takes to do the body work so it does not look like crap. Cars today have crumple zones that sacrifice the car instead of the people in it in an accident. As proven in an above post, in older cars there is a lot more of a chance that you could be hurt in an accident and let me remind you that no matter how safe of a driver you are that does not guarantee that some other irresponsible idiot will not hit your car while you are in it. Also newer cars are on a whole are physically easier to drive and modern anti lock disc brakes bring modern cars to a stop quicker and safer than old fashioned drum breaks do. I know Norgeway has been singing the praise of vintage Chrysler Corp Full Time Power Steering and I have heard other people sing the same praise and I do not doubt it is well deserved praise at that. The reality you have to accept is while power steering in vintage cars is nice, power steering was not a common item in cars until the 1970’s. Neither were other luxuries we take for granted now like power brakes and air conditioning. Until you drive a car with manual steering and brakes with no air conditioning on a hot humid summer afternoon you will not understand how uncomfortable driving a vintage car can be at times. As for styling, now that is a matter of taste and I do have to agree with you that vintage cars have more style but what modern cars lack in style they make up for in other areas such as safety and convince. In closing like you and Norgeway, I would love to drive a vintage car as a daily driver, but like Norgeway I realize that a modern car is the more sensible and economical choice as a daily driver. PAT COFFEY
|
Post# 958953 , Reply# 210   9/24/2017 at 23:36 (2,377 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 958992 , Reply# 211   9/25/2017 at 06:17 (2,377 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
The curb/parking block manufacturers and auto manufacturers need to get together on how high to make the underside of vehicles & how much lower cement designed to tear off the bottom spoiler on the underside front of your NEW car is supposed to be...
Too often that cheap rubber gets torn off & dragged on the ground--also your radiator & cooling vessels & even components for air conditioning are under that area nearby... -- Dave |
Post# 958999 , Reply# 212   9/25/2017 at 06:35 (2,377 days old) by appliguy (Oakton Va.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
6    
|
Post# 959151 , Reply# 214   9/26/2017 at 00:35 (2,376 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
|
Post# 959154 , Reply# 215   9/26/2017 at 00:52 (2,376 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
|
Post# 960037 , Reply# 216   10/1/2017 at 13:42 (2,370 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
The BUZZZZZZ!!!! that the seat belt/keys in iginigiton/headlamos on that your OLD CAR sounds...
NOT the rings, dings, pings & blings (Dodge & all Ford/Lincoln/Mercury sound the worst & my aunt's Nissan pick-up which was from the beginning of ALL VEHICLES having those dumb chimes!) that your new cars do... -- Dave |
Post# 960157 , Reply# 217   10/2/2017 at 05:46 (2,370 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Our new Lincoln dings for the seatbelts. If a front seat occupant does not buckle up it will "remind" them every few seconds until they do. The park assist is a handy feature but the blind spot detection and alert system is annoying when backing the car under the carport. It beeps at me to warn me of an approaching tree in my blind spot! I just can't help but laugh when it does it. |
Post# 960277 , Reply# 220   10/2/2017 at 18:47 (2,369 days old) by Xraytech (Rural southwest Pennsylvania )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Vintagedreams,
Your 94 Caddy is the younger sister to my 93 Fleetwood Brougham. I like your burgandy one better than my silver one. Mine has the I'm assuming uncommon for the time heated front seats. I'm up to 93,000 miles now. Have an oil leak that needs addressed, and a blower motor with very bad bearings. While I like me 2013 XTS (essentially same as your Impala) nothing compares to the floaty ride of a huge luxury RWD sedan from GM, or my prior Roadmaster wagon. Luckily with my town and country driving I get between 19-22 mpg in the Fleetwood. |
Post# 960288 , Reply# 221   10/2/2017 at 20:01 (2,369 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 960290 , Reply# 222   10/2/2017 at 20:09 (2,369 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 960443 , Reply# 223   10/3/2017 at 15:36 (2,368 days old) by firedome (Binghamton NY & Lake Champlain VT)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
just arrived here, an original '68 Caprice Sport Sedan ie 4 dr hardtop, with 78 k miles. Lack of serious emission controls and heavy mid '70s safety junk makes it an excellent and sprightly performer with just a 327 4 bbl and the superb THM-400, and the reasonable weight (3800 lbs) and size plus a pretty luxurious interior and great GM late '60s ride/handling make this one of the best overall driving vintage cars we've ever had, and one of the easiest for finding parts too. Newer cars for safe economical daily driving, a beautiful classic for a relaxing Sunday drive in NY's gorgeous Finger Lakes wine country...imo the best of both worlds!
View Full Size
|
Post# 960483 , Reply# 224   10/3/2017 at 19:53 (2,368 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
But I agree with you, these are good dependable vehicles.Ihad a 68 Bel Air many years ago, a good driving car. |
Post# 960614 , Reply# 226   10/4/2017 at 16:06 (2,367 days old) by firedome (Binghamton NY & Lake Champlain VT)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Grecian Green, and it's completely original with the exception of an "outer skin" repaint in the original color over 20 yrs ago. It's always been kept indoors.
www.autocolorlibrary.com... is another good resource for original color chips. The pic is at the seller's house btw, our small rancher is considerably less grand! |
Post# 960652 , Reply# 227   10/4/2017 at 20:36 (2,367 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Nice Caprice!
I'm not sure of exact models now, but a couple of junior high teachers had late 60s Chevrolets in the early 80s.
One was thinking about trading his Chevrolet in on a new Ford Thunderbird. I was a bit shocked at the time--the old car seemed more interesting to me. He did apparently do the trade when I was in high school.
The other teacher also had a late 1970s Ford van, and he liked to talk in class a lot about the sliding standards in America, and how quality was going down the drain. He once said he expected the Chevrolet and the van to last about the same length of time the Chevrolet was older, but the van had modern quality... At the time I had him, he mentioned he got offers from high school students for his Chevrolet, but he refused, since he and his wife needed a car.
