I like my base corolla, 5sp with air. Thats it. Stupid thing will probably last forever..........sigh...
Are there any simple cars left?
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Unfortunately even my 02 Cavalier is far too complex. Everything is wired to the body control module.
What was nice about cars in the past is how much commonality they had. you could get a part that would get you at least up and running almost anywhere. Grocery stores sold parts, sometimes even carburetors. Of course you have more stores open late now and cars are more reliable. I think Japanese econoboxes are the most simple, folowed by American econcars.
Yeah, mechanicx remember when even if you broke down out in the middle of nowhere any corner garage could fix you up to get you home? Now it seems like half the time it's some mystery problem that turns out to be a sensor buried so deep that it takes a day of disassembly to just get at the part.
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I'd say Fuel Injection is the best thing that all cars have in the last 30 years.
ABS is nice but a lot of cars do not have it. My 05 Corolla does not. The 04 GMC and Subaru do.
Take care, bill
I agree with you, fuel injection is the bomb and a great advancement. I just dont consider fuel injection as a newer tech. I know it wasn't common in most cars but fuel injection to me is old tech, that took far to long to hit the mainstream.
I'd say Fuel Injection is the best thing that all cars have in the last 30 years.
ABS is nice but a lot of cars do not have it. My 05 Corolla does not. The 04 GMC and Subaru do.
Take care, bill
I agree with you, fuel injection is the bomb and a great advancement. I just dont consider fuel injection as a newer tech. I know it wasn't common in most cars but fuel injection to me is old tech, that took far to long to hit the mainstream.
FI replaced an ever more complex carburation system with a simple electronic system. While carburators were originally fairly simple devices, all the junk they accumulated through the 80's made a mess of them.
The older mechanical ones were too expensive.
The older mechanical ones were too expensive.
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I'd say Fuel Injection is the best thing that all cars have in the last 30 years.
I'd probably agree with that.
It's nice to walk outside when the weather is -10 and just turn the key to make it start (without pumping the accel pedal 5 times) and after that you can drive away with no problems. FI has also increased the life of catalytic converters.
If you want a good laugh, have somebody under the age of 30 try to start a carbed car when it's cold.
I'd say Fuel Injection is the best thing that all cars have in the last 30 years.
I'd probably agree with that.
It's nice to walk outside when the weather is -10 and just turn the key to make it start (without pumping the accel pedal 5 times) and after that you can drive away with no problems. FI has also increased the life of catalytic converters.
If you want a good laugh, have somebody under the age of 30 try to start a carbed car when it's cold.
Originally Posted By: Kruse
If you want a good laugh, have somebody under the age of 30 try to start a carbed car when it's cold.
I'm 21 and I can start my father's 1967 Corvette just fine.
If you want a good laugh, have somebody under the age of 30 try to start a carbed car when it's cold.
I'm 21 and I can start my father's 1967 Corvette just fine.
I had the weber carb off my old CJ once to replace the gaskets that the lovely E10 gasoline ate up and while it was on the workbench a couple teenagers in the neighborhood saw it and was wondering what it was. That was when I knew I was getting old!
A carb might cause hard starting or running problems, but unless the float(s) sunk, all you had to do was flow air through it and it would meter fuel.
Our first three Hondas had carbs, including our two '86 Civics and other than a rebuild around 120K (for cleaning), they never caused problems. Of course, the FI on our current cars causes no problems either, but if we should run into FI problems, the cost of repair will likely exceed anything you would see with a carb.
Old style points in distributor ignition systems did require regualr attention, but were also transparently simple. Almost nothing could ever go wrong that you couldn't readily figure out and fix.
I guess I'm trying to say that there are no simple cars in the classic sense anymore, and such cars will never be built again.
OTOH, current cars have a level of reliability and durability unheard of not too long ago.
Our first three Hondas had carbs, including our two '86 Civics and other than a rebuild around 120K (for cleaning), they never caused problems. Of course, the FI on our current cars causes no problems either, but if we should run into FI problems, the cost of repair will likely exceed anything you would see with a carb.
Old style points in distributor ignition systems did require regualr attention, but were also transparently simple. Almost nothing could ever go wrong that you couldn't readily figure out and fix.
