I met with some friends last night who went to the 2008 Washington D.C. Auto Show on Saturday. At the show, all of the major auto manufacturers bring sample vehicles from their new lines. My friends said the show was extremely crowded and that they were unable to go down every aisle. When I asked them about hand-crank windows, they said that they did not see a single vehicle with hand-crank windows.
Power windows add additional points of failure and expense to automobiles in the form of motors, switches, and wiring. It also can be very annoying to turn off an automobile, only then needing to put the keys back in and turn them just to raise the window.
Power windows, much like remote-control car stereos, are simply unnecessary. Are we that lazy that we can’t turn a crank to bring the window up and down? We have to just push a button?
I’d like to see hand-crank windows offered in new vehicles, at least as an option. What do you think?
6 Comments
True enough. My current car, a Jeep Cherokee, is the first car I’ve ever owned that has power windows and locks, and I can never see myself going back. On a recent trip to Florida we rented a car without power windows or locks and it felt so PRIMATIVE!
Jon, I’m glad you got to experience old-fashioned windows and locks on your vacation!
If the occupants of a car were in danger of drowning, I can’t see how power windows would make things easier for the occupants.
Power windows are well and good most of the time and afford extra comfort, but by adding weight and complexity to the body. If you eliminate power windows, the doors of a vehicle become lighter and the structure less complex, easier to engineer and lighter and easier to close. Another upside of the light structure is that the same door closing force can now be used for more effective sealing, which will be useful in colder countries. More effective sealing is difficult to come by in heavier doors of complex geometries.
Rajesh, thanks for your comment on this post as well as the others. Good point about power windows not working when a vehicle is submerged.
I have been looking for a new small car with hand crank windows – all but impossible to find.
My 1965 Ford F100 has great hand crank windows. One fell off of the track and the door even has real screws to take it apart. Fixing it was a breeze and the broken part cost less than $2.00.
I think hand cranking builds character – and besides, you can “fine tune” the window opening in infinite increments. Try that with power windows especially those with the “one-touch” feature.
My son says that maybe I can start a business retrofitting power window cars with a handcrank. Of course, it would be a luxury item. That would be a funny turn of events!!
Krister, your son may be on to something! I used to have a 1971 F100 and I still miss it to this day. The reverse gear didn’t work so I had to be careful not to park in downhill-facing spots. After the F100, I bought a ‘64 Ford Falcon with hand-cranks windows (that’s the picture above), but I need to get the car running again after some squirrels chewed the spark plug wires.
Thanks for your comment and have a great day!
2 Trackbacks/Pingbacks
[...] unnecessary hi-tech devices is not lazy; on the contrary, insisting on a button to roll up and down car windows is [...]
[...] See Also: Hand Crank vs Power Windows [...]
Post a Comment