I don't want a new bloody car. I want my old one back....
Discussion
TooMany2cvs said:
Venturist said:
Really? I unlock the door with the keyfob
<stuff>Venturiat said:
and that's assuming I haven't started the car from my phone to get it warmed up in advance.
To do that would be illegal in the UK.<stuff>
In any case, as the car is still locked I fail to see what is dangerous about this but maybe I'm missing something..
wst said:
(The purpose of an electronic handbrake is for better cabin packaging, just like how some autos have column shifters as they don't need a mechanical linkage in the floor to take up boatloads of room...)
That's a side benefit and the current selling proposition to the punter, but the real purpose is that it is one of the necessary precursor technologies for self-driving, given that a computer can switch an electronic handbrake with zero engineering effort and minimal cost, whereas enabling it to apply a conventional handbrake using some mechanical substitute for muscle power would be expensive and complicated.
datum77 said:
I have questioned for some time why car manufacturers don't build a car that has all the unnecessary "junk" removed, making it lighter, only does 60-65mph maximum, (therefore achieving 90+mpg), and market it as the only one of it's type.
Smart tried it with the 4/2, but mostly failed because people at the top poked their noses into the development.
The manufacturers would probably argue that their customer base demands all this pointless,(and weighty, and expensive, and complicated), technology into their product. The manufacturers ONLY interest is to sell brand new units. They have no vested interest in it all going wrong 5 years down the line.
The mobile phone manufacturers are guilty of the same thing. Why a manufacturer doesn't market a phone that JUST sends/receives calls and texts, but does nothing else, beats me. I have no need of a smart phone with all the attached and complicated technology, (I also don't want to look a jerk staring at a piece of plastic while out in the world).
Dacia Sandero. Dacia Duster. Would you buy one?Smart tried it with the 4/2, but mostly failed because people at the top poked their noses into the development.
The manufacturers would probably argue that their customer base demands all this pointless,(and weighty, and expensive, and complicated), technology into their product. The manufacturers ONLY interest is to sell brand new units. They have no vested interest in it all going wrong 5 years down the line.
The mobile phone manufacturers are guilty of the same thing. Why a manufacturer doesn't market a phone that JUST sends/receives calls and texts, but does nothing else, beats me. I have no need of a smart phone with all the attached and complicated technology, (I also don't want to look a jerk staring at a piece of plastic while out in the world).
Also, Doro mobile phones.
Venturist said:
I would like to express the perhaps unpopular opposite opinion.
I have had 2 new cars now (plus one that was a few years old but was still within manufacturer warranty)
- Never have any mechanical problems with them at all. Crucially, I can ALWAYS get to work. With older cars I would have at least 1 or 2 times a year when something would prevent me getting to work (or require me to take time off to get it looked at) which I found stressful and hugely inconvenient.
- No unexpected bills. Just servicing cost.
- No MOT concerns. All my older cars have needed work at every MOT.
- No worrying about odd noises or smells (not that there are any). If anything does go wrong it's pretty much someone else's problem.
- None of the bongs or buzzers that seem to bother you lot so much bother me in the slightest. In fact I rarely ever even get any.
- Thought I'd hate electronic handbrake but after a few months getting used to it I wouldn't go back.
- Thought I'd hate paddle shift auto, again now I'm used to it I wouldn't go back (though I have the ZF 8-speed so I'm aware I may not feel as positive toward other crappier boxes).
- All the newfangled infotainment stuff makes the experience pleasant and very rarely has a problem, and if there is, it's never a showstopper.
I have experimented with buying older cars again, as little projects or potential cheap dailies, and even then the occasional problems piss me off enough that I regret it, and cost me money - not as much as a new car obviously, but enough to make the whole thing not worth the money it saves.
All in all I don't want my old bloody car back. I want a new one
My Saab 9-5 Aero now 13 years old and 134k on the clock. Owned it over 2 years now including a 4k trip across Europe. Not once has it let me down. It has had a few little niggles but nothing that was worth noting and we're relatively cheap and easy to fix in 30k of motoring. As long as you have mechanical understanding and knowledge (Simple things like checking tyre pressures and oil etc). Owning an old is no less reliable than something with 50 million sensors on it.I have had 2 new cars now (plus one that was a few years old but was still within manufacturer warranty)
- Never have any mechanical problems with them at all. Crucially, I can ALWAYS get to work. With older cars I would have at least 1 or 2 times a year when something would prevent me getting to work (or require me to take time off to get it looked at) which I found stressful and hugely inconvenient.
