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To me, cars are much better now than when I was younger. It feels like not long ago that color painted bumpers were an option (standard black rubber), that most cars had manual windows/locks, that a right hand side mirror cost extra, and that cruise control was well worth the extra cost. I certainly miss many of the cars of my youth, but they were also largely 4 cylinder cars with optional V6s (that few selected), and their interiors and features don't compare to what we have now. A Corolla was vinyl seats, no AC, cruise, no power windows, locks, or mirrors, etc. Now look.
Again, I miss things about the past, but it's different now. And I think, better. Having owned a hybrid, I'd be hard pressed from here on to buy anything else.
Still prefer the older one with more right angles, etc. but yes that's really nice. But I do wonder if it's assembled as well as the older one was. It's like you say, your Dad's Caddy had great looking stuff but it just wasn't put together well. I have never seen one like this but my friend has a nice Maxima, old ones were better lol. See that 5 speed in that pic? And I wonder why I had so many tickets lol.
To me, cars are much better now than when I was younger. It feels like not long ago that color painted bumpers were an option (standard black rubber), that most cars had manual windows/locks, that a right hand side mirror cost extra, and that cruise control was well worth the extra cost. I certainly miss many of the cars of my youth, but they were also largely 4 cylinder cars with optional V6s (that few selected), and their interiors and features don't compare to what we have now. A Corolla was vinyl seats, no AC, cruise, no power windows, locks, or mirrors, etc. Now look.
Again, I miss things about the past, but it's different now. And I think, better. Having owned a hybrid, I'd be hard pressed from here on to buy anything else.
Still prefer the older one with more right angles, etc. but yes that's really nice. But I do wonder if it's assembled as well as the older one was. It's like you say, your Dad's Caddy had great looking stuff but it just wasn't put together well. I have never seen one like this but my friend has a nice Maxima, old ones were better lol. See that 5 speed in that pic? And I wonder why I had so many tickets lol.
Modern Nissans are well put together. Of course you prefer the older one, but the additional luxury and panache of the newer cars cannot be denied. Mainstream cars are much closer to luxury cars than they were 20 years ago
For instance driving that old ES, no way I would choose to drive that over a new ES, better materials or not. Not a chance.
Modern Nissans are well put together. Of course you prefer the older one, but the additional luxury and panache of theye newer cars cannot be denied. Mainstream cars are much closer to luxury cars than they were 20 years ago
For instance driving that old ES, no way I would choose to drive that over a new ES, better materials or not. Not a chance.
I disagree, Maximas are dead now. They lost 99% of their Maxima enthusiasts including me when they threw the CVT in there YEARRRRRRS ago as you probably know.
It's not about which one I'd rather drive, it's just general design suppose.
Back in the late 90s Maximas were really, really nice cars. The gen after it was severely cost cut. I had 2 Infiniti I35s and they were nice but not just crazy over the top nice like my old Maxima was. Stereo sucked. Leather wasn't as good, etc.
I see what Steve is saying. I grew up in the backseat of my mom‘s 1999 Isuzu Rodeo S with manual everything not even a tilt steering wheel, no cruise control no vanity mirror, my dad had a 2002 Explorer XLT, grandmas 2002 Camry LE (my brother has this now and everything still works). Those cars interiors were just a sea of monochromatic plastic, not even any chrome accents, at least the Accord pictured above has chrome door levers and nice fabric on top of the door panels. I remember how much nicer the 2003 Accord was when it came out though, you could get it with navigation.
I disagree, Maximas are dead now. They lost 99% of their Maxima enthusiasts including me when they threw the CVT in there YEARRRRRRS ago as you probably know.
I see a ton of current generation Maximas is in my city. Especially in lower income areas. But most of them are in bad condition because people that are buying them are not car enthusiasts and do not take care of them. It’s also one of the most stolen car models here in Memphis.
I see what Steve is saying. I grew up in the backseat of my mom‘s 1999 Isuzu Rodeo S with manual everything not even a tilt steering wheel, no cruise control no vanity mirror, my dad had a 2002 Explorer XLT, grandmas 2002 Camry LE (my brother has this now and everything still works). Those cars interiors were just a sea of monochromatic plastic, not even any chrome accents, at least the Accord pictured above has chrome door levers and nice fabric on top of the door panels. I remember how much nicer the 2003 Accord was when it came out though, you can get it with navigation.
