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Power seats, heated seats and mirrors, leather, adaptable cruise, rain/light sensing stuff, automatic transmission, climate control, bluetooth integration (although my next car will most likely have that), navigation, infotainment centers, HD radio, CD player, lane departure, blindzone alerts, cameras...
Basically, most things. A/C, power locks/windows, fold down rear seats, aux in, cruise control, air bags, ABS, variable wipers. Anything else I'm fine without.
Second tier really nice stuff that I wouldn't necessarily pay a lot for (which often means I won't get them since they're only available in expensive packages of stuff I really don't want to pay for) would include moon roof, ventilated seats, bluetooth, USB power ports, adaptive cruise.
There are so many useless-to-me features in modern vehicles that it will be easier to say what I do want for options.
- Air conditioning. This is absolutely mandatory.
- AM/FM radio where the AM actually works.
- Rear/four wheel drive with a transfer case (not a viscous coupling AWD)
- A naturally aspirated V8, V10, or V12 engine pointing rearwards. Bonus points if it can run on ethanol.
- Full sized spare tire
- Manual transmission
- Good-sized mirrors. I'll take them even if they are power adjustable.
- Limited slip or air/electric locking differential
- Cloth, vinyl, or neoprene seats, rubber floor, and rubber floormats.
- 40/20/40 front seats which can move back and forth if you pull the lock lever
- Power brakes
- Power steering
- At least a 20 gallon fuel tank
- Regular analog gauges and switches.
- Fog lights and BRIGHT high beams.
- Regular old "hold a speed" cruise control
Some things that are truck specific:
- Defroster coils in the rear windshield. Nobody puts these on trucks for some unknown reason but they are the only ticket to get freezing rain off so you can see.
- Bed rail caps
- Integrated trailer brake controller
- Receiver hitch with prewired 4 pin and 7 pin connectors
- LT rated tires instead of "they always look flat" P-metric tires on a half-ton pickup
- A regular cab with a long box on a half-ton pickup. These are so rare that now the 6 1/2 foot short box pickups are called "long boxes."
- Vent windows
What will I not do without? A/C, cruise control, and power locks with keyless remote.
What do I want in my next car? Bluetooth support for speakerphone and audio playback, and keyless ignition. And I wouldn't mind automatic climate control or a sunroof... Everything else (except for run-flats!) is just nice to have.
Manual Transmission
Rear Wheel Drive
Air Conditioning
Radio
Even though I live in the desert I can even do without the A/C, as I work the nightshift from 10p-6a and I sleep away the heat of the day! Resale value lower, don't care!
Whenever I go out of town, and leave my '85 Toyota in the garage, I rent a car and it can be very stressful with all these new unnecessary gadgets they have today, not curious enough to make use of them!
I recently rented a 2013 Chevy Impala to go to Salt Lake City and I had no idea what all those buttons were on the steering wheel, no curiosity to try any of them. I had a hard enough time figuring out how to use the A/C and the radio. A few times the radio went blank on me!
Turning the car in, I find out some of those buttons on the steering wheel control the radio, must have accidentally touched one of them. But why!!!! People are too lazy to move their hand that short distance to the radio dials? And what happens if these unnecessary gadgets malfunction? An arm and a leg to get it fixed?
Me? My motto: simplicity is a sure sign of maturity!
Even though I live in the desert I can even do without the A/C, as I work the nightshift from 10p-6a and I sleep away the heat of the day! Resale value lower, don't care!
Desert heat is not like southern states humid heat. Seriously. if you'v enever expereinced a 90 degree day with 90% humidyt you need to **** about what you can or can't "handle" without A/C.
Quote:
Turning the car in, I find out some of those buttons on the steering wheel control the radio, must have accidentally touched one of them. But why!!!! People are too lazy to move their hand that short distance to the radio dials?
No, due to distracted driving laws, it's safer to not move your hand OR eyes all the way down to the radio to fiddle with the buttons. Just a flick with your thumb and your good to go without taking your eyes off the road.
But to continue with my earlier anaolgy, what's with indoor plumbing? Folks too lazy to walk to an outhouse anymore?
Quote:
And what happens if these unnecessary gadgets malfunction? An arm and a leg to get it fixed?
Maybe, but it's not the '60s anymore where gagets break a lot. These electronics tend to last a long time without failing. Modern manufacturing processes make circuit boards and computer controls a lot more reliable than they were even 10 years ago.
Lol, im far from an old man but I sure feel like one. Life was much simpler without cell phones, internet, expensive elctronic gadgets in cars, etc..
I miss the days of driving home in my car that had a manual transmission, roll down windows, no power steering and then checking the messages on my answering machine to see if anyone called. I also miss reading the classifieds on Sunday mornings to see what was for sale and what movies may be playing because if I missed a movie at the theater it would be months before id be able to see it again once it left the theater.
Ahh, I think the only technology id like in a car would be to build the Delorean in Back to the Future to get me out of here, lol. Any time machine options out there?
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