Another time, this same teacher was talking about electric cars. He said that they might be viable for around town, but were seriously limited with distance/top speed. So people would need to have a four car garage--daily driver electric cars for the husband and wife. Then there would be two gas powered cars--one for general family use, and the other to be backup when the first wasn't working right due to lousy modern quality.
|
Post# 960759 , Reply# 229   10/5/2017 at 12:36 (2,366 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
the Fleetwood ride probably will never be matched unless one owns a 7-series Bimmer or S-class Benz. Nothing beats a full-size RWD Cadillac or Lincoln in terms of total comfort.
I'm not in the least bit familiar with the Fleetwood...but I am thinking that what I consider the "classic" American luxury car ride is probably gone, quite possibly never to return.
I certainly don't expect the Germans to ever be what Cadillac was. While I suppose luxury is the selling point to BMW 7 series and Mercedes S class, those cars come from Europe...and the engineering and heritage will probably reflect that. So the BMW will have nice ride...but that will be balanced with engineering that allows the car to effortlessly handle European roads (including the Autobahn). This is not, of course, a bad thing...just different way of designing a car. And different approaches have value--one local parts store employee once told me that the reason we have so many different car models is because one size does not fit all.
I have personally mixed feelings about the loss of classic American car luxury. It's not something I've ever really had, and I value handling. But as I get older, comfort is more appealing... I have even toyed with the idea of getting an American car with softer ride next time. Partly because prices are attractive here, partly just to experience the cars while they are still available as practical used cars. But the nature of my driving is mostly simple get me to the store and back...and anything longer is a highway drive. The scenic winding country road is not something I deal with very often, if ever. Comfort of ride--particularly for longer drives--might be nice... Interestingly, I knew a 20-something who had a 1980s VW GTI and her boyfriend had a VW Jetta. She once took a weekend trip, and she reported that she wished for most of the trip that she had her boyfriend's car, because it had a much better and quieter ride. Although the last miles were winding roads, and so the GTI was appreciated there.
|
Post# 960789 , Reply# 230   10/5/2017 at 13:57 (2,366 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I'm glad to see there are people out there that appreciate big luxury cars like the Cadillac Fleetwood as classic and collectible. I enjoy following ebay vehicles to see if they sell and for how much. This 1990 Fleetwood coupe is one example. Cadillac chose not to make a 2-door model every year during the last years of the Fleetwood. This one is very nice. Interestingly, this car is in Pennsylvania but originally from St. Claire Cadillac in San Jose, a dealership I visited at least once a week when I was a teenager to check-out their used car lot. They had some nice stuff as did the Lincoln dealer across the street.
With a back seat like this, you could move in... |
Post# 960791 , Reply# 231   10/5/2017 at 14:09 (2,366 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
For those old-timers that can remember the original "Let's Make A Deal" this is fun. Change this to today and see what the winners' reactions would be, probably "what the heck to they expect me to do with that huge thing?" Those were big cars. Cadillacs, like a loaf of bread in the grocery store, got much smaller. CLICK HERE TO GO TO twintubdexter's LINK |
Post# 960798 , Reply# 232   10/5/2017 at 14:56 (2,366 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 960810 , Reply# 233   10/5/2017 at 15:34 (2,366 days old) by firedome (Binghamton NY & Lake Champlain VT)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
our across the street neighbor bought new '59, '64, '66 and '68 Cads (we moved after that year), and he was a fanatic in taking care of them. I'd go over and watch him, when at least once a week he'd carefully hand wash and chamois off everything, including the engine compartment, his cars always looked brand new, Chesapeake Cad always wanted those like-new trade-ins. The assembly, trim, interior brocade cloth and leather, paint and chrome quality and finish was just jewel-like on the '64 and even the gaudily-designed '59, while with the '66, and even more so, the increasingly plastic-y '68 (and they became far worse later on!) it was very clear that the famous Cadillac fit, finish, and materials were slipping.
From what I've heard the mid-late '80s were the pits, but the safety-ized mid '70s, with their huge over-hanging bumpers, wavy self-destructing plastic body filler panels and emmission-choked anemic 500 cu in (!) engines, while comfortable, were not at all fun to drive - we had a '75 Sedan DeVille that we drove to Montana and back, and it was, overall, a nice trip car but severely lacking power in the mountains and, at 11-12 mpg, gas stops were frequent! As '50s Cads would routinely make 17-18 mpg, progress it was not! |
Post# 961042 , Reply# 234   10/7/2017 at 01:54 (2,365 days old) by speedqueen (Metro-Detroit)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
"I will only like old cars, and old cars only. I don't like today's ugly, boarding, cheaply made cars. The cars that are made currently will not be on the road in 10 or 20 years from now, they will most likely be in the junk yard. New cars are made for obsolescence, while the old cars can be fixed easily and last forever!" -Maytag85
I respectfully disagree about your comments regarding how long new cars will last, I personally believe the date will be further out, more along the lines 25-30 years. Firstly, most cars from 2005 are still on the road and share a good amount of the tech used in today's cars. They are mostly rust free, even here in Michigan. I think modern cars will continue their stellar short term reliability until after a point it suddenly drops off. Being someone who dabbles in vintage electronics I know that certain components have a set lifespan that will eventually(despite best component choice and design) degrade until they fail. For example if you look at old radios, often the tubes are fine(they cannot degrade by design, they do wear with use, though), but the capacitors can and readily do(it has to do with the chemical composition degrading over time and heat stress). Take a look at what happens to old computers, hardware wise, they work flawlessly for a long period then suddenly fail. I predict the same will happen with modern cars in about 30 years as capacitors and other such components begin to fail and that the car restorers of 50 years from now will be those that can do board level repairs as such stocks of spare boards will have been, by that point, well depleted. You are right though, that eventually there will be less of today's cars in existence in 50 years than cars from 50 years ago, now, due to the hardships that will be involved in repairs once the electronics go, but for the short term(in this case average ownership of 15 years) modern cars from the mid 1990s and newer have already proven their superior reliability in that regard to older cars. Also to your point of repair-ability and reliability, I actually own a 1975 Cadillac Sedan DeVille and daily drive it as my first car. I am currently 17 years old and have had it 2 years, I did all my permit driving with it too. It cost me $1750.00 to purchase, but in the course of said ownership, I have had over $5000.00 in repair bills. Almost everything that has failed on it has been something that cannot be repaired by the average backyard mechanic. Transmission failure, exhaust, front end alignment, to name a few. Plus I've been nickeled and dimed to death with smaller things, for example this blasted car hates alternators with a passion and has already gone through three. I like the way it drives and I love the styling, but I also concede that some modern cars are safer. I will not say all, due to the size and mass differences. No matter the engineering, with rudimentary safety features like seat belts and collapsible steering columns, I would place my bets on a 5000 pound 1970s lux-o-barge over a small 2500 pound modern car just because of the mass. I am stuck in a century that I wasn't born in(for example, I proceed to watch a 1960s RCA CTC-17XE chassis color set while most people I know don't even have a CRT set at all). "Pat: It's hard to tell from where we've been sitting, but my impression is that we've been dealing either with a person on the autism spectrum or a troller that posts "outrageous" statements just to see the commotion. There might be other choices too, but those are the two most likely to be true at this point. I guess we will find out soon enough. Cheers, -- Paulo." -earthling177 Being autistic myself, I would tend to agree with the former, he doesn't seem a troll. I welcome his comments and presence on this forum, we all give and take in useful information here and I wish for him to know that we aren't out to simply disagree with you, we are merely sharing what we know and you thusly. I wish for you to continue to appreciate, as I do, the vast human resource of knowledgeable people at this fine forum who tirelessly share important bits of history and information that they have learned over many years of experience and the rest of the world took no caring to and/or forgot about. If you ever wish to contact me, Sean, My email address is richard_j_jolly@outlook.com. |
Post# 961047 , Reply# 235   10/7/2017 at 02:40 (2,365 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 961092 , Reply# 236   10/7/2017 at 09:09 (2,364 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
No, really, I don't like the styling of new cars either, but imagine if not coming with things like cruise controls, air conditioners, power windows and locks, power seats, even a tilt steering wheel and other accessories, all standard, and all due to demand for those things!
Yes, NEW for me, and able to get rid of via lease, when I'm tired of the package all that are in... -- Dave |
Post# 961109 , Reply# 237   10/7/2017 at 11:26 (2,364 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 961224 , Reply# 238   10/7/2017 at 20:22 (2,364 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Some old cars waiting for the double feature to start. The Salton Sea is not all that far from the Palm Springs area. Occasionally the summer breeze brings the fragrance of algae and thousands of rotting fish to my back yard. Let's move the picnic indoors.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO twintubdexter's LINK
View Full Size
|
Post# 962921 , Reply# 239   10/16/2017 at 18:38 (2,355 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 962948 , Reply# 241   10/16/2017 at 23:48 (2,355 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Limited color choices are not a new thing. There was, of course, that line about the Model T: "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black."
Past that, though, it seems like color choices have been limited for years. I don't recall any car I knew much about since the 1980s that had more than a small selection of color choices. It's always amazed me seeing lists of colors for 1960s US cars which were longer and had more variety than the case in recent history.
I have wondered if part of the limited choices isn't a move to make things easier for the car maker, particularly one assembling a car across the world. Limited colors mean fewer variations for the car maker to deal with. |
Post# 962949 , Reply# 242   10/16/2017 at 23:52 (2,355 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
It seems like a lot of millienials lease cars, instead of owning a car. I may have been born in 1999, wich makes me a millienial, but I have like the style of vintage cars. It almost seems like I was born in the wrong generation. My first car is a 1986 Chevy Camaro Z28, and I plan on keeping that car for as long as I can. All millienials care about, is having all the electronic crap that you don't need in a car, and they complain about how older cars don't have a lot of technology. Millienials are spoiled, and they think they are entitled to have everything. I can go on and on on why I don't like my generation!
|
Post# 963647 , Reply# 244   10/21/2017 at 10:32 (2,350 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Where I once thought "a great a car is not complete without a power seat", I have gone to abhor the thing--it's slow to move, and while I've gotten used to my wife needing it forward (she is real short) I really dislike the thing being up above the floor, so I have to wait during that power adjustment for it to come down...
I miss the days of a manual seat (which her car has--but the Chevy Cruz puts the latch way under the side closest to the console, so you have to be sitting in it, because it's so hard to reach, but I need to move the seat first just to get in!)... I've seen power seats in cars, of which the people who drove, that probably don't need them (one couple I knew had one, but only "he" was the only driver, until "she" learned, got her license, then wrecked their car, hence afterwards, gave up driving, and retired from work, so then she no longer needed a car, all the while there was a difference in height, but her reason for driving became when "he" fell into ill health and then died)... Now, a CRUISE CONTROL! --That is something cars old and new NEED to have--I see old cars that often have everything but THEM (surprisingly my wife's Cruz, a NEW car doesn't') and maybe a sun/moonroof, and to me, that can make a car relatively underivable (I wonder how you can enjoy driving something even that vintage without!)... So I hate driving my wife's for that reason... -- Dave |
Post# 963648 , Reply# 245   10/21/2017 at 10:36 (2,350 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
And yes, one other thing about power seats: Even the reclining is done for you--I have to do my non-driving reclining there, in the fully non-powered passenger seat of my Chrysler 200, or enjoy it in either driver or passenger side of my wife's Cruz; only good thing about her car, perfect to recline-relax in...
