Poll, how old were you when you got a vehicle with power windows?

[TPL]

My family got a Taurus with power windows when I was a teenager. Then after I moved away to college they really splurged and got a Windstar! That was useful with all the moving back and forth.

I'm trying to remember if our 2001 Prizm had power windows. Googling tells me it was an option but I honestly don't remember what trim we had. My MIL still drives that car. If it did, then I think every car I've ever personally owned has had power windows. C'mon Slate, survive to break the power window dystopia!

 

[GaRailroader]

First car with power windows was also the first car I bought new at 23 and it was a 1992 Saturn SL2.(It was actually for my wife) A few months later I bought a new Ford F-150 for me with manual windows. The trim level of the F-150 was Custom which slotted below the XL. The XL had chrome bumpers, the Custom had gray painted bumpers.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

First car with power windows was also the first car I bought new at 23 and it was a 1992 Saturn SL2.(It was actually for my wife) A few months later I bought a new Ford F-150 for me with manual windows. The trim level of the F-150 was Custom which slotted below the XL. The XL had chrome bumpers, the Custom had gray painted bumpers.

I understand the Slate is no F-150, but what are your thoughts on the power windows on your F-150? My thoughts are it's a reach to roll down the passenger side window and that is one example where power windows would help.

I prefer power windows, but only speaking for myself here.

 

[GaRailroader]

I understand the Slate is no F-150, but what are your thoughts on the power windows on your F-150? My thoughts are it's a reach to roll down the passenger side window and that is one example where power windows would help.

I prefer power windows, but only speaking for myself here.

My F-150 was manual windows and it was a pain due to the long reach. More recently I had a 2006 Ranger with manual windows and that was more doable. My dislike of power windows came from ownership of a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee which I put no less than 3 power window regulators in. At that point I decided the convenience of power windows was not worth the aggravation of making that repair. Fortunately, I don’t think I’ve replaced a power window regulator since getting rid of that Jeep in 2011. Surprisingly, even though Tesla operates the power window every time you use the door, I haven’t had a regulator go bad yet.(knocking on wood)

I am looking forward to the manual windows on the Slate though. It does have AC, something my Ranger didn’t have.

 

[Luxrage]

I got my license in '07 and with that the first car registered to my name, the 1994 Thunderbird, had power windows. In order of me buying them:

1. '94 Thunderbird - Power
2. '87 LTD Crown Victoria S - Crank
3. '89 LTD Country Squire - Power
4. '93 Geo Tracker - Crank
5. '89 Nissan Maxima - Power
6. '11 Honda Fit - Power
7. '07 Honda Element - Power

The only* one to have any issues was the '87 who had the tailgate window motor fail. Made the mistake of outsourcing it to a local shop as I lived in an apartment at the time and they shattered the back window. They replaced it for free... but I now have a spare back window in my garage just in case.

*Two cars in my possession but weren't mine, a '99 VW Passat and '03 Buick Century both had bad regulators and the Buick had a bad motor. But they weren't ever actually owned by me. The Passat regulator was insane.

 

[fuzzyweis]

Actually I remember I had a Subaru Brat that I never got roadworthy so technically I had 6 cars before getting power windows:
86 Chevrolet Celebrity - Crank
84 Isuzu P'up - Crank
91 Pontiac Sunbird - Crank
96 Dodge Neon - Crank
85 Subaru Brat - Crank
1994 Ford Ranger - Crank

And then all power except my Ranger:
2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser - power
2004 Ford F150
2010 Jeep Compass
2006 PT Cruiser
2010 GMC Terrain
2010 Dodge Charger
2008 Ford Sport Trac
2013 Chevrolet Volt
2014 Subaru Forester
2000 Ford Ranger - crank converted to power.
2017 Chevrolet Bolt
2024 Honda Prologue(Lease)
2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

And my wife had about 4 or 5 cars before we were together, all crank:
Late 70s Cutlass
80s Chevette
Late 80s Escort
2000 Cavalier

So a decent balance of power/crank I think, nevermind as a kid the cars we had, I think only cars I rode in with power window back then were my grandparents lol.

 

[kvermeer]

When I was in my teens (circa 2005), my first car was a 1982 Jeep CJ5 with vinyl front windows. You could fold them down if you unzipped them, or take them off entirely by lifting them off of the doors or lifting the doors off of the hinges! Fun rig, but not super practical.

My second car was a 93 Ford Ranger, the base model with manual windows and manual locks and a manual transmission... manual everything! Loved that truck until it rusted to bits.

Then I got a 2003 Pontiac Vibe - Manual transmission again, and manual windows again. That was a fun ride, but the 2ZZ in the GT was a little too fun and the limited-slip diff eventually gave out.

I didn't get a car with power windows (a Saab 9-3) until 5 years after I graduated college.

 

[gouacats]

23, but I had 4 vehicles before that one that didn't have power windows:

1 - 73 Jeep CJ5 - zipper windows
2 - 71 VW Thing - zipper windows
3 - 79 Mazda RX7 - crank windows
4 - 71 VW Bug - crank windows
5 - 94 (new) Chevy Silverado - power windows!
6 - 94 Jeep XJ - crank windows
7 - 04 Jeep Wrangler (TJ) - zipper windows
8 - 08 Jeep Wrangler (JK) - zipper windows
9 - 10 Jeep Grand Cherokee - power windows!
10 - 20 (new) Jeep Gladiator - power windows!

Also a couple of motorcycles thrown in there - no windows