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This is my first post, and this has been on my chest for a long time, so I wanted to get it out there.
(edited for more reasons plus what I’ve experienced from other’s replies)Modern cars tend to have more bells and whistles, better safety, and better gas mileage over much older vehicles, but there are things that seem to break on only modern cars, and here’s my list of things that drive me crazy about modern cars.
The main issue for me is implementing plastic where metal should be, and what could happen if it happens to break on you (listed in no particular order). * by numbers indicate that they broke at least once on my vehicle, a 2012 Ford Fusion S with the 6-speed manual and 58K miles.
1*. Plastic door handles (attached to metal cables) = cables always win. Broke inside and out once.
2*. Electronic throttle bodies with plastic gears that open and close the throttle = stress breaks gears and disables vehicle. Poor timing of failure could be a safety hazard.
3. Plastic intake manifold: crack = “check engine” and poor running, chunk breaks = possible blown engine.
4. Plastic valve cover: crack = oil loss, possible blown engine if left unchecked
5. Plastic pulleys on window regulators = windows drop and/or jam due to temperature cycling over time
6. Plastic latches to close/open center console = will always fail
7. Plastic oil pan (ex. 2011 Ford 6.7 Diesel) = oil leak if it cracks (possible blown engine if failure occurs while driving and left unchecked)
8. Plastic electronic water pumps (I’m looking at you, BMW) = overheating
9. Plastic hose fittings on radiators = cracks, overheating until hose fitting is fixed or radiator replaced
I would spend a few more bucks on the exact same car with the metal parts instead of plastic. The gas savings from the reduced weight of plastic would not cover repair costs. I know they do plastic because of lower production costs and CAFE.Other plastics (instead of soft material)
5. Hard plastic dashboards, especially if black (ex. later Gen 2 Dodge Rams or ’07-13 GM trucks) = cracks
6. Plastic armrests = reduces driver and passenger comfort (even more so if the front door panels have soft material but the rear door panels don’t)Other things that drive me crazy about modern cars: (edit starts with rim sizes)
If you want a manual transmission in a mainstream car you need the most stripped model (for the most part, they’re not even an option on most midsize sedans and full-size trucks, except for the Ram 3500 with the diesel).
More computers, sensors, and electronic controls = more points of failure.
Hybrids don’t have a backup generator in case the main generator fails = money saved on fuel gone.
Are any engines/transmissions introduced in the last 5 years proven to go 300-500K miles or more with just regular maintenance?
Rim sizes on almost every new car = too big, too heavy, too expensive to replace (and the tires that go on them). 17-inch rims max, and only on truck-based SUVs, Mustangs, Challengers, and Camaros I could tolerate. (note: The 16-inch rims on my Fusion are the largest I’ve ever had on any car)
They’re harder to see out of = bigger blind spots increase chances of crashes.
RPM doesn’t immediately drop when you’re trying to upshift.
Some vehicles have their rev-limiter set far past redline (ex. 7,250 limiter on a 6,500 redline in a 2009 Mazda 3) or produce peak horsepower PAST redline (ex. Dodge Hellcats: 707HP @ 6,000 with a 5,750 redline)Things that drive me crazy in my Fusion: (part of the edit)
Engine will not drop to idle RPM, even in neutral, unless going slower than 5 MPH. It will hang between 1,000 and 1,400 RPM, depending on speed and what the ECU thinks how fast the engine should be running.
I get zero engine braking going down hills unless in the lowest possible gear, and even then, not immediately after I take my foot off the accelerator.
The engine has a 6,250 redline but sounds like it’s going to blow up if I exceed 5,900.And one other thing I miss are certain sounds that older vehicles make that the new ones don’t. To me, they’re part of their charm and character.
And my question to you all ETCG faithful: what do you hate about modern cars?