- No unexpected bills. Just servicing cost.
- No MOT concerns. All my older cars have needed work at every MOT.
- No worrying about odd noises or smells (not that there are any). If anything does go wrong it's pretty much someone else's problem.
- None of the bongs or buzzers that seem to bother you lot so much bother me in the slightest. In fact I rarely ever even get any.
- Thought I'd hate electronic handbrake but after a few months getting used to it I wouldn't go back.
- Thought I'd hate paddle shift auto, again now I'm used to it I wouldn't go back (though I have the ZF 8-speed so I'm aware I may not feel as positive toward other crappier boxes).
- All the newfangled infotainment stuff makes the experience pleasant and very rarely has a problem, and if there is, it's never a showstopper.
I have experimented with buying older cars again, as little projects or potential cheap dailies, and even then the occasional problems piss me off enough that I regret it, and cost me money - not as much as a new car obviously, but enough to make the whole thing not worth the money it saves.
All in all I don't want my old bloody car back. I want a new one
TooMany2cvs said:
Venturiat said:
and that's assuming I haven't started the car from my phone to get it warmed up in advance.
To do that would be illegal in the UK.Several Saab and Volvo cars were sold in the UK with the option to remote start the car to warm it up before getting in, and you could commonly buy DIY kits to fit it to cars in the 80s/90s such as the one fitted to a Land Rover I had.
Over the recent cold weather spell, the Sussex Police facebook page was sharing several pictures of their officers with how easiiy they COULD have driven away with a homeowner's car who had gone and started it up on the road or driveway and left it unlocked with the keys in. The message was one that pointed out how easily it could be stolen, and indeed 4 or 5 cars were stolen in a couple of days in just this fashion.
But no mention of it being illegal.
TheAngryDog said:
Any BMW is going to need a bit of work.
Fixed that for you. Also, modern day BMW's don't always bong at you all the time. I like the bong - there is the normal calm one that keeps you updated e.g you need to fill up. Then there's the oh crap one which bongs when the car has gone wrong.
louiechevy said:
You should try things from a mechanics point of view! What's wrong with a dipstick on an engine why oh why make an engine without one, and an electronic handbrake that decides to seize on outside the workshop door (thanks volkswagen) bulbs you can't change without taking the headlight out or removing the bumper first, indicators controlled by a two hundred pound module that needs to go to BMW to be coded to the Car! Deep breath remember I had a hart attack last year the list is endless. Oh well roll on retirement!
The visionaries at TVR have been doing stuff like this for years. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Now where did I leave my drink ... ?Shakermaker said:
Are you sure about that? The car cannot be driven away in this function, and doesn't even have to be unlocked.
Several Saab and Volvo cars were sold in the UK with the option to remote start the car to warm it up before getting in, and you could commonly buy DIY kits to fit it to cars in the 80s/90s such as the one fitted to a Land Rover I had.
Over the recent cold weather spell, the Sussex Police facebook page was sharing several pictures of their officers with how easiiy they COULD have driven away with a homeowner's car who had gone and started it up on the road or driveway and left it unlocked with the keys in. The message was one that pointed out how easily it could be stolen, and indeed 4 or 5 cars were stolen in a couple of days in just this fashion.
But no mention of it being illegal.
The legal prohibitions are two regulations within the Construction & Use Regulations 1986Several Saab and Volvo cars were sold in the UK with the option to remote start the car to warm it up before getting in, and you could commonly buy DIY kits to fit it to cars in the 80s/90s such as the one fitted to a Land Rover I had.
Over the recent cold weather spell, the Sussex Police facebook page was sharing several pictures of their officers with how easiiy they COULD have driven away with a homeowner's car who had gone and started it up on the road or driveway and left it unlocked with the keys in. The message was one that pointed out how easily it could be stolen, and indeed 4 or 5 cars were stolen in a couple of days in just this fashion.
