Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
As a person who really hates new cars and drives old ones, I have a list of why I hate new cars. What's your list like?
1. New cars have ugly styling. No chrome, round jellybean or turd shapes, drab interiors, playskool like plastic parts
2. Drab, poor quality paint. Seems like all cars are silver, black or grey. No bright primary colors anymore.
3. Plastic where bumpers are supposed to be
4. Plastic headlights that fog up a year or two after purchase
6. Poor visibility due to bulky pillars or severely sloped windshields.
7. Lack of legroom for taller people. Trying to drive one of those cars is an exercise in frustration.
8. Excessive electronics that are extremely difficult to diagnose, and expensive to replace
9. Plastic in the engine compartment. The extremely crammed engine is covered with drab ugly plastic
10. Many cars are fatter and taller than the classics they replaced. Yet they lack proper headroom for taller people
11. A horrible chemical smell unlike the older cars "new car smell".
12. Many newer cars use low profile tires that allow the rims to be damaged in real world driving conditions.
13. Instrument panels with too many curves in ultra cheap plastic that fades and cracks in a few years. Very cheap plastic buttons that fall off. Lights controlled by a turn signal stick.
14. Fender flares
15. Prices much higher than they should be considering automation and materials. Parts priced in the stratosphere.
16. Plastic door handles that break within a few years.
There are probably more that I forgot but what do you think?
Okay, most will agree that newer cars are much better in many ways but...
1. Keyless start--now here's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. I've always hidden a key and it's saved my butt several times. Not happening with this useless bit of technology.
2. Cars have too much electronics and become very difficult to work on.
3. Along with that, upscale cars like mercedes and bmw are now so complex that it's risky to own them out of warranty.
4. And because of that they are showing up used for "a dime a dozen". My neighbor said he offered $10,000 for a few year old bmw that the owner said was $ 60,000 new.
5. CVT transmissions
6. Along with that...cars that have "flat" performance between 20 and 40 mph. I keep kicking the accelerator down to get the car to move....and there goes the gas mileage.
-Price
-Materials
-Technology
-Lack of being able to get a car optioned the way you want.
-Lack of manual transmissions
-Big rims (my truck came with 20 inch...ugh)
-Inability to be a shade tree mechanic on them
-Styling (most of them anyway)
-Crossovers (you either want a truck or a car, if you cant decide buy a minivan)
-Brands like BMW that used to be prestigious now have models that practically a teenager could afford. Nothing special about them anymore. In the 80's you were doing something right if you drove a Beemer.
-List goes on...
I don't know where the "no primary colors" guy is looking but I'm seeing bright reds, greens, yellows and blues across all makes and models.
The only dislike I have is that mid-size cars like the Fusion and Malibu and even the Impala have too many doors. At one time nearly every model had a choice of 2 or 4 door versions with the 2 door outselling the 4 by 3 to 1.
The OP pretty much nailed it. I agree with many of the complaints.
Kids Playskool interiors is a funny one, but true. Nothing feels substantial anymore unless you step up to a $100,000 flagship.
Cheap looking paint and flimsy exterior paneling. New cars are made like toys today.
Cars are sold and advertised now like just another throwaway commodity when back in the days, a car was more than a simple transportation device, it meant everything for the entire family or individual as most people in those days only owned 1 vehicle and cars were built at a slower pace to maintain quality control. It was an extension of who you are as a person. Some of the vehicle parts on the old stuff was longer lasting especially the metal parts, like door handles, and some of the interior pieces depending on the year and make. Most of all that stuff like the linkages in the door handles, trunk lid, and the hood were all made out of metal that never broke. Heavy duty chrome bumpers that look and acted like battering rams that didn't crush and fall apart upon the slightest touch was awesome.
Lot's of drabby interior color schemes.
Rock hard seats are for one a major complaint of mine.
Some of the styling of new cars have gotten better IMO compared to just a few years ago. Cars are finally having aggressive angles and sharp lines, but they are all still too small. It's hard to style up a small car, but manufactures are trying with some luck.
But just yesterday I saw this old man still driving his super clean 72 Chevy Caprice Coupe that was in immaculate condition at my job. I spoke with the owner and we went outside to check it out. The car has over 190,000 miles from what he told me as the ODO rolled over. The car looked in great shape, the body was clean, paint looked great as did the interior, everything was original including the engine and trans. The owner bought it new and he told me he would never sell it. He loves the older cars for their styling, interior room and durability and that was the main reason he's kept it so long. Now he drives the Caprice seldomly as he wants to not only save $$ at the pump, but to keep it in the nicest shape as possible. More power to him I say!
1. Characterless, drab, boring styling
2. Too complex for the average person/enthusiast to work on without going to the dealer
3. Distracting infotainment systems
4. Lack of manual transmission availability
5. High belt lines contributing to lack of visibility
6. Lack of real materials
Actually I was not aware that manual transmissions were no longer available. The lack of customizable options is something a few friends who bought new cars made me aware of. CVT transmission reminds me of the belt drive in my Banana Buggy!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Nothing feels substantial anymore unless you step up to a $100,000 flagship.
