And What's GREAT About Today's Cars?

[danemodsandy]

There's a lot we miss about cars from the "good old days," and for excellent reason.

But as a go-along to Hans's thread about those things, I'm wondering what members think about features on newer cars that are actually an improvement on what went before? I can think of several I'm fond of:

- Rear defog built into the rear glass of a car. None of the old-school approaches with blowers, etc., ever really worked all that well. The little wires in the glass git 'er done, pronto.

- Lock/unlock fobs for keyless entry. No more getting halfway across the parking lot and remembering that you didn't lock the car, and trudging back to it - just press the button and it's done. It also unlocks all the doors at once, so passengers are free to just get on in.

- Trip odometers. They've been around for a long time, but now they're pretty much standard, making it easy to document a driving distance.

- CD and MP3 players. No more "clunk" as an 8-track changes tracks. No more flipping cassettes or that wait while one auto-reverses. Just music, plus you can go instantly to the selection you want to hear.

- Interior lights that go on when the fob is pressed or the door handle is lifted.

- I'm not personally that big on GPS systems or Internet connectivity in the car, but there are those who love them.

Anyone else with stuff they appreciate all the more because they can remember when cars didn't have it?

-

 

[mrb627]

Add to your list...

Heated seats
Heated steering wheel.
HD radio.

Not to mention the various safety features.

Malcolm

 

[washman]

Well I suppose

I could dig deep and try to offset my well earned reputation as a curmudgeon and anti-technology person and offer up:

Fuel injection, especially port and direct. Has made jumper cables a thing of the past and starters last longer for not having to be cranked to death.

Body structure and integrity. Thanks to advances in high tensile steel with laser welding and blanking, less rattles than yesteryear however any unibody is hard to silence from road noise. Other downside is modern sheetmetal is designed to crumple on impact thus negating bending and pounding it back into shape.

Sheet metal resisting rust.

Exhaust systems lasting much longer

Factory radios are light years ahead of even the best aftermarket stuff from the 70's and 80's. Can you say Kraco and Sparkomatic?

handling has improved, in part due to the smaller size, better tyres, and faster acting rack and pinion steering.

Coolant need not be changed twice yearly.

Alternators are much smaller in physical size yet pack a heckuva amperage output.

Coil-on-plug ignition. This really rocks. I first experienced it on a 2K Dakota with the 4.7 engine and the top end of engine was much less cluttered minus all those plug wires. And it was pretty reliable too.

Multispeed trannies. A quantum leap over the long established 3 speed or 4 speed with lockup converter. Backwards step is CVT however.

Mist wipers, standard pretty much these days and a vast leap over hi/lo wipers of years past.

Wedge base incandescent bulbs are a reliable improvement over the bayonet base. 2 points of contact and have yet to see one corrode in the socket. However, LED is making these a thing of the past also.

Better FWD CV joints. Boots hold up much better and the joint itself is very reliable.

Much tighter body panel tolerances. Results in a much more cohesive view to the eyes and unsightly gaps are rarely seen these days.

Hydroformed fully boxed frames on pickups.

Antilock brakes.

Airbags.

More 4 banger engines going back to timing chains. Probably due to the fact that there is NO space whatsoever to change out a timing belt on today's econoboxes.

Clear coat paint.

Iridium tipped spark plugs.

Inlet side thermostat vs the old "top of the engine" placement. Ostensibly to keep a more even temp due to emissions rules, not necessarily for our comfort.

 

[wayupnorth]

Remote start, automatic 4WD, backup sensors, a V8 that switches to a 4 cyl. to save gas, even tire pressure monitor. My new Silverado is soooo much more than my 95. I'll keep the new vs old, now that I am old.

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

I am a "car guy" and have great appreciation for older cars, specifically muscle cars.  But as I have **unfortunately** gotten older, I've also come to appreciate the niceties and modern conveniences the modern car has to offer.

 

I was looking over the other thread about the older cars and the one thing I can say is, if you really miss all that old technology, then go buy that 1959 Chrysler or Buick and relive the old days to your hearts content.  They are still out there.

 

For me personally, I do like the older cars, but I only want to visit once in a while, not live there.

 

OK.......... on to the modern cars.   Not that all of these are "new", I do really like having power windows & door locks.

 

Also, cruise control....... fuel injection..... and the easier starting without having to pump the gas 3 or 4 times, plus smoother throttle response, better drivability, performance and much better fuel economy, all at the same time.   For a short time I had a 1970 Ford Torino Cobra with a 429 Cobra Jet V8.   Really fun car, made great noises and felt very fast, but every time and I mean EVERY time I put my foot to the floor, I would literally watch the gas gauge go down a full needle width!   

