The dip stick is obsolete... just like:

[1912Staver]

Many of the changes you list are things that were replaced by improved methods, engineering. 

 But the lowly dipstick is a near as possible perfect device.

That is why it still is used in nearly every industrial engine and gearbox made. Simple, cheap, almost 100% failure proof.  And very accurate.

To use some other , more complicated method is just pure marketing B.S.

 In the real world { industrial machinery }. the best solution is the least complicated device that gets the job done with as close to 100% reliability as possible. Anything else is just smoke and mirrors.

 The consumer device that is the modern automobile has jumped the shark on this change.

[paulrhd29nz]

Add : 

cut polish 

brass o 

tubes 

flaps 

tool kit 

water jug 

wolf whistle 

exhaust whistle 

arms out the window for turn signals 

vacuum tanks 

[ted sweet]

not having outside mirrors

[carbking]

I certainly am surprised to hear the carburetor is obsolete; now I can tear up all those back orders, and go fishing!

 

Seriously, I guess I am going to leave my kids 150,000 pieces of obsolete junk! Maybe they can make lamps out of some of them, and sell lamps!

 

But there is still hope! The record player and vinyl records have made a strong comeback!

 

Jon

Edited December 9, 2022 by carbking (see edit history)

[sleeve-valve]

Plate glass.

[31nash880]

Lamps

[Frank DuVal]

12 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Caused by the loss of glove boxes. 

I haven't seen a current car or truck without a glove box. Have to have a pretty good sized one to hold the library, I mean the owners manuals.

[f.f.jones]

How about long-gone accessories:      (I'm sure you can think of others)

 

Fender skirts

Spot lights

Sun visors

Bug deflectors

Venetian blinds for rear windows

Chrome side window rain guards

Blue dot tail light add-ons

Chrome door handle and gas filler lid scratch guards

Clear plastic license frame covers

Hula girl and shrunken-head interior "decorations"

Curb feelers

Port-a-wall fake whitewalls

Fox/raccoon tails

Necker Knobs

     (necker knob (plural necker's knobs) (idiomatic, slang, dated) A knob attached to the steering wheel of an         automobile, especially before the widespread availability of power steering, helping the driver steer with           one arm and leaving the other arm free to provide romantic attention to a companion.)

 

Window mounted swamp coolers

 

Custom tail lights

 

Windshield defroster

 

Defroster gun

 

Lighted cigarette dispenser

Edited December 10, 2022 by f.f.jones (see edit history)

[hook]

On 12/8/2022 at 8:01 PM, Peter Gariepy said:

The dipstick is obsolete, just like:

 

1. Standard Transmissions / clutch pedal
2. Crank Windows
3. Carburetor Chokes
4. Carburetors
5. Cowl Vents
6. Wind Wings
7. Door Lock Knobs
8. Cigarette Lighters / Ashtrays
9. Dash Nobs
10. Battery Caps
11. Tune Ups
12. Grease Fittings
13. Primer Cups
14. Spark Advance 
15. Engine Cranks
16. Hand Signaling
17. 8 Track / Cassette / CD / LP players
18. Headlight Brightness floor buttons
19. Ignition Switches / Keys
20. Fuel Shut off valves
21. Running Boards
22. Carbide Headlights
23. Brake cable adjustments
24. Radiator Cap thermometers 
25. Oil Bath Air Cleaners
26. Mechanic dash gages
27. Fuel Sticks
28. Bench Seats
29. Hood ornaments (standing up kind)
30. Hub Caps
31. Bumper jack slots
32. Rear mounted fuel filler doors
33. Full size spare tires
34. Radio Antenna (stand up kind)
35. Gas mileage under 20mpg
36. Bumpers and bumper guards

 

What did I miss?

 

Added:

1. Distributors
2. Manual Side Mirrors
3. Boilers, pilot lights, fire-up valves, blow-down valves
4. Buzz coils
5. compression releases
6. inner tubes
7. teams of mules to haul you out of the mud
8. hickory / wooden spokes
9. Shifter Knobs that screw off

10. Landau roofs

11. Continental kits

12. Pop up headlights

13. Coachbuilt bodies

14. Picnic tables (the Brits did these so well)

15. Tool sets that came with you car

16. Whitewall tires

17. Velour interiors

18. wire wheel covers

19. Wheel covers in general

20. Long option lists / custom orders

21. Vacuum driven wipers

22. vacuum driven fan on the steering column

23. 6V electrical system

24. Generators

25. Mechanical fuel pumps

 

Peter, I think #21 Running boards is a little premature. As long as there are big pickup truck lovers, be they gasoline or electric, there will be running boards.

