Idiosyncratic features to be savoured

[Trabi601]

Greza said:

Speedometer on the Fabia Vrs



10mph increments up to 90mph and 20mph increments after.

Surprisingly common. Not sure which of my recent cars has this - maybe the Boxster? (it's not here to check, though).

[liammedler]

feef said:

With all the references to the 2CV, I'm surprised noone has mentioned the windscreen washer.
It's not a powered pump, but a manual, thumb-operated pump that masquerades as a button on the dash.

Want a more powerful squirt? Just have to push harder/faster

Same on my Triumph Herald and the foot-operated washer on the Rover P4

[Agent XXX]

Speaking of the Alfa 75. THAT handbrake.

[Agent XXX]

Agent XXX said:

austinsmirk said:

wasn't there a 70's alfa or Lancia- businessman edition that had an integral briefcase as part of the dashboard.

The Alfa 90 had a built in briefcase

As per this thread here a few years back


http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Hugh Jarse]

Jex said:

Can't get second gear when the engine/gearbox is cold - many older Ferraris

Supposedly new fangled gearbox pil has solved this.

[928]

Porsche 928 intensive washer on a pod button, or its four column stalks.

[LLR270]

The MG TF front trunk release lever.


in the boot. to open the boot the lever was in the centre console armrest.

WTF??

[sattyb]

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta (1984 model) and later on the Alfa Romeo 75 both had the front electric window switches positioned up near the rear view mirror.

[Harji]

All this talk about SAAB and no mention of ignition by the handbrake, non self centring steering (watch your left turns if you are new to old SAAB's), the gearbox is the wrong way round (but gives you ample cabin space) and I won't get into the technicality but when turning the fan/air flow knob it makes all sorts of whoosh's and gushing sounds, like a old school sci-fi film (and yes I do love the sounds).

Edited by Harji on Tuesday 28th March 15:22

Edited by Harji on Tuesday 28th March 15:23

[craigjm]

Night panel on the later Saabs which turned off all of the interior illumination except the speedo unless it had something important to say and then it turned on specific dials and stuff

[JimbobVFR]

AW111 said:

Snap.
I have a 4wd Mitsubishi van. Mid engined awd 2-seater. For quick access the passenger seat hinges up with the engine cover, but anything more than checking the oil requires removing the drivers seat and another access panel.

would that be a Delica? Love those, if I needed off road ability then I could definitely be tempted.

[addz86]

I likes the flaps on Defenders that let fresh air blow straight in, blanked off on the newer ones

P38's bonnets have a little clip so they can go vertical, handy as you'll spend a lot of time under there.

[Shakermaker]

Mr225 said:

Jimmy Recard said:

He's worried that the integrated umbrella will excite anyone who uses it

I drive a Skoda. I am not in imminent danger of exciting anyone, ever.

If my passengers ever found out about the retractable rain shelter in the door, I am not sure I would want to be responsible for the resultant exhilaration. And that's before they discover the Twin Boot..........

I think its a shame Skoda have not continued the Twin Boot feature in the new Superb model. I don't really think about it much but I like that all over winter, I can open the boot, or more specifically, my wife can open the boot without all the warm air being instantly sucked out. But then if I need it, I have so much space on hand just by opening the full hatch.

The umbrella though - its a great feature but its of no use to me, the driver, being stuck in the the rear nearside passenger door. Clearly designed for the LHD market and clearly aimed at the chauffeur market! However on the new models I believe there is an umbrella in both front doors.

[austinsmirk]

LLR270 said:

The MG TF front trunk release lever.


in the boot. to open the boot the lever was in the centre console armrest.

WTF??

actually to open the bonnet on a VW beetle, the catch was in the glovebox.

ditto the volvo 340, as mentioned - the spare wheel was of course under the bonnet.

this spare wheel used its tyre pressure/stored air via a tube on the washer bottle to wash yr windows.

[Evilex]

My entire Fiat Multipla (pre-"facelift", modern)

Handbrake in the driver's sill.

No instruments in front of the driver.

Virtually nothing inside the vehicle protrudes above the line described by the lower edge of the windscreen, yet you can't see anything of the bonnet or front wings. Feels weird.

Two glove boxes. One each side!

