Eagle Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 This is a general question, covering everything from the least expensive econo-boxes to top tier luxury cars, pickups, and SUVs: How many new cars today come with a security system standard from the factory? Of those that do, how many systems include an engine immobilizer function? Do all new GM vehicles have On-Star? Yes, I should know ... but I haven't paid any attention to new vehicles since I ordered my 2000 XJ in the fall of 1999. Didn't need to, because the XJ is still serving me well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 I don't know the answer for sure, but I cannot fathom a car being built in this day and age without at least a basic "smart" keyfob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdog Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 41 minutes ago, Eagle said: Do all new GM vehicles have On-Star? Yes, another way to get your money 41 minutes ago, Eagle said: How many new cars today come with a security system standard from the factory? Of those that do, how many systems include an engine immobilizer function? All come with some kind of a alarm/security of those it will depend on the vehicle and package as to what it will do, 98% of the cars have a programmable key, most systems will have a engine immobilizer in some form or another. Doesn't stop the smart thiefs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdog Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 13 minutes ago, Pete M said: built in this day and age without at least a basic "smart" keyfob Surprisingly enough a lot of cars still use keys, there's cars that still use crank windows, albeit there no mb, BMW or anything like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 and as promised, I'm shocked! that level of thing is stupid cheap. my Liberty has a basic factory alarm that you can defeat (audibly at least) by reaching under the bumper and unplugging the horns before you smash the window and open the door Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 You can get a dodge truck with window cranks, manual adjust mirrors and a key with no fob and a basic screen radio with no bluetooth or anything of that fancy nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 6 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said: You can get a dodge truck with window cranks, manual adjust mirrors and a key with no fob and a basic screen radio with no bluetooth or anything of that fancy nature. does anyone buy this weirdness? My cousin bought a Dodge Tradesman and it has a lot of goodies for what he thought was a "basic work truck". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 My boss does for our parts trucks. I can't say they are Tradesmans though for how basic they are with a 3.6L. I think the only absolute thing they have that I would consider fancy is cruise control and that's probably because that function is integrated into the ECU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 2 minutes ago, eaglescout526 said: My boss does for our parts trucks. I can't say they are Tradesmans though for how basic they are with a 3.6L. I think the only absolute thing they have that I would consider fancy is cruise control and that's probably because that function is integrated into the ECU. that brings up a funny. my cousin does parts runs for one job and drives up to 8 hours some days (along with a few other people). his boss bought a newish van to replace one that was in an accident and... it doesn't have cruise. no one in the company wants to drive the new van. no one. even the 700,000 mile one with the scratchy radio is preferred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Thats pretty funny and a modern vehicle without cruise is a first. There was a time when I was running parts before moving in and no one wanted to drive the Promaster City we had, so I drove the hell out of that thing, boss called it my shaggin wagon. Wasnt practical for parts deliveries though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 I rented one of those in Colorado to camp in. completely sparse in the back and made more noise at highway speeds than the radio could comfortably overcome. but it was kinda fun to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjeff87 Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Tangential to the subject matter at hand, you're not going to be able to purchase any new vehicle without at least some type of driver assist gadgetry. I can live with a backup camera (although I never use the one in my wife's car because I'm not used to it....I keep looking through the mirrors and/or over my shoulder LOL), but I absolutely cannot stand all the other bells and whistles. Lane-keep assist, turn signal alert, predictive braking, adaptive cruise control, etc. I love her car, but HATE all of this safety crap. You can disable most of it, but you have to re-disable everything every time you cycle the key. There's no way around getting it, and paying for it all too. edit: and to top it all off, she had to get a new windshield put in it a couple weeks ago. All that crap^^^ uses cameras inside the glass looking forward, so in addition to the labor to put the glass in, the cameras had to be re-calibrated to work correctly with the new piece of glass. Not cheap. Luckily our insurance paid for it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derf Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 10 hours ago, Pete M said: does anyone buy this weirdness? My cousin bought a Dodge Tradesman and it has a lot of goodies for what he thought was a "basic work truck". It's becoming far less common for people to buy a completely stripped model any more. Thing is, manufacturing something with variances costs more money. That's why you see so many options grouped into packages these days. If they can keep cranking out a vehicle with fewer differences, they can do it faster and cheaper. And now that so many things are functions of the vehicle computer, it's just a matter of a software change to add/remove many features. Manufacturers are "encouraging" consumers to take the "standard package" so they can cut their manufacturing costs. That's the big driver behind why work trucks have so many upgrades these days. They're actually saving money by upping the standard equipment and reducing their overhead. I've been looking at buying a new truck to be my daily driver/tow pig for my MJ project once it's done. I have to say that the base model Ford XL/Chevy WT/Ram Tradesman models are getting to the point where I would consider one for a daily driver since I don't need the luxury stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maveric Posted August 14, 2020 Share Posted August 14, 2020 This is why I don't own a new car... Newest car I own is 20 years old, a 2000 Crown Victoria LX... The others? My '88 Comanche, my wifes '88 Colony Park with 20k on it, and two 1973's... One a colony park, the other a Galaxie police interceptor, both equipped with 460's 😎 ETA: no car payments either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Car Enthusiast Posted August 14, 2020 Share Posted August 14, 2020 I love driving my 16 malibu. Bought it brand new because my XJ broke down and I wanted something reliable in case the Jeep broke. We hardly ever drive it now because the Jeep hasn't broke since then. The wife and I will take it out for dates when we get a little fancy since it was the loaded model 1LT, leather and all that. But I like the assists. For long drives it helps with fatigue and it is super quiet and comfortable, and the android auto with the big touch screen can not be beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvertwinkiehobo Posted August 14, 2020 Share Posted August 14, 2020 My '96 F150 is a S#!tbox, literally...just about no frills. Gauges but no tach, 5.0 auto, map lights, and maybe trailer towing, but I need to look up what the '92-early '97 trucks had for accomplishing that. As opposed to my late dad's '90 XLT, which has all kinds of the geegaws they offered in '90, including trailer towing, and TBH, having power windows is nice, because the A/C and door locks are kaput. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogmorgo Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 Even the supposedly barebones fleet-spec work trucks we get at work have power windows, etc. Invariably they all have an immobilizer and some sort of alarm. We frequently set them off if we have to boost them when they’re completely dead, or sometimes even if we unlock them with a programmed spare key instead of the fob. The keyless entry systems where you just have the fob in your pocket just make everything worse, because on top of that they’re constantly scanning for your fob and wake up and communicate with every other fob that walks past and drains the battery if you’re not using it more than once a week. One of my roommates has a fully loaded Juke, and dealing with that crap really makes me appreciate my older stuff that can sit for a couple months at a time and be fine. But there are advantages to it. It would be kinda nice knowing someone can’t just shove a screwdriver into the ignition and drive away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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