But no mention of it being illegal.
Regulation 98 Stopping of engine when stationary
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regul...
Also Regulation 107, Leaving motor vehicles unattended
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regul...
rayyan171 said:
The E39 truly is one of the best BMW's ever made of all time. We have our old one still on our driveway. It's SORN at the moment but planning to restore it fully when we find the time. It's especially saucy as it has the rare 18" style 42 wheels which I love.
Mine is sorned at the moment and wearing deep dish 18" style 42's too! Lovely wheels.
wst said:
Because it's designed for normal operation to be "lift clutch when in gear, and it disengages".
You can use Microsoft Word to make posters, but it's not the intended use of Microsoft Word and so complaining about how it's a hassle to use to make posters is, frankly, silly.
(The purpose of an electronic handbrake is for better cabin packaging, just like how some autos have column shifters as they don't need a mechanical linkage in the floor to take up boatloads of room...)
Wrong. It's purely cost driven. Far cheaper to install and service (in the warranty period) You can use Microsoft Word to make posters, but it's not the intended use of Microsoft Word and so complaining about how it's a hassle to use to make posters is, frankly, silly.
(The purpose of an electronic handbrake is for better cabin packaging, just like how some autos have column shifters as they don't need a mechanical linkage in the floor to take up boatloads of room...)
Lowtimer said:
TheAngryDog said:
E39's are all good etc except you'll forever be chasing rust.
Not necessarily. Just had the factory paint off my 17 year old which had been quite badly beaten up cosmetically under previous ownership. There were scratches and minor dents and bird-poo etched craters all over it, and 160K miles of chips and dinks. It had quite a few surface blisters and scabs on it, rear arches, tailgate, couple on the sills and A pillars. Looking at it hard last autumn I thought it was time to get on top of it before it started really getting its teeth into the car, and I was braced to find at least one horror story somewhere, because that's always what you seem to find when you take the paint off a car. But, apart from the bonnet leading edge where stonechips had gone untreated for years under previous owners (easily replaced by a solid one off a scrapper for £30) there was nothing serious on the car at all. All the scabs and spots were purely light surface stuff which wire-brushed straight off to shiny metal. I think it was more down to poor paint prep on the original paint job than anything else. We didn't have to weld anything at all and there wasn't a single hole anywhere. I put new factory wings on just because it seemed a shame not to while the car was in pieces, but tbh the old ones would have cleaned up as easily as the rear arches did.Underneath it was all completely solid too.
As said above I've had three e39's, they've all either needed welding or already been welded at some point, if you've got a solid, original one I'd say you've done well.
Emeye said:
Has anyone suggested a noughties S60 or S80 - I think there may be the odd manual S80 knocking around - the D5 isn't a V6 but it has character (ish)
The D5 definately has character, it sounds lovely being a 5 pot, never mind for a diesel. My mate had a re-mapped S60 and it was A LOT quicker than you would ever expect a diesel Volvo to be, however, he was always chasing problems (not due to the re-map!) so if you're looking to buy one go over it with a very fine toothed comb.
Reading this thread with huge interest, and quite surprised that there is so much support for older stuff that doesn't do complicated. I'm not entirely anti modern. Common rail diesel engines are superb, (and even better with no DPF or stuff, and multipoint fuel injection on a petrol is a given. (After all I am an auto electrician so I can't not think those are good things). And as I said in the original post, modern safety stuff like crash protection and airbags are great. Just stop the bloody stupidity.
My business partner has a saying - Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. An apt idea for car manufacturing, and life in general I think.
And yes we can all drive a Dacia or something - but a Dacia doesn't come with a straight six engine, and leather and wood, and rear wheel drive, and the presence and road manners of an E39. - if there was something that did, I would be well tempted. (Even possibly on finance) (flame the thought).
I have been seriously tempted by an Alfa - a 156 seems particularly attractive at the moment, so I might have a little play with one of these. It's quite hard to find a 2.4 estate though (Diesel please) at the money I'm prepared to pay. I have several customers with these, and they all seem very individual (both cars and customers) - and I quite like that.
