Whatever Happened

I can remember when automobile manufacturers built vehicles that were quality basic, affordable transportation. Instead, the companies are Hell-bent on inserting everything they can and pushing the prices above the amount many people can afford. Things like heated seats, Wi-Fi, GPS, television screens, cell phones, self-park, all may be nice if they would be considered items that a customer can add, but not already included and sent to the dealer.

I think an automobile manufacturer could clean up, if they built a pickup truck, van, or automobile that was created with high quality, low maintenance, basic transportation. Volkswagen cleaned up doing that very thing, but since then, companies have been including niceties, but unnecessary “luxuries.”

Vehicles that are created to take a person back and forth to work and vehicles that are fuel efficient and reliable could be so much in demand that the flagging automobile industry could again regain the market. Cars would be affordable again. People would be glad to drive a new car again. Young Americans could afford a car, again.

I don’t need to hear about the untruth of “Global Warming” idiocy and the stupidity of “Carbon Footprints.” They are ways the government has concocted to limit our freedoms and intrude into our lives. Many of the people who live outside the urban areas don’t have access to public transportation of buses or trolleys and the distance is too great to walk or ride bicycles. The steep and hilly terrain of southwestern Pennsylvania also limits the types, modes, and ways of transportation that the rural population can reasonably rely on and use.

I remember a time when having a working heater and a radio were considered extras. Manual transmissions were the norm. Paint colors were about the only choices that didn’t cost extra when buying a car or truck. (The original assembly line cars came in only one color, black.)

 I think it time again for auto manufacturers to reevaluate the need and demand for good basic vehicles. I feel the consumer would be ready for them, as long as the vehicles looked stylish and decent looking.