# Physical buttons/knobs vs touch screens **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [May 9, 2025, 7:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197 "2025-05-09T19:03:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/61 "2025-05-16T16:13:34Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > the high beams on my 1072 Datsun 510 was stalk mounted. I had a hard time finding that with no owners manual! The Owners Manual for my SIL’s 1967 Datsun SPL-310 was written in _Pidgin English_, and was essentially useless–except for providing some laughs. The only passage from the manual that I recall was, “Your windscreen wiper have two kind speed”. Trust me, there was nothing “kind” about that rolling disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 4:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/62 "2025-05-16T16:14:51Z")
My Honda motorcycle repair manual was similar. Useful and amusing. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 4:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/63 "2025-05-16T16:30:16Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > I let friend drive my Honda S2000 when I got it. It took her a while to find the left mounted Start button! I have a similar issue. To start my Tesla I put the car in drive or reverse and go. When parking it I put it in park and get out. I always forget to push the shop button in Mrs JT’s Odyssey when I park. I got her new tires on Wednesday and didn’t remember to push to stop button before opening the door until I returned from the trip. > [@db4690](#): > > I think one of the worst I’ve encountered so far are some of the Econoline vans What about those old MB cars that had vacuum anctuated everything? ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/64 "2025-05-16T18:55:44Z")
In those old Benzes, getting to the reservoir didn’t require disassembling half the vehicle, as I recall ---
**Author:** ![Car\_Talk\_Social\_Media\_Web\_Lackey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Car\_Talk\_Social\_Media\_Web\_Lackey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Car_Talk_Social_Media_Web_Lackey)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 6:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/65 "2025-05-16T18:57:41Z")
We published this article last week by Aaron Turpen:[Gimme Back My Buttons! - Car Talk](https://www.cartalk.com/car-owning/gimme-back-my-buttons) ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/66 "2025-05-16T20:57:06Z")
Were the MB systems reliable? ---
**Author:** ![PhilipHowells63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@PhilipHowells63](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PhilipHowells63)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 9:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/67 "2025-05-16T21:19:56Z")
I’ve had a few cars with voice command and it wouldn’t work right, just more frustration. ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 11:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/68 "2025-05-16T23:04:07Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > > [@Old-Days-Rick](#): > > > > They work perfectly and have amazing feel > > … until they don’t… It can be said about any Hvac controls! Look at all the whiz bang electronic actuators go bad now. Id rather splice in a peice of vacuum line every now and then. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 11:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/69 "2025-05-16T23:05:13Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > I have a similar issue. To start my Tesla I put the car in drive or reverse and go. When parking it I put it in park and get out. I always forget to push the shop button in Mrs JT’s Odyssey when I park. I got her new tires on Wednesday and didn’t remember to push to stop button before opening the door until I returned from the trip. Had a tech do a flat repair on a Tesla and when he was done he backed it up to the front door, after about 15-20 minutes, I went out and asked him what he was doing, he said trying to turn the car off… 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/70 "2025-05-16T23:34:43Z")
So-so It seemed it was usually a rotten vacuum line or fitting in a fairly accessible location, causing the system to default to defrost . . . but I’ve replaced a few vacuum actuators, as well I haven’t really worked on those cars in a LONG time now, so I can’t imagine what condition any remaining Benzes with vacuum HVAC systems are now in. Any such car is going to be model year 2003 or older . . . much older, in most cases ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 12:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/71 "2025-05-17T00:11:43Z")
How do you turn a Tesla off, Dave? ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 12:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/72 "2025-05-17T00:35:31Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > How do you turn a Tesla off, Dave? By being mean to it of course… 😁 ---
**Author:** ![glasspilot](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/glasspilot/32/27886_2.png) [@glasspilot](https://community.cartalk.com/u/glasspilot)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 11:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/73 "2025-05-17T11:24:37Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > Back to controls… the high beams on my 1972 Datsun 510 was stalk mounted. I had a hard time finding that with no owners manual! Many cars still had the floor mounted high beam switch back then. I owned a 1969 Datsun 510 also! Great cars for their time. Like most cars back then, very thin sheet metal. In the snow belt they rusted away in just a few years. I had a 1976 Impala with the high beam switch on the floor! If the floorboard rusted enough you would hit the switch and it would fall through the floor! Good reason to move the switches up to the column. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 12:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/74 "2025-05-17T12:02:20Z")
Press the end of the gear selector stalk to put it in park. Press and hold it again and it engages the parking brake. I’m so used to it that I don’t always remember to turn off an ICE motor with the ignition button or key. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 12:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/75 "2025-05-17T12:24:42Z")
This was back around 2016ish and He finally just got out and shut the door, the vehicle “powered” itself down and locked the doors (pulled the handles in, what ever it does)… It was the 1st time any of us has seen one up close… ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 12:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/76 "2025-05-17T12:59:11Z")
> [@glasspilot](#): > > I owned a 1969 Datsun 510 also! Great cars for their time. Like most cars back then, very thin sheet metal. In the snow belt they rusted away in just a few years. My SIL’s 1967 Datsun SPL-310’s bumpers and chrome trim were completely coated in rust after less than 2 years. Rust began to appear in the rocker panel area shortly after that, and if we hadn’t gotten rid of that ridiculously-awful car, it would have rusted-away in another year or so. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 1:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/77 "2025-05-17T13:31:10Z")
The Datsun 510 was a Japanese BMW 2002. Strut front suspension and an independent semi-trailing arm rear suspension. A single overhead cam 1.6 liter 4 with a 2 barrel carb and dual point distributor. It was very light, had NO rust protection but it handled very well. The engine was reliable and nearly bulletproof. Apparently Datsun learned a few things since the SPL-310. The SPL was just a bit too much like the English roadsters it was modeled after! 😆 ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 1:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/78 "2025-05-17T13:34:26Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > The Owners Manual for my SIL’s 1967 Datsun SPL-310 was written in _Pidgin English_, and was essentially useless–except for providing some laughs. Audio equipment from Japan was written by the same guy. “Insert button push on”. It was horrible. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 1:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/79 "2025-05-17T13:36:43Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > The Datsun 510 was a Japanese BMW 2002. My wife owned a Datsun 510. Mechanically it was a great car. That Naps-Z engine with dual ignition had a lot of pep. But it was a rust bucket after 6 years when my wife bought her firs Accord. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 1:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197/80 "2025-05-17T13:44:14Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > The SPL was just a bit too much like the English roadsters it was modeled after! 😆 My SIL actually wanted an Austin-Healey 3000–until she saw the price. Maybe the AH 3000 would have been more reliable than the Datsun SPL-310. It certainly couldn’t have been worse. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197.md?page=3) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/physical-buttons-knobs-vs-touch-screens/200197.md?page=5)