TV "car guys"

[waltesefalcon]

My Caddy has an automatic but the pickups and the Miata are all standard. It's getting harder to find people who know how things used to work. Mechanical objects will be rare in another generation.

 

[vette]

You guys are making me feel bad. Along with the Healey and a few MGs I have had a couple of Vettes. I just traded in a terrific 2003, C5 Vette, 6 spd for a new C7. At the last minute I changed my order for the C7 to Auto. The reason, Age. Took a loop of the USA last summer with the C5, on the road for more than 3 weeks, terrific trip with no mechanical problems what so ever. But also noticed and even before this trip, my ability with the clutch was not what it used to be. I travel in the new Vettes as much as possible and I want to keep doing it. Decided there might be a time when the old leg just doesn't want to do the right thing all the time. So I thought well with Auto at least I should be able to make it home. Just a week ago the wife and I took the Healey out for a few hours. Going thru one town with fare amount of traffic, stopped at red light, went to pull out, cars all around and got a cramp in the left leg. It was a little dicey there for a moment. So the auto is safer. I do miss the 6 spd in the C5.

 

[glemon]

Flip side of young kids not being able to drive old cars, my "new cars" are relatively old. Being confronted with one of the new automatic transmission control devices, not simple PRNDL, when asked to drive in a friend's late model Buick one day, I had to simply say, "I don't know how to drive it" flick the lever, hit a button, look at what letter is on the display, I think I could replicate it if I was sitting in the car, but not entirely sure. Also not at all comfortable with the rear view cameras, I still turn my old stiff neck and look.

Last old guy rant, I don't type all that well, but I had to go back three times to find words I typed correctly, and made sense in context, and still fix them. Still, when I turn autocorrect off it only gets worse.

 

[vette]

Also not at all comfortable with the rear view cameras, I still turn my old stiff neck and look.

Some years ago when I worked for a rather large company that had a lot of large trucks on the road we of course backed the trucks using the large outside rear view mirrors. These were not tractor trailer trucks but big straight frame, service trucks. They would have a test for the service techs where they would put a dime on the pavement in a parking lot. then you had to drive the truck around the parking lot and position the truck and back it up and put that dime right at the outside edge of the rear duelie tire right in the middle of the axle. It was fun trying to do it and it was quite possible with the side mirrors. But still there were backing accidents and most caused by drivers just not being careful. Sitting on a safety committee it was recognized that you cant see the middle of the back of the truck with the mirrors so the suggestion was to install cameras on all the trucks. So a pilot test was developed and still backing accidents developed. Now this was back in the day when cameras were not all that common. It was discovered that the drivers were now relying on the camera and the camera only showed one angel and they usually could not see one corner. So the decision was made, no camera, the drivers are tasked to make a walk around the truck before they get in to drive. If any were discovered not making their safety walk they were disiplined. Though not harshly at first.
On the C5 Vette there was no camera. It was easy to bump the front end on a parking curb or stop and in backing you couldn't tell really how close you were to the car behind you. So on this new C7 there are 3 cameras in the front and 2 in the back. When you put the car in reverse and then into drive the 3 front cameras come on its like looking at a panoramic movie. I can put the front of the car right on the curb and not touch it. Well that's my dissertation for the day.

 

[dklawson]

My father-in-law turns 90 this summer and his is still driving. Over the past three years he has ruined two front panels on his 3-series BMW. He kept driving far enough forward to hook the panel's lip over parking barriers. Backing out of the space would rip the plastic. I didn't want to mess with a front camera for his car so we installed a product called "Curb Alert". It's an aimable ultrasonic sensor that beeps to tell you when you've reached the desired distance. So far it is working perfectly for him.

I can see the place for some of the high-tech do-dads but in general... I like to be in control of the car. As I type I am wearing my "Real Cars Don't Shift Themselves" T-shirt.

 

[mikephillips]

Had my prior daily driver Corolla a bit over 20 years and close to 175k miles. Clutch was original and grabbed like new when shifting. The 2020 I replaced it with, becaue the other was having what were probably expensive wiring/computer issues, had to be special ordered as they didn't any sticks on the lot. Have to admit, going keyless has taken some getting used to and I pretty much ignore the backup camera since it doesn't go any view to the sides.
But still, a nice car. Although the lady friend looked at me like I was nuts when I said that one day I'd teach her to drive as God intended, with both hands and feet.

Original topic, I drive the Alpine everyday for years, rain, snow, cold, warm. Never had bad weather problems, other than rain around where the top and windows came together. And with an uninsulated top in really cold weather it didn't really get warm inside, but I was young and tough in those days. And the vintage cars probably appreciate being inside when the weather is bad..

 

[pdplot]

My Subaru backup camera beeps when anything - car, bike, pedestrian - is approaching from the side just as I shift into reverse. Amazing how a pedestrian will cross in back of your car just as you're starting to back out. I still look around both ways and check my mirrors before backing up as well as ising the camera - but that beeping has saved many an embarrassing and dangerous moment. Likewise the blind spot warning light. Saves you the embarrassment when you start to pull into the left lane only to have a car horn blare as you cut off a car in your blind spot. This car also beeps to tell you the car ahead has moved off when you're fooling with the heater or radio, and it will also apply the brakes if you're daydreaming or the guy in front stops short. The only thing I don't use or like is the lanekeeper.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

My father-in-law turns 90 this summer and his is still driving. Over the past three years he has ruined two front panels on his 3-series BMW. He kept driving far enough forward to hook the panel's lip over parking barriers. Backing out of the space would rip the plastic. I didn't want to mess with a front camera for his car so we installed a product called "Curb Alert". It's an aimable ultrasonic sensor that beeps to tell you when you've reached the desired distance. So far it is working perfectly for him.

I can see the place for some of the high-tech do-dads but in general... I like to be in control of the car. As I type I am wearing my "Real Cars Don't Shift Themselves" T-shirt.

Remember "curb feelers" or whiskers? I remember cars coming into the shop, up on the hoist, and seeing those tucked up in the lip at the bottom of the wing. Last owner had them, just tucked them up when they sold the car

 

[dklawson]

Yes indeed. I do remember curb feelers! I even suggested them to my father-in-law as a joke when he told me he wanted a front facing camera for parking!