Annoying but unimportant features on cars
Discussion
It sounds like a lot of the issues here are people experiencing bad implementations of good technology.
For example, in a decent keyless implementation, you grab the handle and it unlocks, you touch the back of it when you close the door and it locks. No buttons, no fiddling, no fishing keys out. It's flawless. Coupled with folding wing mirrors you know it's locked simply by looking.
Modern heated screens don't look like 90's Fords where they've just put the rear screen in the front, wires and all! Auto handbrakes, done properly, are imperceptible other than the fact you don't roll when you're stopped. Auto main beam, decent implementations (not the Tesla one then!) are excellent.
Start shopping around, all these systems are available as well thought-out, fully working implementations, you just need to find them.
For example, in a decent keyless implementation, you grab the handle and it unlocks, you touch the back of it when you close the door and it locks. No buttons, no fiddling, no fishing keys out. It's flawless. Coupled with folding wing mirrors you know it's locked simply by looking.
Modern heated screens don't look like 90's Fords where they've just put the rear screen in the front, wires and all! Auto handbrakes, done properly, are imperceptible other than the fact you don't roll when you're stopped. Auto main beam, decent implementations (not the Tesla one then!) are excellent.
Start shopping around, all these systems are available as well thought-out, fully working implementations, you just need to find them.
Mr Tidy said:
And why did anyone think not fitting a temperature gauge was a good idea?
At least when the electric water pump on my E86 died I got some advance notice from the gauge. When it died on my E91 I just got an amber, quickly followed by red, warning light because luckily the sensor worked - but there is no gauge.
That's nonsense - the sensor is what would drive the gauge also. Water temperature sensors haven't been "real" for decades. I recall driving my Integra Type R on track and absolutely spanking it. The Water gauge never went above 90C. HA!At least when the electric water pump on my E86 died I got some advance notice from the gauge. When it died on my E91 I just got an amber, quickly followed by red, warning light because luckily the sensor worked - but there is no gauge.
The systems can react far quicker than a human could - really how often do you actually look at the water temp gauge? The systems monitor them every 100ms.
I seem to remember a car I had, that if you came out on a cold winters morning with a hot drink and popped it into the cup holder the car would blow freezing cold because I think the temp’ sensor was located just next to it. Obviously the reverse applied in summer when you put a cold can in it. I found that pretty damn annoying!
In fact now I think, it may have been a V70? Or possibly a Legacy... hmmm.
In fact now I think, it may have been a V70? Or possibly a Legacy... hmmm.
Mr Tidy said:
Yes, but the manufacturers of Xenon lights don't get to decide do they? 
Good point. Quite a few JDM imports have Xenon headlights but no washer of automatic levelling. Luckily my Mazda Bongo was old enough on import to not need an IVA and they've not been an issue at MOT time.Romcom said:
I seem to remember a car I had, that if you came out on a cold winters morning with a hot drink and popped it into the cup holder the car would blow freezing cold because I think the temp’ sensor was located just next to it. Obviously the reverse applied in summer when you put a cold can in it. I found that pretty damn annoying!
In fact now I think, it may have been a V70? Or possibly a Legacy... hmmm.
The BMW E39 5 series definitely did this, but I wouldn't be surprised if other cars did it. In fact now I think, it may have been a V70? Or possibly a Legacy... hmmm.
Digby said:
Pica-Pica said:
Auto wipers work very well on my 335d. An extremely capable system. The sensitivity can be adjusted if needed, and flick wipe is available. They certainly cope well with a drench-splash if a vehicle is coming the other way.
Quite a capable system on the Merc and Smart we had, but I still hated them. They had adjustments, too. All absolutely pointless and still did things at times I didn't want them to. I ended up just leaving them off and flicking the stalk every time I needed them. One of our old works Sherpa vans back in the 90's had a better system!As for being splashed, given that has happened probably half a dozen times to me in 30 years, I'm sure I will cope without a computer having to sort the issue.
GroundEffect said:
That's nonsense - the sensor is what would drive the gauge also. Water temperature sensors haven't been "real" for decades. I recall driving my Integra Type R on track and absolutely spanking it. The Water gauge never went above 90C. HA!
The systems can react far quicker than a human could - really how often do you actually look at the water temp gauge? The systems monitor them every 100ms.
Sorry but I'd have to disagree - if there was a gauge you'd know if the sensor was fubar'd, so you'd know the warning light would work in the event of a problem. The systems can react far quicker than a human could - really how often do you actually look at the water temp gauge? The systems monitor them every 100ms.
With no gauge you'd only find out you had a dead sensor when you saw the steam!
Torquey said:
I think the amount of technology and the disadvantages of keyless entry and go far outweighs the benefits. I do use it correctly (as above) but for every pro I can think of 2 or 3 cons.
It really is the one option I'd pay more not to have.
You can't lie on the grass next to your car and have a snooze, or sit on a bench near your car facing the sea. Well, perhaps you can if you sneak off a suitable distance and hide the key under a rock when no one is looking.It really is the one option I'd pay more not to have.
