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Well, one thing to consider is this: even stripper new cars didn't compete with used cars back then. Used cars were used up and worthless after a few short years, especially 10-15 year old cars. Now, a 10-15 year old car has a lot of life in it, and many of the safety and convenience features of a new one. Why buy a stripper new car when for the same price or less you can get a 5-10 year old used car with the same features or even more? A top trim used Camry would cost the same as a stripper new Corolla. Why buy the penalty box? Why MAKE the cheap new car when most people will choose the similarly priced, barely used car? Manufacturers don't want to compete with their own used cars.
Porsche even had an ad campaign built on that: "The entry level Porsche is a USED Porsche." Well, that holds true for pretty much all manufacturers now.
Take into account newer cars are made better and do last longer than the older models or their equivalents and require less maintenance.
Remember back in the day of roll up windows? Now just about every car comes with power windows and locks. I remember when you could order a stripped version of a car from the factory. Now they all come loaded fully optioned to make more $$$.
Take into account newer cars are made better and do last longer than the older models or their equivalents and require less maintenance.
Remember back in the day of roll up windows? Now just about every car comes with power windows and locks. I remember when you could order a stripped version of a car from the factory. Now they all come loaded fully optioned to make more $$$.
No they come fully loaded because you can't sell a stripper version when there are cheaper used cars that already are loaded, too. NO ONE WILL BUY THE STRIPPER VERSION OF A NEW CAR WHEN THEY CAN SAVE EVEN MORE BY BUYING USED. Used cars used to be bad news and worn out early. Not any more.
Think about this. In 1974, a 10 year old car was from 1964 and was vastly different and usually worn out. In 1974, a 20 year old car was from 1954 and something almost no one would buy (in '74 a '50s car wasn't even slightly cool, and '60s musclecars were just insurance and gas money pits and not worth much money). so a stripper new car was still a good deal.
Now, would you consider a 2002 Corolla as a viable daily commuter? Of course. It's still probably got 10 years of life left in it. But it's 20 years old now! How about a 2012 Corolla? That one's 10 years old now! New stripper models would be competing directly with that. So why bother? Seriously. No business is in business to give money away. Which is what you are asking them to do.
Raise prices, stop offering lower end stripped down vehicles. But ever so gradually. You double prices in year or two, you get very poor sales. You do it over ten years and stop offering alternatives at lower prices and older folk grumble but nobody really stops buying. Only offer vehicles with every luxury known to man. Stripped vehicles disappeared entirely dozen years ago. If you are wealthy I am sure you dont get it. If you remember buying a new full size pickup in 1960s for $2000, you get it.
On some cars you can still do a factory pre-order the car the way you want it. But now you can't avoid pwr. windows and locks because all cars come that way now for the most part. So when you do a factory order (The way you want the car equipped, color of interior/exterior you are stuck with those now standard features). Even a Mazda Miata comes loaded up whereas the earlier models were stripped models. Now they loaded up this car with options to make more $$$.
No they come fully loaded because you can't sell a stripper version when there are cheaper used cars that already are loaded, too. NO ONE WILL BUY THE STRIPPER VERSION OF A NEW CAR WHEN THEY CAN SAVE EVEN MORE BY BUYING USED. Used cars used to be bad news and worn out early. Not any more.
Think about this. In 1974, a 10 year old car was from 1964 and was vastly different and usually worn out. In 1974, a 20 year old car was from 1954 and something almost no one would buy (in '74 a '50s car wasn't even slightly cool, and '60s musclecars were just insurance and gas money pits and not worth much money). so a stripper new car was still a good deal.
Now, would you consider a 2002 Corolla as a viable daily commuter? Of course. It's still probably got 10 years of life left in it. But it's 20 years old now! How about a 2012 Corolla? That one's 10 years old now! New stripper models would be competing directly with that. So why bother? Seriously. No business is in business to give money away. Which is what you are asking them to do.
That's a good history of how cars were made and how long they lasted. Newer models even last longer now.
I would go with a Honda Civic with a manual instead of the Corolla simply for the fact that Honda is much more fun to drive.
Well, one thing to consider is this: even stripper new cars didn't compete with used cars back then. Used cars were used up and worthless after a few short years, especially 10-15 year old cars. Now, a 10-15 year old car has a lot of life in it, and many of the safety and convenience features of a new one. Why buy a stripper new car when for the same price or less you can get a 5-10 year old used car with the same features or even more? A top trim used Camry would cost the same as a stripper new Corolla. Why buy the penalty box? Why MAKE the cheap new car when most people will choose the similarly priced, barely used car? Manufacturers don't want to compete with their own used cars.
Porsche even had an ad campaign built on that: "The entry level Porsche is a USED Porsche." Well, that holds true for pretty much all manufacturers now.
Porsche Forget that just get a 63 Split window Corvette.
As far as whether it's enjoyable, this depends on the quality of the clutch, shifter and transmission, and the traffic. It can be a lot of fun on open roads and in light traffic. It can be a nightmare in congestion and traffic jams.
You got that right in congestion and traffic. Try driving a manual in San Francisco. It's the worst driving experience I have ever had. Definitely a city where you need serious expertise in driving a stick. It amazes me anyone would want to own any vehicle stick or Auto in San Francisco. Believe me those hills are every bit as steep as they appear in the movies.
You got that right in congestion and traffic. Try driving a manual in San Francisco. It's the worst driving experience I have ever had. Definitely a city where you need serious expertise in driving a stick. It amazes me anyone would want to own any vehicle stick or Auto in San Francisco. Believe me those hills are every bit as steep as they appear in the movies.
I have and you will learn and hopefully get used to it. Whether you want to or not if you live there you have to. Driving a manual in stop n go traffic isn't that bad if you don't have bad knees or other physical ailments in fact you can time it right with the gears you don't have to use your brakes depending on traffic and gear selection you are in.
It’s simple. You just feel when it is time to shift. It sucks in traffic and forget about drinking a coffee while constantly shifting. But, you control the gears and get better gas mileage.i miss my old 5 speed Supra
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That's a good history of how cars were made and how long they lasted. Newer models even last longer now.
Forget that just get a 63 Split window Corvette.
