It's the little things

[kambites]

Gad-Westy said:

LOL.

Were those keypads actually any good? Always looked like a faff at the time but I didn't have a car with one.

A friend of mine had a 306 with it. It didn't seem to bother him, it just became part of the "getting into the car and driving off" routine, didn't add more than a second or two.

[Richard-390a0]

mikey_b said:

Djtemeka said:

HTP99 said:

TheOctaneAddict said:

My VW Scirocco had a bottle opener in the center console.

I always found that a weird addition in VW's, I don't know about anyone else but the only bottles I've ever needed a bottle opener for, have contained alcohol!

The good ol’ days

The weirdest thing about it is surely that it is double-ended. Do people get that desperate to open a bottle, that they must have a device with built-in redundancy in case one end of it breaks?

It's double ended as it also functions as the cupholder divider hence it needs to be the same shape for both ends if you don't want to use that space as an oblong cubby box.

[Terminator X]

Gad-Westy said:

kambites said:

Terminator X said:

Peugeot used to have this as security, should have left it there imho.



TX.

Didn't stop someone pinching the stereo though did it?

LOL.

Were those keypads actually any good? Always looked like a faff at the time but I didn't have a car with one.

My 306 Gti6 had one. Easy as pin nr of debit card. Wouldn't start without pin.

TX.

[SturdyHSV]

Honourable mention in the Cup Holder Design Awards must go to the chaps at GM / Saab that made the 9-5 cup holders that also appeared in the Monaro and Commodores etc. of the same era



As you push it back up, the ring rotates to vertical and it all slots back into the dash. It has a nicely controlled deployment speed too. Not adjustable though, so I suspect would come in 2nd to the Porsche design.

[P5BNij]

The little green light which would flash on the end of the indicator stalk in Mk1 Minis.

The pull out picnic tray concealing the toolkit in Rover P5B Saloons and Coupes.

The heavy and highly satisfying sound when opening and closing the doors on Rover P5Bs.

The feel of the overdrive working in my '73 Series 2 Jag XJ6 4.2 manual.

The yellow 'gear change' markings in the speedo of all the Mk1, Mk2 and Mk3 Mini Cooper models.

[V 02]

The Civic from the noughties had many unusual features that are still interesting today.


This weird sci-fi dash.






A strange front grill and headlights.




Very useful rear seats that they called “Magic Seats”




This weird shift knob





And these weird triangular rear exhaust tips.

[Terminator X]

^^ little tiny round pipes inside the triangles though!

TX.

[mat205125]

V 02 said:

The Civic from the noughties had many unusual features that are still interesting today.


This weird sci-fi dash.

Love the dash design on these, even if they are an utter ergonomic disaster

[V 02]

mat205125 said:

Love the dash design on these, even if they are an utter ergonomic disaster

The silliest thing on these is that they have an engine start button, but you have to twist the key in 2 clicks as if you were starting the car and THEN press the engine start button

[hammo19]

Square Leg said:

My lads Fabia has a little ice scraper tucked inside the fuel filler flap.

Some Skodas have umbrellas in the front doors…

[HTP99]

mat205125 said:

V 02 said:

The Civic from the noughties had many unusual features that are still interesting today.


This weird sci-fi dash.

Love the dash design on these, even if they are an utter ergonomic disaster

And yet I hated it, it was just a mess, whenever I drove one, I would have to take a few moments to work out what was what.

[Klippie]

The first time I saw the VW logo on the headlight bulb covers I thought that's a really cool design touch.

[DKS]

Killboy said:

My Opel Superboss had a stack of them. A source of at least 10% of the rattles

8V shell, 8K rev counter, 16V engine?
I can see your clutch pedal is starting to seize there, common issue and the pedal itself gets bent as you end up pushing it sideways!

[LunarOne]

Chubbyross said:

Porsche 997/987 era cup holders. They were a thing of beauty. Worth buying the cars just to ping the cup holders in and out. They’re guaranteed to keep your kids happy for the whole journey.

Are they any different on newer cars? The 981/991/982 cars I've driven all have the same cupholders!

[wpa1975]

Terminator X said:

^^ little tiny round pipes inside the triangles though!

TX.

My diesel has tiny pipes inside the triangles plus on each side it has a pipe pointing down as well, so on a cold day it has in effect 4 tailpipes with smoke coming out, madness.

V 02 said:

mat205125 said:

Love the dash design on these, even if they are an utter ergonomic disaster

The silliest thing on these is that they have an engine start button, but you have to twist the key in 2 clicks as if you were starting the car and THEN press the engine start button

Yep, but you still turn it off with the key, I have lived with mine for 16 months now and it is still at times baffling with the layout.

Also utter madness that you do not have to push the clutch down to start it.,

Edited by wpa1975 on Friday 10th February 13:14

[M11rph]

I learnt to drive in a rather old P6 3500 Rover (Manual). Having a Reserve Tank always felt special !

(Pet.Res arrowed for those not checked out on the P6. Same as the Choke, pull and twist to lock open)

[Chubbyross]

LunarOne said:

Chubbyross said:

Porsche 997/987 era cup holders. They were a thing of beauty. Worth buying the cars just to ping the cup holders in and out. They’re guaranteed to keep your kids happy for the whole journey.

Are they any different on newer cars? The 981/991/982 cars I've driven all have the same cupholders!

I thought they went with the 991 era. Perhaps they stayed on for the 991.1 and then were changed for the 991.2. Happy to be corrected though.

[Speed Badger]

The 'Type R' pen clipped under the driver's seat of all Honda Type R's is a cool touch.

[paradigital]

HTP99 said:

I always found that a weird addition in VW's, I don't know about anyone else but the only bottles I've ever needed a bottle opener for, have contained alcohol!

[heisthegaffer]

V 02 said:

The Civic from the noughties had many unusual features that are still interesting today.


This weird sci-fi dash.






A strange front grill and headlights.




Very useful rear seats that they called “Magic Seats”




This weird shift knob





And these weird triangular rear exhaust tips.

I've had 2 of these, brilliant cars except for the A/C breaking in both of them. The 2nd one had the nav and Bluetooth but I never used the BT as it was utterly ste.

The magic seats/general practicality was excellent.