They don't build 'em like they used to...

"mkbruin, Atlas VP" (mkbruin) 06/20/2018 at 08:47 • Filed to: None

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What now-defunct automotive features do you wish would make a come back?

For me, it’s drip rails. The rails on the XJ’s are so ridiculously functional. Alas, they’ve gone the way of the Dodo. I’d love to see them return...

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 08:53

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Halogen driving lights. That faint puddle of dull orange light just 20 feet in front of you...

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 08:54

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Rear-facing bench seats.

I mean preferably accompanied by the entire full size RWD V8 wagon, but yeah. Rear-facing rear bench ftw

Azrek > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 08:54

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I miss the Smoking Windows. The tiny little things that you could rotate around. Many of trips I’d have that little window opened with it aimed directly at me. My old 1988 4Runner had one and they were perfect.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 08:55

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Oh, and quarter-lite windows.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 08:55

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Factory tie downs

pip bip - choose Corrour > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 08:59

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6-volt systems.

manual window winders.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 09:02

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They haven’t disappeared, they’ve simply changed shape and are now obscured. The lines on the tops of modern cars are channels for water. Most cars also use weather stripping that is shaped like a channel to direct water away from the door...

For me, it’s vent windows. Sure, I have A/C, a cabin air filter, they aren’t particularly sleek, and they’re not terribly efficient, but you just can’t get that experience of natural airflow without them. Alas, I’m so young that I’ve never owned a car with them.

ranwhenparked > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 09:10

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Quarter windows and front bench seats with a column shifter. Also, functional metal bumpers on shock absorbers with a rubber rub strip.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 09:12

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Folding windshields? As far as I’m aware the Wrangler is the last holdout, and they’ve made the process really involved.

Party-vi > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 09:17

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Floor-mounted headlight dimmers. So much easier to just tap your left foot then fiddle-fart around with the turn signal stalk IMO.

fintail > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 09:18

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Rear visibility

With fins for reversing aids, and it also has drip rails and wing windows.

Thomas Donohue > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 09:21

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Opera windows.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 06/20/2018 at 09:23

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My dads Tundra has those but they are on the inside instead of outside. They also slide which is nice.

itschrome > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/20/2018 at 09:23

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Came here to say this.

WilliamsSW > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 09:23

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Wagons with tailgates like this, and vent windows.

itschrome > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 09:24

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AN AFFORDABLE PRICE!

functionoverfashion > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/20/2018 at 09:26

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Can’t star this enough, I love those things, they’re better than a/c for just driving around town because you don’t have to wait for cool air to come out of the vents, you just get blasted with air directly from the window. It drives me nuts that the mirrors on my truck are mounted in a way that makes it impossible to open those windows, but I do have nice vents that open up down near the floor and are adjustable as to where the air goes - same idea, but on the floor I guess.

Alfalfa > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 09:27

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I’ll echo the manual windows and smoker windows, and add one that never even really caught on. Manual sunroofs.

Also spare tires.

loki03xlh > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 09:27

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With all the heat and humidity here in the Midwest, I really miss crotch vents.

functionoverfashion > Party-vi 06/20/2018 at 09:27

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I love those, except when you’re making a turn with a manual and as you’re coming around the corner with the clutch in and high beams on.... but yeah. Such a satisfying sound and feel, too.

shop-teacher > itschrome 06/20/2018 at 09:35

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As did I!

syaieya > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/20/2018 at 09:35

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May not be full sized, but the current gen E class continues the torch carrying for rear facers.

I would of bought one of the previous gen ones this year if they weren’t literally twice the sedan price on the used market

MarquetteLa > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 09:54

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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Cabin-operated radiator block-offs please! At least for my old ‘88 323 GTX anyway.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 06/20/2018 at 10:03

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Four of these are factory options on the 2015+ F-150.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 10:04

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Full size matching spares.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/20/2018 at 10:11

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I think you’re talking about vent windows...? That was my first thought, too.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 06/20/2018 at 10:13

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My FIL’s truck has them on the inside, too.

Long-Voyager > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 10:14

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Vent windows.

Floor vents.

Simple vehicles.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/20/2018 at 10:15

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The Model S can also have them, but apparently they’re only really comfortable for children and not a true flat bench.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 06/20/2018 at 10:16

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Those look to be interior tie downs

BOO

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 06/20/2018 at 10:16

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(in jest)

Long-Voyager > functionoverfashion 06/20/2018 at 10:17

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Is it really any better with a stalk dimmer though?

