minimum spec level

[Triumph Man]

In an idle moment, I was just thinking about my BMW E34 and my Discovery 4, and their equipment levels.

It got me thinking, what is the least amount of kit that makes a car still usable, but not a chore? I think my BMW is pretty much all I "need" in terms of Electric windows (so I can open all windows without having to lean across the car, or stop), Central locking - via the door, doesn't have to be remote, and Air Conditioning to remain cool in summer and for easy demisting.

My Disco 4, being the HSE, has loads of stuff, but in reality nobody "needs" anything on it, except perhaps bluetooth.

[akirk]

would agree - my classic RR has the same - all my essentials and few other electronics:
- power steering
- heated seats
- air-conditioning
- electric windows
- auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- central locking

also has memory seats (never work!)
heated windscreen - does work!

to be fair - the f-type doesn't have a huge number of additional toys
my wife's Ateca though does with digital dashboards etc - which are fun but not essential

[brillomaster]

power steering
ABS
Traction Control
Electric Windows
Air conditioning
heated rear screen
some kind of radio and a CD player.

thats about all i need in a car i think. i also have heated seats, but certainly arent essential. electric memory seats are nice, but again, not essential.

[The spinner of plates]

EmailAddress said:

TRIGGER WARNING

YORKSHIREMAN SKETCH INCOMING

<Caterham owners also waiting in the wings ready for the stage call>

[Baldchap]

It depends on the car and what it's used for.

My Elise doesn't need half the stuff I expect in a car I use to cart the wife and dog to the south of Spain a few times a year; choice examples being sat nav and a giant boot!

I do think a bare minimum for everything these days is remote central locking, air conditioning and electric windows, plus a rev counter.

[kambites]

Baldchap said:

It depends on the car and what it's used for.

My daily driver has such luxuries as, err, carpets?

It does in theory have remote central locking but in practice "remote" meaning leaning over the car because the range is so rubbish and the actuator on the drivers' door has been broken for a couple of years anyway and I haven't felt any particular need to fix it. It also has electric windows but there is no switch for the passenger window on the drivers' side so it's not particularly useful. No air con, but the roof comes off.

If my driving profile was different I'd be looking for a very different car though!

Edited by kambites on Friday 3rd February 15:40

[GetCarter]

The spinner of plates said:

EmailAddress said:

TRIGGER WARNING

YORKSHIREMAN SKETCH INCOMING

<Caterham owners also waiting in the wings ready for the stage call>

In my last two Caterhams, I did without a windscreen, but spec'd a heater (I know - soft southern jessie).

Now I bloody love preconditioning in my current car. Doubt I'd ever buy another car without it. (Much Softer jessie!)

[Bennet]

TBH, I don't remember having any real problems clearing misted up windows before air conditioning so I'm not sure that's much of a necessity either. I tend to prefer to just roll the windows down in summer too...

[Alan16ac]

For a daily driver I'd realistically like the following as a minimum, obviously excluding the obvious things like windscreen wipers, wheels and engine etc.
Air Conditioning.
Electric Windows.
Steering Wheel Controls.
Bluetooth Music & Handsfree.
Auto Wipers.

That said, I am used to many creature comforts now, and wouldn't want to lose them like electric seats and lumbar, heated seats, heated windscreen, auto-dim rear view mirror, all round parking sensors.

[Canon_Fodder]

Refrigerated glove box!!

[Dave Hedgehog]

autopilot and netflix are must have

[luckystrike]

Cruise control and a passable stereo with either Bluetooth or an aux in. If the wife is involved, heated seats as well.

[brillomaster]

oh yeah, defos yes to cruise control. and auto lights are quite useful.

auto wipers can do one though. the rain sensors never sense fine rain/mist properly, even on the most sensitive setting. i'd much rather manually set the speed of the intermittent wipe myself.

[Canon_Fodder]

brillomaster said:

... auto lights are quite useful.
.

[Caddyshack]

Canon_Fodder said:

brillomaster said:

... auto lights are quite useful.
.

Yes, agree. Saves all the faff. I love the auto high beam on my rangie too….never have to think about lights at all. The cornering lights that light up the edge of the road are great.

It also has heated and cooled massage seats front and rear (rears recline too) heated steering wheel, cabin pre heater, radar cruise and a fridge…I use it all, very often. Obviously not the spirit of this thread.


Heated seats are a big importance to me in a car.

[GroundEffect]

Dave Hedgehog said:

autopilot and netflix are must have

After doing 2000 miles in a Model 3 over Xmas, Autopilot is a bloody liability. Easily the worst Active Cruise I've ever used.

[griffsomething]

For a family wagon, having remote start from your phone app is wonderful. When it’s minus 4 outside and you can start it from the breakfast table and 10 mins later it’s toasty and warm for driver and baby, that’s superb.

[otolith]

I quite like the auto-high beam on my 3 series. Not so much for dimming automatically, that's no chore to do manually, but for the way it boxes out traffic while still illuminating round it. Witchcraft!

[Pica-Pica]

Bennet said:

TBH, I don't remember having any real problems clearing misted up windows before air conditioning so I'm not sure that's much of a necessity either. I tend to prefer to just roll the windows down in summer too...

Really? De-misting was an absolute balls-ache back before AirCon. You either forget, or haven’t really experienced a misted up car.

[carlove]

Canon_Fodder said:

brillomaster said:

... auto lights are quite useful.
.

I like auto lights, but you just have to make sure you're not completely relying on them, which too many people do. My auto lights are normally spot on, only turn on manually in fog and very occasionally they don't come on early enough in the evening for my liking.
Some cars have useless auto lights though, Korean cars mostly, the hire cars I've driven from Kia and Hyundai the lights never come on in the rain (my car, and most cars come on after a certain number of windscreen wipes) and nearly every evening I've driven Hyundais and Kias I've had to put the lights on manually.