Car manufacturers are out of touch with what the average consumer wants. Here is my list of wants and don't wants for any car I buy:
| I WANT | I DON'T WANT | WHY |
|---|---|---|
| Tactile sense of control positions | Menus, buttons, and displays | Driver should not have to take eyes off road to set controls. He should be able to feel control positions. |
| Automatic Transmission | Manual Transmission | Driver should not have to fool with a gearshift while driving under normal conditions. |
| Easy access to parts | Pull engine to change plugs | Stupid designs increase repair costs. All parts should be accessible without taking everything apart. |
| Second gear start - or Second gear position | Must start in first gear | For winter driving. A higher gear locked in puts the slipping in the torque converter instead of the road wheels. |
| 4-speed transmission | 6 or 8 speed transmission | A bad excuse for underpowering a car. Also, multiple shifts can cause problems in icy weather. |
| I WANT | I DON'T WANT | WHY |
| Manual controls that stay set | Computer changes control settings | The driver should not be distracted by unwanted setting changes made by the computer. |
| Manual door locks | Power door locks | Power locks fail more often than manual locks, and cost more to fix. Thieves can also activate them. |
| Manually adjusted seats | Power seats | Power seats fail more often than manual seats, and cost more to fix. Sometimes a failure can be dangerous. |
| Manual windows | Power Windows | Power windows fail more often, and cost more to fix. They can also stick on and run down the battery. |
| No sunroof | Sunroof | A sunroof always leaks when it gets older. The rubber seals fail, and the glass closes out of position. |
| I WANT | I DON'T WANT | WHY |
| Medium interior color | White or dark interior | White shows dirt, reflects sun into eyes. Dark makes the interior get hot on sunny days. |
| Parking brake actually works | Parking brake will not hold car | Safety first. The driver must be able to stop the car in an emergency. This could be the only way. |
| CD player | Cassette | Cassettes are unreliable. CDs are the easy way to take your own music with you. |
| Horn not alarm answer | Horn answers alarm command | Scares other drivers into thinking they did something wrong. Use lights to indicate alarm status. |
| No cell phone capabilities | Cell phone antenna and/or devices | Use of a cell phone should be banned while driving. It is a distraction that causes accidents. |
| I WANT | I DON'T WANT | WHY |
| Maximum vision all directions | Small rear windows | Safety first. Structural members should not hide cars or pedestrians from the driver view. |
| Lights shut off after delay | Lights stay on | Keeps battery from running down if the lights were left on accidentally. |
| Four doors | Two doors | Two door cars cause passengers to have trouble getting into and out of the back seat. |
| Space for safety equipment | Tiny storage area | Want to carry equipment for road emergencies, in addition to my luggage. |
| Vinyl seats | Leather seats | Some people are allergic to leather. An itchy seat is not a good idea when precision control is needed. |
And I do not want a car with big mice in it. That Kia Soul ad backfired. It makes me look for big mice every time I see one.