The Paradox of Choice - Why More Is Less

[old-school]

Heard this fellow on the radio going into work today. I just had to laugh. Here's the Wiki link for a Cliff Notes version: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paradox_of_Choice

The point of the fellows book is too many choices doesn't make humans happy. It's in our DNA. Too many choices elevates expectations to the point satisfaction is maybe impossible to attain. The less than perfect 'infortainment' system is a case in point. Mazda has brought to the table the most interesting engineering in over a decade to the working man's auto and all I seem to read about over and over is my bwoo-toof sux. WTF?

Persoanlly if I didn't read about it here before I bought it I would never have known. Why, because I don't use the phone or brush my teeth or read a book or use the bathroom when I drive. I listen to the radio...sometimes. Mostly I listen to my car, I feel the road and how the car behaves, I like that.

Nissan '96 Nissan Hardbody is lowered and handles like a a pickup shouldn't. That was 6 years ago. I STILL love to listen and feel it boogy through the twisties on the way home rowing the 5spd on the 25mph corners. It has 265,000 miles. THAT is a vehicle. The '06 Escape Hybrid is clad in studs for the occasional icy road. The thing handles like a cat in the snow and if I listen to it I can get to work and back on just a little over 1-1/2 gallons of fuel, 58 miles round trip. It has 250,250 miles. No bwoo-toof in either one.

Am I the only one here that would immediately trade my GT in for a no frills CX-5 AWD 2.5L with nothing but a 6spd manual trans, AC and an AM/FM radio and a dang TEMPERATURE GUAGE? Frankly I resent having to pay for all this frivilous and pointless fluff. Driving is WHY, after test driving 10 vehicles we bought the Mazda. If I wanted bells and whistles I would've bought a Buick or a Toyota. I want to drive, I bought a Mazda. Zoom-Zoom. What matters to you?

 

[MikeM.]

Yep, for me it's all about the car and not the doo-dads.

 

[Oldengineer]

I agree with you. I care a lot more about performance, chassis dynamics, etc. than I do electronic bells and whistles. In addition to my Mazda, I own a M-B GLK 350 4Matic with only the heated seats option. Basically, its a "muscle car" for us senior citizens. The other car in the stable is a stock 1948 Chevy Fleetmaster Town Sedan. Its most engaging to drive - no power steering, no power brakes, no power nothing. Its got 90 HP and can manage about 65 MPH tops on a good day. Its got 5 pedals on the floor, and, most folks these days have no idea how to even start it. Given its limited performance, non boosted drum brakes, no safety equipment, and 0 - 60 in 26 seconds - I drive it very defensively - but - its always an adventure to get the old Stove Bolt Chevy out on the road.

Regards:
Oldengineer

 

[old-school]

...1948 Chevy Fleetmaster Town Sedan...

Sounds fun Oldengineer, what a kick!

My first vehicle was a Ford F-1 half ton. Had OHV six, cruise control and push button starting. Had to use the key first to start it though, and the cruise control, it was uh... a throttle.

 

[ALafya]

My Bluetooth works just fine.
Now days, Bluetooth is a necessary feature for us, along with power windows, remote lock/unlock and automatic transmission. In fact, I recently stopped listening to music on the radio altogether (though I still listen to local news on the way to work). I now listen to Pandora as well as my own music through Bluetooth. I also answer phone calls through Bluetooth.
My first car did not even have a radio. I got it used without one and never bothered. It did have a moon roof, which is why I never got any since It was a piece of crap and I don't miss it one bit!

 

[MikeM.]

Sounds fun Oldengineer, what a kick!

My first vehicle was a Ford F-1 half ton. Had OHV six, cruise control and push button starting. Had to use the key first to start it though, and the cruise control, it was uh... a throttle.

A cable actuated throttle lock? I had a vehicle that had one of those and, although I occasionally used it as a cruise control, I didn't think that was it's design purpose. My truck had a power take-off on the crankshaft. I always assumed it was so the engine could be idled higher when using the PTO.

I worked at a ski area in Montana. One frigid day around the New Year I left my headlights on in a blizzard when I parked it (1969 Nissan Patrol 4x4 with 4.0L straight six) at the 5500 elevation gravel parking lot for my 8 hour evening shift. When I returned my vehicle was the last one in the lot and the solenoid didn't even click when I turned the key. Dead battery! It was about 5-10 degrees F and the wind was blowing 20-30 mph. Pitch black with snow blowing sideways. It was quite a hike for help so I thought it was worth a go to try the hand crank stowed in the back of the rig. It interfaced through a hole in the front bumper to the crankshaft. It was so cold and the battery so dead I didn't think I could turn over that big 6 let alone get it running but my other options were not so good either. I turned the headlight switch to off, pulled the manual choke all the way out, set the throttle lock about 1/2 inch out, put it in neutral and turned the key to "run" before I cranked on that beast. The 10-30 oil was thick in the frigid wind but by putting my entire upper body into the crank the engine started to rotate. And before I had made one complete revolution the engine fired and purred away like only a straight six can purr. Back to life! I was in awe.


