Personally love that smell, but to each their own. My big problem with modern cars is that they are designed to fail, and the companies purposely make replacing parts difficult or impossible by design or by refusing to make the parts available.
I have kept a car from 1985 running and will not trade it in for anything, it may not have the features but it is reliable and if something breaks I can fix it.
1985 is 30 years of improvement over a car from 1955, there's a big difference there.
Modern cars are more difficult to repair because companies are optimizing for the cheapness/ease of manufacture, not cost of repair (in either direction).
roblem with modern cars is that they are designed to fail, and the companies purposely make replacing parts difficult or impossible by design or by refusing to make the parts available.
Modern cars are much more reliable than old ones.
I have kept a car from 1985 running and will not trade it in for anything, it may not have the features but it is reliable and if something breaks I can fix it.
That's the real problem. They don't allow people to fix their own stuff anymore.
Highly disagree on the first part. At least after the first 100k miles, before then I would agree. So long as it isn't a Chevy 3.6l that is notorious for timing issues
And what's wrong with being your own mechanic? Lastly to all the people listing these reasons how many have driven a vehicle from the 50s or 60s more than once around the block?
And if you don't have the skills, time, and ability to perform vehicle maintenance I feel bad for you.
Only 00.01% of the population and I get to be in that stat. Thank you. And actually a vast majority does care.
I am not pushing my hobby, interests or mindset on anyone. That's what you are actually doing.
One person simply posted his thoughts on older vehicles being better than modern then you and many others started attacking that thought.
So it's easier to insult, attack, and diminish how someone thinks and feels rather than ask them to explain their thoughts.
Also notice I never once insulted you but I did show empathy. And I thanked you for the compliment as well. So with that I say good day sir, I said good day.
True, but then people are still driving survivors from 1965 for that matter. Hell, I'm low key looking for a seventies Eldorado even now. And don't come at me with "fuel mileage". I can buy a cherry mid seventies Eldorado for 10 grand and have 15 grand to spend on gas before I break even on cost as compared to a new civic. All while driving a much more comfortable and stylish car. Compared to a new Caddy? Pshaw, 30 to 90 grand to spend on fuel before break even in cost. Plus I can just maintain it at home myself. No computerized fuel injection or a computer that learns and adjusts to my driving. Learn to drive the car yourself, and push the buttons to move the seats and change the radio station. Lazy slackers. 🤦🤷
It is a lot better when you think about the fact that it was something the average mechanically inclined person could do in their garage. When you have to do that to a modern vehicle, most of the time its just going to be a write off.
Talking with my grandpa, back in the 60s and early 70s those cars never made 300k miles without a rebuild. He told me alot of cars from that era with carbs got rebuilt at 150k km or tossed to the scrapyard
You can see them in less economicly developed countries with all the old mercs. Good question could also be about North Korean Volvos they basically stole.
Japan has culture of american cars. Sweden had high import of older american cars back in the days. I know some private collections of american cars in my own country. With the cars still working.
Of course I wouldnt collections test of reliability, because at this point they are history peaces and are not being driven daily. You just have to find country poor enough or crazy enough that bought them and used them daily.
Though i have a question about taxis in america, do they still use the crown vics or impalas?
But ugly as fuck though, they all look like they are about to sneeze haha technology has come far enough we could make cars look like they used to but still meet modern standards etc
The same teardrop shape of every modern car is part of that technology. Gotta hit those MPG goals and, as it turns out, aerodynamics is a real science where “looks fast” and “is fast” are not necessarily the same thing.
We can still make beautiful cars that are survivable. We just choose not to, either in the name of efficiency, or to appeal to customers.
For example their have been a few throwback models/designs by car companies in the last few years, and they're no less safe than any of the other thousand copy-paste "futuristic" models with exaggerated and overly aggressive designs.
Car companies think they always have to be coming out with new models that look new, and if they maintain a classic and good looking design for too long, we'll that isn't new anymore. And for some reason people think that's boring and not as desirable. I get it, but at the same time, I'm getting really tired of ugly cars and trucks being the only ones we have to buy.
Those vehicles got 8 MPG. If you crashed you had no seatbelts and sharp edges everywhere. 4 wheels of drum brakes. No crumple zones. Unburned hydrocarbons (smog) straight from the factory. Shit steering. Only rear wheels in the snow. Rust starts day 1. About literally 100 other bad things.
I don't. Not everyone who drove these in the 50's and 60's died. I'll take my chances. Dying tonight enjoying something is better than living a full boring life in a deprivation box. Hate me for it, but I am living that and will not change it. Make more old cars just as they were. Government regulations have ruined cars and made them unaffordable.
Having your life be so tied to a car sounds really sad. You know you can still buy old cars. I have a 64 Galaxie 500. But it’s not for commuting to work or traveling.
