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All true. People have forgotten what a good car feels like to drive. Now things are so numb, augmented and generally uninvolved that when they do get into a well sorted older car it's a revelation. Thing is, it's not that hard to keep an older car feeling good. Keep it clean, keep the tyres and suspension fresh and service the thing. Happy days.
I'm most likely selling my recently acquired 308 GTi 270. Just can't gel with it. Might be safe, efficient and quite quick but it's just not making me want to drive.
TRA
jonny
Height adjustable seats, dimmer on the cluster, electric mirrors, adjustable headlights (often auto now), lumbar support etc. All things that 20 years ago were pretty much options on anything from the middle up, and no chance on a more basic car.
These days its not really planned obsolesce (IMO), more that no one really owns their cars, they are leased out for profit until such point as they are disposed of by the lease agency and then us plebs can buy them, or often leased again using a 3rd part down the line. Until they are about 8-11 years old, and an ABS/Airbag light comes on, and you spend £2k trying to fix it, still can't fix it and end up scrapping it.
The common guy doesn't really care, just wants a car that looks good (SUV/bigger than the neighbours maybe), easy to drive, does the most possible to prevent crashing due to not being a great driver and costs what its estimated to cost for the intended duration of their use/ownership. Beyond that, its just some second hand lump that gets sold down the east end on another lease until end of life (which won't be more than 10 or 12 years).
Had so many folk borrow my car (25 year old 300k mile diesel estate car) to do tip runs, bike weekend runs or when theirs is broken and they all say the same 'wow that drives well, not even for an old car, for any car, feels like your actually driving a vehicle and not playing playstation', and at the same time everything thats mean't to work does work, heated seats, dual zone, central locking, erm, electric windows? Thats about all the kit it has lol.