At those temperatures the engine never would have started without an assistant or the throttle lock. I suppose I could have jammed something in the throttle linkage but that was easier and more precise.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Some great personal stories!!! I love hearing them....

I have to listen to my father for the really old stuff. His first car was a Model T that he had in the 50's. The only thing I ever personally saw with the hand crank was tractor my grandfather built out of '29 Dodge pickup. Although I am not sure the hand crank I remember was tied to the motor. This thing looked like something out of Mad Max. He had scoops and winches on all sides of this thing. He could seemingly build & weld anything he put his mind too. I have no doubt he could have patented some of things he created on his own time. Many things he built custom for the Weyerhaeuser mills.

 

[MikeM.]

Love the Mad Max reference! It might be time to watch that one again... or maybe I should wait another 4 or 5 years for gas to hit $8.00/gal. It's posted at $2.02/gal. at local stations today.

A sequel is due out in a couple of months - Mad Max-Fury Road. You can bet there won't be any Blue-tooth or cell phone connectivity in Max's cockpit!

Edit: local gas now advertised $1.99/gal.

 

[old-school]

A cable actuated throttle lock?

No it was for PTO. I was trying to make a funny like the push button starting...

 

[Oldengineer]

Old -School:

My 48 has a hand throttle knob on the dash too. Comes in handy when trying to get the old gal moving from a stop on the hills we have here. Luckily, the big (216 CID) in-line OHV 6 under the hood makes about 200 Ft-Lbs of torque at low RPM.

Regards:
Oldengineer

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

Lol from the sound of it I could drive an old car (throttle/carb heat/crank...).. doesn't sound much different than a small plane!

 

[dragonteeth]

As someone in their early 20s, it's really interesting seeing this generation of cars with technology being implemented as if it's standard, like bluetooth/screens/cameras/etc. As a teenager, I practiced on my dad's 1993 Dodge Dakota and co-owned a 2001 Chevy sedan in high school / college. Both vehicles didn't have anything like bluetooth and whatnot - like the OP said, it was mostly just the radio and road noise, since both cars were awful with that.

This is another reason why I have the Touring and not GT... I felt the Touring was already plentiful without sacrificing the engine size (Sport). I dunno. I still feel like my CX-5 is cutting-edge and pretty amazing, especially for something that was only recently created. Sure, there's always complaints, but it's nothing for me to swear off the Mazda brand.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

I dunno. I still feel like my CX-5 is cutting-edge and pretty amazing, especially for something that was only recently created. Sure, there's always complaints, but it's nothing for me to swear off the Mazda brand.

I hear you.... I know infotainment isn't perfect in CX-5 but that so far takes a backseat to any concerns as I really like driving the CX-5. My wife's first new car years ago was a '96 Protege. It was reliable, a great little car and couldn't get less than 30MPG if you tried. Granted it was only a 1.5L motor at something like 92HP but never failed us. We sold it back in '07 when we bought the G35x. I never once took it into the dealer.

My parents parted with their '87 Mazda 626 LX (purchased new) back in '10 for a new '10 Mazda-3 5-door. My parent's experience with their first Mazda, their new one & my own personal experience made the Mazda decision an easy one. I expect to get an easy 10+ years out of this vehicle.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Thanks for the heads up on Mad Max!!! I will surely see that one.

I think that was one of the first movies I ever saw as a rented VHS tape. The younger members may not remember this but back in early 80's some even rented the VHS player. I think my parents rented one with the movie.

I was simply awestruck seeing the resolution of a VideoDisc at my uncle's place back in '81 IIRC. It held it's own for years until DVD was released for general consumption in '97.

Love the Mad Max reference! It might be time to watch that one again... or maybe I should wait another 4 or 5 years for gas to hit $8.00/gal. It's posted at $2.02/gal. at local stations today.

A sequel is due out in a couple of months - Mad Max-Fury Road. You can bet there won't be any Blue-tooth or cell phone connectivity in Max's cockpit!

Edit: local gas now advertised $1.99/gal.