These Are The Old Car Features That Should Make A Comeback

Jalopnik ^ | 19 April 2022 | Adam Ismail

[DUMBGRUNT]

Here's to the days of big windows, bumpers built for bumping and foot-operated controls.

Round, Sealed Headlights Yeah, I know they’re not the greatest aerodynamically, but replacing a bulb on a modern car sometimes requires partially disassembly of the front end just to get at the bulb.

My co-worker just spend $225 to replace ONE BULB on her Acura

Amber Rear Turn Signals The safety of tri-colored tail lights. Red for stop. Amber for turn or hazard. White for reverse.

Replaceable Head Units Or better yet, just make it an actual iPad so I can replace it with a better one that runs an app of the car’s software.

Imagine if you could pop off that dumb less-useful-than-a-tablet tablet on top of any given Mazda’s dashboard and fit an iPad that actually works.

Not-Power Windows Crank windows. More reliable than power windows, much finer control over movements, and I don’t have to turn the ignition on to use it.

[PapaBear3625]

I had an old Nissan which, when you did your turn signal, had a light illuminate the direction you were turning into. With cheap LED lights, that’s a feature I would really like to see come back.

[gathersnomoss]

Slow ride, da da da
Take it easy, da da da
Shhhhhhh
Curchunk
Shhhhhhh
Slow ride, da da da......

[Fightin Whitey]

Always grabbing some leg.

I'm hoping!

Honest to goodness I just got off the phone after finding a five-speed short-box pickup.

If it works as I'm wishing I will pass along vehicle name, dealership, and satifaction quotient. All the more relevant as summer approaches!

[faucetman]

IF you want it so much, go buy yourself a classic car. Prices vary by condition and popularity.

4 doors are cheaper, convertibles are expensive, rare is expensive, rusty is cheap, base vehicles are cheaper than “top of the line”, but you already said you don’t want all the gimmicks.

I LOVE my Durango Citadel. It has every option that was available.

My headlights come on and off by themselves (wipers too). The high beams come on and off by themselves, never mind that floor mounted dimmer switch that always corroded.

GPS, adaptive cruise control (autopilot), power EVERYTHING!, best sound system in any vehicle anywhere!, best suspension in any car I ever had (no side leaning), 8 speed automatic transmission, (manual paddle shifting if you want to), and on and on.

You can have the “old” cars. You know the ones that the steering column became a spear through your chest in a severe crash. The ones where in a crash all the doors flew open and all the people were ejected because seat belts weren’t available yet.

While you’re at it, bring back TUBE type tires and vacuum windshield wipers.

[Bonemaker]

How about making them look like actual fun cars such that you can tell them apart! The dreck they have been producing in recent years all look alike and mimick crap made in Warsaw Pact countries.

[Daffynition]

Do you remember the Retractable Car Radio Antenna? *Up* when the ignition was turned on, *down* when the ignition was turned off.

[Texas resident]

Raid bug spray cleans those headlights pretty well.

Bug spray and paper towel.

[Irish Eyes]

Interesting, had not heard that before. I thought it might just be the sun baking off the clear coat.

[Leaning Right]

What a beauty! (the car, not Leno)

[SPDSHDW]

Simple solution is LED replacements.

I replaced the sealed 5x8 lights in my 91 jeep with leds.
I don’t need my light bar at all now, nor high beam.

80 bucks on amazon. Not the best spread pattern, but its good enough for me, and doesn’t blind oncoming traffic.

[Texas resident]

I have wing windows on my ‘79 VW bug. Also it’s a convertible. With the top up, those wings bring a lot of air into the cab.

Crank windows, manual trans, no power anything, but real easy to work on and parts are still available.

Funny one, I pulled up to a red light and a couple of high school boys pulled up next to me. One of them asked me what kind of car it is. That vehicle was last made 43 years ago.

[Daffynition]

Remember ashtrays, even in the rear seat arm reasts and *full size* spares?

[woodbutcher1963]

My ten year old Tacoma has buttons on the left side of the steering wheel to change the volume and channels on the stereo. Very easy to use. On the other side is the Bluetooth controls to answer the phone through the stereo.

[itsahoot]

Supposedly, the anti theft only allows just so many dupes to be made

The antitheft system does whatever they program it to do.

[Bonemaker]

Pack rats will field strip all your wiring overnight in Tucson.

[woodbutcher1963]

The problem with that switch is in the winter up north it would get all rusty eventually. At least they did growing up near Buffalo where they used a lot of rock salt in the winter.

[Daffynition]

You had seatbelts? Gee!

[Daffynition]

True.

Salt rusted vehicles up here [NEK] are quite common.

[itsahoot]

so now I keep spare in pocket- and it only cost me $8

Most big box stores now have a key machine, just stick key in slot and wallah new key. I actually never noticed the price but I suppose it would be fairly cheap.

Scotty Kilmer (On YouTube 5 million followers) talked about some company that you could make you own key and then send it to them with car code or your working key and they would send it back to you that was somewhat cheaper than dealer option.

[Cold Heart]

Use the plastic cup holders