 

AND........ as much as SO many older "car guys" really poo-poo emission controls, I'm really glad we have them because they have done SO MUCH for cleaning up the air we breath (or not making it worse actually)!    It's gotten to the point that when I'm behind a 1960's - early 70's car at a traffic light or following in city traffic, I try to get around it as quickly as possible because it's exhaust smells HORRIBLE and almost makes me gag. 

 

With gas prices what they are, I certainly so NOT miss the days of 8 to 12 MPG cars of the 50's, 60's & 70's.   My daily driver regularly give me 33-34 MPG and will get just over 40 MPG on the highway, if I keep it below 75.

 

Other major improvement of "modern cars"I really appreciate... disc brakes, anti-lock brakes, radial tires, not to mention all of the passanger safety improvements!   I've heard many stories of a 50's - 60's car owner saying "I had an accident and came out with just a scratch on the bumper!"   That may be true, but by the time you're done bouncing around like a ping-pong ball inside the car..... well, enough said.

 

The other major improvement I really enjoy is the MUCH improved handling... the car actually responding when you turn the steering wheel.

 

I think that's about it!   PHEEWWW! 

 

Kevin

 

[swestoyz]

Living in Iowa I like to consider the four seasons, especially winter.  Here would be my top 3 advances from the 70's and 80's that have made everyone's life MUCH easier and safer:

<ol>
<li>ABS, or anti-lock brakes</li>
<li>EFI, or Electronic Fuel Injection</li>
<li>HEI, or electronic (breaker-less) ignition</li>
</ol>
I'd rule that ABS is a higher priority than Airbags, as the frequency of use is much greater of ABS over Airbags, especially in the winter.  EFI makes starting your engine a sinch at 20F below zero, and changing out points on a distributor is a pain that is long forgotten.

 

Prior to this (50's and 60's), I'd throw in Power Steering, Power disc brakes, Cruise Control,  A/C climate control, and power windows/locks. 

 

Sure, there are other niceties that make life more pleasant, like keyless entry, remote start, heated seats, etc.  But those things don't necessarily make driving any easier, but rather the overall experience more pleasant for the driver and passenger.  Heck, think of the days when it was a luxury to have a reclining passenger seat!

 

I won't go into great detail, but I also appreciate the fact that there is minimum maintenance required on today's vehicles.  Case in point - the breaker-less ignition I mentioned earlier?  Can you imagine going into the shop every 10k miles, or every 3 or so oil changes, to have your distributor points checked?  And don't get me started on suspension lubrication.  LOL

 

Ben

[this post was last edited: 3/5/2014-17:48]

 

[danemodsandy]

Ben:

You're absolutely right about EFI and HEI. Cars today start. Every time. And they keep running, even on very cold days. I can remember when cars not in tune were balky, and I also remember when cars didn't start reliably in the rain. As a transplant to the Midwest, I cannot imagine what '60s and '70s cars were like to keep running here in the Winter. They were bad enough to keep running in Georgia.

ABS is also great, once you get used to that "buzzsaw" feeling under your foot when it kicks in. I happen to think it also serves another purpose - training drivers to be more judicious. The more you drive without it kicking on, the better a job you're doing with driving under prevailing conditions.

 

[retromania]

I am in the market for a car and since cars don't really do anything for me except provide transportation I have no idea what to look for. Thought about a small truck, but Nissan seems to be the only small truck maker anymore (correct me if I'm wrong). I will keep looking.

 

[norgeway]

All I can think of is..

Fuel injection and air bags...They definately dont ride better than say a 65 Imperial, My 53 Imperial had electric windows...I do apreciate the safety factors, but handling is a matter of opinion, the 60s and 70s Chrysler cars were to me FAR superior to anything built today, and you had fINGERTIP control.A carburator can be an aggrivation, they have personalities...some work fine..some never do, fuel injection pretty much solved those issues.....until the computer goes out!..LOL

 

[norgeway]

CVT Tranny..

That aint nothing but a glorified Dynaflow!!LOL.

 

[whirlcool]

My sister had a 72' Vega and lived in the Chicago burbs. At night she would go outside if the temp went below 20F to put ta blanket on the engine. She said that's the only way it would start the next morning. Me and my Dad would laugh at her saying that there was no way a blanket could keep an engine warm all night long. But on the nights she didn't put the blanket on it, sure enough it wouldn't start in the morning.

Yes, fuel injection did cure all the hard/non start problems carbuerated care had.
Even on light aircraft. But if you have an FI engine hot on a summer day and restart it pretty quick after turning if off, it may be harder to start. Why? Because of the engine heat in the engine fuel lines the fuel may percolate, leading to harder summertime starting.

 

[norgeway]

And I will agree

They are less rust prone.....CHEAP PLASTIC doesent rust!LOL

 

[kb0nes]

Well I for one know I really miss replacing the points and adjusting the dwell and timing every 3,000 miles... Same for oil changes, I'm pleased only changing oil in the Spring and Fall.