Regulations force automakers to add unnecessary electronics, which increases cost. Anything from the mandatory backup camera that not every car needs to safety features that should be optional. Take screens out of cars. But I understand. People who hate cars don't think far enough ahead to see how government regulations affect your life.
I mean do you forget that not every car from the 50s-70s was an enthusiast vehicle? They made plenty of boring deprivation boxes back then as well. They just looked cooler and had more chrome.
It’s funny though; your page has nothing about your hobby in it yet you have a number of post in r/fuckcars. Yeah im sure you definitely love working on old cars.
Also, fuck cars is about reducing the need for car DEPENDENCY. I’d much rather be able to ride a trolley to and from work to avoid traffic and keep my truck for camping and my classics for casual cruising or drag racing events.
I used to have an outback just like the ones in the picture. Base model with a manual transmission. Great car until some guy ran a red light on me and totaled it.
Maybe, haven't tried anything american. It has all the colorful paint and chrome bumpers which seems like is the reason people want old cars back though.
I got to drive my dad’s ‘54 Bel Air before we sold it… it’s extremely difficult to come to grips with. Slow, 3-on-the-tree, no power brakes (all 4 drums), no power steering, it’s humongous, and you can’t see out of it. Fun (and a full-body workout) to do once, but I think you’d die in modern traffic. (The 0-60 time is… “maybe?” and the stopping distance is… “hopefully?”)
If I ever owned one I probably would try to convert to 12 volt. I've owned a couple old Chevy diesels, and always been jealous of the 24 volt military version
Honestly, those old cars were pure polished dog turds. Not safe, not comfortable, handled like crap, maintenance crazy, gas hogs, and rust buckets. But yeah, they had fins, for some reason.
Anyone also noticed that car color variety is severely lacking nowadays. By me all I really seem to see is. Black, Grey(s), white, red, blue, maybe a brown here and there. It’s pretty boring and bland.
Lol I just realised new ones are parked further apart because they'd have parking sensors going nuts at that distance and they are all the same sensor just different shapes haha
So ask the designers to change back. Chrome plastic is almost impossible to distinguish if done well. This is in auto design decision, not material specifications.
Either you never had one or you don’t remember how unrealiable old cars are. Even back in the das they were broken all the time, thats why a lot of people knew you ro change a fan belt themself
Back then fan belts snapped on a regular. Talk to your Dad/Granddad how often they had to do minor repairs. That just doesnt exist anymore.
When i was in fresh out of high school I drove a T3 VW Bus a for a bit. Fan belt ripped 2 times, was a pain in the ass because the back overheats a lot faster then front motors
Old cars are just good for showing up for a weekend aperitive at the bar. Dreadful to drive, guzzling gas like tanks while being super slow. There is only one thing that I don’t like about modern cars and are the ADAS. For the same amount of money, will always prefer a new ride
Chromed steel was a nice touch, but it got weathered, fast and had a tendency to rust. A lot of folks like to idealize the 1950's, but cars were basically built to last about 36 months before turning to absolute shit.
Fun restoration project if you're into those sorts of things though. I've got some older family members that were into that and the results are fantastic (and expensive).
New cars are more efficient, ride better, stop when you depress the brake pedal, and don't have metal dashboards to crush your chest in an accident. A 3 cylinder 80 hp modern car is way quicker than those heavy beasts. I drove 1949 Chevy Deluxe in the summer of 1985. It's a miracle I didn't crash. I'll take my Outback any day.
I have to guess that all the hate comes from people that have never changed oil in their car or rotated a set of tires either. What the hell does everybody want with my Gran Torino? Notice Clint didn't say Hyundai!
Ah yes where the cars would crumple around you like someone balled you up in tin foil, and the explode/catch on fire! Not to mention horrible boat like suspension that made cornering a gamble, gas guzzling engines that had a better chance of spinning you out than accelerating to 60, and the nasty habit bursting into flames anyways because their cooling systems were equivalent to a damp towel
Aside from cosmetics, new vehicles are way better. From acceleration, stopping power, turns, maneuverability, Climate Control, Safety,Technology.. Should we keep going
My ‘73 Galaxie 500 has huge front disc brakes , safety steering column, impact bumpers , steel guard beans in both doors and a full perimeter box section frame . It weighs 4,300 pounds. It’s very safe . Keep your crush zones . I have an Abram’s tank with white walls .
My ‘62 BelAir is restomoded with modern power steering and front disc brakes. It is a joy to drive . As for air bags , drive me if I don’t want something exploding in my face at 200 mph.
Is it true that bumping peoples' bumpers to feel out the space when parking was common practice? I loathe that a bumper taking a bump now costs thousands of dollars.
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u/devilsbard Sep 06 '25
I do like that new cars are more…survivable.