Dash mounted gear lever. You can touch it with your pinky while your thumb is still on the wheel, it's that close.

The seating arrangements. 3x2, AND the rear ones remove completely. And all six recline. And four have fore/aft adjustment, and the rear three can be positioned in a second set of mounts to give more boot space if needed.

Headlights. Main beam, side/dipped and driving lights are all in totally separate units. Plus, the mains are set highest. Excellent on unlit roads at night. And the dipped beams don't extinguish when you engage the mains. Photons ahoy!

Van style double mirrors, except the lower portion mostly shows the rear wheels for reverse parking purposes.

To "decrease weight and complexity" the washer mechanism has only one motor/impeller. It's wired to spin one way to send water to the front screen, and the other to the rear screen. This is achieved with a Y piece incorporating non-return valves. Alas, these perish and fail. Frequently. So people just drill out the valves. Result? Pull the stalk, both screens get it. Push the stalk, both screens get it!
Then consider the fact that the rear has a tendency to blow it's own hose off, pouring washer fluid into the electric boot release (there's no manual release)...

I've forgotten loads...

[anonymous-user]

the heater controls on early 911s:



remember after a run in a 2.7RS lightweight, being temporarily unable to get out. the owner assumed I was just admiring the car, but in reality I thought that the strap (which opens the door) was in fact designed to pull it closed:



the fuel flap release by the driver's seat on K10 and K11 Micras. First time I borrowed my better half's Micra, decided to fill it, took me about 5 minutes to work out what to do.

Ditto on first encountering the bonkers location of a/c 911 boot and fuel flap releases.

Best /worst of the lot was becoming stuck in a TVR in a motor show. It didn't help that a queue of other teenage rubberneckers were banging on the door, but I couldn't see a door release anywhere and I think someone else had to let me out

[Tyre Tread]

P5BNij said:

Seventeen bolt on panels on the P6! The front wings on the P5 were also bolt on, when it comes to restoring these cars you often find that one wing is about half an inch longer than the other, something to do with the old tooling I'm told. You can tell a restored P5/P5B by the extra half inch gap between the stainless steel body side trim and the wrap around side lights on the corner of the wing on one side of the car.

I believe I imparted that piece of informtion to you about the P5 Niij BUT they were like that from the factory and the difference in wing length does not indicate a restored car.

[spyker138]

kapiteinlangzaam said:

My parents had an original Multipla from 2003-2016. Bought new of a Fiat dealers forecourt for 9995, which made it quite insane value.

Looks are obviously love/hate, but the rest of the car was undeniably fantastic. IIRC it was built on a sort of space-frame, with the all the suspension etc hanging off it and the engine etc bolted on. This resulted in a very low centre of gravity (= entertaining handling) and also realised the quite ridiculous amounts of interior space.

Great cars, really very great cars.

Owned one since new in 2004. My favourite car in my small collection of idiosyncratic cars.

To add to the above - electric height adjustable lights, tons of under seat storage, special onboard trip computer that uses US gallons not UK (hence mpg is 20% too low), although it was never sold in the US.....

[66mpg]

mac96 said:

rodericb said:

66mpg said:

Another Alfasud oddity: two bonnet release systems. Because Alfasuds had two bulkheads in the engine bay: the regular one that separated engine bay from passenger cabin and a supplementary bulkhead about a foot further forward that separated the engine from the battery, heater and brake servo and the catch was mounted on the
Is extra bulkhead. If the cable breaks you would be unable to reach the catch with tools from outside to open it. The Alfa solution was a second link: a piece of nylon line terminated in the glovebox with a ring to put your finger in. This was your get out of jail card to regain access to the engine bay to fix the cable.

Alfettas had that emergency fishing line with rubber hoop thing too.

Alfa must have bought a very big reel of fishing line- the fuel filler flap in the 156 Sportwagon had the same emergency opening mechanism for when the cable from the drivers seat broke(bound to happen some time!)

When you have a good idea you want to use it wherever you can.

[Exige77]

Spannerski said:

1983 Audi Coupe GT5S boot lid release.

Another one that took 20 mins to find

Located in the drivers B column below the door catch.
Brilliant. Can't open when doors are closed or locked.

Yes, I spent a while looking for it in the 1980's when I had one