Pericoloso said:
Baldchap said:
Modern heated screens don't look like 90's Fords where they've just put the rear screen in the front, wires and all!
Point being they ARE visible in old Ford implementations but aren't in modern implementations by other manufacturers.
Mr Tidy said:
GroundEffect said:
That's nonsense - the sensor is what would drive the gauge also. Water temperature sensors haven't been "real" for decades. I recall driving my Integra Type R on track and absolutely spanking it. The Water gauge never went above 90C. HA!
The systems can react far quicker than a human could - really how often do you actually look at the water temp gauge? The systems monitor them every 100ms.
Sorry but I'd have to disagree - if there was a gauge you'd know if the sensor was fubar'd, so you'd know the warning light would work in the event of a problem. The systems can react far quicker than a human could - really how often do you actually look at the water temp gauge? The systems monitor them every 100ms.
With no gauge you'd only find out you had a dead sensor when you saw the steam!
TG105 said:
JLR sat nav, specifically Disco 4. It would continually take me off dual carriageways only to guide me back on the same road once I was on the slip road. Infuriating.
My wife's SEAT satnav does that too. A42 last weekend it was directing us off every junction and straight back on. It also pronouces 'o' sounds as 'arrr'. Arrrrxford instead of oxford. What the f is that about? Mercedes sat-navs view large roundabouts as a succession of turns which is very misleading.
If you are approaching a large roundabout at 6 o'clock and want to take the 3 o'clock turn, most people would say "turn right at the roundabout". However Frau Benz says "turn left" (this is the six to nine manoeuvre) and then says "turn right" (nine to two) before saying "turn left" (at three). Quite why this happens I don't know as the software and maps are either TomTom or Garmin.
If you are approaching a large roundabout at 6 o'clock and want to take the 3 o'clock turn, most people would say "turn right at the roundabout". However Frau Benz says "turn left" (this is the six to nine manoeuvre) and then says "turn right" (nine to two) before saying "turn left" (at three). Quite why this happens I don't know as the software and maps are either TomTom or Garmin.
RicksAlfas said:
Mercedes sat-navs view large roundabouts as a succession of turns which is very misleading.
If you are approaching a large roundabout at 6 o'clock and want to take the 3 o'clock turn, most people would say "turn right at the roundabout". However Frau Benz says "turn left" (this is the six to nine manoeuvre) and then says "turn right" (nine to two) before saying "turn left" (at three). Quite why this happens I don't know as the software and maps are either TomTom or Garmin.
My Toyota Nav does that sometimes as well. But not all the time. Just in some locations.If you are approaching a large roundabout at 6 o'clock and want to take the 3 o'clock turn, most people would say "turn right at the roundabout". However Frau Benz says "turn left" (this is the six to nine manoeuvre) and then says "turn right" (nine to two) before saying "turn left" (at three). Quite why this happens I don't know as the software and maps are either TomTom or Garmin.
What it is very good at is saying "Traffic Jam ahead" about 5 minutes after you hit the traffic. Or when there is no traffic as that jam was probably hours/days ago. I don't know what system feeds it with traffic info. But it's useless compared to Googlemaps/Waze.
only thing that comes to mind is the air vents in my Panamera where controlled by the touch screen infotainment. That was fine but it was a few menus in, which was completely impractical on the move. Complete over engineering of something very simple.
id say endless amount of Sport settings in a 'hot' car are a bit pointless. The E63s I have now has Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Race. Who is going to use Sport? Comfort I'd understand, and Sports+ I'd get for spirited driving, so why the 'middle sport' setting? Race mode is just a more aggressive throttle setting and the traction is turned to half on. Which I could of myself in any mode, along with the suspension settings.
Adaptive headlights are great, but its usually a camera based system.. when that camera gets dirty the system is useless and either doesn't work or it does work because you just blind everyone.
Mercedes also insists to tell me every time I start the car that the rear passenger seatbelts haven't been fastened. I know this because I'm aware its only me in the car.
id say endless amount of Sport settings in a 'hot' car are a bit pointless. The E63s I have now has Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Race. Who is going to use Sport? Comfort I'd understand, and Sports+ I'd get for spirited driving, so why the 'middle sport' setting? Race mode is just a more aggressive throttle setting and the traction is turned to half on. Which I could of myself in any mode, along with the suspension settings.
Adaptive headlights are great, but its usually a camera based system.. when that camera gets dirty the system is useless and either doesn't work or it does work because you just blind everyone.
Mercedes also insists to tell me every time I start the car that the rear passenger seatbelts haven't been fastened. I know this because I'm aware its only me in the car.
irfan1712 said:
Mercedes also insists to tell me every time I start the car that the rear passenger seatbelts haven't been fastened. I know this because I'm aware its only me in the car.
That's a faulty system (whether by design or an actual fault) - there should be pressure sensors in the seats so it only activates the seatbelt warning for seats that are being used.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff