Vintage Things That Have Disappeared In Your Lifetime?

[AtomicEraTom]

My neighbor has been trying to sell me an LTD with a variable venturi carb for years, and I've refused to waver from my 900 dollar offer. I don't care if the car is mint or if it has 50k on it. Not a good era for FoMoCo.

No Fords. I had enough with the stupid variable venturi crap I went through before...

 

[wsc]

Pay toilets
I remember as a kid my dad making be crawl under the stall door and unlock it from inside

 

[Gregg Axley]

I know the feeling. We had to replace all four window regulators (the mechanism in the door that rolls the window up and down, for those who don't know) on our 2000 Buick LeSabre, only one of which broke before the one-year dealer warranty expired. Long story short (and that's an understatement), our extreme displeasure with the dealership and GM forced us to replace it in 2007. Since then I've been driving a 2007 Honda Ridgeline RTL which has been 100% trouble-free.

I've had 2 regulators in my 07 Saturn replaced, under warranty...extended extended warranty.
Worth every penny, because the Ac compressor went out recently, and that was covered too.
It's the best of both worlds though, dent proof panels with a Honda 250hp 6cyl and 5speed auto transmission. I'm told it was straight out of the Accord, and only the 04-07 Vue had them. Fine, I'll take it.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I've had 2 regulators in my 07 Saturn replaced, under warranty...extended extended warranty.
Worth every penny, because the Ac compressor went out recently, and that was covered too.
It's the best of both worlds though, dent proof panels with a Honda 250hp 6cyl and 5speed auto transmission. I'm told it was straight out of the Accord, and only the 04-07 Vue had them. Fine, I'll take it.

I owned a Saturn and can say unequivocally that it was the biggest piece of crap ever produced, by the biggest dirtbag of an organization that ever sold a car. It was a happy, happy day when that scum of a company went out of business.

 

[jamespowers]

You are absolutely right. My brother took his 1986 Dodge Ram to a shop that had a reputation to be 'the best one in town' and they told him there was nothing they could do with it, because it doesn't have OBD II. We diagnosed the problem in the driveway, it needed a new carburetor....



What does an Escalade cost new? 60, 70 grand?

I will say that for my Fleetwood, it is a well-built machine, from Arlington, Texas. It's a 1996 and besides some loose trim pieces and needing routine maintenance (wheel bearings, rotors, center link, tires, serpentine belt, alignment, and routine fluid changes) Not bad on a car with 165,000 miles on it. The only thing it needs now is an A/C recharge.

I had the same thing with my FWB. They couldn't figure out the problem so I jumped the ALDL and got the codes myself---the TPS needed replacing. Since they rebuilt the carburetor it has been perfect.

Cost depends on equipment and the size.

My 86 FWB has had no problems either after I got the carb rebuilt and a few other minor things that the previous owner didn't do as upkeep. It was made in Arlington as well but my Escalade was made in Arlington too. Perhaps a different generation of workers. I would probably buy another Escalade of the same model but I would be on the dealership about every little thing as much as I was/am on this one. I also know what to look for now.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I'm vehicle shopping now and am debating another pickup or getting an Escalade. Not sure which route I'm gonna go, yet.

I had the same thing with my FWB. They couldn't figure out the problem so I jumped the ALDL and got the codes myself---the TPS needed replacing. Since they rebuilt the carburetor it has been perfect.

Cost depends on equipment and the size.

My 86 FWB has had no problems either after I got the carb rebuilt and a few other minor things that the previous owner didn't do as upkeep. It was made in Arlington as well but my Escalade was made in Arlington too. Perhaps a different generation of workers. I would probably buy another Escalade of the same model but I would be on the dealership about every little thing as much as I was/am on this one. I also know what to look for now.

 

[jamespowers]

I'm vehicle shopping now and am debating another pickup or getting an Escalade. Not sure which route I'm gonna go, yet.

You have to go new on an Escalade for the 5 year warranty.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

HA! What kinda money do you think I have?! I'm looking at a 2000 with the Chevy 5.7 Vortec in it.

You have to go new on an Escalade for the 5 year warranty.

 

[VintageBee]

Its the rare person who doesn't get a new vehicle every few years! Using a car till its life is over has disappeared for the majority of people.
I'm still driving a 20 year old Honda Civic with 203,000 miles on it, she gets 27mpg in town, uses hardly any oil and I have hauled home more oversized antiques in it than seems possible!
I still haven't quite figured out how to make a hay bale fit in it without dismantling the bale though....

 

[LizzieMaine]

Its the rare person who doesn't get a new vehicle every few years! Using a car till its life is over has disappeared for the majority of people.