I guess I'm trying to say that there are no simple cars in the classic sense anymore, and such cars will never be built again.
OTOH, current cars have a level of reliability and durability unheard of not too long ago.
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
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OTOH, current cars have a level of reliability and durability unheard of not too long ago.
This is true. Even on my old '89 Corolla. Change the oil. Close the hood. Open the hood 5000 miles later, change the oil and close the hood again for another 5000 miles. The car uses about 1/4 of a quart of oil every 5k. I just keep an eye on where I park it just to make sure it isn't making puddles and that's about all.........
Cars in the "good old days" weren't really all that good.
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OTOH, current cars have a level of reliability and durability unheard of not too long ago.
This is true. Even on my old '89 Corolla. Change the oil. Close the hood. Open the hood 5000 miles later, change the oil and close the hood again for another 5000 miles. The car uses about 1/4 of a quart of oil every 5k. I just keep an eye on where I park it just to make sure it isn't making puddles and that's about all.........
Cars in the "good old days" weren't really all that good.
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
I agree mostly......But for the average idiot driver, who would still be out there in a panick slam on the brakes situation.....I love my ABS. It's made me lazy in my braking habits, to my old way of thinking. But I think it's the single best "new" thing from the last thirty years.
I'd say Fuel Injection is the best thing that all cars have in the last 30 years.
I could not agree more!
My family had several Volvo wagons (startign with a '73 145). The first 2 Volvos had a simple mechanical FI system that was pretty much bullit proof.
Then somewhere in the late 70's, Volvo of N.A. decided the Canadian market could use a SU carb version of their popular 240 series. The earlier Volvo's could easily reach 200k miles on basic maintenance, aside from the organic body panels that dcomposed shortly after 5 years of ownership.
The later Volvos' had to have engine rebuilds at about 100k miles. My dad said it was due to poor maintenance of the PO's, but when you look at the poor state of dino oil in the 90's and how inefficient those old SU's were when they got even slightly out of adjustment. You can easily see how they would wash out that oil, causing the oil to get thinned out and causing excessive wear.
As of 85 all N.A. Volvos' had FI, but by that time we had given up on Volvo's.
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
I agree mostly......But for the average idiot driver, who would still be out there in a panick slam on the brakes situation.....I love my ABS. It's made me lazy in my braking habits, to my old way of thinking. But I think it's the single best "new" thing from the last thirty years.
I'd say Fuel Injection is the best thing that all cars have in the last 30 years.
I could not agree more!
My family had several Volvo wagons (startign with a '73 145). The first 2 Volvos had a simple mechanical FI system that was pretty much bullit proof.
Then somewhere in the late 70's, Volvo of N.A. decided the Canadian market could use a SU carb version of their popular 240 series. The earlier Volvo's could easily reach 200k miles on basic maintenance, aside from the organic body panels that dcomposed shortly after 5 years of ownership.
The later Volvos' had to have engine rebuilds at about 100k miles. My dad said it was due to poor maintenance of the PO's, but when you look at the poor state of dino oil in the 90's and how inefficient those old SU's were when they got even slightly out of adjustment. You can easily see how they would wash out that oil, causing the oil to get thinned out and causing excessive wear.
As of 85 all N.A. Volvos' had FI, but by that time we had given up on Volvo's.
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Originally Posted By: exranger06
Originally Posted By: Kruse
If you want a good laugh, have somebody under the age of 30 try to start a carbed car when it's cold.
I'm 21 and I can start my father's 1967 Corvette just fine.
Your dad leaves his Corvette outside when it's -10?
Originally Posted By: Kruse
If you want a good laugh, have somebody under the age of 30 try to start a carbed car when it's cold.
I'm 21 and I can start my father's 1967 Corvette just fine.
Your dad leaves his Corvette outside when it's -10?
Originally Posted By: rszappa1
The last simple car that I owned was a 1980 Chrylser Cordoba with a 318.......
Yes, but you had the fine Corinthian leather.
The last simple car that I owned was a 1980 Chrylser Cordoba with a 318.......
Yes, but you had the fine Corinthian leather.
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