With all the hype lately over electric cars vs. gasoline-powered vehicles, it got me thinking about how much our vehicles have changed in other ways, too. None may be as significant as the fuel source, but they are all meaningful in some way. Some of these features are now obsolete, and others will be soon.
When was the last time you listened to a cassette tape in a vehicle? I used to have a handy carrying case that stored my favorites. I learned the hard way to put my cassettes away or risk having them melt from the summer sun on my dash. CD players are going away as well. And, according to some reports, so will the AM/FM radio as satellite options become more common.
Did you own a luxury car with a power antenna? If so, you were a big deal. You also wrote a big check when it needed repaired. Same goes for those cool pop-up headlights on the sports cars.
How about front bench seating? That was a great way to fit three people in the front row, or two if you wanted to get cozy with your sweetie. Try to find a bench seat now.
My Uncle Red had a Chevy Caprice with electric windows and door locks in the early 1970s. As a kid, I was greatly fascinated — and he was greatly annoyed — by how many times I could open and close them. The rest of us peasants had manual crank windows. Even most entry-level-model cars now come equipped with power windows and locks.
Here’s one feature I don’t miss — automatic seat belts. Remember vehicles with those straps that would wrap around you like a straight jacket the moment you shut the door?
I recently learned that ashtrays and 12 volt lighters are no longer standard in vehicles. Most every kid learned how hot those red coils were — and they had the blisters to prove it.
Remember hood ornaments? Those were cool. The thieves thought so, too.
Speaking of cool, did you have a car with a T-top? Sunroofs and moonroofs were OK, but T-tops were all the rage in the 1970s. Until they leaked. And they seemingly always leaked.
Does anyone miss a good, old-fashioned metal key? I have written in the past about the modern key fobs that are the size of a loaf of bread. The old car keys — and keyholes — will soon be completely obsolete as we are forced to memorize yet another passcode.
I had plastic hubcaps on my 1980 Ford Mustang. Well, I had three. Despite my best super glue efforts, I couldn’t repair the fourth one that kept popping off. Hubcaps of any sort are nothing but wall decorations now.
Remember vinyl or “Landau” tops? My family’s 1976 Chevy Monte Carlo had one. They looked great but were known to store water quite well, resulting in a rusty mess.
What other now-obsolete vehicle features did I miss? Send me a note and let me know — and fill up your car with gas while you still can.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com | 