Also what's with the need for lumbar support? Seems as though that shows up in a lot of new cars, though sometimes I welcome the back-rake adjustment, though new cars are just as obsessed w/ height adjustment on their seats, too (see my pre. post)... -- Dave |
Post# 963679 , Reply# 246   10/21/2017 at 14:21 (2,350 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Have a bad back and you'll apprectiate that lumbar support.. I had it in my 84 Volvo. My Forester also has it thankfully, and it's powered. However, rarely does anyone drive my car so the drivers seat is seldom moved. It's also got a giant sunroof which I seldom open.. I can live without a sunroof. The must haves for me were power windows , locks and air conditioning.. pretty much standard today. I really really really like the adaptive cruise control on the Subaru.. it's well worth it. I only wished it had the rain sensing wipers that my little Mazda had.. |
Post# 963742 , Reply# 248   10/21/2017 at 21:41 (2,350 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 963754 , Reply# 249   10/21/2017 at 23:04 (2,350 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
has never been an item on my "must have" list. A relative commented that once I had it I'd find it indispensable or something like that. Maybe if I ever had it. (Most of my cars were too low end to have cruise control. The last two cars' cruise control systems were broken.) But I look at the nature of the traffic where I live, and think cruise control is pointless. There is no set it on 60, and zoom for hours and hours with no interruption here... And I don't take road trips to places where traffic moves better.
|
Post# 963760 , Reply# 250   10/21/2017 at 23:15 (2,350 days old) by GusHerb (Chicago/NWI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
The only time I get to use cruise control anymore is in the western states. So I find it mostly useless. What I DO find useful would be adaptive cruise control, that I could use all day long on the expressways around here. |
Post# 963926 , Reply# 251   10/22/2017 at 19:57 (2,349 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
All of my cars have had cruise control and I couldn't do without it. I use it every time I am in the car. The cruise control on my Lincoln MKC can be set to be either adaptive or regular. I like the adaptive cruise control but I find that the gap it leaves with the car in front is too big even when I have it set at the closest setting....in very heavy traffic, other cars are always cutting in front which just causes my car to slow down even more....very annoying to me. I usually end up putting my foot on the accelerator thereby overriding the adaptive cruise control, so that I can lessen the gap.
Gary |
Post# 963930 , Reply# 252   10/22/2017 at 20:42 (2,349 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
I like vehicles that are old enough so I don't have to deal with depreciation so I never had a car that was less then 10 years old. Currently, I don't have a vehicle that's even close to be just 10 years old! I never sold a vehicle for less than I bought it. I did give away a few to friends but I won't count that as I didn't sell these!
I used to drive my 1960s cars daily but the first one I got back in October of 1992 (a few months before I was old enough to drive!) was the same age as my current daily driver which is a 1993 Toyota. And with over 239,000 miles, my Toyota has more than twice the mileage that any of my 1960s and 1970s cars ever had. There are more safety features in my 1975 Buick Electra than there are in my 1993 Toyota pickup but I can't afford to drive the old Buicks daily so I mostly drive my newer vehicles with less safety features! I still have my 1965 Wildcat and 1967 Riviera taking most of the space in my garage (along with another 1966 GM product, I'll let you guess what it is as it's visible on the picture below!) so I have to leave my drivers outside and my Electra is stored in my appliance storage. |
Post# 963935 , Reply# 253   10/22/2017 at 21:17 (2,349 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 963944 , Reply# 254   10/22/2017 at 22:05 (2,349 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Dave, It does have 5 mph bumpers that all cars had back then, door beams and dual stage air bags with more advanced technology than most late 1990s cars had (and certainly better than my current 1993 Toyota pickup that doesn't even have a driver side airbag!).
I was in an accident with a strong side impact with my former 1968 Buick 4 door hardtop and while the car wasn't fixable, the side glass shattered and the rear door, the roof and quarter panel were seriously bent but the center post didn't even move and the front door still opened and closed perfectly. I wasn't so lucky with another similar 1993 Toyota that I had (but this time, it was a frontal collision) This link below shows pictures of 1970s GM cars with airbags. I also added a few from my car. Fortunately, I didn't have to test them yet but apparently, they did save a few lives. I uploaded the pictures from the pickup in which I had an accident that left me with a few problems and pictures of 1970s cars with similar or worse frontal collisions in which their owners were apparently saved by the airbags. CLICK HERE TO GO TO PhilR's LINK |
Post# 963959 , Reply# 255   10/23/2017 at 02:05 (2,349 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
OK, Phil... I read everything, and I believe I'd seen some other photo's of your '75 Buick & probably recalling it having those airbags...
Surely there could have been more of those GM cars ordered with 'em, but buyers weren't willing to sacrifice the traditional instrument panel layout, and I wouldn't have been either... I see the armrest-stealing passenger seat, too! (I like the dual-armrests that GM briefly experimented with, putting them in the '77-'78 models more frequently, if not pushing the d'Elegance (Cadillac) models that featured them standard (the '79's, onward, had the not-so-attractive, to me, seating pattern and back to the traditional-GM split-front seat) & encouraged a number of owners to get... (I would have!) -- Dave |
Post# 964020 , Reply# 258   10/23/2017 at 13:09 (2,348 days old) by Iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
GM built 10,000 ACRS (Air Cushion Restraint System) Air-bag equipped cars from 1973-1976. Most were in the Cadillac and Oldsmobile models some migrated to the Buick line.
