Are cars nowadays better than cars of the past?

I've read that many 70's and 80's cars for example were pretty bad as far as quality goes (in America at least), but they were a lot easier to repair and maintain.

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MethDozer · M

It's a yes and no answer. More comfortable, fuel efficient, and less frequent general maintance. Yet the maintennace is also much more difficult and expensive and more or less they are built to be disposable and more temporary. For all practical purposes they are non-rebuildable.

This guy gives a damn near perfect breakdown of the lasting merits of classic HP.

[youtube=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9UWaDSUFYrY]

Personally I rather the old ways that required more frequent maintenance but it was all shit anyone could do in garage, quickly, easily, and cheaply. Over no problems for 7-9 years and then it's basically time to junk it. Now I know someone is going to bring up " eh cars used to shit at 100,000 but now..." Yet that is all about better fuel and oil engineering over actual engine designs and manufacturing.

fernie2

@MethDozer And the cars now are generic...I can't tell a Mercedes from a Ford

MethDozer · M

@fernie2 Oh that's a whole other issue. I agree cars are all ugly and lack any personality but aerodynamics and aesthetics just don't have much overlap.