What Options/Features Could You Do Without? (1970, cars, power)

[manderly6]

Originally Posted by mustangman66

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?

Answering machine? What happened to the good old days of just missing phone calls when you weren't home.

[ghostrider7811]

I bought a new 2007 Dodge Ram ST Quad cab back in the summer of 2007.
PS,PB,AC,Auto, basic CD radio, cruise, and a few HD engine and drive train options.
No power windows, locks, or fancy options.
After about a month I added an aftermarket power lock kit, it was tough with kids.
I didint miss anything else.

[menacide]

Originally Posted by tijlover

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?

Those steering wheel functions are great once you memorize their layout because you never have to take your hand off of the steering wheel in order to change the radio station, CD track, volume, etc.

You are able to be in control while messing with the radio. I think that's the main reason people like them.

[Archguy]

Originally Posted by manderly6

The grumpy old men from this thread should hang out with the grumpy old men of the manual transmission thread. Now that would be a party.

LOL

Originally Posted by mustangman66

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?

I don't like most power steering because it's usually overboosted but cell phones? really??? Back when there were no cell phones cars also broke down a lot. I'm old enough to remember that from my childhood. You were at the mercy of whoever happened along, if anyone ever did.

I remember my dad trying to flag someone down after our brand-new RENTAL car broke down in the middle of nowhere one night. ( GM in the 1970s if anyone cares ) Yeah who needs cell phones?

And no internet? you're pulling my leg at some point here....

[JaxRhapsody]

Im not even 30 yet and I prefer a car without all the bs. I will add the steering wheel controls and independant climate control to my list. 15mph auto locking doors too.

And whats with these fancy starter motors, what happened to hand cranking that bish...:-P

[ovi8]

I have a huge front-to-back moonroof, but it's more trouble than it's worth. Same concept with convertibles. It's too damn hot to have the roof down/open when it's sunny & clear out. I mean, the sun is OVERHEAD. At those times, you want A/C or you sweat and stink. I have the shade closed on my moonroof in the dead of summer.

[texdav]

Standard feature plus power window and locks plus cruise control. I do enjoy connection for Ipod but could do with no CD player.

[josh u]

Well if you asked the typical driver, the answer would probably be turn signals

[tvdxer]

Many of the features listed here are cheap to implement, and useful to many people. iPod jack? Isn't that just an audio jack? How much does the circuitry for that cost? I would guess under $1 / car. USB is very useful as well, and must be under $5 / car.

[tijlover]

Originally Posted by menacide

Those steering wheel functions are great once you memorize their layout because you never have to take your hand off of the steering wheel in order to change the radio station, CD track, volume, etc.

You are able to be in control while messing with the radio. I think that's the main reason people like them.

I have to confess to being stinkingly lazy/incurious when it comes to taking advantage of any new technological innovations. My 1985 Toyota still has no CD player, only a Tape player, and it serves me well, as I have tons of condensed tapes I still play.

I see advertising photo's in the magazines of the dashboards of some of these new cars, notably the Cadillac, and I can't imagine what would happen if I rent my next car from Enterprise, they're low on inventory, and they hand over the keys to one of these cars! GPS? Oh Lordy-bee!!!

One of the last cars I rented I couldn't get the trunk open with the key, and when I took it back to Enterprise I told them the key didn't work. What an embarrassment that was! All I would have had to do is just press a button on the keychain and voila!

I guess it's high time I get over my laziness and take advantage of some of these new inventions!