“My epiphany was caused by a 1981 Pontiac Phoenix...”
Reminds me of a friend who had a 1981 Chevy Citation. THe door locks were designed in such a way that in Wisconsin winters they were unusually susceptible to freezing. The hatch lock did not freeze up - so on several occasions two or three of us had to enter the car via the hatchback (and on one occasion had to exit that way as well.) The X-cars had to be the quintessence of shizzle.
I can recall several mid-late seventies GM cars whose door latches would freeze OPEN, so that an improvised rope or lever had to be gripped while driving to prevent the door flopping open on a curve.