[Dandy Dave]

On dip sticks... Model T fords had petcocks, My old 1915 Buick has them. IHC tractors had them from the beginning until the 1950's. Old two banger JD's had them and many more. The Rolls Royces from the early years had a float and a gage on the side of the pan. Also some early Cletrac's had a cork float that bobbed. Also, I've been called a dip stick sometimes. 😜 

[Dandy Dave]

The incandesent light bulb for LED's

[Akstraw]

9 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

I haven't seen a current car or truck without a glove box. Have to have a pretty good sized one to hold the library, I mean the owners manuals.

If autos follow the path of many other consumer products, I think the paper owners manual itself will eventually disappear in favor of cloud-based digital references.  Remember when computer software came with a whole shelf of instructional binders?  Today, not one piece of paper.

[edinmass]

44 minutes ago, Akstraw said:

If autos follow the path of many other consumer products, I think the paper owners manual itself will eventually disappear in favor of cloud-based digital references.  Remember when computer software came with a whole shelf of instructional binders?  Today, not one piece of paper.

 

More ironically, I bought a 1946 piece of automotive test equipment without any paperwork. One google search and I was able to print out the operators manual. Things go full circle. 

[PFitz]

Seeing how drivers are these days, it seems that as they've taken the dipstick out of the engines and added so much gadgetry,...... they've just moved it behind the steering wheel. 

 

Paul

Edited December 10, 2022 by PFitz (see edit history)

[Frank DuVal]

3 hours ago, Akstraw said:

If autos follow the path of many other consumer products, I think the paper owners manual itself will eventually disappear in favor of cloud-based digital references.  Remember when computer software came with a whole shelf of instructional binders?  Today, not one piece of paper.

I remember renting a car several years ago, and there was a CD in the glove box. Great, what do I do with that, even owning a cell phone with modern bells and smart whistles? All the rentals since then had paper manuals. I do think they will go away too at some point. 

 

I rarely get the same rental car, so the manuals were used by me! Most recent, how to open fuel door on a Nissan Altima, it was dark, black interior, and somehow in 50K miles, no one removed the plastic from the "obvious" hood release pull handle. I'm not sure what that protective plastic was used by the factory, maybe leftover space shuttle tiles, but I could not remove it either. The plastic obscured the fuel door symbol. 

[Pfeil]

1 hour ago, Frank DuVal said:

I remember renting a car several years ago, and there was a CD in the glove box. Great, what do I do with that, even owning a cell phone with modern bells and smart whistles? All the rentals since then had paper manuals. I do think they will go away too at some point. 

 

I rarely get the same rental car, so the manuals were used by me! Most recent, how to open fuel door on a Nissan Altima, it was dark, black interior, and somehow in 50K miles, no one removed the plastic from the "obvious" hood release pull handle. I'm not sure what that protective plastic was used by the factory, maybe leftover space shuttle tiles, but I could not remove it either. The plastic obscured the fuel door symbol. 

The protective covering should have been removed at the Pre-Delivery Inspection. There are some customers that prefer it not being done. I've seen some radios that still have their plastic clear film on after ten years.

 When I buy a new car, I prefer to do all the detailing myself even if the cars top surfaces are still in plastic white wrap. I do not want that car hit with a buffer. 

 

[PFitz]

5 hours ago, Akstraw said:

If autos follow the path of many other consumer products, I think the paper owners manual itself will eventually disappear in favor of cloud-based digital references.  Remember when computer software came with a whole shelf of instructional binders?  Today, not one piece of paper.

Every time we get a new Ford, the owner's manual gets thicker and there are more booklets in with it. Our 2020 Edge manual is almost 500 pages and as thick as a city phone book!  Maybe a CD would at least be easier on gas milage ? 

 

Paul

[oldcarfudd]

But many of those pages are devoted to telling you all the things that could result in injury or death?

[JamesR]

I'm going to drive my wife's new 2023 Subaru Outback for the first time tonight. I've ridden in the car as a passenger, so I have an idea of what it'll be like.  It's a little strange. 

 

2006 was the last time we had a brand new vehicle in the family, and the "futuristic" features of our new car at that time (a Chrysler minivan) were were things like motorized side and rear doors, remote lock/unlock key fob, air pressure sensors for each tire, back up alarm that sensed objects behind you, etc. They seemed futuristic to us, anyway, and features that maybe weren't futuristic but were new for us on that car were power windows and locks. The van was so obviously different from my '94 S-10 with crank windows, manual trans and no A/C.

 

Now the 2006 van, which we still have, is the "old school" vehicle. The Subaru's dash computer screen is a different enough experience for enough customers that dealer policy is to schedule a customer training/Q&A session a few weeks after you purchase the car to answer questions and help familiarize you with the new experience. They didn't do that when we bought the van.

[28 Chrysler]

Rumble seats, manifold heaters, block heaters, golf bag door, tiller, mother in law seat and for the good news, the valve stem cores will remain for awhile and most are interchangeable.

[1912Staver]

Block heaters ? Lots of North America sees - 25 and colder. You are not going to start anything let alone a diesel  without a block heater.  The truckers just let their rigs idle all night at the truck stops rather than taking a chance on shutting off.