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Why Modern Cars Are Going To Age Horribly, And What We Can Do About It
Autopian ^ | 02/07/2025 | Jason Torchinsky

Posted on 02/08/2025 9:13:14 AM PST by TexasKamaAina

The fundamental problem is this: electronic technology advances far too rapidly to be something that gets permanently integrated into a car that you may want to own for more than, say, five years or so. There’s nothing that ages an otherwise perfectly-fine car more dramatically than integrated technology that was cutting-edge when the car was new.

(Excerpt) Read more at theautopian.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: age; automotive; cars; moderncars; technology; usedcars; vehicles
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To: TexasKamaAina

While I don’t agree with the article, it is interesting. Basically he’s saying dashboard will become the new fins. Car fins changed so much year to year it made it easy to figure out what year a car was from. And depending on one’s view of product aging could make 3 year old models seem “bad” (”wide fins, oh that’s so 1954!”).

Luckily I’ve never been much of a “keeping up” person. Anybody that gets in my car and looks at my console and thinks the car is too old for them is free to walk.


21 posted on 02/08/2025 10:04:06 AM PST by discostu (like a dog being shown a card trick)
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To: Skywise
Avocado Green appliances! (or whatever that yellow was that was the alternative in the 70s)

Harvest Gold.

It was the only color that wasn't mostly repulsive.

22 posted on 02/08/2025 10:07:59 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus)
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To: TexasKamaAina
1933 Maybach is beautiful, but it would be a death trap on today's superhighways.

I appreciate modern safety features, but also like physical knobs, switches, and controls. The new supercar interiors in the article do absolutely nothing for me - the aesthetic is unappealing and it does not look comfortable.

23 posted on 02/08/2025 10:13:24 AM PST by HonkyTonkMan ( )
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To: rbg81

And in some cases those chips are no longer made, so you’re stuck.


24 posted on 02/08/2025 10:18:00 AM PST by FrankRizzo890
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To: TexasKamaAina

My two Dodge Trucks (1997 and 2001) still run perfectly. Even the AC on the 1997 runs well and has never been charged!

Unfortunately the plastic dash board, Grill and glove box have shattered into dozens of pieces and are held together with epoxy glue.


25 posted on 02/08/2025 10:21:21 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: TexasKamaAina

can you imagine 40+ years from now anybody tricking out a Prius?


26 posted on 02/08/2025 10:22:05 AM PST by llevrok (Keep buggering on!)
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To: ifinnegan

My WARDS chest freezer bought in 1973 finally gave up the ghost in 2004. I still use it for storage as it is still lockable.
Bought a small GLANZ refrigerator, it lasted a month. Bought another and it died after 6 months. My two big refrigerators bought in the 1980s are still going strong.


27 posted on 02/08/2025 10:25:18 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: ansel12
Pink bathrooms, shag carpeting, black toilets.

Avocado kitchen appliances, Paisley amoebas, pagers...

28 posted on 02/08/2025 10:26:10 AM PST by null and void (I hoped it was the Bee but it’s California.)
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To: Skywise
(or whatever that yellow was that was the alternative in the 70s)

Harvest gold.

29 posted on 02/08/2025 10:27:00 AM PST by null and void (I hoped it was the Bee but it’s California.)
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To: TexasKamaAina
I want seat belt retracters that last the life of the vehicle.
30 posted on 02/08/2025 10:27:10 AM PST by KrisKrinkle (c)
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To: struggle

My ‘07 Outback is right behind you, pushing 250,000 miles hard..


31 posted on 02/08/2025 10:28:42 AM PST by null and void (I hoped it was the Bee but it’s California.)
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To: null and void

I miss the pager and pay phones, unlike most people, I found it liberating instead of making one a captive.


32 posted on 02/08/2025 10:29:13 AM PST by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: TexasKamaAina
"...What We Can Do About It

Find something OBDI or earlier, with historically above-average reliability, with a rust-free body & chassis, have it resto-modded, keep it well-maintained, then plan on having it restored again as needed in perpetuity.

33 posted on 02/08/2025 10:29:54 AM PST by Paal Gulli
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To: llevrok

34 posted on 02/08/2025 10:31:42 AM PST by BipolarBob (My pet termites name is Clint. Clint eats wood.)
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To: GaltAdonis

I’ve been doing those things for over 40 years. I have a timing light, tach/dwell meter, all the good stuff.


35 posted on 02/08/2025 10:32:07 AM PST by Disambiguator
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To: Nifster
All those things you listed were ugly and useless then

Not true! The shag carpet was great for the new cat to hide poopoo, as I found out one day, barefoot.

The roommates did let me name her after that, we called her Little $h👁τ

36 posted on 02/08/2025 10:36:09 AM PST by null and void (I hoped it was the Bee but it’s California.)
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To: GaltAdonis

Spend the extra money to get the factory shop manuals, they are worth it and, for older vehicles, can often be found cheaply on Ebay.


37 posted on 02/08/2025 10:38:24 AM PST by brianl703
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

Old Sears machines lasted decades.


38 posted on 02/08/2025 10:40:30 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: Skywise

Except those “Avocado Green” appliances will outlive the current junk appliances….and probably you.


39 posted on 02/08/2025 10:42:58 AM PST by kaktuskid
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To: GingisK

I want a new woke car that only turns left and puts my evrry moment on tiktok in 2 minute clips.


40 posted on 02/08/2025 10:58:49 AM PST by If You Want It Fixed - Fix It
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