Roll-up windows work for me!

[Eric]

I have two "modern" vehicles - a '98 and a 2002 Nissan Frontier pick-up. Both basically identical except one is 4WD (manual control, part-time) and one (the '02) has intermittent wipers.

The trucks have the standard four cylinder engine (sufficient for me), AC and heat, disc/drum brakes and a basic AM/FM stereo with two speakers. No power windows or locks, no cruise control. Manual five-speed stick on the floor. Fifteen-inch rims.

They are about as simple and functional as you can get in a modern vehicle, but I don't ever feel like I'm driving a stripper or missing anything (except a hole in my wallet).

My trucks may not be rocket ships off the line, but they can easily cruise at 75-plus mph for hours (and get close to 30 mpgs on the highway if I keep it around 65 mph). They have plenty of power for just knocking around, picking up things at Home Depot, etc. (If I need speed, I have a sport motorcycle than can do 10 second quarter miles - quicker than a six-figure Porsche. It cost me less than $8,000 brand new.)

Both my trucks are comfortable, nice-looking machines. Even the '98 - which is now more than 12 years old. The paint still shines and unless you know your Nissans really well, it'd be easy to convince you the truck is no more than six years old.

I expect it to last another five years, at least. After all, it only has 120k on the clock - which for one of these things is "low mileage." (Frontiers with the bulletproof four-cylinder engine often go 250,000 miles or more, which is diesel-like longevity.)

Neither of my trucks cost me more than $7,500. In part because I bought them used - to let the first owner eat the depreciation. But also because I didn't need the optional (and thirsty/more expensive to maintain) V-6, fancy automatic push-button 4WD, 16 or 17-inch rims, lots of power options, or leather, etc. - which would have pushed the purchase price up by at east 30-40 percent.

I've had the '98 for almost seven years now, so it's essentially become free transportation (I could still sell it for about $4,000 if I wanted to, in which case my total cost of ownership would likely show a profit).

The '02 has just turned 60,000 miles so it has about another 150,000 miles (at least) of reliable service left in it - which means I should still have it 10 years from now.

I have never felt the need for anything else - certainly not massive chromed "rims," GPS or "entertainment" systems.

To me, this makes sense.

Unless you're rolling in dough and buying all these baubles is like an ordinary person deciding on a whim to pick up an extra six pack of Bud, it's just crazy. It's like a child, bedazzled by some shiny object - oblivious to the consequences. Like the child, there'll be an initial rush of enthusiasm, followed in short order by disinterest and boredom. Time to move on to the next new thing.

Is having a car with all the modern "stuff" installed kind of neat? Sure. But it means (for most people) spending way beyond their means for things that in some cases didn't even exist a few years ago and which they managed to live quite comfortably without.

This never seems to occur to them.

It's as if the country has been seized by some mania that can never be satiated. Even if you buy the "latest" of everything today, tomorrow there will be something else. Which our neurotic brains have been conditioned to believe we're behind the curve if we do without - or just don't care.

Count me among the latter.

Roll-up windows work just fine for me!

[dieseleverything]

I love roll up windows! You can crack them just a little in the rain if needed, without spending 5 distracting minutes trying to open them a quarter of an inch with power windows. If I has a choice all of my cars would have them. The only good thing I see in them is in a 4 door where you can't reach the rear windows and want to get a good flow of air going.

The '05 Toyota Tacoma I have from work is similar to your Nissans. No extras except what came from the factory ("styled" steel wheels, sliding rear window, and a CD player in the radio). I don't ever feel the need for power locks, windows, or more cup holders(it has 6 for some reason) and 2WD. The body has held up very well, where a deer ran into me on the fender some paint chipped off (around one square inch) 3 years ago. Today it has not spread, and remains surface rust. The frame is a different story though it's getting scaly. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one for personal use.

[DonTom]

Roll-up windows work just fine for me!

Try being alone in a large wide van and while driving, need to open or close the window on the opposite side.

I press a button that's right on my door to do so. What do you do? Wait until you can stop?

-Don-

[Eric]

Try being alone in a large wide van and while driving, need to open or close the window on the opposite side.

I press a button that's right on my door to do so. What do you do? Wait until you can stop?

-Don-

I don't drive a large wide van!

[Brandonjin]

Power windows are kinda standard now, except on the compacts.

[dieseleverything]

Try being alone in a large wide van and while driving, need to open or close the window on the opposite side.

I press a button that's right on my door to do so. What do you do? Wait until you can stop?

-Don-

Yes, that's what I'd do. Or just open the drivers window only.

[Eric]

Yes, that's what I'd do. Or just open the drivers window only.

Power windows are certainly justified for a large vehicle where it's physically impossible or awkward to lower he windows manually.

But in a compact economy car? A small pick-up? A two-door sports coupe?

I have them in my '76 Trans-Am. Wish I didn't (not my fault; they came with the car). They add a lot of weight, and it's actually more of a hassle to lower the windows this way than to just do it manually.

Throw it in the Woods!

[Mase]

Two of my vehicles are a huge contrast in equipment and driving/buying philosophy.

My "new" '98 Saturn is about as basic as it gets. 4-cylinder, automatic, heat and air, AM/FM radio. Manual seats, crank windows, manual outside mirrors. Manual door locks. No alarm. 3-speed wipers. Does have a tach and Remote trunk and gas door openers. About as basic as you can find these days.

