Weird car facts...
Discussion
Kucho said:
Well actually, on mine you could KEEP driving (in reverse at least) if you open the door, though I found out almost immediately after that the parking sensors stop working... 
I've not tried in reverse, to be honest! Noticed that if I open the door when the car's in first it'll immediately start bonging and switch to neutral. Hard to explain when I've just opened the door to relieve the DOMS from a gym session and sit there revving my engine helplessly while the barrier opens and shuts in front of me (very sheepish call to reception follows!)Original Minis have a strange switch on the dashboard that a lot of owners don't understand the purpose of. It's purpose is to test the brake relay switch, so if you had a brake problem then the light would come on; the switch was used to test it.
Alfa Romeo Giuliettas have no stop/reset button for the cruise control. If you turn it off, you have to manually get back to the speed you wanted to cruise at and re-set it. Very annoying for when you just wanted to turn it off momentarily to let a car go past.
Like several other cars the Peugeot 107's backrest lever (the one that flips the seat forward to let someone in/out the back) is on the same pivot as the one the driver would use to tilt the seat. Result being that a driver has to get out, flip the seat forward, lose their position and then re-find it once people had jumped in/clambered out. Larger drivers also had to manually move their seat forward to let people out unless they fancied floundering around in the back.
I was in a friend's Fiat Punto convertible (I know, she hates cars) with two friends in the back, slightly podgy girls but I'm sure the wheels were scrubbing on the wheelarch!
Waugh-terfall said:
Alfa numeric said:
You can't open the boot of a MINI when the engine's running. Anyone know why?
Sure you can. Try flicking the Unlock switch on the dash first.Hugo a Gogo said:
this one might not be so weird...
the Triumph 1500 was brought out as a FWD car, then was changed to the 1500TC and became RWD, with the same engine and pretty much the same body and interior
any other cars 'changed ends' like that?
Yep the Rover ZT260 V8.the Triumph 1500 was brought out as a FWD car, then was changed to the 1500TC and became RWD, with the same engine and pretty much the same body and interior
any other cars 'changed ends' like that?
The Triumph 1500 came from the FWD 1300 and was "Dolomitised" to bring it in line with the rest of the range so it then made sense to drop the FWD and make it a smaller-engined Dolomite (I still love that model name).
callyman said:
slinky said:
You can't start the engine on a (last gen) Renault Scenic if the boot is open... Caused some fun when attempting to tow RV2 after a rather catastrophic engine "moment"...
Was that the rod visiting the sump at PVS?There's nothing under a scenic that you can chuck a strap around (unless a tow hitch is fitted of course), so we ended up disconnecting the seat belts and tying them together, then hooking the tow strap onto that... Of course, then I couldn't start the engine with the boot open!
Managed to work around that and began gently towing the 3400lb RV2 back to the truck, parts of interior trim randomly popped off as we slowly trundled through the crowded pits!
sebhaque said:
Original Minis have a strange switch on the dashboard that a lot of owners don't understand the purpose of. It's purpose is to test the brake relay switch, so if you had a brake problem then the light would come on; the switch was used to test it.
This was in the later '70s and early '80s once dual circuit brakes were fitted. There was a special "shuttle switch" (or similar) between the two brake circuits - if pressure was lost in one circuit (normally due to a leak) then a ball bearing or plunger inside this switch moved which caused the "brake problem warning light" to illuminate - this warning light was in the switch you refer to, and the switch was to test the bulb was working.I think that this warning light also acted as the "low brake fluid level" warning as well.
I seem to recall - could be wrong! - that other BL Cars of the time (Marina/Ital etc) also had the same set up.
But certainly a "novelty switch" which couldn't be left "on"
... Chuckie Finster said:
One of the new Drager anaesthetic machines uses fuel jets taken from a VW Golf to inject its analgesic gasses.
So have a think about that next time you or someone you know goes in for a operation
Really? Port injectors would be massive and probably not strong enough to pierce skin but GDI,TDI & indirect have blunt ends and shoot sideways.So have a think about that next time you or someone you know goes in for a operation
ZeeTacoe said:
Really? Port injectors would be massive and probably not strong enough to pierce skin but GDI,TDI & indirect have blunt ends and shoot sideways.
