The Conservative Cave
Interests => Around the House & In the Garage => Topic started by: CG6468 on July 06, 2013, 04:31:01 PM
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6 Disappearing Car Features
Radio knobs are making a comeback, but lots of other features are headed to extinction.
By Alex Taylor III | CNNMoney.com – Wed, Jul 3, 2013 3:01 PM EDT
Recently, Ford (F) made a surprising announcement: It is adding radio knobs to its hi-tech component control system MyFord Touch. That's a retreat from cutting-edge to old technology -- a man-bites-dog scenario you don't often see in the auto business. And don't expect to see it any more often in the future.
Here's the background: In attempting to reduce driver distraction and get a jump on competitors, Ford had introduced a voice- and touch-screen system for audio, navigation, and other functions. But drivers found the new system confusing, and Consumer Reports issued a withering report on its functionality. So Ford decided to listen to popular concern and go backwards: It will now make it possible to control volume and frequency with the twist of a knob. "Familiar and easy-to-use knobs are exceptionally good ways for drivers to control in-car entertainment systems," says Kelley Blue Books' Jack Nerad. "They make for less distraction and less frustration, and that translates into more convenience and improved safety."
What's next? Are we going to see a return to ribbon speedometers, hub-mounted transmission buttons, or three-on-a-tree gear shifters? Not likely. In fact, the industry is moving in a different direction; many of the features that drivers of a certain age find familiar are dying out or already dead. Here's a partial list:
Everything changes, but not all change is good (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/6-disappearing-car-features-180017982.html;_ylt=AonvJM9QxJquYN_rukmlIiV66IdG;_ylu=X3oDMTFqcjE2NDhqBG1pdANBcnRpY2xlIEJvZHkEcG9zAzkEc2VjA01lZGlhQXJ0aWNsZUJvZHlBc3NlbWJseQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTNjdXZtM3NvBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDM2RhYWJjMTUtMDA0OS0zNDMwLWI2OGItYzdjZjdiOTE3NzA1BHBzdGNhdANwZXJzb25hbGZpbmFuY2V8bGlmZXN0eWxlBHB0A3N0b3J5cGFnZQ--;_ylv=3?page=all)
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Unfortunately without it improvement is impossible. But fortunately, some things can't be improved.
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I remember when ashtrays became an option known as the "smoker's package."
That was around 2000ish
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I really prefer having a standard transmission. It looks like I'll have to buy my next car in Mexico where most of them are still manuals.
What I really wish is that auto makers would standardize on things like location of lights, wipers, cruise controls, TRUNK LATCHES, GAS CAP LATCHES, etc...
I rent all the time and spend 20 minutes just trying to figure out where everything is.
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I really prefer having a standard transmission. It looks like I'll have to buy my next car in Mexico where most of them are still manuals.
What I really wish is that auto makers would standardize on things like location of lights, wipers, cruise controls, TRUNK LATCHES, GAS CAP LATCHES, etc...
I rent all the time and spend 20 minutes just trying to figure out where everything is.
I took a coworker's car to the airport to drop her off (late-model Infiniti G35) and couldn't wait in the drop-off lane because I couldn't find the damn trunk latch on the car. In my Camry, it's on the left side of the driver's seat on the floor.
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Bias ply tires? Man, they really had to reach to pad that list, didn't they?
I love vent windows, though.
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Bias ply tires? Man, they really had to reach to pad that list, didn't they?
I love vent windows, though.
Vent windows are awesome.
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What I've always missed is that little button on the floor, driver's side, right-hand side, that one punched with one's foot to brighten or dim the headlights.
I dunno who the idiots were, who did away with that.
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What I've always missed is that little button on the floor, driver's side, right-hand side, that one punched with one's foot to brighten or dim the headlights.
I dunno who the idiots were, who did away with that.
I have one of those in my 71 Dodge D100. I like cathunk-cathunk-ing the high beams on and off, just for the heck of it sometimes. I love that noise. All devices should have that sort of tactile feedback.
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Vent windows are awesome.
The one on the driver's side of my B is a little loose- it likes to fold back up at about 30 MPH. Did yours do this? I wonder how you adjust the tension?
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The one on the driver's side of my B is a little loose- it likes to fold back up at about 30 MPH. Did yours do this? I wonder how you adjust the tension?
I'm not sure. My B does it around 50 mph, the Ford does it around 30 as well.
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I'm not sure. My B does it around 50 mph, the Ford does it around 30 as well.
Well after nadining the problem, it looks like there is some sort of tension nut you can adjust by accessing the bottom of the vent window frame, from inside the door. I've never done this, but I'm going to go try it on my B real fast, and let you know. I bet your Ford is the same.
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That would help. I would really like to be able to use them.
Who needs air conditioning?
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What's next? Are we going to see a return to ribbon speedometers, hub-mounted transmission buttons, or three-on-a-tree gear shifters
Alpha Mare just drug home a T-bird with a swing away , fat man steering wheel . Just doing a mental count on the morbidly obese @ the grocery tonight , I suspect that those would be VERY popular NOW .
And those hydraulic windshield wipers will flick off a cat like a dry booger .
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That would help. I would really like to be able to use them.