The biggest advantage with modern cars is just their amazingly reliability. We are at the point we can really look at the possibility of 100,000 miles with routine maintenance only. That is really something!

Control and safety are much improved also. Vehicle dynamics control features (ABS & traction control) have made today's vehicles avoid accidents better and continuous seam welded uni-bodies, engineered energy absorption and airbags have made shunts more survivable.

Of course there is also efficiency too. We get more power with less fuel consumed and of course this lowers emissions to boot.

By nature I am a pretty nostalgic person, I believe history needs to be preserved. I do enjoy the experience of vintage cars, but I'm sure glad I don't have to commute day to day in one. Of course I share the same feelings about appliances and audio equipment. For instance I have a good number of old tube amplifiers to take on Sunday drives when the mood hits. But I'm sure glad to have the smooth, more efficient, more reliable and yes more accurate modern solid state electronics for my daily drivers!

 

[norgeway]

Up until 1998...

I drove old cars exclusively, in 96 I drove a 62 Fury to StLouis to the VCCC convention, 1450 miles and I added 1/2 quart of oil when I got home!LOL

 

[wayupnorth]

Yes, cheap plastic doesnt rust, I got enough of that on my new one. But up here in the winter salt belt, brake, fuel lines, exhaust and eventually the frame will rot out, no matter what it is and no matter how many times you wash it. Looks good on the outside, still runs great but the underside is being killed by what they have to put on the roads so they can be passable. I think Mother Nature has a curse on us here.

 

[petek]

Reliability and low maintenance is definitely the big factor. Remember getting tune-ups.. My little 07 Mazda has never had a tune up. Just oil changes and light bulb replacements. etc.. Oh and the driver door switch for the driver window pooped out a few months ago , but that's the extent of it. So long as I have air conditioning, power windows and locks and cruise control I'm good to go. I seldom if ever turn the radio on let alone play a CD . Although I have to admit I kind of like the automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers.. getting spoiled now.

 

[carmine]

Fuel Injection is great, but remember people used to have to get to work everyday when the world was nothing but carburetors. This winter I wanted to go old-school and keep my new Challenger in the garage, so I bought a winter hooptie. Found this '88 5th Ave with 28,000 original miles for $1700!

Well, this winter has been the worst we've seen in decades. The car sits outside all night and starts every morning with one pump of the gas. So old tech can get the job done, but in fairness this car is practically new.

 

[petek]

Those 5th Avenues were HUGELY popular cars out west in Alberta during the 80's with the senior driving set. I wonder if it was the same in the other prairie states and provinces.

 

[retromania]

Fifth Avenues

Oh, yes! They were popular here on the east coast as well!!!

 

[norgeway]

5th Avenue

I thought these had beautiful upholstery, ...I wish I could find one that cheap, That would be a good daily driver, you cant beat a 318!

 

[joelippard]

I've had a love affair with cars since I was 13

And I've spent lots of money on them down through the years.  I'll list them all here.  I started out at 17 in a 1986 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham that floated on a cloud and had this pinky effort steering that Hans mentioned.  I traded that in for a 1991 Cadillac Eldorado Biarittz.  I loved that car but it had a very different feel to it than the Olds, in retrospect I should've got a Sedan de Ville.  While I had the Cadillac I also owned two Buicks because I became so finicky with Cadi that I didn't want it driven in the rain.  So, back to an '86 but this time it was a Buick Park Avenue, I kept it a few years and sold it when I bought a 1990 Buick Park Avenue Ultra, this car was an absolute dream and I should have kept it.  Running strong at 260,000 miles I traded it in on a 1995 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi with the supercharged 3800.  This car had the best seats in it of any car I've ever owned but it also was the car that took me away from GM for a period of time.  It had many "stupid" problems come up and at 83k the transmission went.  It was going to cost $3,000 because it tore itself up so bad it had to be completely replaced.  I traded it with the bad tranny on a 2003 Mazda 6s.  This was a nice fully optioned and custom ordered vehicle and was the first brand new car I have ever bought.  It was a good car but ate CV joints every 30k and brakes ever 40k.  That crap got old and it finally started running poorly at 130k, it nearly quit on me on the interstate.  That was enough for me and was when I got into my present car.  Returning to GM and Buick was a good thing for me with the 2010 LaCrosse CXS.  This car is as close of a modern interpretation of the old style as you can get in my opinion.  It has light steering, cloud like ride, and a feature list a half mile long.  I can't think of any feature among any of the modern luxury sedans that is not found in the Buick.