More weren't ordered, because they weren't offered as a line item to order. They were a test fleet to see how ACRS operated in the real world. GM said they should have sold the air-bags and given away the cars as they lost approximately $10,000 on each vehicle equipped. Soon after their release air-bag collision stories began to appear. In most cases they were all positive. Though fought by the auto industry, where most opted for the less expensive passive seat belts that could easily be overridden, and were not as effective; Chrysler Chairman Lee A. Iacocca decided to begin equipping certain vehicles in 1989, and their entire fleet in 1990 with driver side air bags. Then the two 1989 Chrysler LeBarons crashed head-on in Culpepper, Virginia In April 1990. National news picked up the story, the cars were purchased by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety IIHS. This crash is one of the most analyzed car crashes in history as it was the first to involve two air bag equipped vehicles. After that it started to become a war as to who could put their air bags in when. Of course GM held out until 1994 when they were forced to have at least driver side air bags as the automatic belts were not meeting the mandates any longer. All of this, a fight that Ralph Nader fought for many decades. Today it is not uncommon to see cars with six, eight, 10 air bags. Including side curtain, roll over and knee protection. This post was last edited 10/23/2017 at 13:34 |
Post# 964045 , Reply# 260   10/23/2017 at 18:05 (2,348 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Harley,
The 1973 Chevrolet Impala 4 door sedans that were equipped with the Air Cushion Restraint System (and a 1973 Oldsmobile dashboard to accommodate them) were part of the test fleet that was eventually sold to the public through Chevy dealerships in 1975 after they were retrofitted with lap belts like regular production cars that GM sold with this option (see the 5 first pictures I uploaded in this post for more details). The Buick, Olds and Cadillac cars that had airbags were regular production cars that came with standard lap belts from the beginning. The option became available a few months after the beginning of the 1974 production in November-December of 1974. The NHTSA still collected data on these cars if they were involved in an accident but they were still regular production cars. Here's a link that shows the sticker in my car's glovebox. When I got it in November of 2001, the phone number had been reused for the National Terrorist Hotline. I tried to call as I had a concern about the warning light coming on sometimes and my GM dealer was clueless about what to do with that light or how to service that system! I managed to fix it by myself and to buy some spare parts and test equipment... www.flickr.com/photos/504... I've seen what seems to be an even distribution of cars equipped with airbags in the full size Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac lines for the 3 years it was available but much less 1976 models of each brand with this option, it was a low volume option as less than 1% of cars had it but dealers or customers could order it under the option code AR4. The highest volume model with airbags was the 1973 Chevrolet Impala 4 door sedans that were the experimental cars. Buick had to redesign it's the passenger part of it's otherwise carried over 1973 dashboard for 1974 models and move the glove box to the upper part of the instrument panel to accommodate the passenger airbags (pictures 6-7), the 1975 models followed with a completely redesigned dashboard (pics 8-9-10) that also had it's glove box up. Olds had a completely redesigned instrument panel for 1974 (11-12) but I guess it wasn't for that purpose as there were many test vehicles including early 1970s Olds and the 1973 Chevy fleet that had a a 1973 Olds dashboard that had airbags. Cadillac also had a brand new dashboard for 1974 but they didn't bother moving the glove box up so cars equipped with airbags had to be fitted with a small lockable compartment under the dashboard to fit the power trunk button and to store small items (pictures 13-14). |
Post# 964051 , Reply# 261   10/23/2017 at 18:42 (2,348 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Definitely where necessity was the mother of invention! That OLDS dash in a Chevy?! I wouldn't have thought of such a drastic measure, even for safety...--Just made something more "Chevrolet", rather than borrow...
As for the Cadillac, I can see an influence on Chrysler putting their glove box under the dash the way Cadillac did, only making me wonder of the "planned likelihood" of ever utilizing airbags, there; those big-bodied Chrysler models from 1974-1978 had a busy dash w/ everything center-mounted, there... -- Dave |
Post# 964127 , Reply# 262   10/24/2017 at 08:44 (2,347 days old) by Iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
The 1,000 1973 Chevrolets were part of the test fleet on Government lease. They were retrofitted with lap/shoulder belts once they came off lease in order to qualify for sale to the public. GM has a history of using lease vehicles as their test fleets, as they remain the true owner of the vehicle and thus have control of it's disposal. Remember the first electric vehicles tested in California, when GM pulled them out of lease they were all ordered destroyed.
The 10,000 public test fleet (real world testing) were Cadiallacs and Oldsmobiles, however, Ford beat GM to the market by building an experimental test fleet in 1971. I found very little on their data, but I assumed they were their large cars the LTD, Marquis, and Lincolns. The History of Airbags: "In 1971, the Ford car company built an experimental airbag fleet. General Motors tested airbags on the 1973 model Chevrolet automobile that was only sold for government use. 1973, Oldsmobile Toronado was the first car with a passenger airbag intended for sale to the public. General Motors later offered an option to the general public of driver side airbags in full-sized Oldsmobile's and Buick's in 1975 and 1976 respectively. Cadillacs were available with driver and passenger airbags options during those same years." |
Post# 964140 , Reply# 263   10/24/2017 at 11:25 (2,347 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
The first Buick with airbags was a 1974 Electra built in December of 1973, just two weeks after the first Oldsmobile was made with this option.
I have parted out one 1974 Electra to keep the airbags, the computer/recorder and the sensors, the 1974 Buick has a different passenger side module as the shape of the dashboards changed but the rest of the parts are the same as on my 1975 Electra. I don't know where you got the information you quoted that Cadillac and Olds were part of a public test fleet and that Buick and Olds had driver side airbag only and that it was available much later on Buick models but I can tell you it's not the case! The ACRS option was available starting in late 1973 on 1974 Buick LeSabre, Electra 225 and Riviera models as well as on the Olds 88, 98 and Toronado and most Cadillac models. Convertibles and wagons as well as long wheelbase models were not available with ACRS and cars had to be ordered with air conditioning to have airbags too. ALL cars with ACRS had a driver AND a passenger side airbag. My car has that too and so did the 1974 Electra that I parted out. Cars with a standard tilt steering or tilt-telescopic steering had a credit for these features that had to be deleted with the ACRS (the 1974-76 Buick Riviera had standard tilt steering and the 1975 Buick Park Avenue Deluxe had standard tilt-telescope) it was cheaper to order airbags on these cars than on other models that offered these features as extra-cost. Ford did experiments with airbags in the early seventies and some Allstate ads showed these experimental Ford cars and GM did too, even earlier than that. The picture below shows a 1969 Pontiac Bonneville coupe equipped with a passenger side airbag, note that it's located on the upper part of the instrument panel unlike the 1973-76 models that were equipped with the ACRS.
View Full Size
|
Post# 964143 , Reply# 264   10/24/2017 at 11:41 (2,347 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Here are the Allstate ads showing some Ford and GM cars. The third picture shows a 1974 Buick Electra production car.
