Ford, get a low end V6 F150, 30mpg, 4x4, and you can get them as bone stock as you want
Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?
121–130 of 183 posts
Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?
#1222013 Infiniti G37x.
No internet or cell built in.
It does have a touchscreen, but only used for built in gps.
Climate, radio, etc are all physical buttons.
No remote anti theft, but if someone has physical access, any car with an OBD II can be taken over to a limited extent.
You could also go with a ford ranger.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?
#123Earlier quoted context omitted.
I’ve had all kinds of problems in the snow but I’m a New Yorker so I cope. I dig other people out more often than get stuck myself. The AWD vehicle has a more complex drivetrain, will be more expensive to maintain and probably get worse gas mileage. Friends of mine swear by Subaru but I think they are crazy. If I wanted AWD I think I’d look for a small SUV like a Ford Escape.
I really would highly recommend Infiniti's AWD options. I took my G37x to just shy of 300,000 miles with no major issues, and it wouldn’t get stuck until the snow was above its bumpers.
That's like the Buick strategy.
I don't think I'd ever get one of the premium brand cars new (e.g. Acura, Lexus, Mercury, etc.) but the premium you pay for a premium brand is a lot less in a used car than a new car. Also an older premium car is going to more technically up to date than an older entry level car.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?
#124Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Used car with front wheel drive, preferably traction control, put Blizzaks on all four wheels and you’ll do OK in snow unless you insist on driving on unplowed roads. There's more to cars in snowy climate than driving. OP clearly wants AWD, why tell him he doesn't really want it? As someone who's lived North most of their life, AWD is clearly a big advantage both for driving and for getting unstuck. Have you never…
During the part of my life when I lived in an intensely snowy climate, I never had a vehicle with four-wheel drive, and never had any issues. Four-wheel drive is a crutch to get you into situations your brakes can't get you out of.
Yup, same here. I delivered pizzas in northern Ontario for 3 years while in school. During snowstorms it seemed quite a few people would decide to stay home ... and order a pizza. I carried about a dozen+ bricks with me that I would jam under the wheels of my front wheel drive whenever I got stuck, often several times per storm. Fun times fondly remembered.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?
#125Have 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.
If you look in the car's manual, you may find a fuse for these you can pull as well. May be easier than disconnecting the antenna.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?
#126Earlier quoted context omitted.
Honestly I did fine with FWD and no snow tires on my 97 Ford escort in college in the snow belt (200+ inches of snow a year). People love to waste money on AWD/4WD.
Not having snow tires is illegal and dangerous in Norway.
Good for Norway I guess? Like I said, it was never an issue, and I drove on roads that were consistently snow covered. Just drive slower. I used to pass a lot of vehicles stuck in snow banks off the highway after they had passed me at high speed, cars, trucks, SUVs, didn't matter. The primary risk factor in snow driving is speed.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?
#127So many weird “you don’t need AWD” takes. Like it’s a badge of honor to use an inferior tool for a job, as long as you get the job done? Bizarre.
You don't need AWD if you drive in a tropical/sub-tropical city or suburban environment that will ostensibly never see snow or muddy conditions.
Ha! Granted. I took it as understood there’d be snow.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?
#128Earlier quoted context omitted.
During the part of my life when I lived in an intensely snowy climate, I never had a vehicle with four-wheel drive, and never had any issues. Four-wheel drive is a crutch to get you into situations your brakes can't get you out of.
Yup, same here. I delivered pizzas in northern Ontario for 3 years while in school. During snowstorms it seemed quite a few people would decide to stay home ... and order a pizza. I carried about a dozen+ bricks with me that I would jam under the wheels of my front wheel drive whenever I got stuck, often several times per storm. Fun times fondly remembered.
I'm glad snow tires and traction control have gotten so much better.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?
#129[dead]
Re: Ask HN: What's the best car without undesirable features?
#130Check out Volkswagen that have been built between 2019 and 2021 (MY for Canada, US and EU might be a bit different). They usually come with Android Auto already (worth it for traffic and music - you can use OsmAnd or alternatives as well if you want zero tracking), BUT all the climate and radio and steering wheel controls are still physical buttons. And at least for Canada there are is no cellphone module in the car. There actually was for US market, but apparently since it supports max. 3G and the network has been shut down US wide end of 2022 they are truly offline as well now.