??? BUYING A NEW CAR ???

[Different]

When cars weigh as much as they do, the strength of metal and plastic becomes nearly insignificant.
The main advantage of metal is that it can bend without snapping.

Also, it's scary to see how old cars get destroyed by newer cars.

Yes, it is scary, and it’s disappointing. I think this is why people who have an appreciation for old school cars end up getting modifications done to avoid these issues, if possible. I see these tune ups and modifications in Fast and Furious movies for example.

Piggybacking on Master Raiden, this is a video of a 1998 Toyota Corolla vs a 2015 Corolla. The 1998 model gets absolutely manhandled (airbags would not have made a difference here):

Yeah that 2015 is more technologically advanced than a 1998 Toyota Corolla.