Who needs air conditioning?
Success!*
There is a spring with a 7/16" bolt under it inside the door, right under the pivot point for the vent window. I tightened it for some tension, and it works perfectly now. It looks like some monkey has been inside of my door before, because the pozi-drive screws that hold the door pull on were completely stripped. Good thing I've got a parts car, because they wouldn't make it back in. I had to use a torx bit to get them out.
*Now all I have to do is get spousal unit to fish the socket out from the door, since it fell off the extension, and I can't reach it.
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And those hydraulic windshield wipers will flick off a cat like a dry booger .
Perhaps a nice sister to this list would be things we are glad are gone. My list:
-Vacuum powered anything, in particular wipers, followed closely by headlights.
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You don't have one of those spring-loaded claws with the light on the end?
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Mayhew-CatsPaw-Lighted-Claw-Pick-Up-Tool-45046/203761855#.UdjP91e-pmM
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wing windows were the best!
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Cassette players? Anyone? Anyone miss their Def Leppard cassettes?
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You don't have one of those spring-loaded claws with the light on the end?
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Mayhew-CatsPaw-Lighted-Claw-Pick-Up-Tool-45046/203761855#.UdjP91e-pmM
Yeah, but I can't get it down where the socket is. If I had my telescoping magnet, I could reach it, but I ran it over a few weeks ago, and it won't telescope anymore. :hammer:
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Cassette players? Anyone? Anyone miss their Def Leppard cassettes?
Not really.
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Not really.
8 tracks maybe ?
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Not really.
You had a gramophone in your car?
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What I've always missed is that little button on the floor, driver's side, right-hand side, that one punched with one's foot to brighten or dim the headlights.
I dunno who the idiots were, who did away with that.
Me too. And bench seats.
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What I've always missed is that little button on the floor, driver's side, right-hand side, that one punched with one's foot to brighten or dim the headlights.
I dunno who the idiots were, who did away with that.
When that foot switch rarely wore out, it could be EASILY replaced. Now it's in the steering column as part of the multi-function switch - $$$$$$$$$$$
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Me too. And bench seats.
Front or back ?
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Front or back ?
Both.
I loved the dual bench seats I had in my 1966 Toronado. Between the bench seats and the completely flat floors, It could sleep four comfortably:
(http://americanmusclecar.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/toro-66-interior.jpg)
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Both.
I loved the dual bench seats I had in my 1966 Toronado. Between the bench seats and the completely flat floors, It could sleep four comfortably:
(http://americanmusclecar.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/toro-66-interior.jpg)
Phew...for a minute there I was thinking I might have to accuse you of being a bench seat REARIST.
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I'm not sure. My B does it around 50 mph, the Ford does it around 30 as well.
The VW vent window whistles if you are in a forward motion. :lmao: The seals are totally gone.
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The VW vent window whistles if you are in a forward motion. :lmao: The seals are totally gone.
The door seals on the Fairlane are completely shot. I'm surprised the doors stayed in place between Crane Hill and Columbia.
That is a priority on my list.
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Yea there is a guy on eBay that has a great VW shop. He sells everything for the old rabbit's, Jetta's etc. Its getting easier if you have a popular old car these days to find parts. I remember trying to find parts in the early 90's for my 68 Firebird was almost impossible.
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Yea there is a guy on eBay that has a great VW shop. He sells everything for the old rabbit's, Jetta's etc. Its getting easier if you have a popular old car these days to find parts. I remember trying to find parts in the early 90's for my 68 Firebird was almost impossible.
Really? I'd think that with all the vendors, getting parts for GM cars would be easy. Between Year One, Original Parts Group, and everybody else, you could probably build one from scratch.
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Oh now a days I can buy a new uni-body for a 68 for about 13k new sheet metal delivered to the closest dock classicindustries.com...but back then Pontiac parts were used or dealer or Paddock and they were more expensive than the dealer. The shop I worked for back then would buy up parts for old GTO's and tempest and firebirds from the stealerships. Stuff like the tri power pcv grommets....wheel center caps etc...buy all they had. The guy I worked for restored these cars and did show cars. Makes a difference in a show contest if you have all the original parts and not reproductions...He made bank off those parts.
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Really? I'd think that with all the vendors, getting parts for GM cars would be easy. Between Year One, Original Parts Group, and everybody else, you could probably build one from scratch.
But remember - blammo had all the older cars crushed for recycling.
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But remember - blammo had all the older cars crushed for recycling.
Hey, his communist buddies in China needed the steel.
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Hey, his communist buddies in China needed the steel.
And he needed them out of the country so no parts for "non-'green'" vehicles were available. His electric cars will solve all of our problems, including towing campers and trailers! ::)
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I get the feeling that CD players are on their way out.
I had the Jeep for five years and never ONCE used it. Still haven't used the one in the truck. I have Sirius/XM, and when the six month trial is up, I've got Pandora that'll play through the Bluetooth.
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I get the feeling that CD players are on their way out.
I had the Jeep for five years and never ONCE used it. Still haven't used the one in the truck. I have Sirius/XM, and when the six month trial is up, I've got Pandora that'll play through the Bluetooth.
I put everything on a thumb drive and can go all day without changing anything.