I’m not a gadget guy. I don’t need the shiny new thing. I don’t want to overcomplicate.
Those thoughts occurred to me as repeated ads for new cars begin populating our TV screens for Christmas. They shine. They come loaded with every piece of technology you could ever want. The car companies presume we want them.
When you’re not a gadget person, and you’re considering a new vehicle at some point down the road, you’re struck by all this stuff you don’t want or need. My current car is closing in on 180,000 miles. I remember the days where if you got to 70,000 miles on the odometer, you expected the engine to explode and the transmission to fall out. Now, it seems like we can get 200,000 miles and beyond on a car. My mind spins around what I’d want, and that decision will occur sometime in the coming year or so.
Which brings me back to all the garbage I don’t want. There’s no need for any “hands-off” technology. Let me keep the hands on the wheel where they belong.
Connectivity to the world is not necessary either. Riding in a car is a good time to get away from that as far as I’m concerned, so I don’t need 17 buttons to configure something so I can access a link that causes a distraction.
And, perhaps a bit weirdly, a complex wonderful sound system is not high on my list, either. Music is good, sure. Let this old man pop in a few CDs. That’s the old fangled way. I don’t need to set up personalized soundtracks contacted to my phone.
What I do want is high mileage. A hybrid that averages over 51 MPG would be quite nice. Can you car companies make that, please?
Leg room, yes. I’m taller than the male average. Not by much, but enough where my legs want to extend and many vehicles don’t allow full extension. I’d like that, please.
A comfy seat is also highly desirable. For some reason, when you drive longer distances as an older person, your butt muscles don’t like it. A well-cushioned chair alleviates that. Bring it.
Living up north, I want either all-wheel drive or at least a vehicle known for handling slick, icy, snowy roads with safety. Nothing worse that the feeling of your car losing control, sending those little sparky feelings throughout your body as you slide towards a speed rail anticipating a crash.
The car should need minimal repairs if you standardize maintenance. Do the regular checkups, and you shouldn’t have to bring it in except in the longer run when tires or brakes wear out. The other parts of the machine should last many years.
Finally, yes, give me room for golf clubs and dogs. Our two dogs need to easily fit in the back seat so they can hang their tongues our their respective windows and stink up the back with their smelly fur. And the trunk needs to easily handle golf clubs and a cart. Throw them in. Slam it shut. Off you go.
Strip it down. Give me the basics. Forget about all those gadgets the car companies think EVERYONE seems to want. I’m waiting for the BASIC version. It seems to get tougher and tougher to find.
I’m not a gadget guy. I don’t need the shiny new thing. I don’t want to overcomplicate.
Those thoughts occurred to me as repeated ads for new cars begin populating our TV screens for Christmas. They shine. They come loaded with every piece of technology you could ever want. The car companies presume we want them.
When you’re not a gadget person, and you’re considering a new vehicle at some point down the road, you’re struck by all this stuff you don’t want or need. My current car is closing in on 180,000 miles. I remember the days where if you got to 70,000 miles on the odometer, you expected the engine to explode and the transmission to fall out. Now, it seems like we can get 200,000 miles and beyond on a car. My mind spins around what I’d want, and that decision will occur sometime in the coming year or so.
Which brings me back to all the garbage I don’t want. There’s no need for any “hands-off” technology. Let me keep the hands on the wheel where they belong.
Connectivity to the world is not necessary either. Riding in a car is a good time to get away from that as far as I’m concerned, so I don’t need 17 buttons to configure something so I can access a link that causes a distraction.
And, perhaps a bit weirdly, a complex wonderful sound system is not high on my list, either. Music is good, sure. Let this old man pop in a few CDs. That’s the old fangled way. I don’t need to set up personalized soundtracks contacted to my phone.
What I do want is high mileage. A hybrid that averages over 51 MPG would be quite nice. Can you car companies make that, please?
Leg room, yes. I’m taller than the male average. Not by much, but enough where my legs want to extend and many vehicles don’t allow full extension. I’d like that, please.
A comfy seat is also highly desirable. For some reason, when you drive longer distances as an older person, your butt muscles don’t like it. A well-cushioned chair alleviates that. Bring it.
Living up north, I want either all-wheel drive or at least a vehicle known for handling slick, icy, snowy roads with safety. Nothing worse that the feeling of your car losing control, sending those little sparky feelings throughout your body as you slide towards a speed rail anticipating a crash.
The car should need minimal repairs if you standardize maintenance. Do the regular checkups, and you shouldn’t have to bring it in except in the longer run when tires or brakes wear out. The other parts of the machine should last many years.
Finally, yes, give me room for golf clubs and dogs. Our two dogs need to easily fit in the back seat so they can hang their tongues our their respective windows and stink up the back with their smelly fur. And the trunk needs to easily handle golf clubs and a cart. Throw them in. Slam it shut. Off you go.
Strip it down. Give me the basics. Forget about all those gadgets the car companies think EVERYONE seems to want. I’m waiting for the BASIC version. It seems to get tougher and tougher to find.