I think both Alfa and Saab are a marque generally inspire a warm fuzzy feeling in other motorists - BMW generally promotes the rage, (though Audi is the best for that).
My business partner has a saying - Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. An apt idea for car manufacturing, and life in general I think.
And yes we can all drive a Dacia or something - but a Dacia doesn't come with a straight six engine, and leather and wood, and rear wheel drive, and the presence and road manners of an E39. - if there was something that did, I would be well tempted. (Even possibly on finance) (flame the thought).
I have been seriously tempted by an Alfa - a 156 seems particularly attractive at the moment, so I might have a little play with one of these. It's quite hard to find a 2.4 estate though (Diesel please) at the money I'm prepared to pay. I have several customers with these, and they all seem very individual (both cars and customers) - and I quite like that.
I think both Alfa and Saab are a marque generally inspire a warm fuzzy feeling in other motorists - BMW generally promotes the rage, (though Audi is the best for that).
TooMany2cvs said:
Pommygranite said:
PowerslideSWE said:
Top rant.
I have an e39 530i and honestly the only thing I miss is bluetooth connectivity to the stereo
I have one of these in my 17yr old E39 528 and it's bloody marvellous:I have an e39 530i and honestly the only thing I miss is bluetooth connectivity to the stereo
Bluetooth streaming from my iPhone, hands free with good quality mic and uses the car speakers, connected IPod, connect to the Internet and also a built in Satnav which is perfectly decent.
Also because it has a built in amp the sound quality of music is much better than the car stereo.
Fixed to the top of the dash above the vents (it is a removable head unit for safety) and looks pretty integral - you can see the dial control to the right just behind the wheel.
And no apologies for the proud owner shot.
They still look so damn right with the right kit wheels and colour when clean and standard.
The E39 is so beguiling
njw1 said:
Lowtimer said:
TheAngryDog said:
E39's are all good etc except you'll forever be chasing rust.
Not necessarily. Just had the factory paint off my 17 year old which had been quite badly beaten up cosmetically under previous ownership. There were scratches and minor dents and bird-poo etched craters all over it, and 160K miles of chips and dinks. It had quite a few surface blisters and scabs on it, rear arches, tailgate, couple on the sills and A pillars. Looking at it hard last autumn I thought it was time to get on top of it before it started really getting its teeth into the car, and I was braced to find at least one horror story somewhere, because that's always what you seem to find when you take the paint off a car. But, apart from the bonnet leading edge where stonechips had gone untreated for years under previous owners (easily replaced by a solid one off a scrapper for £30) there was nothing serious on the car at all. All the scabs and spots were purely light surface stuff which wire-brushed straight off to shiny metal. I think it was more down to poor paint prep on the original paint job than anything else. We didn't have to weld anything at all and there wasn't a single hole anywhere. I put new factory wings on just because it seemed a shame not to while the car was in pieces, but tbh the old ones would have cleaned up as easily as the rear arches did.Underneath it was all completely solid too.
As said above I've had three e39's, they've all either needed welding or already been welded at some point, if you've got a solid, original one I'd say you've done well.
Pommygranite said:
Photo update - this is actually mine.
Fixed to the top of the dash above the vents (it is a removable head unit for safety) and looks pretty integral - you can see the dial control to the right just behind the wheel.
And no apologies for the proud owner shot.
They still look so damn right with the right kit wheels and colour when clean and standard.
The E39 is so beguiling
That display is NOT integral looking. It isn't even lined up properly!Fixed to the top of the dash above the vents (it is a removable head unit for safety) and looks pretty integral - you can see the dial control to the right just behind the wheel.
And no apologies for the proud owner shot.
They still look so damn right with the right kit wheels and colour when clean and standard.
The E39 is so beguiling
njw1 said:
rayyan171 said:
The E39 truly is one of the best BMW's ever made of all time. We have our old one still on our driveway. It's SORN at the moment but planning to restore it fully when we find the time. It's especially saucy as it has the rare 18" style 42 wheels which I love.
Mine is sorned at the moment and wearing deep dish 18" style 42's too! Lovely wheels.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff