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Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?

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Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?

#81
Have you considered purchasing a newer car that you can modify?

I would assume that it would be trivial to just remove the antenna for the mobile data and once that's gone then 1, 2 and 3.

As for the touchscreens you always have buttons on the steering wheel so you will have to be content with that.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?

#83

Third or fourth gen Subaru Outback. I owned a fourth gen six cylinder and was happy with overall power and comfort. Had the most basic LED stereo. Nothing connected to the web. There are a ton of aftermarket mods out there and you can pick up good deals in PNW on Craigslist.

I own a 2023 Outback and love it!

Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?

#84
post #27

Has there been a widespread epidemic of anti-theft systems being used to impair the enjoyment by owners of their cars? Has it happened even once? I think you're looking for a 20-year-old car. The last car I had that met all these criteria was a 1999 Mazda. But you will have a hard time finding a car that was marketed in America 20 years ago, that realistically gets > 30 MPG.

Not an epidemic, no, but it has happened: https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/canadian-man-says-tes...

Although this represents a legitimate use, that it can be done at all implies that illegitimate uses are also possible. I'm quite content with just a regular key and insurance to protect my vehicle.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?

#85
post #39

You can get a 2023 or older wrangler, and replace the radio with anything else. Without the factory radio there's no internet connection. The 7" and 5" radios don't even have the modem to begin with (although apparently some 7" come with a 'telematics module' to give them internet). You can swap them out for any double din radio that fits (There's a kit or two) but the dashboard doesn't offer much space so it'd have…

Thanks!

Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?

#87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All I need is Bluetooth and/or AUX. Head units get crufty and are hard or impossible to upgrade, unlike my phone on a magnetic mount.

I'm curious your objection to a touchscreen when it sounds like you are just using a phone with bluetooth? Wouldn't a phone with a touchscreen represent the same tracking + safety hazard? I used to have a 15 Rav4. There was a shitty touchscreen but if you were just trying to interact with it minimally and just wanted to be able to pause music or skip a song, there was physical buttons on the steering wheel so you'd n…

There are important differences between these two touchscreens, though. One being that I use one of those windshield suction mounts so that it's in the line of view of the road much more so then below the center console. The other being that my fingers can tactilely guide themselves using the edges of the case with very little concentration on my part due to my much more frequent usage of the phone than to the head unit.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?

#88

Which country or geo are you located in? That is a huge factor. Are there kinds of vehicles that are completely off limits for you, eg because of difficulties parking, the environment you live it, etc? Does it have to be new? If not, how many years back are you prepared to go? If you are in North America, AWD/4wd puts you in a special zone: some light trucks and SUVs, a vanishingly small number of wagons, and Subaru.…

Located centrally in the USA. Not much is off limits assuming it's not too huge. My target is something that's reasonably compact but can still comfortably seat four.

Doesn't need to be new, but I'd prefer not to go back more than ten years if it can be helped.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?

#89
I'm very interested in this as well, but from a European pov, if anyone has any advice. My current car is a ~2011 (2nd model) Nissan Qashqai, which is wonderfully basic, manual buttons, no sat nav, no screen, basic stereo but a USB connector and BT.

I looked at a Peugeot 3008 at the time, the view in the driver's seat was like sitting in front of Blackpool illuminations [0].

[0] http://c.files.bbci.co.uk/12DD5/production/_103196277_1.jpg

Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?

#90

Have you considered purchasing a newer car that you can modify? I would assume that it would be trivial to just remove the antenna for the mobile data and once that's gone then 1, 2 and 3. As for the touchscreens you always have buttons on the steering wheel so you will have to be content with that.

I'm concerned that really new cars are always expecting to be able to connect eventually, and that as a result it would start having issues after being disconnected for a long time.
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