Fortunately, this is an on-the-fly 4wd t-case, it's stupid easy to get it down into 4wd as all I have to do is reach two fingers behind the lever and pull towards me. The only time it needs to be put into neutral and not moving is when you go from 4wd high to 4wd low. It doesn't have hubs either so I don't have to worry about those either.

I had a '92 Bronco, and the guys who had auto xfer cases were always bemoaning the auto-lock hubs that came with 'em, most replaced with manual hubs because the auto hubs always went out. I miss that Bronco, it had the manual hubs and xfer case, and never missed a beat. Mechanically perfect at 120k miles, and the coldest R134 a/c I've ever seen, too. Got good mileage for what it was as well. Too bad about that plastic interior...the mounting hardware was always coming loose and it rattled annoyingly.

The electronically controlled t-case seems to be fine, as long as you don't let it rot. I try to remember to shift into 4hi once a month.

One point not mentioned so far is depreciation.

Most equipment (cars , washing machines or whatever) drops in value after you buy it and the drop in my experience tends to reflect the market perception of the quality of the product.

The latest 7 series BMW has a shocking reputation for reliability and the depreciation rate reflects this.
I have no idea if the actual vehicle is as bad as it is often portrayed but the second year value drop is colossal.

Pete.

Good point. I never think of depreciation because it does not apply to me. I always have end-of-life beaters and milk more life out of 'em. The Lambo was headed to the crusher in 2000 and I'm STILL driving it. I should add it up sometime... in 35 years of driving, I bet I haven't spent $5000 on cars, total! (purchase price) But, yeah, I've heard plenty about Mercedes and BMW falling off their thrones and spending mucho time in the shop. Too much gee-whiz electro crap. Make mine a modern day Model T: basic, simple, sturdy, reliable, no frills. That's what I like about Tempos and if I didn't already have a lifetime supply of them I'd want a Metro.

You might like the Kia Rio. Dealer here sells 'em new for $7995. No p/s, no a/c, no auto trans. My next DD will be a '60-'63 Ford Falcon for the same reason. Sturdy little 6-banger, 3-on-the-tree trans, manual brakes/steering/windows/seats, no radio, no a/c. Eventually I'll build a hot rod which lacks even the carpet, gas gauge, etc. Basic has become my new mantra over the last couple of years. I'm even enjoying the fact that I'm temporarily running manual steering on my Mustang thanks to a broken aftermarket bracket...

(stands and applauds)

yes yes and triple yes, even the generic 80's cars with bench seats were comfy as hell compared to these new rock hard seats.

id take my friends 1975 ford maverick (midsized for itds time) bench seat over any new car seat today. (id take the whole car, starts in -35*F weather, blasts thru any ammount of snow, RWD, had the old R-12 refigerant that makes the AC blow icicles at you)

those old cars just kinda float over bumps, sure they lean like mad when you crank around the turns but eh, rather have extremely smooth ride when going straight!


lol yea the one thing that pisses me off the most is power seats... my god how lazy are we that lifting a lever is too hard?

id take any old car over a new pos one in a second. it could be th emost rusted out banged up car and id still take it over a new car. reason?: sre ut looks like crap but i bet you that engine will still start and everyhting will still work till it literally rusts in half...

btw my window cranks still work in my model A. id love to see a power window motor work 80 years from now :P

im partial to chevy but i still apreciate and love all old fords, pontiacs, plymoth, chrystler, buick, etc.

i would love to have a pretty much stock NOVA. straight 6, manual tranny.

altho i have been lookin around for any AMC cars, those are built like tanks!

Get the terminology right...the seats aren't "hard", they're "sporty" and "supportive". :rolleyes:

I can understand in a shared car where people need very different positions, having power seats with memory. Anything else, I'd rather have the same adjustments but manual. Normally, power seats usually offer many more directions of adjustment than manual seats...but it doesn't have to be that way.

My VW has manual height adjustment, as well as sliding fore/aft and reclining. The reclining is done with a knob that you expect to be for lumbar support (which the car lacks), and the height adjustment is done with the lever usually used for reclining.

I remember the old 81 AMC Spirit my family used to own. Rock solid car. My sister wrecked it, and I swear the car must have been built with 40 MPH bumpers. I remember one time I was backing out of my mother's driveway, Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, I hit a patch of ice, and shot off into the woods at about 30 MPH backwards where I was stopped by a tree. Put the car back in 1st, and pulled out of the woods, expecting to see both tail lights broken, and don't ever think about opening the hatch ever again. To my suprise, there wasn't even a scratch on the car.

Oh, and my Buick has the premium seats in it. They are the split bench pillowback velour seats. you sit down and sink 6 inches into the seat.

lol good ol AMC...

haha yea ive ridden in cars with the lazy boy pillowtop seats lol. i love em...

eh even if there are multiple drivers thats even wose for those seat motors, more they get used the faster they wear out. ALWAYS hilarious when one side breaks so it doesnt go forward back it just twists

I have the 8 way power seats with power lumbar adjustment in my truck, and I love it. Its the most comfortable truck I've ever owned. However, since I'm the only driver it doesn't get adjusted much.

I'm a mechanic, and I agree totally. Newer domestics are way better than they were just 10 years ago. Most 80s and early 90s domestics are crap. With Toyotas it seems they peaked in the 80s. I see old Camrys and Corollas and pickups come in from very neglectfull owners. I mean they're driving around with almost no oil or coolant and the engines still run great. Newer Toyotas don't seem to tolerate abuse as well. Honda peaked in the late 80s, early 90s. I own a 1991 civic hatch, 1992 Civic hatch, and a 1992 Accord coupe. When I compare to domestic cars from the same years I can't believe how much worse the domestics are. The gap has definitely narrowed though.

Something similar with me.

I am the only driver in my car as well and the seats are four way electric adjustable but they have not been adjusted since about the third day of ownership when I found the best for me seating position.

Manual seat are not available on that model , only electric along with power windows , mirrors and so on.

Some marketing wizard decided the "convenience pack" and the "safety pack" should be linked so to get one you pay for and get both...like it or not.

Pete.

Agreed 100%. Some of the best Nissans ever built.

95-98 Maxima, earlier ones were great also but had timing belts.

91-94 Sentra

The Z cars in the mid seventies were also some of the best, after 79 they went techno and went downhill from there.

When they started making them in the US the quality gap closed and US made cars got much better.

Our 99 Maxima was just about perfect, made in Japan.
The Murano was also made in Japan, and the wifes new Rogue was made in Japan.

The 93-97 Altima had one nasty problem, the seal between the block and front cover would leak, and that sucker was a nightmare to replace.

regards
gary

LOL, I thought the "Convenience pack" was the only way you could order Air Conditioning...

-Jay

When I look at a car, I look less at where it was made and more at when it was made, if it has a carburetor, what parts are available, and for how much. Then I go from there. On that measure, classic American cars far outpace imported ones.