Five most useless features in a car

[kambites]

otolith said:

kambites said:

They removed something like 80kg(!) from the E46 M3 by swapping the electric seats out for manual ones in the CSL.

I don't think the CSL front seats differ only in lacking electric motors, aren't they lightweight single piece jobs?

No, they're completely different but the fact that the original front seats weight 80kg in total was a shock to me. It's obscene!

The CSL seats are more comfortable, too.

[chris182]

Cupholders - I have never put a drink in one as I know it would be laminated across the whole interior within 500 yards, also trying to take evasive action whilst swigging a scalding hot drink seems like a poor plan.

Electric seats - I get the whole memory thing if you have multiple drivers but apart from that it's just more weight and stuff to go wrong.

Traction control - Unless you are a total plutonium-footed oaf then it serves no purpose but has caused me several arse-clenching moments when it killed the power pulling onto a busy wet roundabout .

Sunroof - I like them when they work but I prefer older cars without them as they can be a world of annoyance when they start breaking. Also they take away headroom which is an issue for a taller chap like myself.

On the other hand cruise control is a godsend, I wouldn't have another daily driver without it and auto wipers are brilliant. I like the speed limiter function in my Clio too, when driving in London it was useful due to the vast numbers of speed cameras, busy traffic and me not knowing where I was going.

[swisstoni]

Rear view mirrors that can be adjusted for night time. Do they still do them? I THINK they were supposed to stop you getting dazzled by the headlights of cars following. But basically you could no longer make out see what was going on behind at all..

[kambites]

chris182 said:

Traction control - Unless you are a total plutonium-footed oaf then it serves no purpose but has caused me several arse-clenching moments when it killed the power pulling onto a busy wet roundabout .

One could argue that you have to be a total plutonium-footed oaf to activate it pulling onto a busy wet roundabout too.

[tannedstamina]

Can I add internal aerials? I've had a couple of cars with these and they don't really work so defeats the point of them. I'd much rather have one that sticks up and works!

[chris182]

kambites said:

chris182 said:

Traction control - Unless you are a total plutonium-footed oaf then it serves no purpose but has caused me several arse-clenching moments when it killed the power pulling onto a busy wet roundabout .

One could argue that you have to be a total plutonium-footed oaf to activate it pulling onto a busy wet roundabout too.

One could. What I was trying to get at was for traction control to save you from an unintended sticky situation then you would have to be said heavy-footed illiterate. Sometimes a bit of wheelspin is necessary to get away quickly in some situations (i.e. front wheel drive car, wet weather, peaky engine with little low-down torque).

[SteveSteveson]

300bhp/ton said:

SteveSteveson said:

Eh? If dipped headlights are causing problems with your vision then you should probably get that checked out... They are designed to not cause problems in the dead of night, so lord knows how your having problems during the day.

SteveSteveson said:

Seriously, you find DRL's and dipped headlights blinding? Very odd. DRLs make cars far more visible at a distance IMO.

ok it's going to be one of those.....


Bright lights will glare more off of wet roads and cause greater distraction. A bright light also means it's much harder to see past the light, want proof hold a torch infront of your face (at arms length) and then try and see objects 10 feet in front of you.

Judging speed and distance is harder when what you are looking at is a bright light, rather than an object.

During WW2 bright lights where used to "hide" ships at sea and reduce the visual signature of aircraft, during certain ambient lighting conditions. These same things happen with cars also.

A less intense light will just as easily 'mark' a car in gloomy or dusk lighting. But without any of the negative affective of brighter lights.


Your last comment "DRLs make cars far more visible at a distance". Exactly how far away do you need to see a car?

Seriously, seeing a car at 2 miles away instead of 1500 yards away offers what realtime advantage?

Eh? Really? Glare of wet roads from dipped headlights? And DRLs not making a difference? Do you really think modern bikes have to have lights on for the fun of it? Or that the new cars have to have DRLs for sts and giggles? It's not 2 miles. It is at a few hundred meters where you have bright sun and shade.

