Simple is better

[Yikes]

Some of the best cars I have ever owned were the simple ones, levers controlling cables, handles opening and closing windows and sunroofs, manual locks, cable throttle, cable clutch, manual trans, simple ignition, simple fuel delivery, carb.



Best one for me, 1976 BMW 2002 4 spd, not injected, bought used in 1978. Fast enough, a hoot to drive, good mileage, easy to work on, great in the snow, power nothing except for brakes.


Don't know about the rest of you but I don't need a computer talking to a computer to turn my wipers on.

[Johnny Makarov]

I can't believe there are no manual transmissions in new sedans left.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

I can't believe there are no manual transmissions in new sedans left.

there are

[Sliver]

Yeah, I hear you. My daughter broker her right foot a month ago so she hasn't been able to drive. I've been cruising around in her base VW Golf Sportwagen manual the entire time and my fancier car hasn't left the garage hah.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Yikes

Some of the best cars I have ever owned were the simple ones, levers controlling cables, handles opening and closing windows and sunroofs, manual locks, cable throttle, cable clutch, manual trans, simple ignition, simple fuel delivery, carb.



Best one for me, 1976 BMW 2002 4 spd, not injected, bought used in 1978. Fast enough, a hoot to drive, good mileage, easy to work on, great in the snow, power nothing except for brakes.


Don't know about the rest of you but I don't need a computer talking to a computer to turn my wipers on.

You are in luck. I hear LADAs have close to no modern features in their cars anymore.

[jwslam]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

I can't believe there are no manual transmissions in new sedans left.

Originally Posted by Ashasx

there are

They even have cars that ONLY come in manual transmission...

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

I can't believe there are no manual transmissions in new sedans left.

At current sales trends, there might not be anybody still selling new sedans in North America.

[Yikes]

Originally Posted by accord1999

At current sales trends, there might not be anybody still selling new sedans in North America.

No kidding, trucks, suv's and crossovers dominate. I have been driving suv's for years, hard to go back.

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

I can't believe there are no manual transmissions in new sedans left.

You can get the new Acura Integra in manual transmission

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

You can get the new Acura Integra in manual transmission

Isn't it a coupé?

[timun]

I think there's a balance, a sweet spot where the newer technology is super-reliable and quite easy to use and repair, but not superfluous and included as a bauble.

E.g. roll-up windows vs. power windows is pretty much moot to me: I've never (*knock-on-wood*) had a problem with the power windows in my 13-year-old daily driver, but the old clunkers I drove before then with manual windows had issues with linkages becoming disconnected and gears stripped. Granted I've also helped fix some cars with power window issues, but I think that was more due to being Chrysler products than power windows being unreliable...

With respect to the rest of the example preferences in the opening post:

• manual locks
  I've never had issues with power door locks, in any car I've ever owned. It's not necessary, but power locks is a very nice convenience, especially if you have other people with you who aren't used to locking their door behind them.
• cable throttle
  Yeah, this is probably somewhere where drive-by-wire hasn't materially improved anything.
• cable clutch, manual trans
  I like automatics. They're super-easy to use and very convenient. The newest ones have robust lockup torque converters that make the gap in efficiency and "slushboxiness" of yore disappear. I don't mind most of the dual-clutch gearboxes I've driven too (although I really hated the six-speed in the Smart Fortwo and seven-speed Mercedes-Benz CLA and GLA).
• simple ignition
  Never had an issue with distributorless ignition systems, they're robust, reliable and maintenance-free. I see no advantage to a distributor, none at all, other than it may be easier to tinker with if you want to modify the car.
• simple fuel delivery, carb
  I haven't driven a car with a carb in about 20 years, and it wasn't soon enough. They're fascinating devices, but ultimately they're just a trifle to deal with. Electronic fuel injection systems are, like distributorless ignitions, essentially maintenance-free and extremely reliable.

What I detest, where "simplicity" has run amok, is touchscreen interfaces for the HVAC and other functions. It's applying UI principles from cell phones to a much different application and pretending it's great because it's 'cool'. They're all pretty much universally awful. Buttons, knobs, levers and switches are still far, far superior.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by jwslam

They even have cars that ONLY come in manual transmission...

It's amazing, they're basically theft proof. 99% of the population wouldn't be able to drive them even if it were left unlocked.

[undercoverbrother]

Driving standard hurts my hip now


Being old sucks

[Dynamic]

Car before this one was a 04 Corolla 5 speed. That thing was literally perfection in terms of simplicity and just being good at everything. Three simple knobs for your HVAC. Simple radio with actual buttons. Easy to read dash. Comfortable seats. Dead to nuts reliable. If I did not have kids I would still be rolling that thing.

My newer SUV. The touch screen radio is clunky and very unresponsive. Every time I start it up I need to select the screen and tell it I will not do bad things before it unlocks. The climate control on my newer SUV is actually very nice, just select the temperature but not really any better than my old manual HVAC. It some ways its better but damn every year looking at these new cars I wonder if we will ever go back to somewhat simple cars again.

Just for fun I was looking at new Civic because they have an actual 6 speed. The base trim is almost 30K. The higher trims look like a legit luxury car and are over 40K.

[Yikes]

After the 76 BMW 2002 I got into this run of Peugeot 505's vintage mid 80's. Other than the turbo, amazing sedans, all sticks. To date the most comfortable seats and best heater of any car I have owned. A little more complex but super reliable. The "French Mercedes".

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

I can't believe there are no manual transmissions in new sedans left.

Soon enough, most vehicles won’t have a transmission at all.

[Rutuu]

Rented a Tesla in Kelowna for a few days. Plug it in at night, no petrol stations and didn't have to use the brake pedal almost at all because of the regen braking. There are barely any moving parts in an EV. It was an amazing simplification of the driving process. Simpler is better.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

I can't believe there are no manual transmissions in new sedans left.

https://www.motortrend.com/features/...-sale?slide=33

Originally Posted by Rutuu

Rented a Tesla in Kelowna for a few days. Plug it in at night, no petrol stations and didn't have to use the brake pedal almost at all because of the regen braking. There are barely any moving parts in an EV. It was an amazing simplification of the driving process. Simpler is better.

Sounds ####ing boring.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

You can get the new Acura Integra in manual transmission

Yeah...but then you're paying money for an Acura Integra...

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by Rutuu

Rented a Tesla in Kelowna for a few days. Plug it in at night, no petrol stations and didn't have to use the brake pedal almost at all because of the regen braking. There are barely any moving parts in an EV. It was an amazing simplification of the driving process. Simpler is better.

I don't think many would associate the simplicity of older era cars to a tesla - internally at least