Have we lost control ? Or are we better off ?

[Rob Hall]

I've noticed quite a few drivers driving around w/ DRLs on at night..apparently they don't realize the taillights aren't on when they have the DRLs on. Automatic lights I do like, have them on two of my cars.

I'll also admit to once driving about 50 miles on I-80 across the northern Nevada void at 5am in a rental Impala w/ the DRLs on before I realized I hadn't turned on the lights after hitting the road early...

[martinfan5]

Two words, Jonathan. "Emergency" and "Brake." When you put the little lady's Beetle in park, the DRL headlamps stay on. When you also set the Emergency Brake (or Parking Brake for some of youse), the DRLs go out. Poof!

There's this amazing conceptual thing in the glove box ... an owner's manual. Try it sometime.

Just teasin' you, man! Oooops, here comes

Dan, I did know that my friend , and yes I have looked through her owners manual, well not her's , (I couldn't understand her's) when I was trying to figure out how to change the headlight bulbs. I wasn't really complaining

When I had a C availer, and if I didnt want the DRL's on, I would just engage the parking/Ebrake to the first click to shut them off, and I think when I installed the wig wag flasher, I just did not connect the DRL wires to, so IIRC, I no longer had them, but that was a long time ago

Edited April 6, 2012 by martinfan5

[old-hermit]

yes we can adapt, but why must we?

Amen !!!!!

For the price of a new car you can build a decent hot rod and have it any way you want.

Plus you don't have to pony up the big bucks for taxes & insurance or lose 20% of it's value the first day you drive it.

[Agent G]

Younger drivers in general have only been exposed to FWD cars and didn't grow up learning to drive RWD, so I could see how that would be a problem..different handling dynamics, esp. in inclement weather. I'm glad I grew up w/ RWD and manual transmissions, and only once had a FWD car (never again).

Exactly!

The EVOC instructors tore their already thinning hair out as the switches occurred. Everything is different between them when slamming RWD and FWD cars around a course. We put a bunch of 9C1 Caprices with LT1 engines on the road, and most of the young un's pooped their pants first time they floored it.

Imagine their surprise seeing white smoke coming from the rear wheels!

That was truly fun to watch.

G

[martinfan5]

My first two vehicles I owned were both RWD ,

[Modelmartin]

Ever since they started putting in automatic spark advance and mixture, I lost my interest in cars! What is wrong with actually operating your motor vehicle. That goes for shock absorbers and steering wheels too! What's wrong with a tiller and friction belt drives. Total loss oiling was good enough in its day - what's with these sealed engines, oilpans and oil pumps! It just makes the motor more complicated. Bah! Don't get me started.

[martinfan5]

Some people dont really like technology, or advancement in the automobile world it seams

[Chuck Most]

Ever since they started putting in automatic spark advance and mixture, I lost my interest in cars! What is wrong with actually operating your motor vehicle. That goes for shock absorbers and steering wheels too! What's wrong with a tiller and friction belt drives. Total loss oiling was good enough in its day - what's with these sealed engines, oilpans and oil pumps! It just makes the motor more complicated. Bah! Don't get me started.

Know what's worse? Tappet covers! I wanna SEE my valvetrain in action. Now they've got those freakin' plastic shrouds over everything....

[martinfan5]

Know what's worse? Tappet covers! I wanna SEE my valvetrain in action. Now they've got those freakin' plastic shrouds over everything....

Yeah I kinda agree with that, its pointless , just to make the engine compartment look better

[CadillacPat]

Some people dont really like technology, or advancement in the automobile world it seams

Technology is what it is but "advancement" in automobiles is debatable.

CadillacPat

[Harry P.]

Sounds to me like some of you guys still wish we had a big old hand crank sticking out the front end...

[Craig Irwin]

Harry, I honestly think we would be better off if you had to crank 'em to start them, and shift for ourselves WITHOUT syncros, no PS, PB, ect. 90% of the cars wouldn't be on the road and the that are left would be driven by people who knew cars and how to drive them.

[martinfan5]

Even then you guys would still not be happy, you would complain because your cars only get 5mph and then complain that gas cost to much, were the cars simple 70+ years ago, sure, but I will take better gas mileage, better technology ,better safety . I am not saying the cars we have today are the best ever, but in alot ways, a heck of lot better then before .

Its simple, either face the fact that the automobile is changing, and is going to continue to change, or dont. No one says you have to like it, heck there are things that I dont like about where the automobiles have changed things and is heading in the future, but complaining about it its not going to change it.

[moparmagiclives]

Yeah I kinda agree with that, its pointless , just to make the engine compartment look better

Those are there to help with injector noise and intake drone. Needed? Probly not. But like everything else, one does it and they all have to.

Edited April 7, 2012 by moparmagiclives

[martinfan5]

I did not know that

[Danno]

Sounds to me like some of you guys still wish we had a big old hand crank sticking out the front end...

Harry, I do have a ...

[Harry P.]

Harry, I do have a ...

Hey, now! This is a "family forum!"

[martinfan5]

Harry, I do have a ...

[moparmagiclives]

It's not the technology that bothers me, it's the separation that is coming between the vehicle and the driver that drives me crazy. You guys talk about your stick trannys. Did you know most new 6 speeds will shift to the gear the car " thinks" you should be in ? Unless your hard into it ( and having it to the floor is not going to open the throttle 100%, probly 70% or so most of the time) the trans will skip second and some times third, right to fourth. How that for "control" ?

[Chuck Most]

Harry, I honestly think we would be better off if you had to crank 'em to start them, and shift for ourselves WITHOUT syncros, no PS, PB, ect. 90% of the cars wouldn't be on the road and the that are left would be driven by people who knew cars and how to drive them.

THANK YOU!

[Jordan White]

It's not the technology that bothers me, it's the separation that is coming between the vehicle and the driver that drives me crazy. You guys talk about your stick trannys. Did you know most new 6 speeds will shift to the gear the car " thinks" you should be in ? Unless your hard into it ( and having it to the floor is not going to open the throttle 100%, probly 70% or so most of the time) the trans will skip second and some times third, right to fourth. How that for "control" ?

The only one I know of is the 'Vette (do they still do the skip-shift?) at the moment. I know they did that for the older Vettes and Camaros, however it was easy to disable which most people did. I do like Porsche's idea of a seven speed manual, with 6 close ratios for performance and a long 7th for highway driving.

[Craig Irwin]

I personaly think 5 speeds is enough, any more and it seems all you are doing is rowing gears all of the time.

[moparmagiclives]

The only one I know of is the 'Vette (do they still do the skip-shift?) at the moment. I know they did that for the older Vettes and Camaros, however it was easy to disable which most people did. I do like Porsche's idea of a seven speed manual, with 6 close ratios for performance and a long 7th for highway driving.

Challenger/viper 6 speed,

Mustang

Camaro/vette

Edited April 7, 2012 by moparmagiclives

[Jordan White]

Well I believe they do it so they can get the best mileage possible and avoid the gas guzzler tax. In any case, there's people who have figured out how to disable it, so it's not that big of a deal.

[moparmagiclives]

Well I believe they do it so they can get the best mileage possible and avoid the gas guzzler tax. In any case, there's people who have figured out how to disable it, so it's not that big of a deal.

Yup yup, its all about the milage. And it will disable itself if your driving it agressivly, I was just pointing out that its there...behind the scenes. Thats all. None of its a big deal. Just interesting where things are going.