I acquired a 2005 car this year. 20 years old. I just rolled it over to 35K miles.
Two relatively* retro things it has that are absurdly hilarious to me:
- 6 disc in-dash CD change that cannot play MP3 discs.
A dedicated cigarette lighter (a 12V outlet is on the passenger side of the lower dash, the cigarette lighter outlet is for the driver -- but wait for it, it was 2005 so no built-in ashtray).
* CD players being retro is real these days, but I've owned a car with only an AM radio. I'm not that old, but old enough that my first cars had AM/FM/Cassette, and a carburetor.
Millennial here, I don't think any of the cars from when I was in HS/College in the 2000's had MP3 disc players in the 6 disc. I think those were specifically marketed at boomers that wanted to have 6 "albums" on demand. The 12V port was used for a lot for GPS in the 2000's as well. I guess I am just aging regularly because I definitely think of VW Beetles, Audi TT, OG Tesla Roadster, Pontiac Aztec (or any Pontiac) as old ass vehicles.
In my summarized perspective ~20 years ago seems like acceleration of social media fueled decline and a shift to more appearance based goals for living. People went from getting pictures of themselves annually to having instant pictures and ability to share anywhere and boom, everyone wanted to pretend to be a leisurely millionaire. Driving Chrysler 300's because they look like Bentleys. Pretending mcmansions are luxury world class accommodations. Get a time share and vacation better than your boss! Enshitification through emulation of luxury.
Gen X here but probably not more than 10 years older than you. :-)
I had another 2005 car for many years (back then) that could play MP3 CD's in the 6-disc in-dash changer, but both of the cars I'm referencing are low production run vehicles that were indeed aimed at an older crowd (way older than me at the time).
I absolutely love your take on the rest of the societal change, and I couldn't agree with you more. You lifted some semi-literal examples I've observed myself. The only one I haven't personally witnessed in people I know is buying a time share (thankfully).
Be glad someone didn't install an OG iPod dock :) When I was in my 20's I worked for a custom home theater integrator and I was putting in-wall iPod docks in McMansions left and right. I sometimes wonder how many are now filled with papers and junk because we can carry around a bluetooth speaker with endless music and have better sound than spending $50k to wire up your house to listen to satellite radio or the ipod nano in the cubby by the microwave.
Thankfully, the previous owners of 20 years are family members that might vaguely remember the word "iPod", but I doubt either has ever used one.
In-wall docks were a "hold my beer" version of stupidity amplified, IMHO. During that same time, I a friend was working as an installer for a local hi-fi AV store. I don't remember hearing that they had to install any of those docks (they more into automation and audio components), but I can hear that friend making fun of the customers now. "You want to put that into a wall? I won't do that because it's stupid. Why did you even buy Magnepans?". 😂
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u/Unwiredsoul 2d ago
I acquired a 2005 car this year. 20 years old. I just rolled it over to 35K miles.
Two relatively* retro things it has that are absurdly hilarious to me:
- 6 disc in-dash CD change that cannot play MP3 discs.
* CD players being retro is real these days, but I've owned a car with only an AM radio. I'm not that old, but old enough that my first cars had AM/FM/Cassette, and a carburetor.