My ol’ bod is no longer amenable to leaning over and rolling up a manual right side window. Thank God for electric windows!
@db4690 In Ireland last year we rented a Nissan Micra which had Power Windows in the front and manual in the back, not unusual to see that on more basic trim’s and compacts. The Ford Mondeo we were originally given was equipped the same.
Triedaq My first British sports car was a 1960 Austin Healey Sprite MK1. It had sliding plexiglass or zip in vinyl side curtains which stored in back behind the seats with the top assembly which required some assembly to erect. Talk about minimalist! No carpets. no door panels. no trunk lid. no door handles or locks. The turn signal switch was a 3 position toggle in the center of the dash. Really nothing to go wrong. I loved it.
Had to replace the maotor/regulator in my wifes 03 windstar, drill out the rivets, Thinking $150 for the replacement part, put bolts where the rivets were, a 3 hour job for me, I see advantage in rolling down the passenger window without bending over the passenger seat to chat, but never had a manual window fail.
@Barkydog
Why did you replace rivets with bolts?
Rivets aren’t that expensive
Neither is a halfway decent manual rivet gun
Did not have a 1/4 inch rivet gun @db4960
It’s a case of retooling or making everything the same. Plus, as you all point out, it’s getting to a point where power window motors and regulators are cheaper. Personally, I love power mirrors and am ambivalent about power windows, until I need to open or close a rear one. The 4runner we have still has the power rear window. That I like ! I suppose the most reliable would just the like the old storm windows you raise and lower or fold in and out by hand.
@Barkydog
Thanks for clearing that up
A 1/4" rivet gun is definitely a little bigger than average
I had incorrectly assumed that your wife’s van used the more commonly used smaller rivets
In the endless and frustrating pursuit of improving on an original design, when ever I have to replace a rivet in just about anything out of doors, I use stainless steel rivets and back up both ends with stainless steel washers. Like mentioned, when ever possible I use stainless steel bolts and washers over rivets when they can be made to fit with locking nuts and washers. Will even drill out holes to fit the bolts if I must.