My 2005 Cadillac DTS has just about every convenience known to man, except GPS nav, which I don't care because I have a portable Garmin.

I love both my cars. They each serve the purpose for which I got them.

My attitude is that what I value most is having the CHOICE. I don't want government or anyone else to tell me what I can and can't drive.

Oh, I love my '90 Jaguar XJ6 too.

[Eric]

"My attitude is that what I value most is having the CHOICE. I don't want government or anyone else to tell me what I can and can't drive."

Amen!!

[grouch]

The olny stuff I need are tilt, cruise and air. Tilt because of my size and the lack it that they design for, cruise because I spend a lot of time on the highway and prefer it for economy and keeping my drivers license and air because I've gotten wimpy as I've gotten older. I can always add a radio if the vehicle didn't have one. Anything else is just extra.

[Adam]

I just helped my daughter purchase her very first car a Chevy Cobalt. It has the old fashion roll up windows plus plenty of new gizmos for that Ipod thing and stuff like that.Man she was smiling and driving away from the lot like a peacock. I tell you it was a joy to watch.

[Eric]

I just helped my daughter purchase her very first car a Chevy Cobalt. It has the old fashion roll up windows plus plenty of new gizmos for that Ipod thing and stuff like that.Man she was smiling and driving away from the lot like a peacock. I tell you it was a joy to watch.

The Cobalt's a very decent little car - congratulations!

[Mase]

The olny stuff I need are tilt, cruise and air. Tilt because of my size and the lack it that they design for, cruise because I spend a lot of time on the highway and prefer it for economy and keeping my drivers license and air because I've gotten wimpy as I've gotten older. I can always add a radio if the vehicle didn't have one. Anything else is just extra.

Oh, yeah, thanks, I forgot.
My Saturn also has cruise.

[swamprat]

I just helped my daughter purchase her very first car a Chevy Cobalt. It has the old fashion roll up windows plus plenty of new gizmos for that Ipod thing and stuff like that.Man she was smiling and driving away from the lot like a peacock. I tell you it was a joy to watch.

That's great. I didn't know that they still made cars with roll up windows. I think that most cars should be made that way. I grew up with them. I didn't get a car with power windows until 1993 when I bought a Merc Cougar. I missed them until I bought my 2001 Saturn L100. It also has a 5 speed. Is her Cobalt automatic or stick?

It has been one heck of a car.

I hope that your daughter has years of enjoyment with the Cobalt.

[Adam]

Thanks Sir ;
So far all is well but it's only been a week. My daughter loves the car and she will learn the responsibility that goes along with it. Yes they do make cars with roll up windows in 2010 Chevrolet models no less. The car is great on gas and has all the essentials for robust everyday driving for work, college and I should add social life. I did all I could for her now it's up to her. At least I know she has a pretty good car to start out her adult life with. She's hard working and smart who says teenagers are bad not me!

[ChevyMan]

Yes, that's what I'd do. Or just open the drivers window only.

What if it starts to rain?

[dieseleverything]

What if it starts to rain?

I watch the weather, so I would know if it was supposed to rain. Then the window wouldn't be open in the first place.....

Besides, truck drivers have driven for decades with no power windows. Only recently has the power passenger side window become equipment in trucks. They managed somehow....

[Eric]

I watch the weather, so I would know if it was supposed to rain. Then the window wouldn't be open in the first place.....

Besides, truck drivers have driven for decades with no power windows. Only recently has the power passenger side window become equipment in trucks. They managed somehow....

In a standard cab truck, reaching over to roll up/down the passenger side window is no big deal - and really, how often do you need to do that anyhow?

I've got two pick-ups with manual roll-up windows and it's never bothered me a bit....

To me, the big benefits of the manual vs. power windows are:

* Much less weight (power window motors are heavy), which saves gas and improves performance;

* Much simpler and far less expensive to repair if something goes awry - and much less likely to fail than power windows.

I'll tell you, from direct experience, that it sucks big time when a power window fails - especially if it fails after you roll it down. Now you have a car that you can't leave outside or drive in the rain....

Sure, that can happen with manual windows, too - but if it does, usually, you can just pop off the door panel and work it back up.

[dieseleverything]

In a standard cab truck, reaching over to roll up/down the passenger side window is no big deal - and really, how often do you need to do that anyhow?

I've got two pick-ups with manual roll-up windows and it's never bothered me a bit....

To me, the big benefits of the manual vs. power windows are:

* Much less weight (power window motors are heavy), which saves gas and improves performance;

* Much simpler and far less expensive to repair if something goes awry - and much less likely to fail than power windows.

I'll tell you, from direct experience, that it sucks big time when a power window fails - especially if it fails after you roll it down. Now you have a car that you can't leave outside or drive in the rain....

Sure, that can happen with manual windows, too - but if it does, usually, you can just pop off the door panel and work it back up.

I meant big trucks...Peterbilts, Freightshakers, Kenworths and the like. Not having power windows never seemed to bother them...

[grouch]

[quote=Eric;122957]
To me, the big benefits of the manual vs. power windows are:

* Much less weight (power window motors are heavy), which saves gas and improves performance;[quote]



Actually, I've seen several cars that were bought by street racers. I knew one fellow who as w=also an engineer for Ford and when he ordered his Olds, he specifically ordered power windows as the electric windows were lighter than the mechanical regulator as the motor was stronger than your arm so it didn't need as much leverage.