 

However, I do have a love for the classics, particularly the 50's cars and more concentrated with GM's line.  I am particularly in love the 58 model year of Buick and Cadillac, this was the first years of dual headlamps and Buick had more chrome on their cars in '58 than any other GM or Big 3 car of that year.  This was the age of excess and how I wish our economy, morals, and personal pride would return to those glorious days, the likes of which I'm not old enough to have known.

 

[norgeway]

RE Oil Changes...

I still change my oil every 3000 miles! I thought most people still did!

 

[joelippard]

.

 

[carmine]

I like them because they have one foot in the past (it's a 1976 design) and one foot in the present ('89s had airbags, upgraded electrical, and a few other improvements). Into the early 90s, it always seemed any supermarket-sized parking lot would always have a least one Dodge Dart. Into the 2000s, that shifted to be these vintage 5th Aves. Now I can't really think of any one type of "cockroach" car (seems to never die). Maybe it's just because everything newer is so anonymous.

By the way, I do wash the salt off as often as I can

 

[norgeway]

I Also like

REAR WHEEL DRIVE..the steering feels so much better to me, and of course Chrysler always had better PS anyway,,,They invented it!LOL...That 58 BUICK would be something else! Triple Turbine Dynaflow!LOL

 

[hydralique]

Carmine . . .

Surely that '88 Chrysler has fuel injection! I didn't think any carburated engines were still being sold here as late as that. If it has a carb I'd sure hate to try to get it smogged. Even with port injection cars of that era are hard to deal with, I had trouble with an '87 Saab 900 Turbo and a '92 Eagle Premier in the late '90s. Both were very well maintained cars and passed the idle test with flying colors but the 15 mph and 25 mph dyno tests are killers. The Saab propitiously got rear-ended while the Eagle was finally donated to charity in '04 in spite of being in excellent condition; it just wasn't worth the double whammy of meddling every other year with the vacuum EGR system to get past smog and also having to deal with Jeep-Eagle's incompetent parts department if any new part was needed.

 

It seems like injection systems from about 2000 are way better than even those from the '80s, possibly because they also control ignition timing (although the Eagle system did that as well and it didn't help). I think I recall reading that the average modern car has vastly more computing power than was used to put men on the moon in '69!

 

[norgeway]

If I could choose two

Cars I have had, And could have them new...I would choose my very favorite car of all first, a 68 Fury 3 sedan, I loved it, it was nothing special as cars go, but it just drove and handled like nothing ive ever sat down in since....most people who were used to Fords or GM cars didnt like it, my cousin said it didnt have any " Feel of the road" Which is exactly why I loved it, I dont want to feel the road!LOL my next favorite was a 72 Dodge Polara Custom that Mothers cousin bought new, just a great car, and pretty economical for a 360, it got around 20 mpg on a trip, which was quite good for a big car....and cOLD COLD air!Neither of these EVER gave any problems, even though they were old when I got them...I cant describe the Furys steering, except to say it was totally effortless..After getting used to it, everything since feels like turning a wagon!

 

[neptunebob]

Retromania, I have the Toyota Tacoma and so far I have been pretty happy with it even though it is only 2 wheel drive (no, it does not go good in snow and gets stuck in the driveway but the truck tires do help). To get a Tacoma with automatic transmission and 4 wheel drive was a $10,000 difference. Oh, and with some of the roads here, I am glad it has 10 airbags. Feel free to ask me about it.

Carmine, aren't you worried that your car is based on a Plymouth Volare? Back then, nobody had a nice thing to say about Volare or Aspen.

 

[hydralique]

What I like about modern cars in addition to the aforementioned modern engine management systems:

-Really good, fast and reliable power windows. I use my windows a lot and don’t like hand cranks. Old power windows often worked painfully slow, especially if the engine wasn’t running, plus needed careful adjustment. Modern windows just seem to work.

-Really good air conditioning. A/C in cars has actually been around since shortly before WWII, but even in the ‘70's it still wasn’t great on really hot days. Modern systems are vastly better.

-High capacity cooling systems. This goes along with the A/C, it means not worrying if you have to drive in 110 degree weather in stop and go freeway traffic.

-Common availability of glass sunroofs, these make an interior so much more pleasant even with the glass closed plus nice to have open in good weather.

-Well placed factory speakers. Head units usually aren’t too hard to replace but if speakers aren’t in the right location the sound won’t be what it should be.

-Sound insulation, new cars are usually much quieter than old cars!

-Common availability of tilt/telescopic wheels, makes for a much nicer driving position in many cars.

 

[norgeway]

Power Windows and AC...

What kind of old car were you driving?? AC in the 50s and 60s was much much colder than todays cars,A good friend in lenoir had a 55 Desoto that , if turned wide open, blew fine chips of ice!!! my 53 Chrysler had power windows that were too fast, if you were not careful they would catch a finger!!