No longer available features in your vehicle?

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01rangerxl

01rangerxl

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Apr 8, 2006
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I was grabbing something behind one of my truck's jump seats today, and for some reason the thought crossed my mind that there are no longer any new trucks with jump seats. It's sort of a bygone feature that not too long ago "revolutionized" the small pickup.

The two door Super Cab is also gone. At the time my truck was built you could order either. By 2005 the Ranger was the only pickup with that configuration.

I can't think of anything else that has gone totally obsolete on it, other than just being a small truck. Maybe the ashtray, and probably the airbag cutoff key switch.

Anybody else have features on their vehicle that are from another era in vehicle design? I'm sure the people with 1960s cars have a few things.
 
My Chrysler mini-van no longer sports wiper defrosters in the glass, tinted upper windshield, light in the engine compartment, or lights in most of the switches. Decontenting is king at Chrysler.
 
Originally Posted By: rfeir
light in the engine compartment,


My 1996 GMC Yukon GT had a under hood light on a extension cord, you could pull it out and it reached a very long way's great for tire changing ect.. when you were done the lights housing had a crank on it.. you simply cranked it back into place like a garden hose.. it was truly a great simple idea !

My 2006 Chevy Silverado doesn NOT have this feature and i wish it did. (it doesnt even have a underhood light)

My wifes 2007 Honda accord doesnt have a under the hood light either (atleast i dont recall it) and that stinks.
 
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I like how Chrysler wont include an actual hitch with a tow package. They give you a harness to install yourself and the hitch is dealer add on. I bought mine aftermarket.....whoa Nelly that was a rough install.
 
1987 Oldsmobile Toronado
1. Digital dash with bar graphs for all gauges except speedometer; speedometer is displayed as digital numbers in miles or kilometers. (This was common on late 80's cars)
2. The tachometer changes to display English warning messages, such as "Low Fuel".
3. The tachometer is used in diagnostic mode as full OBD scanner to display or reset ECM codes. The AC controls are used to access diagnostic mode. (This was also on Riviera and Eldorado).
__________________________________
1987 Toronado
1999 Olds GLS
 
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Originally Posted By: carwreck
1987 Oldsmobile Toronado
1. Digital dash with bar graphs for all gauges except speedometer; speedometer is displayed as digital numbers in miles or kilometers.
(This was common on late 80's cars)
2. The tachometer changes to display English warning messages, such as "Low Fuel".
3. The tachometer is used in diagnostic mode as full OBD scanner to display or reset ECM codes. The AC controls are used to access diagnostic mode. (This was also on Riviera and Eldorado).
__________________________________
1987 Toronado
1999 Olds GLS


I liked those 1980s displays, but I guess few people did.
I want to restore a Z31 Nissan 300ZX Turbo because of that.
 
A Pontiac badge? Hahaha!!! No, seriously. One of my cars ('08 G8 GT) has a Pontiac badge, and they are no longer available.
 
The Highlander has this amazing feature where you can control the temperature of the entire interior with just one easy to turn knob. Not three knobs (our Sienna), not an LCD with a bar graph, not in a menu somewhere, no touch screen.

It also doesn't ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding if you drive 20 feet without the seatbelt, like in a parking garage, or to get the mail, or backing a trailer.

Lastly it has a full size spare.

Sadly, probably my last car with these features.

Edit: after further review the Sienna has four temperature knobs, but only three on the front dash that I ever deal with.
 
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Originally Posted By: bepperb
The Highlander has this amazing feature where you can control the temperature of the entire interior with just one easy to turn knob. Not three knobs (our Sienna), not an LCD with a bar graph, not in a menu somewhere, no touch screen.

It also doesn't ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding if you drive 20 feet without the seatbelt, like in a parking garage, or to get the mail, or backing a trailer.

Lastly it has a full size spare.

Sadly, probably my last car with these features.


I have that HVAC feature too, and I agree it is awesome! My truck will aggressively chime if driven without a seat belt on, but that is quickly disabled by simply pushing the buckle release once. Ford did away with that trick in '04 I think.

I have a full size spare as well, and conveniently mounted on a winch system from underneath so you don't have to remove any cargo to get to it.
 
Originally Posted By: rfeir
My Chrysler mini-van no longer sports tinted upper windshield, . Decontenting is king at Chrysler.

Bizarre and stupidly, shaded windshields seem to be going the way of running boards among many makes and models these days. Not even optionally available as before it became standard equipment on all but the most bare bone models.

To their credit Lexus and Nissan still offer nicely tinted windshields on their vehicles these days, but you'd be hard pressed to find many domestic vehicles so equipped, even high end models.

How much if anything can they possibly be saving? Frankly, its a deal killer for me, along with massive A-pillars trimmed in nothing but white.
 
I don't know if the new Maximas (or other car) has it, but my car does this neat trick where I can roll down the front windows if I hold the unlock button. It's perfect to air it out on hot days before stepping into the car.

And I used to have a cassette player before I swapped out the factory head-unit.
 
My Accord has a power radio antenna. Turn the radio on, the antenna goes up. Turn radio off, the antenna retracts into the rear fender.

I was thinking of features no longer on vehicles anymore recently too. Some of the ones I thought of were dual fuel tanks on pickups, pop-up headlamps, vent windows,and automatic seat belts. There were others I thought of, but can't remember them at the moment.
 
Flip up reverse looking seats in station wagon cargo areas. Yeah you get nauseous but your bratty kids can gesture at the cars behind you. While I'm at it, the "station wagon".
laugh.gif
Put some wood grain on that beauty!

Gas fillers behind the license plate. Pull in on either side of the pump: whatever, it'll reach. The pre 1987 chevy trucks with dual tanks had a pretty good system where you could use two pumps at the same time, one on each side for each tank.

99 cent ignition keys you can copy at the hardware store. Hooking up a remote start is a half hour affair that doesn't require additional expensive modules.

Standard sized stereo head units without extra amplifiers in the trunk or locking codes that reveal themselves when the battery is replaced.

HVAC controls on the left side of the steering wheel, where the passenger won't frig with them.
 
Originally Posted By: bepperb


It also doesn't ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding if you drive 20 feet without the seatbelt, like in a parking garage, or to get the mail, or backing a trailer.


My mom's husband had a '73 Cougar had a seatbelt reminder chime. In all fairness, you could disable that fairly easily without an SRS light glaring at you from the instrument cluster.

Originally Posted By: bepperb

Lastly it has a full size spare.



Temporary spare, any spare....many manufacturers charge you an extra $100+ for a temp spare.
 
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Front push-out vent windows. My 1990 Cherokee had them, my current one has the one piece window they switched to in 1997.


Same with my 4 Runner - I love those vent windows...they were discontinued in 1996...
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Flip up reverse looking seats in station wagon cargo areas. Yeah you get nauseous but your bratty kids can gesture at the cars behind you. While I'm at it, the "station wagon".
laugh.gif
Put some wood grain on that beauty!

Gas fillers behind the license plate. Pull in on either side of the pump: whatever, it'll reach. The pre 1987 chevy trucks with dual tanks had a pretty good system where you could use two pumps at the same time, one on each side for each tank.

99 cent ignition keys you can copy at the hardware store. Hooking up a remote start is a half hour affair that doesn't require additional expensive modules.

Standard sized stereo head units without extra amplifiers in the trunk or locking codes that reveal themselves when the battery is replaced.

HVAC controls on the left side of the steering wheel, where the passenger won't frig with them.




My 2002 Volvo still has those seats...but they're for kids only...
 
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