Wife gets a new car. What happened?

[Medic!]

WTH?

All this new comfort and safety stuff?

I drive a 11 year old truck. So I was shocked!
They didn't have any of this stuff back then.

And when I grew up. Luxury was leather, electric windows, and AC.
Safety? Well , if you dug them out of the seat crack. You may have seat belts.

Read More

 

[Joe13]

WTH?

All this new comfort and safety stuff?

I drive a 11 year old truck. So I was shocked!
They didn't have any of this stuff back then.

And when I grew up. Luxury was leather, electric windows, and AC.
Safety? Well , if you dug them out of the seat crack. You may have seat belts.

I'm with you 100%!!!!


They are all about distracted driving these days but with all of the bells and whistles they put in new vehicles it no wonder people are distracted.


Then there is the engineer in me saying in the back of my head, "It is just a bunch of extra stuff that can break and cost a fortune to replace".



My neighbors friend bought a used mini van last year, the fancy kind with automatic sliding side doors. The motor burned out within months and it sounds like he had to pay almost as much for the repair as he did the car.

Let the kids close the doors IMO.


My cars an '02 and running strong but keeping up with the little things is going to override the non-desire to get a newer car or truck sooner or later. Maybe some people would be excited, but I don't like change much nor am I looking forward to car shopping.



Congrats to your wife on the new wheels though.

 

[Medic!]

I won't say what she bought.
This is more about where cars have gone.

And how in order to compare different models apples to apples.
You will need to read up on a lot of technology. No matter what level car you buy. It may have some or all of the latest stuff.

Things like adaptive cruze control.

Forward collision monitoring. With or without auto braking.

Keyless ignition. With or without remote start.

Bling spot monitoring.

360 Cameras.

Information screens. With endless set up possibilities.

It really is a trip!

Edit: Uh, Maybe it's Blind spot monitoring?

 

[nwslopoke]

My coworker bought a new jeep. He said it either had 11 or 13 computers in it. I just got a newer Ram 1500. It has more bells and whistles than any car I owned before

I have 100k mile warranty. 101k really worries me. The stock height is enough that I consider it my daily workout.

 

[eldbillbo]

Just more stuff to break and have to pay to fix

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

I'm like this with the engine bays, it's not so simple anymore

But gotta add these for you

Bling spot monitoring....



Adaptive Cruze Control

 

[IronMonster]

I just bought my wife a 2016 Tacoma to replace her 2010 Tacoma. They are light years apart over just that 6 years and it cost 20% more than the last one. I have no idea how half the stuff works (heated seats I bet will be nice though)

 

[AMProducts]

ugh, problem is, they've done this to trucks also. I bought a new GMC 3/4 ton a few years ago when my suburban blew up. It was fine for a while, until I took it off-road for the first time. It handles like a golf cart offroad... "adaptive stability control" they say, well, pretty much it makes sure you get stuck if you even look at soft sand.

In the mean time I rebuilt my 1990 jeep cherokee, still needs some work, but the truck just sits waiting for towing (sometimes the jeep) or moving heavy equipment. It's fantastic for that, it's absolute garbage offroad.

Most of these new vehicles are complicated piles of garbage meant to meet a set of regulations that are quickly approaching the limit of thermodynamics. It's not good for the consumers or the industry.

I keep thinking about building a hybrid... high power electric wheel motors driven by supercapacitors, fed by a small caterpillar diesel engine running a genset. Just like a train. The advantage is, no more complicated drive train to get screwed up, and even better, with wheel motors, you no longer need an axle. 100% ground clearance!

Self driving cars... that's one way to get idiots off the road.

 

[308]

Bling spot monitoring.

That is to help her find the way to Shane Company

 

[Medic!]

The sad truth is that unless your handy. Whatever it is you drive today will need replaced.

Even if you drive a 10 year old truck like I do.
In ten years you will be buying what they sell today.

God help us.


