Awkward design details on production cars

[Shakermaker]

saaby93 said:

Does this count?



They forgot to allow a space for the number plate

This one tried to solve it but still doesnt look right

Its not that - they were not "designed" with the need for a front numberplate - which aren't required in every country, or have different sized plates etc.

But I agree, it does look crap when they're chucked on in the way you've shown

[Shakermaker]

saaby93 said:

What's the best implementation - centre front where it should be?
Can you split a plate in half so long as you dont impact on the minimum 33mm centre character spacing

More here
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Surely the thing to do is put in the middle under the round alfa badge

Edited by saaby93 on Tuesday 28th August 14:31

I don't think there is any good place to put a number plate on any of them. The car was designed to look good without one, in an uncompromising manner. But as an owner, you have to compromise to remain legal...

For that reason (and a significant financial shortfall) I shan't be buying an Alfa 8C...

[Shakermaker]

Triumph Man said:

Thesprucegoose said:

I had an Octavia and removed the rear wiper it was pretty pointless the rain never stuck there.

Exactly, although a hatch they pretty much have the shape of a 3 box saloon so why have a wiper?

I have the Superb and I miss having a rear wiper because the time you need it is when you are at low speed, reversing in the rain, at night etc. No need for it on the motorway etc, but for when you really need to look out of the back window, it would come in very useful

[Shakermaker]

Triumph Man said:

Generally speaking, though the shape of a saloon type car (I say type as they are actually hatches) means that dirt won't get sucked up the back window like a "normal" hatchback. On dewy mornings, granted, it is irritating, but I have a heated rear window, heated door mirrors, and have a squeegee in the car should it be really bad.

Oh I know that it isn't needed and would look naff, but I'm talking more about at the end of a journey, rather than at the start, when you're parking up somewhere and its raining and dark and the extra visibility that would be afforded by having a wiper to clear the water would be very welcome. However, I've survived 4 years without it on this car, and several other cars in the past have not had them, but it would be "nice to have" but I guess it would need to be better integrated to work properly. I'm sure someone like Mercedes will come along with a rear wiper system for a saloon car that doesn't look like a clunky afterthought and make people go "WOW! I want that even if it is a £9,000 option" type of affair

[Shakermaker]

Blown2CV said:

never quite understood the rationale behind saloons not having rear wipers but hatchbacks and estates always having them. It can't be an angle of the glass thing, because estates have a steeper angle than saloons, and hatches a shallower angle. I think it's just some kind of weird tradition.

I always thought it was just because there was nowhere to mount the mechanism to keep it all in place, going back to the days before anyone would have considered having a hole in the glass itself with a motor underneath it

[Shakermaker]

Pica-Pica said:

The saloons I have had never got their rear screens covered in rain, the airflow removes it. I agree that overnight rain may stay in droplets, but that usually disappears after a few minutes driving.

But reappears when your speed drops, or you stop, and then want to look out of the back window to do some reversing

Still, despite this, I've managed to succeed at reversing without hitting anything in cars without rear wipers before, but its always one of those things that "would" be nice, in those specific circumstances

[Shakermaker]

GIYess said:

what is up with the placement of the VW badge. Looks like they threw it at it and that's where it landed. Plus, this one isn't too bad but tho one that drove past me yesterday was just way too over styled for a van.

More the point I have is where does it end up when the door is open? Looks as if it has been perfectly centred on them (and the Merc Sprinter it shares everything with) but does it not stick out awkwardly when the door opens?