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[quote=”mstk415″ post=120413]While my sample size is small (2 vehicles) My 98 chevy (power everything) has all sorts of little things broken in addition to major mechanical issues in the engine. While my 89 ford (power nothing)… well, pretty much everything works! Sure, manual windows and locks are annoying until you get used to them, but the likelyhood of it breaking is much lower. And when it does, replacement parts are cheaper.[/quote]
I understand what you mean. I have simular cars to you as in both are 2001 bout NOTHING alike. My Lanos has power nothing (if you don’t count Power Brakes or Power Steering as power somthing) It has survived all this time with little to no maintenance at all. As this is a Family Car, Single owner and simply “handed” down to me, The Registered owner of the car (not me) not only pays any repair bills on it but also has record of every single repair ever made which isn’t much. The Impala however has power everything and a shopping list full of minor but annying problems (and some mild mechanical problem which are annoying as hell such as the stalling out when starting it warm). I have no repair records of the Impala at all.Funny as it may seem to spite the fact of people say that Daewoo’s are horid cars Mine’s Rock Soild. It is the most reliable car my family has ever owned. When it needs repairs (which is seldom) They are generally cheap to fix in most cases. They are rare cars (not counting the Daewoo’s Badged as Acura, Saturn, Buick, Chevrolet or Suzuki) I plan to keep mine forever. After 14 years it got virtually no rust, It is in excilent physical and mechanical shape (mechanic said so when replairing the brake lines) Not to mention the car has gone UP in value of the past four years.
Absolutely everything. The vehicle plants need to install one more step in the manufacturing process, a car crusher at the end of the line to turn them all into scrap, ehich is all there good for.
The Electronic handbrake on my mates 2009 Audi.
Took quite a bit of figureing our how the tell to get the electric motor to wind in to enable me to change the pad’s, discs. worst part was having to get out the battery charger to keep voltage over 13v while using the VW specific scan tool to send the instruction to wind the motors back in for a rear break change. The only real benefit is for idiots, you cannot accidentally fail to put the parking break on.
I like quiet cars but it also too quiet, you can’t barley even hear even a slight engine noise to get an idea how it’s running, it almost all tire noise.
That said I do like the dual climate control.
and most mid to late 90’s electronic fuel injection gets rid of the petrol stink on the roads until one of the sensors goes faulty. it’s not usually until you go past a motorbike or a really old car you realise how stinky cars used to be.
Plastic in places where years of thermal cycles and physical stress will cause it to break down.
Headlight lenses that oxidize and yellow and cloud up from heat and UV after a few years, not to mention get chewed up by road debris. Glass lenses get worn down too but are far sturdier in such situations.
Systems engineered so that things that will need service or replacing are more difficult or complicated to access. Need to change a headlight bulb? Take off part of the air cleaner box first just to get to it!
Gear selectors and ignition switches that aren’t physical switches and levers. Off should be off, and park/neutral should be transmission disengaged, not “when the computer gets around to it after receiving signal from a button”.
Undersized weight saving batteries that don’t have the cranking power if things are a little old and cold and the engine doesn’t catch right away.
Plastic clips and other parts designed to go together exactly once at the factory and never come off again. Broke so many of those things that I’d gladly pay more if the manufacturer had used real bolts instead.
Wheel speed sensors and related wiring connectors that always seem to get fouled or corroded. Shouldn’t things be designed and sealed up accordingly when they are going to get blasted with mud and water and salty slush?! Its a coil of wire and a snap on connector, picking up signal pulses from passing magnets. There’s not a lot to go wrong but that doesn’t stop one from going bad every year or so.
Lack of temp gauge. Have to trust the computer to turn on the idiot light when things get too warm. What about coming close to overheating as a cooling system loses effectiveness? What about running too cool because the thermostat is sticking open? No idea unless I plug in a scanner and look at the numbers myself.
Lack of oil pressure gauge. Should be something that will give warning of oil problems BEFORE the engine blows up because its getting only 5 psi while running 2500+ rpm.
Generic check engine light even for things that the owner can correct themselves (Small Evap Leak because the fuel cap isn’t cranked on tightly, etc).
Electric power steering with so little feedback it feels like it isn’t connected to the wheels at all. I know its supposed to be “easy” for parking and slow speeds but I find it exhausting at highway speeds because the tiniest touch on the wheel makes the vehicle wander, and it doesn’t want to straighten itself out once turning.
Throttle by wire when it has a half second or more delay between pedal input and throttle response.