And the spare parts I got from another 1974 Electra including the passenger side module that's a bit different from the 1975-76 module because of the 1975 Buick dashboard redesign in the pictures 5 to 10. |
Post# 964149 , Reply# 265   10/24/2017 at 13:52 (2,347 days old) by Iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
"In 1973, GM’s Oldsmobile Toronado became the first car ever with a passenger airbag. Later on, GM made its own air cushion restraint system (ACRS) available as an option for regular production cars such as Cadillacs, Oldsmobile and Buick models during 1974. They made cars equipped with ACRS on the driver side, driver-side knee restraint, and the passenger side. The passenger side airbag protects front passengers, and also included a dual stage deployment, which depended on the force of impact."
www.thoughtco.com/history... www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2... secondchancegarage.com/public/his... www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entr... Then there are all the magazines, and articles I have read since I was about 12. One in Particular Popular Science, I believe it was March 1977 which mentioned the the fleet. There are more references, but I can't quite produce the bibliography at this time. CLICK HERE TO GO TO Iheartmaytag's LINK |
Post# 964291 , Reply# 266   10/25/2017 at 16:05 (2,346 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I thought the downsizing GM gave those full-sized cars was at-least passable in '77--and imagine my surprise, that these weren't the EIGHTIES (as I used to think the '75's w/ the introduction of rectangular headlamps would have been from that era)...!
Ford seemed to have done the same thing a couple years later (1979) as did Chrysler (although late to the PILLARED-Hardtop Party) just for Chrysler to really lag & sag in sales... I don't anything by Ford has really impressed me since the late-'60's--the '70's stuff other than an occasional Mark IV has never been anything I would have bought "back then" right down to having a whole coral of stuff made by Chrysler and GM... (TWO-BARREL CARBS on all their V-8's, except for FOUR- on the Thirsty Three-Sixty!) General Motors could not have possibly been expected to keep their stuff in low-slung hardtops past '76 (& even there was too long-overdue for a change) but I can't warm up to the death of the Colonnade meaning I'm put-off by the 'shrinking mid-sized '78's'... The compacts like the Nova and its ilk lasted until 1980, then came the prop-rod hood front-wheel-drive of the Citation and its stablemates, and automakers of 'everything no-longer RWD' on the rampage... --The transmission (on FWD Chrysler products) even got termed Transaxle... (Remember?) -- Dave |
Post# 964309 , Reply# 267   10/25/2017 at 19:46 (2,346 days old) by cadman (Cedar Falls, IA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
And don't forget one of the big incentives of ordering the GM ACRS package....no government mandated starter interlock system.
Phil's comments are correct, there was never a test fleet with Buicks or Cads, only the original Chevrolets. Next time you catch a Seinfeld rerun with Kramer's car, look closely. It's one of the test vehicles(!) |
Post# 964328 , Reply# 269   10/26/2017 at 00:41 (2,346 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Harley,
There is a lot of misinformation about the early air bag cars, a few years ago, Mercedes Benz even made a press release in which where they bragged about being the first automaker to offer air bags back in 1980 and their lie was also widely repeated in many publications. I've been fascinated by these since I was a kid and I read a lot of things about them and collected pictures and documentation about GM's early Air Cushion Restraint System. I wanted to buy a 1975 Buick Electra Park Avenue that had this option when I was 14 but I was never able to as the owner had promised to sell me the car when he'd be ready to replace it but then he told me that the car was damaged while parked at a shopping mall by someone who had an heart attack and the owner sent it to the junkyard assuming I wouldn't want it in that condition. I searched for years before I had internet access for full size GM cars in Auto Trader and other publications and I called every time I couldn't see shoulder belts on the small black and white pictures in those publications. That's how I got my current 1975 Electra many years ago and I still have it. Some of the articles you cited used a picture of my 1975 Electra, a picture I uploaded on Wikipedia years ago back when you couldn't find much information about the ACRS. The articles in the links you cited show quite a few errors. First, the fleet of 1973 Chevrolets with ACRS did have both driver side and passenger side air bags. The passenger airbag was for both the center and right passenger and also included an inflatable knee restraint. On the driver side, the air bag was mounted in the steering wheel and the lower part of the dashboard was padded instead of being made of metal or hard plastic. Those cars originally lacked front seat belts but they were added in 1975 when the cars were sold to the public. About the exact date when the first cars with airbags, as a factory equipment available for the public, here'a quote from this book: The Buick: a complete history - Page 301 Terry B. Dunham, Lawrence R. Gustin - 1980 "... On December 6th, 1973, a blue Electra Limited rolled off the line at Factory 4 in Flint with the first Buick air bag. An Olds Toronado had been produced with the device the previous week. Air bags were expensive and controversial. ... years, little promotion and few sales, they were dropped, though in the early 1980's there would be renewed pressure for the feature." I assume most of this information is correct but note that it states "the first Buick air bag" rather than "air bags" which can create some confusion about having just a driver-side air bag or both driver and passenger airbags. I can confirm you that it was air bags for both the driver and front passengers, even in early production and in the previous experimental models... GM dealerships had to train their employees to service cars with air bags, a friend of mine used to work in a body shop back in the 1970s and he remembers having the training and a few weird procedures explained. One of them that I also saw in a few service booklets was to burn the passenger side module in a 45 gallon drum if it was deployed as it could still contain another charge if it deployed in a low speed impact! They also suggested to disconnect battery cables and tape their ends when working on these cars to avoid accidental deployment! I have to say I didn't tape the battery cables when I removed the driver module in my car to fix a sticking horn contact that blew the 4 note horn at night when the car was parked. I first thought it was a train horn, then I noticed it was too loud and too long, by the time I got out of bed and got the tools to disconnect the battery, two of the horns were already burned and there was just one still making noise when I finally removed the battery cable. Luckily, I had some spares as the two optional ones can be hard to get. Here are a few pictures I took when I removed the driver module to fix the contacts. |
Post# 964370 , Reply# 271   10/26/2017 at 08:57 (2,345 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I see that here all the time on I65 going into Nashville. Some states are issuing E-DUI's.....driving under the influence of electronic devices! Traffic in Nashville has gotten so much worse in the last 5 years due to growing so much so fast. And now with the days being shorter it's 10x worse since people here can't drive in the dark...or rain...or snow...or sunshine! CLICK HERE TO GO TO askolover's LINK |
Post# 964407 , Reply# 272   10/26/2017 at 15:07 (2,345 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
WA has such a law, although I haven't heard it called "E-DUI." It seems like the label is something like "distracted driving." If police see someone holding a cell phone, they can pull that someone over and issue a ticket. However, one can still use a phone if it's on a dashboard mount. I suppose there are some who'd argue this is necessary, since the phone may be needed for displaying a map, but I can unfortunately imagine a scenario where someone has the phone on a dashboard mount, and uses it to watch YouTube videos while driving... |
Post# 964410 , Reply# 273   10/26/2017 at 16:20 (2,345 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Ontario has distracted driving laws now as well.. Something like $400 and 3 points/demerits on your license.. It encompasses all electronic devices whether it's a phone, gps or whatever.. if it's in your hand , even if it's not turned on, doesn't matter.. No handheld devices unless the vehicle is parked or it's an emergency. Even so you still see idiots driving around with a phone to their ear.. or obviosly looking down and texting. I wish they would increase the fine. $400 isn't enough.. it should be more like $2000 plus points. |
Post# 964416 , Reply# 274   10/26/2017 at 17:06 (2,345 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 964425 , Reply# 275   10/26/2017 at 18:23 (2,345 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Against the law in this state to use a handheld device for anything while driving. But do they still do it, yes. Wished they would get caught and severely punished. Too many innocent people are hurt by their negligence. Put the stupid phone down and concentrate on your driving, not social media for that short while.
|
Post# 964439 , Reply# 276   10/26/2017 at 21:23 (2,345 days old) by iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 964441 , Reply# 277   10/26/2017 at 21:40 (2,345 days old) by iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Had a friend several weeks ago was hit in an intersection. Young girl was texting, and ran the red light. My friend is OK, just bruised. Totalled her new Accord with 8,000 miles on it.
These pictures are a co-workers's daughter's car that happened this last Saturday. She ran off the road, over corrected, went through a ditch, took out a fence, was airborne twice one for 55 feet, and once for 150 feet. Somewhere during the flight she rolled six times. God himself had hold if her seatbelt. She messed up her knee, but was able to release her seatbelt while hanging upsidedown, crawl out of the car, and drag,crawl a half mile for help. After all that action,she couldn't find her phone. |
Post# 964473 , Reply# 278   10/27/2017 at 06:05 (2,345 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
What I'd feared one time my car would like like--I chased after the driver that ran thorough an intersection in my neighborhood right to his house, to see him in the driveway tapping on his (holding it horizontally) phone, which is what he might'a been doing at that time, citing--no, SHOUTING--after he'd rolled the window down: "You almost hit THAT CAR and you almost KILLED ME!" at him, just to get an "I'm sorry...", and me, on my way to work, just trying to be calmly, saying "You better be..."
-- Dave |
Post# 964582 , Reply# 280   10/27/2017 at 20:46 (2,344 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
OK, the CLUNK those controls made--I remember hearing every knob, switch and lever used to heat, wipe the windshield, wash the windshield, change gears, (& maybe in someone else's car) control the air conditioning, right in the back seat from up front, those controls the driver & front passenger, or passenger-S used sounded so neat...
The sound of something working, made & installed by by SOMEONE working! -- Dave |
Post# 967808 , Reply# 281   11/13/2017 at 21:32 (2,327 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
The REMOTE CONTROL is both the BEST and WORST thing that has happened to cars--I love my remote START & especially the way I can wrap my hand around the driver-side-front door handle & the door unlocks (then there's that button that locks it) but what I mean by worst, is I have too use that tactile entry & push-button exterior door handle lock, because I believe the battery (after JUST TWO YEARS?!) I think is worn out...
-- Dave |
Post# 967892 , Reply# 283   11/14/2017 at 09:25 (2,326 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 967992 , Reply# 284   11/14/2017 at 22:20 (2,326 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I've read the best deal in cars is to look for a leased one that has just come off lease. Some leasees like to lease cars and then change them out every year or two. Barring that, most new cars lose a significant amount of value as soon as you drive it off the new car log. Buy one that is a year or more old, and passes inspection, and you've saved yourself the headaches of most initial quality problems, and you've probably saved $thousands.
Or so I've read. Never tried it myself, except for a '97 Dodge Neon I bought off a car rental thingie when it was about a year old. I probably wouldn't buy a used entry level car again. They may be built to a price point, as the Neon was, and aside from some Asian numbers, they have cheaper components and are more or less guaranteed to self-destruct before a higher level car might. Just sayin'. |
Post# 968034 , Reply# 285   11/15/2017 at 04:28 (2,326 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 968692 , Reply# 287   11/18/2017 at 10:06 (2,322 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
And of course w/ the remote start is where to put the key (or fob) as I'm not used to driving w/ it in my pocket...
Still wish for an ignition (lighted, as I have a Chrysler that used to pride itself on helping you find it in the dark, but tries passing for with some writing around the knob & the some lighted lettering on the knob) that can just serve as a place to put my keys in! (I lay them flat on my console, anchored in s cupholder, secured w/ a glasses case...) -- Dave |
Post# 968727 , Reply# 288   11/18/2017 at 14:32 (2,322 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Older cars are preferred ; some of the excesses in interior gadgetry and gaping mouth grille styling is...not for me. I'd love to have a nice looking electric vehicle, but the T's are over our budget for now. So fourteen years ago, in September, we decided to give Hertz a try and bought one of their fleet vehicles - a 2003 Toyota Avalon XLS, which I wasn't crazy about in style and color(silver) was bought from Hertz, as they replace their fleet at different times. It still had a warranty, but still cost about $25K. It"s still going smooth and strong at 245,500 miles with 21 city/27 freeway, depending on the outdoor air temperatures and tires. Right now, the Continental Conti-Contac Pros are still ok, but about 30K miles on them and ready for a change soon. When I took it in under warranty, they said, "this car will easily go 300,000 miles, it's not even broken in at 25,000 miles. So far, they have been right. I keep it washed and waxed, though it has battle scars.
