Do you remember these automotive "gimmicks"???

Scents added to you gas to make your exhaust smell like strawberry or pina colatta

Dura lube (motor runs with no oil) or Dura Shine (beading is bad water sheets)

There was acrlyic clear coat for damaged paint, forget what it was called. Like rubbing Future floor shine on oxidized paint.

Prolong, Slick 50, and Rislone Restore
 
How about paint your car with a powder puff. It came in a quart can similar to a can of liquid polish. A quart would do a whole car
 
How about something thats been plaguing the import community that involved spray painting the whole car flat black in your own backyard and then calling it "rat stylz"..
 
I remember when power windows were considered a gimmick. They were very unreliable for many years. Now you're hard pressed to find even a budget car without them.

Similar story for air bags, digital odometers.

There was a Buick (I think) from the 50's that had a record player and making it more of a gimmick you had to buy special records. Yep, that didn't last.

Trivia question: what's the only car to ever have a badge of the model year on the exterior?
 
SR99 said:
I remember when power windows were considered a gimmick. They were very unreliable for many years. Now you're hard pressed to find even a budget car without them.
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Ha, that makes me think about power antennas. They would always crap out, in the beginning they would put them in the front fender where you couldn't get to them and the switch would go and not shut it off and it would kill the battery. Later at least they put them in the trunk so they were easier to get to when they stopped working.

I had a mid-70's GM that had the antenna in the windshield, and it was great! Glad they finally have gone back to putting them in the windows.
 
SR99 said:
I remember when power windows were considered a gimmick. They were very unreliable for many years. Now you're hard pressed to find even a budget car without them.

Similar story for air bags, digital odometers.

There was a Buick (I think) from the 50's that had a record player and making it more of a gimmick you had to buy special records. Yep, that didn't last.

Trivia question: what's the only car to ever have a badge of the model year on the exterior?
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Record players in car was kinda a big thing in the 50's>early 60's. They played 45RPM records. Yes, they were hard on the record, used a spring loaded 'arm' to keep them 'in the groove'. Phillip's was the major manufacturer.

While we're on car audio, don't forget "Vibri-Sonic," added 1000 cubic feet of unusable trunk space to your car...LOL. It was an 'echo' system to 'add depth.'

Bill
 
Keep the thread going guys as it will probably be my last, enjoyed 99% of you guys but its always that 1%, LOL!

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online
 
Stick on fender vents?

DUB letters in bling

Spray paint chrome

Curb feelers.

Spray on window tint

Spinning wheels covers
 
jsgntulok said:
Back in the mid 50s, Chrysler Corp introduced the "swing out swivel seats." Didn't stay around long. Same with their "Push Button Drive" automatic transmission.
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I don't know about this one, lots of people used swivel seats after Chrysler. The push button trans was around from 56 to 64 and was trouble free, unlike fords attempt with push buttons in the middle of the steering wheel on the Edsel. There are multiple manufacturers coming out with new models that are featuring push buttons like they are a new thing.
 
Theo_Auto_Fines said:
How about something thats been plaguing the import community that involved spray painting the whole car flat black in your own backyard and then calling it "rat stylz"..
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Back when I was in high school (early 90's) my friends and I used to do this but we didn't call it rat style and we were only doing it so if one of the old farts in the neighborhood called the cops on us for doing something stupid with our car the description of a small black car did more to confuse them than lead them towards the culprit. Lol well that and we were bored and krylon only cost $.99 a can.
 
My 1975 vega wagon. Got laid in it a lot but what a piece of oil burning crap! Good times!
 
Mike lambert said:
My 1975 vega wagon. Got laid in it a lot but what a piece of oil burning crap! Good times!
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The Vega was an example of what happens when a mfg is caught with their pants down (good analogy, huh Mike!) The imports were kicking our butts when the gas crisis hit as they were already building small cars that got good mileage.....and were reliable and very well built, us on the other hand scurried to produce:

-Chevy Vega
-Ford Pinto

Atleast Chrysler had a pipeline into Mitsubishi and took advantage of that through the 70's and well into the 80's, even the 90's.

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online
 
Klasse Act said:
The imports were kicking our butts when the gas crisis hit as they were already building small cars that got good mileage.....and were reliable and very well built, us on the other hand scurried to produce:

-Chevy Vega
-Ford Pinto

Atleast Chrysler had a pipeline into Mitsubishi and took advantage of that through the 70's and well into the 80's, even the 90's.
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I hate to keep quibbling with you whipper-snappers, but the Arab Oil Embargo was in 1973 and the Vega and Pinto we in production well before that. I believe you are correct with Chrysler that their relationship with Mitsu was a product of the '73 crisis and they rode that train into the 90's when gas got really cheap and they were recovered from their early-80's bankruptcy.
 
Current Gripe

Purchased a auto with LEATHER. It's anything but real leather. It seems like a painted vinal if you ask me. Very dissapionted. Major Brand BTW.
 
Klasse Act said:
Keep the thread going guys as it will probably be my last, enjoyed 99% of you guys but its always that 1%, LOL!

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online
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Are you joining that colony on Mars Rock told us about?
 
Klasse Act said:
Keep the thread going guys as it will probably be my last, enjoyed 99% of you guys but its always that 1%, LOL!

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online
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What?

Sent from the mind of a madman.
 
Grounding strap, the rubber strap that people put on their bumper.
 
Small lights that you put on your rims to make them look like a glowing circle at night
 
Nu- Finish. I remember those cheesy commercials where badly oxidized paint was INSTANTLY TURNED BRAND SPANKING NEW AGAIN IN SECONDS! By simply wiping this product on it.

I actually saw a bottle of it in the back seat of a Studebaker Lark yesterday at the car show!
 
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