As far as appliances are concerned, you can't beat the quality and reliability of vintage. Yes, new ones tend to be more efficient (but not always), but rarely last as long, and aren't really made to be repaired. Vehicles on the other hand, as far as I can see have (for the most part) improved on reliability, safety, and efficiency. My dad (who was born in 1950) has told me that vehicles way back when had to have a tune up twice a year, had to have the carburetor adjusted for winter and summer, were less reliable, and were generally considered worn out at 100,000 miles. Newer cars need a tune up every 100,000 miles, don't require adjustments for the seasons, and are typically pretty reliable. Most let you know if there's a problem, and can diagnose themselves. Some have been known to run several hundred thousand miles (my 2004 has 198,000 and runs like new, and hasn't had any repairs in over a year) Newer buildings/homes tend to be built more tightly and more efficient, but are rarely as solid as older homes. Some things have improved, some things have declined, but the way I look at it, we all have our preferences, we do what makes us happy. If you want the newest appliances, go for it. If you prefer vintage, great. If you want to drive a car straight out of the 50's, so be it. You understand the pros and cons. Want to drive an all electric, self driving car, good for you. Want a new home, great. Old home, wonderful. We have several appliances, small and large that are vintage, and we love them. I drive a gas/electric hybrid car and love it. Our house was built in the 50's, and we love it through it's quirks. I have a fairly up to date smart phone, but we still have CRT TV sets, which work fine. Why replace something that doesn't need to be, just to keep up with the latest and greatest if you're happy with what you have?