I don't think you'd want to inject gases intravenously, I suspect the injection will be into the "airstream" to allow inhalation of the anaesthetic matter.. slinky said:
ZeeTacoe said:
Really? Port injectors would be massive and probably not strong enough to pierce skin but GDI,TDI & indirect have blunt ends and shoot sideways.
I don't think you'd want to inject gases intravenously, I suspect the injection will be into the "airstream" to allow inhalation of the anaesthetic matter.. Current way that the anaesthetic agent is given to the patient is as the gasses are passed over the agent and mixed that way. But now it is injected into the patient’s gasses for a more precise method.
Chuckie Finster said:
slinky said:
ZeeTacoe said:
Really? Port injectors would be massive and probably not strong enough to pierce skin but GDI,TDI & indirect have blunt ends and shoot sideways.
I don't think you'd want to inject gases intravenously, I suspect the injection will be into the "airstream" to allow inhalation of the anaesthetic matter.. Current way that the anaesthetic agent is given to the patient is as the gasses are passed over the agent and mixed that way. But now it is injected into the patient’s gasses for a more precise method.
esvcg said:
omega - press down on both brake and accelerator, put key in and turn to postion 1. spanner on dashboard flashes out engine management warning codes.
e46 - i did this once, but cant quite remember how.
remote function on key stopped working, but key worked fine. held key up to rear view mirror whilst holding lock, then quickly tapped unlock 3 times. Then the doors both locked, unlocked and the remote function worked again.
If you change the battery or anything to reset the key, holding lock and tapping unlock 3 times sets it again which makes the locks close and open again a few timese46 - i did this once, but cant quite remember how.
remote function on key stopped working, but key worked fine. held key up to rear view mirror whilst holding lock, then quickly tapped unlock 3 times. Then the doors both locked, unlocked and the remote function worked again.
Most car radios have the volume knob on the left, as they are designed for LHD markets (volume within reach of the driver).
Indicator stalks are also mostly on the left, again for LHD markets so drivers can change gear and indicate simultaneously.
Most Manufacturers dont bother changing these for RHD markets. (1990s jap cars had stalks on right as their home market is RHD - no idea why they stopped doing this)
Indicator stalks are also mostly on the left, again for LHD markets so drivers can change gear and indicate simultaneously.
Most Manufacturers dont bother changing these for RHD markets. (1990s jap cars had stalks on right as their home market is RHD - no idea why they stopped doing this)
The Peugeot 106 GTI is a lower insurance group (13), and has a slower 0-60 time than the saxo vts (group 14), because Peugeot tested the car with more weight (more passengers, full boot, full tank etc), opposed to Citroen who tested with just the driver and a bit of fuel.
I think the peugeot 404 was one of the earliest (first?) production engines to incorporate a thermostatic fan clutch.
Also peugeot was the first company to use dohc 16v engines (in 1912), but weirdly they didn't use them in there road cars till the late 80's.
The rover R65 gearbox (200,25,ZR etc and some bmw mini's) is based on the PSA MA gearboxes (ax, 106, saxo, bx, zx, 205 306 etc)
Lotus Esprit buttons
Peugeot 106 buttons
I think the peugeot 404 was one of the earliest (first?) production engines to incorporate a thermostatic fan clutch.
Also peugeot was the first company to use dohc 16v engines (in 1912), but weirdly they didn't use them in there road cars till the late 80's.
The rover R65 gearbox (200,25,ZR etc and some bmw mini's) is based on the PSA MA gearboxes (ax, 106, saxo, bx, zx, 205 306 etc)
Lotus Esprit buttons
Peugeot 106 buttons
Edited by Noesph on Thursday 24th November 02:25
Edited by Noesph on Thursday 24th November 02:35
Noesph said:
The Peugeot 106 GTI is a lower insurance group (13), and has a slower 0-60 time than the saxo vts (group 14), because Peugeot tested the car with more weight (more passengers, full boot, full tank etc), opposed to Citroen who tested with just the driver and a bit of fuel.
Citation needed.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff