# What new cars have older features and reliability without the newer complexities and styles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Buying/Selling\ **Created:** [March 13, 2026, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326 "2026-03-13T20:10:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2026, 7:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/142 "2026-04-14T19:48:29Z")
> [@Purebred](#): > > Pontiac, in their infinite wisdom, had you push in to turn on then pull knob out to turn off. GM used that infernal contraption on the steering column at least through the 80s. In addition to the switch being tiny and easy to overlook, the amount of force needed to pull the switch to the off position was far too high. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/8/0886f09e27b4c9b4944c8109d85256f49be63869.png) ---
**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:** [April 15, 2026, 2:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/143 "2026-04-15T02:48:56Z")
GM used that until the early 2000s in their class 6 - 8 trucks I’m thinking they continued using a VERY dated Saginaw steering column . . . ? ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 6:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/144 "2026-04-16T18:56:13Z")
I have neckties from the 1990’s that I still consider modern, but my wife does not agree. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/145 "2026-04-16T20:05:16Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > I have neckties from the 1990’s that I still consider modern, but my wife does not agree. Give them another 10 years… ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/146 "2026-04-16T20:56:17Z")
What about my navy blue leisure suit with the gold stitching? ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/147 "2026-04-16T21:34:19Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > What about my navy blue leisure suit with the gold stitching? Just buy a car to match it… ![1979-Lincoln-Continental-Mark-V-Bill-Blass-Edition2](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/f/4/f431e5402e98222c9225e214c3640966d0a9178e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 11:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/148 "2026-04-16T23:17:10Z")
That Mark 5 is one of my all time favorite cars. IIRC, that is the Bill Blass edition. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 2:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/149 "2026-04-17T02:39:28Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > That Mark 5 is one of my all time favorite cars. IIRC, that is the Bill Blass edition. Sure is. I’ve always liked the Mark 5 as well. About 20 years ago I found one just like this one, good condition, straight and clean. Seller and I ended up about $1000 apart in price. He had spent $1500 on indoor storage for a couple of years and wanted to recoup that cost. I told him just keeping a car doesn’t increase the value. Never came to an agreement. Hard to find one with a good top these days. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/150 "2026-04-17T03:00:19Z")
They were not built to last 50 years! ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 10:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/151 "2026-04-17T10:45:43Z")
Ahoy there maties, prepare to be boarded! Good luck docking that yacht in the modern sized parking spaces around here. You’d need a couple tugs to get 'er lined up and then grease the sides… The older I get, the more I miss the comfort of those cars. No grunting required to get in/out. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 12:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/152 "2026-04-17T12:30:48Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > That Mark 5 is one of my all time favorite cars They were attractive, but–IMO–not good for driving if you expect good braking and handling. A co-worker gave me the “treat” of driving her new-ish Mark 5 and the brakes were just plain… bad… by comparison with my Volvo. The handling was also fairly poor. I doubt if most Mark 5 drivers were interesting in great handling, but they probably wanted good brakes. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 1:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/153 "2026-04-17T13:00:27Z")
In the mid70s, leisure suits just came out. I went to a M-M-Mel (he sold t-shirts like that) Tillis concert, got a powder blue, western cut, leisure suit with mother of Pearl snaps rather than buttons! I preferred the Mark III, just a styling preference, I think our ole’ buddy Tom McCahill had one, probably the last car he had. But then I would like in my collection any Lincoln convertible 1958-1963. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 1:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/154 "2026-04-17T13:34:41Z")
> [@TwinTurbo](#): > > The older I get, the more I miss the comfort of those cars. No grunting required to get in/out. Minivans are a good substitute as far as ingress/egress and ride comfort. I used to call our 2003 Silhouette a limousine. The Odyssey we have now is equally as comfortable, but not quite as quiet. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 2:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/155 "2026-04-17T14:57:56Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > I used to call our 2003 Silhouette a limousine. The Odyssey we have now is equally as comfortable, but not quite as quiet. Toyota actually manufactures a “limo” minivan, but it’s not marketed in The US. It’s the _Lexus LM_ (Luxury Mover). > **[Lexus LM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_LM)** > > The Lexus LM is a luxury MPV produced and manufactured by Japanese brand Lexus, a luxury division of Toyota. Introduced in 2019 as the first minivan from Lexus, two generations of the LM have been produced with varying degrees of relation with the Toyota Alphard/Vellfire. The first generation LM was available as a seven or four-seater with gasoline and hybrid engine options from 2020 to 2023. As of the second generation, the LM is exclusively a hybrid, and is available in four, six, and seven-... ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 3:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/156 "2026-04-17T15:13:19Z")
Yes, our Ody is the easiest backseat access of almost anything I have ever owned. Ironically, my son says it is the worst because the sliding doors “are too slow”. 😲 My new to me truck is running a close race- it’s a 4 door supercrew and the only difference is the step up to get in. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/157 "2026-04-17T15:25:18Z")
For something a bit smaller, I’ve been very happy with my new Forester, easy in/out and LOTS of headroom, even with the (unwanted) sunroof. And 35 mpg day in/day out. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/158 "2026-04-17T16:07:06Z")
We should talk more. I have a '63 Lincoln 4 door convertible in my garage that I need to get rid of. Quickly. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/159 "2026-04-17T16:20:52Z")
> [@TwinTurbo](#): > > Good luck docking that yacht in the modern sized parking spaces around here. Yeah, that bugs me. For the last 20 years cars have been getting bigger and parking spots have been getting smaller. One of my cars is a Ford Flex and I’m always banging doors in a parking lot. > [@VDCdriver](#): > > They were attractive, but–IMO–not good for driving if you expect good braking and handling. I don’t think you handle and brake those cars as much as you vaguely coax them in the right direction. They are also surprisingly cramped. For as long as that car is, I would expect to be able to stretch my legs straight out in the back seat. But I do love the way they look. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 7:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/160 "2026-04-17T19:44:32Z")
> [@asemaster](#): > > I don’t think you handle and brake those cars as much as you vaguely coax them in the right direction I think that’s a good description. The woman who owned the Lincoln land yacht that I drove was someone who drove “reluctantly”, and probably drove it (very slowly) no more than ~8 miles each way, to and from work each day. > [@asemaster](#): > > For as long as that car is, I would expect to be able to stretch my legs straight out in the back seat. +1 My recollection is that the 3 other co-workers in the back seat looked very cramped and uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326/161 "2026-04-17T20:36:23Z")
> [@asemaster](#): > > For as long as that car is, I would expect to be able to stretch my legs straight out in the back seat. That’s what the trunk’s for… [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326.md?page=7) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-new-cars-have-older-features-and-reliability-without-the-newer-complexities-and-styles/205326.md?page=9)