We still do that here. The phrase you want to see in a used-car ad is "WILL TAKE STICKER." Of course, once it's eroded to the point where it won't take a sticker, you can sell it to island people -- licenses and registrations and inspections aren't required there, and you'll see cars still rolling out there where the floor is a nothing but a piece of plywood with a milk crate on it for a seat.

 

[Gregg Axley]

I owned a Saturn and can say unequivocally that it was the biggest piece of crap ever produced, by the biggest dirtbag of an organization that ever sold a car. It was a happy, happy day when that scum of a company went out of business.

I've heard some people say that. Must have had a Monday or Friday car.
Although I joke about that, in a batch of 25 vehicles, I'll have 7-8 that are a pain in the rear almost the entire time my office owns them.

Vintage Bee, can't you tie the hay on top, or would that slow the car down?
I've got a sick (not sick in terms of cool) Dodge Neon, and any weight (or turning on the ac) will slow it down a bit.

 

[HudsonHawk]

We still do that here. The phrase you want to see in a used-car ad is "WILL TAKE STICKER." Of course, once it's eroded to the point where it won't take a sticker, you can sell it to island people -- licenses and registrations and inspections aren't required there, and you'll see cars still rolling out there where the floor is a nothing but a piece of plywood with a milk crate on it for a seat.

You'll see that here too for old pickups and SUVs. They'll say something to the effect of "great ranch truck or for the hunting lease".

 

[HudsonHawk]

I've heard some people say that. Must have had a Monday or Friday car.
Although I joke about that, in a batch of 25 vehicles, I'll have 7-8 that are a pain in the rear almost the entire time my office owns them.

It wasn't just that the vehicle had problems, but the contemptible "customer service" that came with it. When my engine blew up at 30,000 miles, still under warranty, the head customer service guy in Tennessee actually laughed in my face and said, and I quote verbatim, "sucks to be you".

 

[Dragon Soldier]

I don't suppose that I need to point out that we Europeans generally drive naught but "stick"?
My mother, embarrassingly, has a penchant for autos.

 

[jamespowers]

HA! What kinda money do you think I have?! I'm looking at a 2000 with the Chevy 5.7 Vortec in it.

I wouldn't give you $5 for one of those. The first generation ones had tons of problems---check out the Cadillac Forums to see. The first generation model of anything you don't want because it is like the experimental model.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I don't suppose that I need to point out that we Europeans generally drive naught but "stick"?
My mother, embarrassingly, has a penchant for autos.

America has become a nation unable to shift for itself.

 

[jamespowers]

My neighbor has been trying to sell me an LTD with a variable venturi carb for years, and I've refused to waver from my 900 dollar offer. I don't care if the car is mint or if it has 50k on it. Not a good era for FoMoCo.

That wagon my father had was a hunk of crap! There is a fix for it but it involves changing the intake and carb to the tune of about $1,500! That way you get rid of that crappy carb. Ford was smoking dope in those days!
I suppose you could also wire the variable venturi open all the time though.

 

[jamespowers]

America has become a nation unable to shift for itself.

In more ways than one.....:doh: In my own defense, I am driving a four speed 57 GMC truck today.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Decent mechanics. For my birthday in June my parents offered to get the mechanicals fixed on my truck. My old man had me make out a list. The list was half a page long so he said what are the top three items needing repair. I dropped it off on the 31st of July so he could start working on it on the 1st. I just picked it up this evening. I specifically asked him to replace the lower control arms as the tubular units I had on there have failed twice. There is now so my welding done to them that I am scared that they are going to fail. When he got my engine out of the truck & pulled apart the timing chain had too much slop in it. He says he replaced it but I can't find the old part anywhere & I requested it. My truck would of been ready yesterday but the timing chain cover was leaking. It appears that he used half a tube of RTV on it. Thank god I started a new job yesterday because I am going to have to throw $500 of my own time & money at it next month.

(End of rant)

 

[Wally_Hood]

I had the same thing with my FWB. They couldn't figure out the problem so I jumped the ALDL and got the codes myself---the TPS needed replacing. Since they rebuilt the carburetor it has been perfect.

Cost depends on equipment and the size.

My 86 FWB has had no problems either after I got the carb rebuilt and a few other minor things that the previous owner didn't do as upkeep. It was made in Arlington as well but my Escalade was made in Arlington too. Perhaps a different generation of workers. I would probably buy another Escalade of the same model but I would be on the dealership about every little thing as much as I was/am on this one. I also know what to look for now.

My FWD had to be worked on when the ASB went DOA. I put out an APB PDQ for NOS VTG parts for DIY. Found an EX to F ANSI component, but not ISO certified. Supplier claimed to be OEM but wouldn't ship UPS or PP so I had to drive and PU. Got there and they wouldn't take V/M/D, cash only.