I’m old. I’m about to make reference to “the good old days”.

[Jim Bow]

Back in “the good old days” (I know, they weren’t THAT good) you could tell a Jaguar from a Buick. A kid could tell a Ford from a Chevy, etc.
Today, I came out of the grocery store and saw 3 smallish shiny black SUVs parked along the curb. They all looked alike. As I walked past, they were a Hyundai, a Buick, and a Jaguar.
We live in a world where you cant tell a Buick from a Jaguar!
ITEOTWAWKI.

[elf]

I have a friend who works in a design shop for these modern cars. He works with designers for all the "brands" and all the cars they design look alike because the designers all work together every day.

[Dave Wright]

Back in “the good old days” (I know, they weren’t THAT good) you could tell a Jaguar from a Buick. A kid could tell a Ford from a Chevy, etc.

Not only that, the text book for my 1960 high school auto mechanics class was just a 1/2 inch thick, and was sufficient to do all sorts of maintenance on any American car.

[CWSmith]

I drive a white CR-V hybrid. It is not uncommon for me to walk to the wrong car in the parking lot. Every car company makes a car that looks like it and white is the most popular color. I wind up laughing with the other car owner and they say they have done the same thing.

[LeeG]

I remember an older friend saying that 40 yrs ago

[Tom from Rubicon]

It was a pass time for cousin Kenny and me 60 years ago to name the car makes as they passed by.

[Priscilla]

Same sameness in design appearance is also prevalent for modern yachts.

[Henning 4148]

In Germany, most cars are silver, anthrazit, black, dark blue or white. Even though all these cars in these colors looked at individually may be somewhat stylish, watching traffic is like watching a funeral procession. I always thought the Americans drove more cars in happier colors - as they just might be more optimistic people.

[goodbasil]

When I was young we'd name the cars at night by the headlights.

[Ron Williamson]

I drive a white CR-V hybrid. It is not uncommon for me to walk to the wrong car in the parking lot. Every car company makes a car that looks like it and white is the most popular color. I wind up laughing with the other car owner and they say they have done the same thing.

My mom got into the wrong sky blue first gen Civic more than once ,since the door locks were pretty basic and could be opened with any Honda key.
R

[goodbasil]

Had a friend who owned an old Volvo. One of those fastback turtle looking things. Came home one night drunk and stoned as usual passed out on his bed leaving his key in the door. Next morning realized it was the Volvo key. Turned out keys were interchangeable.

[gypsie]

I remember when people wrote complete sentences in actual words.

[birlinn]

Many years ago we had a red Mini with a black roof.
Went to the seaside one day, and came back, unlocked the car, and got in. I was puzzled as there were strange objects left on the parcel shelf; I couldn't work out why someone would bother to break in to leave them.
I then realised that there was another red and black Mini parked a few cars away, obviously with the same key combo.....

[Norman Bernstein]

I definitely agree about the color selections. When I was coming of age, my biggest wish was to own an orange (or was it ‘pumpkin’) MGB. I also was very fond of the original Porsche 914, in the same color. A high school friend, daughter of a rich guy, had one… I was very jealous.

Nowadays, it seems like every available color could be described as ‘drab’.

[hawkeye54]

^ This - - What's behind the move to 'taupe / putty / mud / pond slime' lower-luster car paint colors ? ? ?

[wizbang 13]

i refer to modern cars as jellybeans
i hate em, but my cuticles have not been dirty in 12 years

[ron ll]

Cars of my childhood were two or three tone.

366E6A24-D7AF-4BC1-97D0-E1B93FA9F852.jpg

17185890-6795-4C6C-9BBB-4687C53A6510.jpg

3CB08802-40D6-4A5F-8B69-078120D051BD.jpg

[Spin_Drift]

tel:6759407[/URL]"]6759407[/URL]]Cars of my childhood were two or three tone.