Not sure what ships in WW2 on the sea being seen from aircraft has to do with cars on a road seeing each other. Warships are painted dull colors and sometimes this makes them stand out, in bright sun for example, against the highly reflective surface of the sea. Sod all to do with cars on the road.

I'm fully aware of the effects of seeing past lights, but if DRL's and dipped headlights, that are designed to not do this AT NIGHT and you are having a problem seeing past them in the day you have a problem.

[benters]

McWigglebum4th said:

Audi the glovebox realease

Sitting on the dashboard is this bueatiful crafted little button with a little picture of an open glove box

You reach out a tiny amount without shifting your body and press the button and marvle at its silcone damped awesomeness

Somewhere a tiny little ECU considers your request and it dutifully realeases the glovebox catch

Then the glovebox opens in a lovely smooth sexy action answering your very demand and making you realise that you have made it you are in an Audi you marvel at the imagine.

You look in wonder at your now open glovebox


And then you reach across to push the button to reverse the process and nothing happens

You push again and still there is no response

Again you try a little harder but still nothing


Then you realise


The button only opens the glovebox


And then you consider it


And the reality hits you like a crushing blow

I'M IN 4 door lump of diesel dull and the buttons a fking con

And you know


You have failed

beautifully scarcastic. . .top top work

[kambites]

chris182 said:

One could. What I was trying to get at was for traction control to save you from an unintended sticky situation then you would have to be said heavy-footed illiterate. Sometimes a bit of wheelspin is necessary to get away quickly in some situations (i.e. front wheel drive car, wet weather, peaky engine with little low-down torque).

A good traction control system shouldn't cut in until beyond the percentage slip that's optimal for acceleration (something like 10% IIRC).

[Fastdruid]

chris182 said:

kambites said:

chris182 said:

Traction control - Unless you are a total plutonium-footed oaf then it serves no purpose but has caused me several arse-clenching moments when it killed the power pulling onto a busy wet roundabout .

One could argue that you have to be a total plutonium-footed oaf to activate it pulling onto a busy wet roundabout too.

One could. What I was trying to get at was for traction control to save you from an unintended sticky situation then you would have to be said heavy-footed illiterate. Sometimes a bit of wheelspin is necessary to get away quickly in some situations (i.e. front wheel drive car, wet weather, peaky engine with little low-down torque).

While I'd somewhat agree with kambites it all depends on the car. The very very worst traction control (and IMO the worst engined car) I've ever had the misfortune to experience was on a 318d and the total lack of low down torque/power made it dangerous to attempt any kind of quick launch (even in the dry) with the DTC on. What would happen was you'd spot a gap, go for it and if you unfortunately dialled in just a tiny tiny bit too much throttle or be very very slightly quick on the clutch and got any wheelspin the DTC would then kill all power dead and you'd be in the dead zone and very slowly limp up to any power. The oncoming car is now wondering why you suddenly dived out and then all but stopped dead. Without traction control you could keep the revs up and re-dip the clutch or just back off until it gripped and then drive off.

[ReaperCushions]

Toaster Pilot said:

chopper602 said:

Wifes' 2011 Saab 9-5 does the same, but if you happen to have the keyfob in your hand, then there is a little compartment in the centre cubby especially shaped for it (this can also be used for one start only, if your fob battery has depleted). To lock, just stroke some raised lines on the door handle.
My Toyota GT86 does the same . . .

My Laguna would lock the doors when you are far enough away (or you can lock manually using the buttons on the card, if you're concerned about the security of that)

How do you know its actually locked though? if you walk back to check, does it unlock!?

[Toaster Pilot]

ReaperCushions said:

Toaster Pilot said:

chopper602 said:

Wifes' 2011 Saab 9-5 does the same, but if you happen to have the keyfob in your hand, then there is a little compartment in the centre cubby especially shaped for it (this can also be used for one start only, if your fob battery has depleted). To lock, just stroke some raised lines on the door handle.
My Toyota GT86 does the same . . .

