Why Old Cars are Better

I’m 20 years old and have grown up in the garage working on everything from the 30’s to brand new. It’s extremely apparent that nothing built today is meant to last. People have this weird idea that newer is better but at some point something will break and honestly we see more brand new commuter cars than 20 year old Chevy work trucks. Unless gas prices become unbearably high, as long as you can still get parts I don’t plan on buying anything newer than 2010 in MY lifetime

Speaking as a mechanic at a dealership. The 90s is absolutely the maintenance sweet spot. They have simple electronics that replaced complicated and finicky mechanical systems, but they still have a lot of simpler mechanical systems.

Old cars were designed, new cars are engineered. Old cars were pieces of art, new cars are appliances.

“New cars make you feel comfortable,old cars make you feel alive”

New cars try as hard as they can to NOT be a car. Drove my sister's 2017 Subaru Crosstrek, and it's like driving an office or living room.

When a mechanical system has problems. You have warning signs. You can fix it. When electronics go bad. They just quit. No warning. And it usually takes expensive equipment to diagnose the problem. Then you have to replace an expensive electronic part. And sometimes that new part is faulty. Especially today

Viewer from the 3rd World here. I am an electrical contractor in my country, so I'm in houses and apartment buildings since they start to be built, up until they are furnished. And while there's a lot more of tech now (from heating floors and security systems, to microcontrollers everywhere, even WiFi-controlled lighting and plant watering), the core of most houses are still made the old-school way: Mortar, bricks, rebar-reinforced concrete beams and columns, ceramic tiles, plaster ceilings... All still made by an army of specialized people; from masons to electricians, carpenters to plumbers, painters, gardeners and the plaster guys. Yes, it's still like that because the workforce is cheaper than the tech and equipment for the dry construction used today... But gladly it is, because things come out better and stronger, it employs lots of people, and specially gives young people (like me) the chance to learn a lot of stuff, either by looking and asking the other guys, and by doing your own job (i.e my job as electrician implies lots of digging, preparing and using mortar, a plethora of tools, and even some demolishing too 😂)

Ehhh, most people don't want the experience of driving a car. They want to go from A to B. The first thing my girlfriend said when she drove a newer car is "Wow! It doesn't even feel like you're driving!" That was the biggest advantage to her.

I drive a 1990's era car and the main reasons I enjoy it is because you have more control over how it drives, they are simpler, you hear more of the car's internal actions and they have better visibility. Not to mention look cooler.

Your analogy for old houses is very nice. You mentioned that there are good and bad craftsmen from every industry, and you also mentioned something like there is no test like time... Well, this is how it goes... Old houses that were made by good craftsmen have withstood the test of time, while the ones made by bad craftsmen have already rotten away. So yes, you do get the quality ones if they are still standing 100 years after they are built. I actually get the same jive with some thrift shops for clothes. Many new clothes tend to fade in color very quickly, however, in thrift shops, we can see which clothing brands have not faded or warped despite longtime use, so I can be pretty sure of their quality.

As far aesthetics go, in contrary, the regulations for headlight shapes specifically used to be more strict but eventually loosened up more and more. You may have noticed how prior to the 70's all car headlights were round but in the 70's so many of them were square, that's because only round headlights were allowed for decades so of course when square suddenly became an option everyone switched to the new style. Nowadays we have all kinds of shapes, some are even quite bizarre.

My dad is a big car guy. He spends his evenings and weekends working on these beautiful old cars, restoring them from rust buckets to near factory finish. He told me that old cars were so easy to work on you could fix them up with a basic tool set on the side of the road in the dark. He took me to a bunch of car shows and it helped inspire me to become an Industrial Designer. (Those are the people who design cars, phones, and everything mass produced). I was never a car guy myself and have nowhere near the interest in cars as my dad, but it's very clear that modern cars are a utility. It's something to get me from home, to work, and to the store, nothing else. There's nothing special about modern cars. Older cars are inspiring. The motivations, the designs, the stories about those cars along with the experiences of driving, fixing, and maintaining them is what car culture is all about. Every single car show has a 57 Chevy. The only modern cars are the ones in the parking lot. No one marvels at their designs, no one cares about their stories, no one wants new cars. They are a requirement with no alternative. The cars people brought to shows 20 years ago are the same cars they're bringing today. The old fat white guys who brought them 20 years are the same old fat white guys bringing them today. Modern cars along with a shifting urban attitude is bringing an end to car culture. I imagine if the urbanists have their way with mixed use walkable neighborhoods and extensive public transportation a new car culture will emerge since all the normies will be taking the train to work and not clogging up the open road. A rural focused, maybe electric based, car culture will come into being as the people who own cars will mostly be people who want cars and not necessarily need them. Car companies might expand their horizons for this new market and design to inspire. Quality would be the focus over quantity and the market will make cars a sight to behold, to show off, to race, and to enjoy. Or they'll just keep evolving pickup trucks and SUVs into semi-trucks. For safety and profit.

Old SAABs had built-in rolller cages, night displays and had interiors and windshields inspired by fighter jets, providing great visibility and putting all the important stuff within view and reach of the driver to decrease distractions. Old Mercedes had rear lights designed to not get too covered in dirt to not fill their function. Old Volvos were built like tanks from Swedish steel and with engine blocks made out of cast iron to increase durability. They also came with the first modern seat belts, seat warmers, crumple zones and airbags. All that asside, many of these old wonders of machinery came with beautiful interiors in leather, wood, metal and chrome which is much more beautiful that the cheap looking plastic of modern cars. The practical features and durability from 70's-90's German and Swedish cars, the design language of 50's-60's American and British sports and muscle cars and the fuel economy of a modern diesel engine combined would be the ultimate car design in my opinion, and I believe it would be a vehicle most would enjoy owning

No, you are right. We demand appliances now. I bought the newest old car I could and then updated it 10 years. 1994 BMW e30 wagon swapped with a modern 24v inline 6, new suspension, brakes, cooling, steering and a lot of wiring. All together 1/3 the cost of a Tesla model 3, and will last three times longer. Really fun to drive.

I used to have a car with a carburettor, no power steering and even no power brakes. I was still listening to podcast when I drove.

I have a house from the 1950s and a model t from 1927. It always strikes me how tough all stuff is. Like drilling a hole in a modern house or car takes seconds but drilling into my oak floor or my model t takes effort.

Modern cars = Rev hang = burnt clutch. Old cars with cable throttle > Modern cars with electronic throttle.

Right. The sweet spot for vehicles is 96 to 2006. This trend is everywhere. How long does a new washer last? New fridge?

This just brings me back to reading zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance.

I’m 22 and i own a 1979 porsche 924 and i agree with everything you say about the driving experience,it’s a lot more involved than today and if you actually like driving that’s the thing that make us cherish these old cars