I really miss the true Full sized cars

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: surfstar
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: Traction
What was so bad about the big cars that could seat 6 passengers, ride on a cloud, handle good, and better fuel economy than most newer large vehicles.

They are gone, probably forever.

For that you can thank CAFE, emissions, and safety regulations, which for the longest time were constructed to be looser and less-expensive for vehicles classed as "trucks". The perverse incentive was for automakers to game the regulations by shifting production from "cars" to "trucks". Your Tax Dollars at Work.


Yes having clean air to breathe and the best safety record for miles traveled is such a horrible thing

Yawn.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: Traction
What was so bad about the big cars that could seat 6 passengers, ride on a cloud, handle good, and better fuel economy than most newer large vehicles.


Hmmm....

There's definitely some rose-colored glasses being used here. I really like classic full-sized cars, having owned several of them. But they don't really live up to some of these claims.

They did not handle well in stock form.
They did not get better fuel economy than newer large vehicles

Off the top of my head, probably the best you can do these days would be the new Impala, Toyota Avalon, larger Buick or Cadillac.

Or, a used luxury German marque. They'd handle well, but they may not be the most reliable things in the world...

 

[DoubleWasp]

No rose colored glasses here. I regularly leave my other vehicles behind so I can roll out in my RMW, CCW, or my Charger. People have asked me if I sold my other vehicles they've seen me in my Roadmaster so much recently.

I just love it.

 

[Merkava_4]

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: surfstar
Yes having clean air to breathe and the best safety record for miles traveled is such a horrible thing

You didn't read my post very carefully.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: Traction
All the automakers seem to build anymore is big SUV's and 4 door trucks with a open trunk anymore. What was so bad about the big cars that could seat 6 passengers, ride on a cloud, handle good, and better fuel economy than most newer large vehicles. My Dad's 73 Mercury Gran Marquis, was so much better that most of what they are building now. Trucks have a purpose, but they are not better than the "land yachts" of years ago, that faded away into Pintos, and never came back. Can't imagine a new version of something like a 55 Chevy Belair.


I miss them too, which may be why I drive an F150. Ford Flex is pretty huge, scratch that, cavernous inside and seats 5.

These days it seems that to get something large like yesterday's "boats" you need to get a high dollar Mercedes or BMW.

 

[DoubleWasp]

Rolls Royse and Bentley obviously haven't forgotten the land barge.

 

[spasm3]

Cafe killed the big station wagons, the full size big wagons that could seat 8 or 9, 3 bench seats and room for the dog. Low center of gravity so they even towed trailers well. With modern fuel injection and 6 speed automatics, i'm sure they could match suv's fuel mileage or even beat it due to aerodynamics.
Thats what caused the suv fad, not greed or the desire for something bigger and manly, its the big family utility vehicle ( the FUV ) the station wagon was killed by cafe.

 

[Lawn_Care]

I still want one of these old Wagons.

 

[Panzerman]

I owned my fair share of full size Cadillac's and I really miss them. I had a chance to buy a 1978 Cadillac Eldorado that wasn't in bad shape about 6 months ago and I passed, I kinda wished I would have bought it. I just didn't need anymore vehicles. Its not about the handling. All the cars are about the handling. Back then it was about the ride and comfort. So much room. A drive was a pleasure, get comfy and cruise down the highway. It wasn't about corning curves, weaving in and out of traffic and qualifying. It was the ride. Light up a big fat cigar and enjoy the trip.

 

[sciphi]

The minivan has taken over that role. A modern minivan has most of the capacity of a wagon of yore, with the added bonus of a flat floor between the rows.

My grandfather's Chevy Caprice Estate could fit 8. If two were kids and didn't mind riding in the rear-facing bench, and if the other six were reasonable-sized folks who didn't mind literally rubbing elbows with each other.

A full-size short-bed mega-cab pickup with a shell does an awfully good impression of a station wagon. It's a BOF car on stilts.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: sciphi

A full-size short-bed mega-cab pickup with a shell does an awfully good impression of a station wagon. It's a BOF car on stilts.


Hence why i have an avalanche.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Or, a used luxury German marque. They'd handle well, but they may not be the most reliable things in the world...


Yeah, the Mercedes S550, Audi A8L, and BMW 750Li are some that come to mind.

They're not like the land yachts of old too, Mercedes has magic body control on their suspension where cameras scan the road in front of the car so that it automatically adjusts the suspension for the bumps in front of the car.

 

[TiredTrucker]

I suppose I miss the older, larger cars also. The last car I owned was a 1974 Pontiac Catalina. Have only been on pickups and SUV's ever since. There is not one car being made that causes me to sit up and want to know more about it. Actually, that is getting the same for the pickups nowadays. Getting a new vehicle anymore is just a matter of practicality and need, and something I hate to do.

 

[dishdude]

Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger are as close as you're going to come to a modern, RWD large sedan. Not quite a land yacht and built off an E-class platform, they are very nice driving cars. I've had them as rentals, very nice vehicles.

 

[dlundblad]

Not really a BIG car fan unless it is fast and loud.

 

[surfstar]

I just think you old dudes are nostalgic for what was "cool" when you were growing up. Big cars, big engines. Room in the backseat

Fast forward 20-30 years and the guys then will be reminiscing over their rice rockets.

While I loved the simplicity of older vehicles, the reliability and efficiency of newer ones makes me not likely to ever buy a "classic" again.

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: surfstar
I just think you old dudes are nostalgic for what was "cool" when you were growing up. Big cars, big engines. Room in the backseat

Fast forward 20-30 years and the guys then will be reminiscing over their rice rockets.

While I loved the simplicity of older vehicles, the reliability and efficiency of newer ones makes me not likely to ever buy a "classic" again.


It was a totally different driving experience. Growing up, I remember riding in friends parents cars. You couldn't compare riding in an '85 Delta 88 to an '85 Civic or '85 Cavalier. I was a little kid but there was nothing like floating on tufted velour

My parents had a K car and an Accord...snooze.

 

[userfriendly]

If my mother was a few more hours
in getting back to Brandon, Manitoba
from the USAF base in Minot, ND
I would have been born on the back
seat of a 51 Buick.

 

[Turk]

My 1st car was a 1971 Ford Galaxie 500.

400ci with a "Trailering Special" Rear-end. Man, that think was big, but quick with the geared down rear-end!!

Who remembers those??