Small features you like about your car...

[Baryonyx]

schmalex said:

Yes it is a car enthusiast's website. But don't assume that everyone understands all manufacturers internal designation codes. That's all I'm saying

Imagine that, expecting people on this site to know what they're talking about when it comes to cars! Outrageous!

[jacksparrow11]

i like the little cubby holes to hide valuables , which are designed almost james bond like.

[vsonix]

+1 for self-dim/electrochromic rear view mirror. Just a shame the wing mirrors aren't as well. Although I once fell foul of it being so dimmed that I didn't recognise that the source of the dazzling lights sitting in my blind spot in lane 2 on the M4 that didn't overtake me for nearly a mile was a police van which pulled me over as soon as I got annoyed and accelerated up to 85 to put a bit of distance between us. However, I told the officer exactly why I'd sped up (annoyed by what appeared to be a MLH dazzling me with bright lights in my mirror for nearly a mile) and he sent me on my way.

[Pesty]

ashway said:

tilting passenger door mirror when engaging reverse

Yes. Very useful.

[Pints]

My daughters think the different colour choices of interior lighting is the best thing since ice cream on a stick. They love deciding what the colour of the day will be.

I think the removable net partitions in the boot are a nice touch and very useful.

[adamfawsitt]

That sweeping my foot under the rear of the car opens the boot - perfect when your hands are full (7 Series)

That I don't need to turn the car on or off and it is open when I walk up to it and locks when I walk away (Tesla)

[va1o]

I like that the rear wiper comes on automatically in reverse if you had the fronts on, and stereo volume reduces itself so you can hear the parking sensors

[amusingduck]

schmalex said:

Yes it is a car enthusiast's website. But don't assume that everyone understands all manufacturers internal designation codes. That's all I'm saying

Come on, 10k posts and over 7 years on here. No excuse for not knowing what an EP3 is, it's mentioned on here quite frequently. MCS I can forgive, but EP3/DC2/DC5/E46/E36/E39/E60/E90 etc is basic pistonheads knowledge IMO.

[E65Ross]

adamfawsitt said:

That sweeping my foot under the rear of the car opens the boot - perfect when your hands are full (7 Series)

That I don't need to turn the car on or off and it is open when I walk up to it and locks when I walk away (Tesla)

Love that with the boot on the 7 series!

[gazchap]

E65Ross said:

Love that with the boot on the 7 series!

Mind = blown. I had an E65 745i and didn't know you could do that! Was it an option or something?

[E65Ross]

gazchap said:

E65Ross said:

Love that with the boot on the 7 series!

Mind = blown. I had an E65 745i and didn't know you could do that! Was it an option or something?

I think he means the new shape, F01. I don't think it's available with the E65. I just said I like that feature, not that I had it

[Lloyd71]

Only 2 for me:

-The coolbox in the dashboard
Comes in useful for long journeys when you want a cold drink at the services (or for sneaking chocolate)

-The fold down table in the center between the 2 front seats
It's usually up for storing things but can be folded down when you need to store something to hand on a journey

I imagine the boot floor folding out to a table could come in useful too but I've never had a reason to use it yet.

[24lemons]

amusingduck said:

schmalex said:

Yes it is a car enthusiast's website. But don't assume that everyone understands all manufacturers internal designation codes. That's all I'm saying

Come on, 10k posts and over 7 years on here. No excuse for not knowing what an EP3 is, it's mentioned on here quite frequently. MCS I can forgive, but EP3/DC2/DC5/E46/E36/E39/E60/E90 etc is basic pistonheads knowledge IMO.

For what it's worth, it drives me crackers trying to decipher all of the product codes that get bandied around here. I am interested in cars but not to the point of memorising every manufacturer's code numbers. (I doubt very much that many people would discuss cars with their mates in that way!)

[arfur sleep]

Hammerhead said:

Touch sensitive overhead reading lights - no buttons/'click-click'.

They were only in the front of the XF on launch though, with switches on the lights in the back. (I don't know if this has changed now)

I was told by one of the design team this was because Jaguar believed that if they were touch sensitive in the back then the kids would constantly be playing with them which would be distracting for the driver etc. I might have mentioned that switches were probably cheaper too and he might have looked a little sheepish...

[OldBob]

The "don't forget your phone" reminder after turning the engine off, only when the phone had been paired for the journey.

[adamfawsitt]

gazchap said:

E65Ross said:

Love that with the boot on the 7 series!

Mind = blown. I had an E65 745i and didn't know you could do that! Was it an option or something?

Its an option that comes with powered boot on a 12 plate car - sorry not familiar with BMW model nomenclature.

[adamfawsitt]

Hammerhead said:

Touch sensitive overhead reading lights - no buttons/'click-click'.

Vanquish has these too - very neat.

[Tje]

Has to be the hill holder for me. Along with amazing climate control. Heated wing mirrors and the headlight washers. Lots of farming round here and often my lights get covered in mud so nice to be able to blast them clean.

Thats about all the gadgets my car does have.

[Triumph Man]

schmalex said:

Fox- said:

schmalex said:

But he could easily say "2004 3 series" or "2009 3 series coupe" and it would make perfect sense to everyone.

Not really.

Whats a 2010 5 Series? Could be an E60 or an F10. Whats a 2005 3 Series? Could be an E90 or an E46.

Maybe it's just me then.

I can just imagine the conversation in the pub...

[i]<girl (pulse optional)> "So, what car do you drive?"

<car geek> "E92 with the N54 engine. It's epic"

<girl (pulse optional)> "Come again"

<car geek> "you know. The E92. It's great. But only with the manual box, as the autobox slurs it's shift between 2nd and 3rd a little too much and I hate the lack of precision control"

<girl (pulse optional)> Actually. I've discovered I'm gay. Have a nice evening

<car geek> "Oh, FFS. A manual 330 coupe. Not the latest shape but the one before"

<girl (pulse optional)> "You should have said instead of talking in some geek tongue. Goodnight"[/i]

It's just bloody confusing for normal people to have production designations being thrown around. In fact, it's almost annoying as people referring to their car as "the" rather than "my" when referring to their car.

All IMVHO of course

Yes but you tailor how you speak. If people can't use manufacturer codes on a car site, where can they use it?

If somebody asked me what I drive outside of Pistonheads (i.e. the pub) I'd say a BMW 5 series, or maybe BMW 520 at a push. On here, I would say E34 520i.

It's all about the scenario. If you don't know the codes, as I didn't/still sometimes don't know the Honda codes, look it up. To see this forum you are online, online also includes a wonderful thing called "Google", which, while it is going to get difficult to look at porn on it given recent news, you can still use it find out what model codes are what!

[Visionist]

Triumph Man said:

...a wonderful thing called "Google", which, while it is going to get difficult to look at porn on it given recent news...

Cum again?

My previous car had literally nothing clever or useful to offer the lucky owner. The auto down & up for the driver's window and... er... rear hatch which locked automatically upon closing?

Aha! Being Japanese the indicator stalk was on the right side of the column, down for right, up for left. It took a solid ten minutes to get used to it and about that long to realise I could change gear and use the indicator at the same time, rather than one then the other. Very useful for someone like me who always cancels the indicator manually, just a habit I 'spose...