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I'd guess most cars in 80 had carbs. Most of those weren't computer controlled either - the first electronically controlled GM carb came out in 81
And that was very limited in what it did also electronics develop in vehicles as the government cafe cafe standards came into play so year by year automakers added more electronics to vehicles to increase mpg and to manage safety as well. Sure i miss the old school vehicles of the 70’s but i don’t miss the every 3 month or 3,000 oil change or the 12 months tune up auto change the plugs, points and condenser., and readjust the timing. I remember those tack and dwell testers, and the timing light. Or those big Sun analyzers hangin’ in the service garages. Computers and electronics have eliminated all of those things.
Let’s see did you have auto stop if someone ran out in front of you, or did you have lane departure when you wanted to change lanes but could not see the car in you’re blind spot. Did you have TPM in your 1980’s or what about Bluetooth technology. Did you have eco mode in your 1980’s vehicle. Did you have electric steering or electric fan. Did you have a GDI engine like most are today.
I don't have most of those features. Power steering has been around a long time. Tire pressure can be checked manually. The light is a mere convenience. I should feel bad about that? GDI is another form of fuel injected engine. Fuel injection had been around for some time.
Let's try this a different way. What features do you think we should remove/return to their non-computerized equivalent?
I think many of the auto electronics are a positive such as traction control but I think that some of the more recent ones are ridiculous and they are dumbing down the average driver such as the systems that prevent a collision with a pedestrian or another car. PEOPLE you need to pay attention when you are driving and remember when your Mom told you to look both ways before crossing the road? It still applies yet people get hit by cars all the time.
I am all for electronics that make people safer drivers but I'm not for anything that allows them to be less attentive.
Unfortunately - you can make better tools available. But you can't control how people use them. The technology isn't the issue, it's the inclination of people that think they no longer have to be responsible/accountable because of them. Or those who fail to understand the limitations of these tools.
You have cars like Teslas that almost drive themselves. But safety features are built in so that you need to provide input and still pay attention. Yet, there are no shortage of videos on youtube showing you how you can override these safety features so you can do other things as opposed to pay attention to the road.
I don't have most of those features. Power steering has been around a long time. Tire pressure can be checked manually. The light is a mere convenience. I should feel bad about that? GDI is another form of fuel injected engine. Fuel injection had been around for some time.
Let's try this a different way. What features do you think we should remove/return to their non-computerized equivalent?
Pretty much nothing.
Although I am a fan of knobs and buttons for basic HVAC and radio stuff. Touchscreen displays are cool, but for actual operation I like knobs for basic stuff.
I don't have most of those features. Power steering has been around a long time. Tire pressure can be checked manually. The light is a mere convenience. I should feel bad about that? GDI is another form of fuel injected engine. Fuel injection had been around for some time.
Let's try this a different way. What features do you think we should remove/return to their non-computerized equivalent?
Sure power steering has been around forever but you need a pump, a reservoir for the power steering fluid and 2 high pressure hoses. Electric steering you don’t need that so there’s allot of freed up space. I like TPM my eyes are not like they use to be. And like it or not that’s the way it is now so you better keep plenty of spare parts on hand to keep fixing you older vehicle because all new vehicle are getting more and more electronics every year. Nothing is going to go backwards like you hope they will i don’t mind any of the features of new vehicles because i lease and get another new vehicle every 3 years and only do oil change and tire rotation to them. Some people just can’t except change and expect things to go back the way they were before life doesn’t work like that i wish it did i would love to be 20 years old again.
I think that cars are getting way to complicated, which means more to fix.
I'd rather have a mechanical link between what i'm controlling, and what I'm controlling it with.
In 15 plus years from now I don't want to deal with replacing garbage electronic systems on a $3,000 car that control everything on the vehicle that make my car inoperable if they don't work.
I think that cars are getting way to complicated, which means more to fix.
I'd rather have a mechanical link between what i'm controlling, and what I'm controlling it with.
In 15 plus years from now I don't want to deal with replacing garbage electronic systems on a $3,000 car that control everything on the vehicle that make my car inoperable if they don't work.
You put those carburetors on a cast iron intake manifold right so yes that’s heavy.
I consider myself an outlier here, but every since cars went fully electronic, I find them much easier to maintain and repair. It's a different skillset yes, but one that people can and do figure out.
So when my car develops an issue, another tool in my toolbox is the ability to take out my laptop, connect to the car, and do things like pull DTC's from modules or reprogram modules or even change some of the basic programming.
Just this AM, I was on a message board talking with a 22 year old kid on the various coding changes needed to vary the steering feel of the electronically assisted steering rack. It's really impressive what can be done with a computer. The latest craze in the hotrodder world is aftermarket fuel injection where you can tweak and tune practically every engine parameter.
Of course, I understand not everyone had the skillset for this sort of thing
Last edited by BostonMike7; 03-07-2019 at 09:55 AM..
On the inside of the car, I MUCH prefer knobs and push button controls. I personally don't need anything more than this.
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