New cars use plastic and shoddy electronics as designed failure points. They’re only supposed to last 5 years until your next new car loan, so why over engineer them with more expensive components? Also, new cars being more fuel efficient is mostly a myth. The most fuel efficient vehicles ever produced were in the early 90s thru early 2000s. My 1996 Mercedes C220 w/ 211k miles easily has our 2012 Chevy Cruze w/ 33k beat by a few mpg’s esp on the highway and even around town, a lighter car with a smaller engine I might add. Since it’s a Mercedes, there are a lot of them only driven by elderly people with like 50k miles on them, so I plan to buy a couple donor cars before mine has a major failure at 300-400k miles. Hopefully that’ll hold me over until the internal combustion engine is truly obsolete.
Everyone has great points on this. I would like to add that the plastics everyone seems to use for saving weight is then taken away by larger wheels and tires.
[quote=”BlackenZaib” post=120213]I would just remove all of the plastic myself personally maybe keep the plastic over the engine.
Also what’s with some new cars that you can’t even check your oil? The new BMWs have no oil dipsticks at all[/quote]
This is something that gets me too , they are , apparently sealed for life , I’ve commented already on the transmission on my car a 5 speed GM auto , has no dipstick either , they really don’t like making it easy do they .
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I could rant about this for a good long time but a lot of you have made good points that I myself would have made. The biggest complaint I have about modern vehicles is room. I’m a big guy and cars from the late 90’s onward always feel cramped to me when compared to there older counterparts. Its harder for me to get into and out of such vehicles. It kinda sucks.
[quote=”Jinzo” post=121428]I could rant about this for a good long time but a lot of you have made good points that I myself would have made. The biggest complaint I have about modern vehicles is room. I’m a big guy and cars from the late 90’s onward always feel cramped to me when compared to there older counterparts. Its harder for me to get into and out of such vehicles. It kinda sucks.[/quote] The land barges from the 50s and 60s are great in that regard! I wish they would come back… a guy can dream right?
B) Boy this is a wonderful topic over coffee and donuts . I agree about how cheaply they have become but so has everything else . Well maybe not everything . I had a 56 Buick cant remember what size v8 but on the hi way it got 28 miles per gallon of regular leaded gas. These people with these car commercials brag about 29 and 30 MPG , just ask anyone that had a 50’s or 60’s car and they will tell you the same thing. Far as I’m concerned you don’t need half the junk they put on cars now . What for? But our society has become one that has to have stuff to play with. This is a topic that really hits a sensitive spot in me. Part of the problem is the the Gov. mandates for air pollution , that’s another big topic . Yes I think we should have clean air but they have also gone a little overboard . My opinion. They want to vent gasoline fumes so you have a bad gas cap and you get a check engine light . The code says tiny vacuum leak . Good luck with that. It could mean any number of things . Try tracing the vacuum hoses . Then there’s relays and sensors, it never stops. Just to replace 3 spark plugs in my v6 you have to either pay about $700 dollars for some shop to do it or do it your self . If you do it your self be prepared . If you need a car key brace your self . When a problem arises with your security system Eric said you more than likely will have to have the dealer fix it. The body’s are something else too. Don’t lean to much on your car you might dent it. My Chrysler i8s a 2010 Sebring . I can not see the end of the hood or fenders so I’m guessing as to where they end . My 2002 Kia Sedona Is a night mare . The oil filter for instance ;right underneath it is a cross member . A chore to put the new one on. Now hear this. My 1949 Chevy pick-up with a 54 chevy engine is a real joy to work on. There are only about 5 things that would not make it run right. NO fuss No muss . Fuses , Fuse box on the fire wall , don’t have to stand on your head or lay half in and out of the vehicle , don’t have to dismantle the engine to replace the plugs . And so on. Oh, and if you want , sit on the fender and put your feet inside the engine compartment and work . Takes 3 minutes too get the battery out . My Chrysler hummm take the mud gard off about 5 bolts, but first pull the wheel off so you can work . Oh when you put that wheel back on the nuts have to be torqued 100 ft. pounds . Have a torque wrench? My interior lights quit working on the Kia , made sure the switches were set right . Pulled the fuse ,its good , changed the one relay with another on I knew was good ,still no interior lights . Can you tell by now I HATE THESE NEW VEHICALS and most are ugly as hell, they all look alike, and every one seems to love them because they have no leg room and they get 30 miles to the gallon and they have 15 air bags . My 1949 Truck don’t even have a seat belt, because they made the metal thick ,heavy and strong. My Sebring is a 4 door .With all the windows down you cant drive over 45 MPH because you get some kind of vibration of air you cant stand it. My 56 Chevy Belair you could drive 100 mph and it would be just windy no vibration one couldn’t stand. hahahah you got me started but it was fun.