I mean you have one hand on the wheel, the other on the shifter, you still have no free hand to dim the lights.....

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 10:19

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Hood ornaments! I know there are a tiny handful still available, but they’re only on really expensive cars... I miss them so much.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 06/20/2018 at 10:53

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It’s less a rear facing bench and more a Subaru Brat with a roof if we’re honest

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 06/20/2018 at 10:54

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Think so. Had them on our van (80's Chevy full size) and they were awesome.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > syaieya 06/20/2018 at 10:55

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Ohh nice. Ish. Now do it with more padding and priced for the proletariat

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 11:19

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My 348 has red lights on the back of the door that illuminate when the door opens. Presumably so oncoming traffic sees the open door. More cars should have this. my VW has a reflector on the bottom corner of the door card. Same concept but not as cool without a light.

CaptDale - is secretly British > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor 06/20/2018 at 11:45

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Almost every GM vehicle has a door light. At least the trucks do... Or a reflector. But surprisingly more have a light than reflector.

Nom De Plume > fintail 06/20/2018 at 11:48

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Much like the triangular windows that went away when the air inside a car was safe to breathe. Physical sight lines are disappearing as cameras with unobstructed views and distance sensors take their place.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > CaptDale - is secretly British 06/20/2018 at 11:52

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Oh cool! Did not know that. The only new GM car I’m in is my friend’s Terrain Denali and that does not have it. Or I’ve never noticed.

I do like the mustang puddle lights. It’s such a gimmick but it’s charming haha

Nom De Plume > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 11:52

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Are you working for Daddy Doug?

Are there not enough Quirks & Features™?

functionoverfashion > Long-Voyager 06/20/2018 at 11:59

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Good point, although you can more easily shift your hand if you take it off the shifter for a second. It’s a pretty unusual scenario... ha

Long-Voyager > functionoverfashion 06/20/2018 at 12:01

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Likewise, I usually made sure I was in the correct gear for a corner, so I didn’t have to have my clutch depressed, meaning my foot was open to dim my lights. ;)

CaptDale - is secretly British > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor 06/20/2018 at 12:46

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I am sure you didn’t notice, but the GTO had lights

fintail > Nom De Plume 06/20/2018 at 13:16

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And yet, people are parking as poorly as ever, while reliance on active driving tech reduces skill even more.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > CaptDale - is secretly British 06/20/2018 at 13:36

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I did not. I usually call myself an observant person, but apparently I’m blind to all these lights haha

CaptDale - is secretly British > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor 06/20/2018 at 13:37

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They are just kind of there

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > CaptDale - is secretly British 06/20/2018 at 14:02

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Yeah, and it was daylight lol

functionoverfashion > Long-Voyager 06/20/2018 at 14:49

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I had fun driving our old plow truck, which was a 4-speed manual and had the floor dimmer switch. So you had 4 things to do with your feet and three things to do with your hands, not counting flipping the tape in the tape deck every 22 minutes or so.

Nom De Plume > fintail 06/20/2018 at 15:44

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If only we could have got rid of the inefficiency and constant breaking down of earlier cars while keeping their need for constant driver input. Bounding down the road in total control of being out of control has been totally lost. At least once funding for the ill advised amount of roads we’ve built runs dry nobody will be able to read their cell phone screen or apply makeup.

fintail > Nom De Plume 06/20/2018 at 15:54

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Or at least enough input so people can handle such insane maneuvers like parking and merging, skills which seem to be lost more with each passing year. Old cars may be less efficient, and although new cars are very easy to live with, breakdowns weren’t really constant even in the bad old days.

I’d blame ill-advised residential housing policy, which necessitates lots of roads, Randian low tax/no amenity mentality in terms of social goods for their decay, and people will just buy higher riding SUV/CUV clones to compensate for road conditions far detached from the first world.

Die-Trying > mkbruin, Atlas VP 06/20/2018 at 17:19

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oh man you ask ALL the good questions....... i could go on for DAYS. i’ll start with the simple stuff, like the old vent windows that turn into the wind, crank windows. knobs and switches that were actually attached to something mechanically. manual brakes, manual steering, shifters that make a solid thunk noise when you engage them(4wd), locked differentials, differentials that you had to get out to lock..... carburetors, engine driven fans, non computerized engines........ swingarm linkages..... factory pistol-grip shifters........