366E6A24-D7AF-4BC1-97D0-E1B93FA9F852.jpg

17185890-6795-4C6C-9BBB-4687C53A6510.jpg

3CB08802-40D6-4A5F-8B69-078120D051BD.jpg

Very BEAUTIFUL

[Spin_Drift]

I love old trucks that are built strong. Here is mine getting ready for July 4th parade.

8BC86D15-4FDD-4CA4-AF92-F818160EC1CA.jpg


45AE4DF8-E13E-4E0A-9895-AA1CF47371BB.jpg

[birlinn]

Are those spikes to stop pigeons perching on that front bumper?

(Sorry- I'm feeling a bit light headed today)

Wouldn't want to be a pedestrian hit by those bull bars- I hate the darn things. The motoring equivalent of a Pit Bull.

[LeeG]

Are those spikes to stop pigeons perching on that front bumper?

(Sorry- I'm feeling a bit light headed today)

Wouldn't want to be a pedestrian hit by those bull bars- I hate the darn things. The motoring equivalent of a Pit Bull.

i think that’s a light bar.

[birlinn]

Hence my light-headed reference...

[MushCreek]

That's an old truck? My 'newest' vehicle is a '95 F-150.

[Gerarddm]

THESE are the good old days - Carly Simon

[Spin_Drift]

6759446[/URL]]That's an old truck? My 'newest' vehicle is a '95 F-150.

Pictures please .

(It’s a -92)

[LeeG]

THESE are the good old days - Carly Simon

Got that right.

[RCRVRP]

I loved the style of many of the older cars and trucks, say 60's and back.
What I didn't like though was 2000 mile oil changes and even so you were lucky to get to 100,000 miles without an oil burning problem.
Tune up every 10- 20 thousand. Points, plugs, condenser.
10 MPG
In a northern climate a new exhaust system every few years and body rust after 3-4 years.
Bias ply tires that wore out in less than 20,000 miles.
Valve adjustments.
Drum brakes.
No seat belts and metal dashboards.
AM only radios with a poor speaker, poor speakers if you got the speaker in the doors option.

A car with the styling of the 50/60s and the technology of today would be nice.

I need to shop for a nice restomod.

[Jim Bow]

DEF41B98-43B8-452C-B638-33DB48044062.jpg

[Ron Carter]

I have a friend who works in a design shop for these modern cars. He works with designers for all the "brands" and all the cars they design look alike because the designers all work together every day.

The reason they all look alike is aerodynamics. Packaging 4 people and a powertrain with the least amount of aerodynamic drag defines the optimum shape. That is a huge part of the fuel saving strategy.

[John Meachen]

The reason they all look alike is aerodynamics. Packaging 4 people and a powertrain with the least amount of aerodynamic drag defines the optimum shape. That is a huge part of the fuel saving strategy.

In Europe there is also a requirement for heights of bumpers and the amount of curvature on the surfaces that might impact pedestrians,not to mention an amount of space above the engine.The space might seem to be a bit of an oddity,but it is intended to prevent a body impacting a very hard engine in the event of an impact.With these factors and a need to fit into a specific size class there isn't a lot of freedom to deviate too far from the norms.

[ron ll]

And side airbags have made cars wider.

[Jim Bow]

What John Meachen said. Our huge pickup trucks have very flat fronts with no projections of any kind. Pedestrian protection.

Of course, once you buy the damned thing you can attach a brush bumper, winch, and lightbar. Sure to cripple an unlucky jaywalker.

[LeeG]

The reason they all look alike is aerodynamics. Packaging 4 people and a powertrain with the least amount of aerodynamic drag defines the optimum shape. That is a huge part of the fuel saving strategy.

eggzactly, that high highway mpg rating is going to conform to a narrow range of possible shapes.

[Paul Pless]

eggzactly, that high highway mpg rating is going to conform to a narrow range of possible shapes.

soon all cars will have the same exact electric motor and battery system

[LeeG]

soon all cars will have the same exact electric motor and battery system

no whey, some will have version 2.1, 2,2,….