From the Blog 'Cars and other 4 letter words'

1970 Chey Chevelle

VS

     

2016 Hyundai Elantra

Recently a buddy of mine was questioning the idea of purchasing a 2016 Hyundai Electra or purchasing a 1970 Chevy Chevelle . . .

     Hmmm. Interesting

     There has always been a great deal of discussion about how much better cars were in the 'good old days' than they are today. "Cars were built more solid back then," or "Cars had so much more style. It was easy to tell one brand from another,"  and then there's my favorite: "The older cars were bigger and safer."

     Really? Let's break it down.

     "Cars were built more solid back then." That depends on what you consider solid. Sure, the sheet metal was thicker then, making it harder to bend and less likely for a minor 'fender bender' to be excessively costly. Weight and aerodynamics weren't really important when you could fill your tank for less than $10. But a major collision was a different matter. Skulls were cracked on steel dashboards. Non-collapsable steering columns crushed chests. No seat belts. No airbags. No crumple zones (more about that later).

     "Cars had so much more style. It was easy to tell one brand from another." Style-wise, it's a matter of opinion. If you were born in the last 30 years, today's cars are pretty much all you know. Chances are you might not even possess a driver license. Cars look alike today for one reason: to save money on re-tooling factories.

     "The older cars were bigger and safer." This has to be the biggest misconception of all. Next time you are cruising down the interstate and you come upon an accident, slow down and look at it (you know you want to; here's an excuse). Notice the condition of the newer car. The front or back of it are probably destroyed but the passenger cabin is intact. This is by design. 'Crumple zones' are built into the car to absorb shock/momentum. Several air bags inside the cabin keep flesh and bones from flying around. So on the plus side, your chances of surviving an accident in a new car compared to a classic are about 3 to 1. The downside is cars are totaled out by the insurance companies much more often, resulting in higher rates for everyone. 

So, which one is better? Life is short . . . buy the Chevelle.

 

 Rick Mayo is a blogger, musician, biker, and car enthusiast that travels a couple hundred thousand miles each year trying to find the meaning of life.