I think a good conclusion is that most of us hate plastic in cars…and with good reason. As mentioned in the post above me, the bodies are beer cans and bend and dent if you look at them the wrong way. Fuel mileage peaked in the 90s and has actually decreased since in most cases. I blame emissions controls and the modern gasoline blends for that along with model bloat.
Things evolve.
I hate plastic trans pans, intake manifolds, throttle bodies, and stuff in an engine bay that absolutely should not be plastic. I don’t remember many older cars clicking over 200k on an original engine though.
I love SOME modern convenience features. I.e. Back up cameras, I regularly tow a trailer at least once a week. If not a utility trailer a car hauler, 30 foot pontoon boat, 18 foot ski boat. Having a back up camera is awesome.
I love having Bluetooth in my Expedition I turn Pandora radio on and stream right to my stereo without annoying commercials.
I love Rear DVD because driving the wife’s Pacifica with the kids on Vacation is MUCH more tolerable.
I love having a vehicle that can pull 9000 lbs, and still ride as nice as empty. Yep my Expedition has air ride, and I love it.
I hate the fact that manufacturers are cutting corners under the hood to provide these nice convenience features.
I hate that most cars even some Suvs don’t have a full frame underneath them.
[quote=”SigSaurP228″ post=121949]Things evolve.
I hate plastic trans pans, intake manifolds, throttle bodies, and stuff in an engine bay that absolutely should not be plastic. I don’t remember many older cars clicking over 200k on an original engine though.
I love SOME modern convenience features. I.e. Back up cameras, I regularly tow a trailer at least once a week. If not a utility trailer a car hauler, 30 foot pontoon boat, 18 foot ski boat. Having a back up camera is awesome.
I love having Bluetooth in my Expedition I turn Pandora radio on and stream right to my stereo without annoying commercials.
I love Rear DVD because driving the wife’s Pacifica with the kids on Vacation is MUCH more tolerable.
I love having a vehicle that can pull 9000 lbs, and still ride as nice as empty. Yep my Expedition has air ride, and I love it.
I hate the fact that manufacturers are cutting corners under the hood to provide these nice convenience features.
I hate that most cars even some Suvs don’t have a full frame underneath them.[/quote] Call me a crazy redneck but I actually prefer a rough ride.
I forgot to mention . Someone said the old cars stink lol, they do I agree. So there are just a few better features in the new ones . And if you like all the gagets and camera’s and dvd’s in the back seat ,I think that’s great ,having said that for me and my house we dont need or want that luxuery pardon my spelling , but make it optional to keep the basic price down . If I were to purchase a new car I would be forced to have this stuff I dont want . Also the repair bill’s for these vehicles are astronomical ,the more goodies ,the more chance something to go wrong and the more money to repair the items. So to each his own,now I have to get back to my 49 chevy pick up.SMILES
[quote=”Jerry Gilles” post=122990]I forgot to mention . Someone said the old cars stink lol, they do I agree. So there are just a few better features in the new ones . And if you like all the gagets and camera’s and dvd’s in the back seat ,I think that’s great ,having said that for me and my house we dont need or want that luxuery pardon my spelling , but make it optional to keep the basic price down . If I were to purchase a new car I would be forced to have this stuff I dont want . Also the repair bill’s for these vehicles are astronomical ,the more goodies ,the more chance something to go wrong and the more money to repair the items. So to each his own,now I have to get back to my 49 chevy pick up.SMILES[/quote] Thread is back from the dead! Anyways, I prefer the stink of the old cars..it adds character. I will never buy new because I prefer durability over gimmicks and gadgets.
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