Why do car makers get the simple things wrong?

[Quattr04.]

I’m currently driving a hire car which is a brand new Mini Cooper S, which tuns out to be a 30k car, it’s pretty quick, looks decent and they’ve packed it full of kit like led headlights, self parking HK stereo and all the usual stuff you get on new cars

But here’s the problem, it’s missing so many of the basics, the seats are the worst I have ever sat in, they have no lumbar or thigh support and are so hard it’s like sitting on a wooden bench, I drive in for a hour and have back and hip pain, which in contrast to my mk7 fiesta ST had the best seats ever

The cup holders are in a good location but they don’t have any grippers in them, so everting from a coffee cup to a bottle of water moves around constantly

There’s a tray between the middle seats that is so shallow and doesn’t have any matting in so what every you put there like your sun glasses or keys then slide into the cup holder or down the side of the seat anytime you drive anywhere

The door bins are so small you can’t put your sunglasses or even a bottle of 500ml water in them (the door plastics are so cheap feeling too)

The arm rest don’t open or move, and is so far back you can’t even use it, and the door padding arm rest is as hard as the plastic in my old transit van

It wants a mini account to do basic settings like unlocking all 4 doors at once instead of just the drivers or adjust the time the lights stay on for after you get out, which is infuriating.

I also recently had a MG HS which was brand new and the cruise control wouldn’t engage, the —- came up in the dash but the car wouldn’t accept the speed, there was also no volume knob so only the driver could adjust the volume

Why do manufacturers insist on getting these basic things wrong? It’s turned from what would be a really decent hot hatch into a absolute annoyance

[stevemcs]

The joys of the modern car.

Seats and position are subjective I guess, the seating position and seats in my Superb are very poor, our Mini is so much better (f56) Ford seats have always been great, I struggle with anything vw group, although my Leon Cupar was comfortable

[samoht]

I can't see that seats are a "simple thing".

They have to be comfortable for every possible buyer worldwide, from the 80 year old Granny to the 18 year old basketball star to the stairs-dominating, PH-posting company director.

At the same time they also have to support the driver while cornering enthusiastically.

While also, should said cornering become too enthusiastic, remaining secure and holding the driver in place during a crash impact sequence to allow the airbags etc to work effectively.

They must be breathable, yet not absorb stains or odours. Fashionable, yet not date too quickly. Offer a range of colours and patterns without over-complicating production.

In many cars they must accommodate heating and perhaps cooling and massage functions as optional extras.

They must adjust every which way via easily understood controls, which will work reliably for 20 years of use and abuse.

They must look attractive and expensive in the showroom, yet cost the manufacturer as little as possible.



There's a story that early in the DaimlerChrysler merger the two companies compared parts costs - often a major opportunity for easy wins when bringing two companies together. The US engineers, keen to be helpful, spotted that their seats were a lot less expensive, and sent a couple of samples to Germany along with a document showing how much Chrysler paid for them, and a note saying 'we think Mercedes is being ripped off on their seats'.

The German engineers analysed the Chrysler seats closely, and wrote a report outlining all the ways they were inferior to their own. The conclusion of the report said "no, it is you who are paying too much".

[Mr Tidy]

Quattr04. said:

I m currently driving a hire car which is a brand new Mini Cooper S, which tuns out to be a 30k car, it s pretty quick, looks decent and they ve packed it full of kit like led headlights, self parking HK stereo and all the usual stuff you get on new cars

But here s the problem, it s missing so many of the basics, the seats are the worst I have ever sat in, they have no lumbar or thigh support and are so hard it s like sitting on a wooden bench, I drive in for a hour and have back and hip pain, which in contrast to my mk7 fiesta ST had the best seats ever

The cup holders are in a good location but they don t have any grippers in them, so everting from a coffee cup to a bottle of water moves around constantly

There s a tray between the middle seats that is so shallow and doesn t have any matting in so what every you put there like your sun glasses or keys then slide into the cup holder or down the side of the seat anytime you drive anywhere

The door bins are so small you can t put your sunglasses or even a bottle of 500ml water in them (the door plastics are so cheap feeling too)

The arm rest don t open or move, and is so far back you can t even use it, and the door padding arm rest is as hard as the plastic in my old transit van

It wants a mini account to do basic settings like unlocking all 4 doors at once instead of just the drivers or adjust the time the lights stay on for after you get out, which is infuriating.

I also recently had a MG HS which was brand new and the cruise control wouldn t engage, the - came up in the dash but the car wouldn t accept the speed, there was also no volume knob so only the driver could adjust the volume

Why do manufacturers insist on getting these basic things wrong? It s turned from what would be a really decent hot hatch into a absolute annoyance

AFAIK BMW Minis never had adjustable lumber or thigh support, but at least they had height adjustment for the base unlike all the Fiestas I've been in. They felt like you were sitting on them rather than in them!

Maybe that one has something missing from the cup-holers? Mrs Tidy's R50 and R56 Minis both had grippers in the cup-holders, although her drivers side one has come out after she rammed a large bottle in.

Nothing is perfect, but not being able to put a 500ml water bottle in the door pocket wouldn't bother me if I could put a 250ml one in the cup-holder. And I'd rather not have a volume control a passenger couldn't interfere with!