We need to buy 2 "newer" used vehicles, probably next year early. We did leases, a big mistake actually, and bought new, but didn't hold on to them as long as this Toyota. It sure has been nice not having a car payment. :-) |
Post# 968729 , Reply# 289   11/18/2017 at 14:44 (2,322 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
2    
|
Post# 968743 , Reply# 291   11/18/2017 at 15:23 (2,322 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
A friend of mine in high school had an Isetta. I remember seeing her get out of it - once. She used to say how embarrassed she was to drive it, that her father got it for her. Now she says she wished she still had it.
They had their own class one year at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, if I'm not mistaken. |
Post# 968905 , Reply# 293   11/19/2017 at 10:01 (2,321 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 968918 , Reply# 294   11/19/2017 at 12:50 (2,321 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Besides the one in high school, I occasionally see Isettas at car meets and such. But they are rare. Probably fatal in a head-on, so I'm not surprised the owners don't drive them regularly. Even more rare are the Messerschmidt bubble cars - I've never seen one of those, not even in a museum.
I remember the Le Car well. There seemed to be a lot of them when they were new, at least in Berkeley. Older Renaults and Peugeots seemed to be more common there than elsewhere. Usually belching blue smoke and struggling to go up slight inclines... The Citroen DS was a very nice car, and revolutionary for its time. A friend of mine had one; he said the main problem was that most shops didn't know how to work on the suspension and its related plumbing. |
Post# 969199 , Reply# 310   11/21/2017 at 01:33 (2,320 days old) by diesirae7 (Central Illinois)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
My cousin has a '64 Cadillac Fleetwood with Automatic climate control, first year for it, I still need to check it over, its not working. It works on vacuum. You've been around some nice cars! |
Post# 969343 , Reply# 314   11/22/2017 at 02:04 (2,319 days old) by diesirae7 (Central Illinois)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
one of those came up for sale here this summer, was a bit steep on the price so I didn't buy it, but sure wish I had one, I think it was a '64 |
Post# 969571 , Reply# 320   11/23/2017 at 15:34 (2,317 days old) by johnrk (BP TX)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
was in error. If you look at photo #7, Mr. Lehman and Mr. Peterson, the owners of the company that made Lincoln limousines from 1964-69, stand in front of the limousine (#5) that they made for the government. |
Post# 969668 , Reply# 321   11/24/2017 at 14:21 (2,316 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
I don't ever get tired of reading about the cars people own, owned and/or drive currently. I love those old Caddy's When I worked for NCR in Detroit, at the corner f W.Grand Blvd. and the Lodge Freeway, I would walk a short distance to look at the new GM cars displayed in the lobby of the Albert Kahn designed GM Building., completed in 1923. The lobby was massive wih huge escalators and the enormously tall ceilings. Unfortunately, photos of this lobby are difficult to find that match my description; the one included here is away from the lobby. But one day, taking my NCR lunch break, GM had all the new 1985 cars on display. I checked out a 1985 Cadillac Biarritz convertible (similar to the one here). sitting behind the wheel, admiring the dash and white interior, choking on the $30K+ sticker price. I picked up a color chart which sadly I can't find anymore,but the choices filled two pages You had an amazing array of colors, something today's cars are sadly missing.
While modern cars are better in some ways, I like the older cars , as the caddy's, and some of my own that I wish I hadn't sold. Here are two of my favorites, the other being a 1968 Cougar five-speed(custom installed at the dealership and used as a demo car). I loved that Firebird 350...remember following a Panera across the Mojave, when moving out to California ( at too high of speed). That was a great engine! |
Post# 969823 , Reply# 322   11/25/2017 at 07:40 (2,315 days old) by vacerator (Macomb, Michigan)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
in 1985, I worked on W. Grand blvd. also. The GM building is now city offices, etc. called Cadillac Place. |
Post# 969959 , Reply# 323   11/25/2017 at 19:19 (2,315 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Hi. What are the chances, eh? That was such a great place - sorry they had to move to the Ren Cen but everything changes in time. I'd like to see if they kept the elevators in the lobby, but I'm guessing ...it was totally reconfigured to maximize space, right? Mike, if you have ANY photos of the lobby when the cars were there, or anything of that lobby, I would love to have a copy. Also, I haven't tried contacting GM and just see where that goes.
Great times. I haven't been to the RenCen though my niece works for Blue Cross Blue Shield; I'd have a double excuse to see the GM lobby(?) at the RenCen. Um...what did you do there in 1985 and did you too also enjoy the lobby and car exhibits one could "try on for size"? Phil |
Post# 970083 , Reply# 325   11/26/2017 at 11:51 (2,314 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
This is the website of a German Mercedes Benz classic dealer. They have some beautiful classics for sale in their "museum". Lots of pictures of most models.
alltime-stars.com/fahrzeuge/... |
Post# 1024437 , Reply# 326   2/13/2019 at 04:19 (1,871 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Remembered how about 30 years right across from my grandparents house who live near the street corner (James St./River St. Flat Rock, MI) that a small '80's Pontiac Sunbird station wagon spun around in countless circles, even bending the stop sign post...
Finally the car with that frightened man and woman who'd you could seen the very pale look on their faces gained composure and could continue driving back on the main rd. (River St.) and I just didn't know what to do watching all that on their front porch... So minutes later a police car stops by the scene to straighten the stop sign pole, then head off in the direction that car drove towards, apparently the driver and passenger were probably just doing a quick turnaround, only for most-likely the one cop in his car to make sure they were both alright and recommend them going to nearby Seaway Hospital around that way (where my grandpa died at, probably months or a year or years later)... -- Dave |