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PaperclipPerfector  20d ago (text post)   2559 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for February 2, 2025

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

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I live in pretty red area and I see quite a number of Teslas and recently some Cybertrucks around. I don't think it's only hardcore wokes who buy them. Tbh, if Tesla changed some of its approaches to control design (like relying on complex screen-driven interactions instead of large simple tactile physical controls) I'd be open to getting one myself (a Tesla, Cybertruck is too ugly for me). Electricity is not that expensive here, and for short commutes (which are like 80% of car usage for me) it makes total sense.

It's been 15 years and we still don't have an electric car that's focused on driving, and perhaps emblematic of this, there are no electric convertibles.

I just want a Roadster 2 (with the same level of tech and type of controls the original had) but with 4 seats and 1000 km of highway range: basically, I'm waiting for someone to build an electric Mustang (and not that stupid Mach-E crap). I'd feel much better having Coyote performance for the price of an Ecoboost and could accept a 30-minute charge time if my car performed that way, and I also want the paddle regen that some of the Hyundais have where you can choose how much engine braking -> weight transfer you want. At that point I might accept a screen for configuring those features only.

This isn't a complicated problem. Just offer me a regular car.

Wait, but a convertible is not a regular car. A regular car is Honda Civic.

I mean, they offer Mustangs as coupes, too.
In fact, the Mustang is the only car Ford sells (and the only car any American automaker makes); so if that isn't a "normal" car I'm not sure what is.

(Why anyone would buy the coupe model when a convertible exists is anyone's guess, since the rear seats in a coupe are much less useful than those in a convertible because you hit your head on the roof if you try to use them, but I digress.)

the Mustang is the only car Ford sells (and the only car any American automaker makes)

Are you working off an unusual definition of "car"?

It is not unreasonable to exclude crossovers and SUVs from the word "car". The US government calls them "light-duty trucks" and imposes on them more-lenient fuel-efficiency standards.

For me the reasons to get the coupe over the convertible:

  • I don't want to have to devote a precious garage space to protecting the soft top
  • Not being able to leave anything in the car when out
  • The superior performance from the rigidity of the coupe
  • IRL I'll hardly ever drive with the top down. Your girl will think it's fun for 5 minutes, then be annoyed her hair is all tangled.
  • Generally not having to worry about leaks or a surprise rain storm destroying the interior of my car
  • No Greg, I can't drive us all to lunch again. I have the coupe today. We'll have to put miles on your leased Infinity if you want to go to lunch.

(1) The Honda Civic is a bit bloated nowadays (base price 24 k$). Some people would say that a "regular car" is more like a Mitsubishi Mirage (17 k$) or a Nissan Versa (19 k$ with CVT).

(2) Cheap Civic-ish cars used to be available in convertible form. See, e. g., the Geo Metro.

Some people would say that a "regular car" is more like a Mitsubishi Mirage (17 k$) or a Nissan Versa (19 k$ with CVT).

Surely a "regular car" can't be one of the two cheapest cars on the market? One of which is discontinued due to lack of demand?

Surely a "regular car" can't be one of the two cheapest cars on the market?

I still see a lot of cheap 20-year-old Civics on the roads. And the US market is not the only market in the world.

One of which is discontinued due to lack of demand?

If the government has made all the regular cars unprofitable to sell, and effectively mandated that only bloated, expensive vehicles be sold, do the bloated vehicles become regular cars? I think the answer is "no".

Cheap Civic-ish cars used to be available in convertible form

A wide variety of cars used to be available like that. Now there are only two that sell for less than 50K new, and one of them only seats two.

An electric Honda Del Sol would be pretty fun!

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