Getting your first vehicle is a rite of passage. For many, it was simple transportation that was a few levels below what was even considered basic. Stuff like coat hanger antennas, duct tape glovebox latches, and doors that were so in need of hinge bushings the latches wouldn’t even line up. “You’ve gotta slam it!” Reliability? Bah, that’s for rich people. First vehicles were an experience in the laws of chance and probability. Would it start, or wouldn’t it? Let’s find out on this edition of, “I’m late for class and need to leave NOW!”
But that was then, and by and large things have gotten better now. Believe it or not, despite all the moaning about how much better things used to be, in terms of vehicle design we’re leaps and bounds ahead of where we’ve come. Sure, there’s more plastic that can chalk and fade and look crappy, and trim is held on by glues and double-sided tape that can fail over time, but we’re talking about the hard-core mechanical systems that actually get you from point A to B. Engines aren’t festooned with miles of vacuum line and analog