We had lots of higher end GM cars which had basically all the features which made them luxurious. Cool to see "headlamps suggested" in the digital display in a 1988 Toronado when you don't have the auto lights on and it gets dark. It had red leather and was extremely nice inside. I basically grew up in the back seat of this. Kinda interesting that we had a coupe that we used as the family car.
This is exactly what ours looked like inside. Dated, but luxurious. Like 40 interior lights, half of them red. Like 5 cigarette lighters and ashtrays lol. Build quality was good. Nice carpet and leather. If you zoom in, look at the incredibly dated vertical door trim or whatever. I specifically remember that being really nice.
Of course that is unbelievably old but nobody can say that's not a nice interior. It was, that was a great car. One of my favs we ever had. 1988--first year of the real 3800. Dad Sold with 175k on it and we still saw it driving around for a few years after lol.
I think people are generally going to look back on the 00's as being a lower point in automotive styling. Definitely a blobbier and blander decade overall.
See "vast majority of cases", which certainly aren't the ones you just listed. Your average econocar/basic family vehicle has a far better sounding I4 with better refinement than what used to be offered before, with more power to boot.
Originally Posted by AJT123
A 90s Accord with the 200 hp V6 was incredibly refined. Now in 2024 204hp comes from a garbage hybrid engine.
You also put a pic of an Accord DX (lol) versus the fully loaded new one. I don't think everything has advanced for the better, but some things... sure.
Look how nice the 1997 Maxima was. I owned this car this interior, it was just about as nice as a Lexus inside, easily. The quality of this car was astounding. Mine was an SE but the GLEs had some of the best fake wood I've seen. It was even nicer than this in the luxury oriented spec.
Better.
Originally Posted by SW17LS
Yeah, no. Mainstream cars today are way fancier inside than they were back then, and mainstream cars are also a lot more refined and luxurious feeling than they were then.
An example, an early 2000s Accord:
A current Accord:
So yeah a 90s/early 2000s Lexus interior looks boring and plain compared to the new Accord, but not the old Accord.
The new Honda Accord interior is pretty sweet. Let’s not get that wrong, but Honda has some sweet small displacement V6 engines back in the day. 2.7 and 3.0 come to mind. I would take those over a modern turbo I4
Originally Posted by AJT123
4 cylinders are garbage, the "better" they're supposed to be the worse they are like that disaster C63S. I'm going to go drive the 4 cylinder SL43 when the dealer gets one just to laugh. I couldn't not give a good gosh darn how much faster it is. It's not even THAT much faster. I think they say 4.9 0-60? Mine might be 5.7-5.8.... but the satisfaction of the V8 in every respect (sound, feel, acceleration, big displacement torque) I wouldn't trade for anything. Goose my SL from a rest especially top down and it's exhilarating even if it's not insane fast like cars are now with 600hp, I think every member that's active in here would agree if they drove it. It's so nice to wind through long gears, the old way.
People forget how good a larger displacement motor is.
4 cylinders are garbage, the "better" they're supposed to be the worse they are like that disaster C63S. I'm going to go drive the 4 cylinder SL43 when the dealer gets one just to laugh. I couldn't not give a good gosh darn how much faster it is. It's not even THAT much faster. I think they say 4.9 0-60? Mine might be 5.7-5.8.... but the satisfaction of the V8 in every respect (sound, feel, acceleration, big displacement torque) I wouldn't trade for anything. Goose my SL from a rest especially top down and it's exhilarating even if it's not insane fast like cars are now with 600hp, I think every member that's active in here would agree if they drove it. It's so nice to wind through long gears, the old way.
Hmm. I've never heard of this and am intrigued.
Originally Posted by SW17LS
Honestly, I wouldn’t. The modern turbo I4 is way more powerful and efficient than those old 6s.
Power and efficiency aren’t as important to me if you have to down size. There’s no denying a large displacement engine is a better experience tha a downsize engine with less cylinders
You have to yourself give credit to GM for developing the new 5.5 L V8 in 2024
For most buyers including me, the additional low end power makes the experience an upgrade not a downgrade. Once you get used to turbo power bands these old V6s really feel slow around town.
Is it marginally less smooth and refined feeling? Maybe…but modern cars are so well isolated that it’s really not a big deal. I thought the turbo 4 in that K5 I rented in Alabama a couple years ago felt totally at home in that car.
Now a Mercedes or a Lexus? I want a turbo 6 not a turbo 4, but I also don’t want a NA 6. SL43 and C63 are stupid, but for a mainstream family
car? Different story
03-04-24, 04:06 PM
