Suzuki Jimny or Toyota Tacoma/Hilux Work Trim
Ask HN: Best cars without too much digitalization?
71–80 of 340 posts
Re: Ask HN: Best cars without too much digitalization?
#72Mazda seems to be heading the right direction: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20200335
They make a very shitty EV though.
Do you mean the range? If that's the case then I agree, I don't know what they were thinking.
If not then I guess it's a lot different from the 2019 Mazda 6 I own. It's been great. Not what the parent is looking for probably but it has no gimmicks - I find every convenience usable. The adaptive lights, the active cruise, lane assist, automatic transmission, keyless system, seat memory, HUD, 360 cam. Yes, I know these are kind of basics now but still, I come from Mitsubishi Lancer 2010 land - all the gimmicks that car had was ABS ;)
Only knit pick I have is you can't turn off the radio, you can only mute it. Had the same feeling when I bought my first iPod and discovered that sleep was it's natural state... Got used to it somehow ;)
Re: Ask HN: Best cars without too much digitalization?
#732019 and below Nissan Frontier. Outstanding trucks. They changed it in 2020 and 2021 I would give it another 15 years to iron out the bugs.
Re: Ask HN: Best cars without too much digitalization?
#74Buy a Toyota from 2000-2010. They run practically forever, they're low maintenance, and they achieve everything you're asking for here regarding modern electronics. My daily driver is a 2000 4Runner, and I love everything about it.
Re: Ask HN: Best cars without too much digitalization?
#75Good question. A follow-up: What's the best low(er)-digitalization EV (ideally BEV, but alternatively PHEV)? Something with more tactile/analog UI and a minimum of "entertainment" accessories?
Volkswagen e-Up(or its equivalent Skoda Citigo/Seat Mii) - it's a full EV that still has a fully analog dash, minimal radio and instead of "infotainment" provides a holder for your phone. That's as minimum as it gets.
Re: Ask HN: Best cars without too much digitalization?
#76[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Best cars without too much digitalization?
#77I have a 2004 buick park ave and i couldn't be happier with it.
Re: Ask HN: Best cars without too much digitalization?
#78They don't sell them in the US anymore, but I drive a 2019 Honda Fit and it's great. Very versatile (holds four adults, 8ft lumber, 36" doors, etc). The base trim is very tech-lite: bluetooth radio but nothing fancier than that, physically controlled hvac and chair controls, traditional key, basic LTMS (no dedicated chips in the tires, just a calculation based on different angular velocity across the wheels), etc. It…
> It's a dying breed though, complicated "driver assist" systems are becoming standard or even mandated :(. It saves lives, even if the systems are not 100% effective.
I don't disagree, but it makes the car much more complicated and expensive which are valid negatives.
Small cars with low hoods and good visibility don't need those systems nearly as much as large SUV's with dangerous hood designs and poor side/rear visibility. I think we should focus on the total safety of the vehicle instead of pushing everything to be bigger and more expensive which makes car ownership hard for poorer people.
Re: Ask HN: Best cars without too much digitalization?
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
Problem is, up here in the north, cars start rusting away before they are otherwise unusable.
I would honestly pay 5k for a one-time rust prevention fix if it were a long term solution. I have a wonderful Toyota 4Runner in great condition - except for the terrible rust. It will definitely die a rusty death.
Yep, I absolutely feel that. I have a very nice and boring '06 Toyota in great shape, except for a big rust spot on top of the windshield, I give it only a winter or two before it starts leaking. At that point it's not worth fixing a 16-17 year old car anymore. Which is a shame, because it's got a great drivetrain, rides smooth, and doesn't have a thousand little computers one bitflip away from driving you into a concrete pillar.
Re: Ask HN: Best cars without too much digitalization?
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
My Fit has been absolutely great. I’ve learned a lot by working on it, but I do have the say that the plastic engine protector is a travesty. Clips were originally broken during a commercial oil change. Ever since, I’ve just been using self tapping screws to reattach it.
Wow, you shouldn't have self tapping screws anywhere near an engine bay. But since you know what they are, I guess their danger is minimized. It is quite OK to run w/o an engine cover, it is a worthless piece of plastic.
They can actually be worse, trapping heat in.
But yea, completely non-functional. Remove it if the clips are broken. You aren't missing anything.