Now I like all the new safety stuff and gadgets.
It just seams like there is no emphasis on the running gear.
I guess people don't care about that unless it's a Jeep or a pickup? And even those use things like
individually controlled breaks through the computer, to substitute for limited slips or locking diffs.

No. What people want today is a big comfortable smart phone on wheels!
With no thought to the fact that under it all is a internal combustion engine. And large moving parts bathed in oil.

 

[albin25]

Heated seats are like peeing your pants...
...without the smell!
Ain't technology grand!!

 

[PaulB47]

I just got me a 1998 Dodge Van. Just a nice simple thing that anybody could maintain. I have invested in some ball joints, will see how hard they are to replace. 244k miles...

I have to say though, I sure like getting 50mpg from my 2013 VW Passat. I'm afraid to find out what that van delivers.

 

[Medic!]

Heated seats are like peeing your pants...
...without the smell!
Ain't technology grand!!

It dose make you feel good and go Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

 

[maddog]

I won't say what she bought.
This is more about where cars have gone.

And how in order to compare different models apples to apples.
You will need to read up on a lot of technology. No matter what level car you buy. It may have some or all of the latest stuff.

Things like adaptive cruze control.

Forward collision monitoring. With or without auto braking.

Keyless ignition. With or without remote start.

Bling spot monitoring.

360 Cameras.

Information screens. With endless set up possibilities.

It really is a trip!

Edit: Uh, Maybe it's Blind spot monitoring?

We have one of those in our driveway. More computers on it than Apollo 13 had. Dang thing scolds me if I don't make myself clear...."Not **ck road, Siri, Buck Road!" To which she responds..."I'm doing the best I can!" and then hangs up. Unreal! And I paid money for that!

 

[Joe13]

Heated seats are like peeing your pants...
...without the smell!
Ain't technology grand!!

I've been in those and they are nice to start but I have to turn them off after it warms up or there be chestnuts roasting on an open fire - if ya know what I mean.

 

[308]

I have found that even as cars become more complicated, there are actually less things to go wrong and less in the way of maintenance. Changing spark plugs is usually a 100K thing now, brakes and shocks are easy to replace. Oil changes are a snap especially when smart mfgs put the filter up top in the engine compartment.

Of course odd things do happen. My 2016 Subaru Crosstrek has the Cross Traffic Alert that beeps when backing up if another vehicle is approaching....well, it did until a month ago when it just stopped responding, and nowhere on any forum or even at the dealer has anyone heard about that system failing and dropping out like that...at least that I can find. Taking it to the Subaru dealer for repair is a PITA since most take their sweet time and who knows how lone one might be held captive in the waiting room.

 

[nwslopoke]

Is it wrong to put seat covers on a truck?

 

[Medic!]

Is it wrong to put seat covers on a truck?

Absolutely not.
So long as it's a Mexican blanket. Or one sown from old blue jeans, and or flannel shirts.

 

[The Nothing]

I'd love to buy a new truck. The only "options" I want are power windows and maybe AC.
I don't want carpet on the floors, just rubber.
Vinyl bench seats.
5 speed (or bring back 3 on the tree like I learned)
No cruise. No navigation. Hell, I'd be fine with an AM tape deck.

I want to know that I'm in my truck. I don't have to worry about things. I'm not driving a Cadillac.

You just can't get a plain ol' pickup anymore.

 

[Medic!]

I'd love to buy a new truck. The only "options" I want are power windows and maybe AC.
I don't want carpet on the floors, just rubber.
Vinyl bench seats.
5 speed (or bring back 3 on the tree like I learned)
No cruise. No navigation. Hell, I'd be fine with an AM tape deck.

I want to know that I'm in my truck. I don't have to worry about things. I'm not driving a Cadillac.

You just can't get a plain ol' pickup anymore.

I was told 11 years ago I could special order a vinyl floor in a truck. ''Special order''!

I liked it when they had drain plugs so you could wash them out on the inside.
Remember those? [Oh God. I just dated myself].