My Laguna would lock the doors when you are far enough away (or you can lock manually using the buttons on the card, if you're concerned about the security of that)

How do you know its actually locked though? if you walk back to check, does it unlock!?

It made a noise using the horn and flashed the hazard lights upon locking. If you were to check like you would a car without keyless, yes, it'd unlock again.

[Fastdruid]

ReaperCushions said:

Toaster Pilot said:

chopper602 said:

Wifes' 2011 Saab 9-5 does the same, but if you happen to have the keyfob in your hand, then there is a little compartment in the centre cubby especially shaped for it (this can also be used for one start only, if your fob battery has depleted). To lock, just stroke some raised lines on the door handle.
My Toyota GT86 does the same . . .

My Laguna would lock the doors when you are far enough away (or you can lock manually using the buttons on the card, if you're concerned about the security of that)

How do you know its actually locked though? if you walk back to check, does it unlock!?

Dunno about the Laguna but on the Mondeo it doesn't let you use the keyless for a period of time (something like 3 seconds) after you lock it so you can lock it and then give a tug on the handle to be sure it's locked (not that I've got keyless entry, I just read that bit in the manual)

[Toaster Pilot]

Fastdruid said:

ReaperCushions said:

Toaster Pilot said:

chopper602 said:

Wifes' 2011 Saab 9-5 does the same, but if you happen to have the keyfob in your hand, then there is a little compartment in the centre cubby especially shaped for it (this can also be used for one start only, if your fob battery has depleted). To lock, just stroke some raised lines on the door handle.
My Toyota GT86 does the same . . .

My Laguna would lock the doors when you are far enough away (or you can lock manually using the buttons on the card, if you're concerned about the security of that)

How do you know its actually locked though? if you walk back to check, does it unlock!?

Dunno about the Laguna but on the Mondeo it doesn't let you use the keyless for a period of time (something like 3 seconds) after you lock it so you can lock it and then give a tug on the handle to be sure it's locked (not that I've got keyless entry, I just read that bit in the manual)

Maybe did do that, I never checked

Get out, walk away, hear chirp from horn, get on with life

[shiftydave]

Auto-dimming rear view mirrors are fecking annoying. With a regular mirror you can see the bright headlights behind you, but can also make out the outline of the vehicle and establish how far behind they are. With auto-dimming mirrors the headlights are still bright but you can't make out any other details.

DRLs on the front but not on the rear seems idiotic, especially when it's p1ssing down with rain on the motorway and you almost smash the back doors in of the car sat in the outside lane at 45mph.

[RizzoTheRat]

Toaster Pilot said:

It made a noise using the horn and flashed the hazard lights upon locking. If you were to check like you would a car without keyless, yes, it'd unlock again.

I had a rental C5 that made a noise and flashed the indicators when I locked it but it wasn't until I spent several days leaving it parked up in central Newcastle that I discovered it was only locking the front doors and not the rears.

[Toaster Pilot]

RizzoTheRat said:

I had a rental C5 that made a noise and flashed the indicators when I locked it but it wasn't until I spent several days leaving it parked up in central Newcastle that I discovered it was only locking the front doors and not the rears.

typical French car all over. Surprisingly the electrics in my Laguna worked (I know!!)

[TonyRPH]

Seats that only have a lever / catch adjustment for the back rest.

I can *never* find a comfortable position - it's always somewhere in between the (widely spaced) notches.

Which is why I *do* like electric seats - the continuous adjustment for back rest and sliding back / forwards.

And manual seats with a wheel for the back rest.

[kcrimson]

The built in satnav on my Audi will only take a maximum 5 digits of a postcode.

It does, however, tell you how many metres above sea level you are. I've yet to come across a situation where that feature has proved useful.

[RizzoTheRat]

kcrimson said:

The built in satnav on my Audi will only take a maximum 5 digits of a postcode.

It does, however, tell you how many metres above sea level you are. I've yet to come across a situation where that feature has proved useful.

Can it plan routes to keep you above a minimum altitude in areas with a significant flood risk?