Car interiors - ergonomic disasters.

[TonyRPH]

I'll start with the Golf MK4 electronic climate controls.

I find myself using the climate control adjustments more than the radio, particularly in winter.

VW: what made you think it would be a good idea to put these controls right at the bottom of the console, also partially obscured by the gear lever, with a minute LCD display???

No matter how much I drive this car - I still struggle to find the right buttons when I need to make adjustments.

Give me good old fashioned knobs to adjust anyday!!!

The same can be said of the B5 A4 Audis too.



Image credit to "Immortal" on golfgtiforum.co.uk

Edited by TonyRPH on Wednesday 18th May 22:10

[kambites]

RHD manual cars with the indicator stalk on the left hand side of the steering wheel.

[Risotto]

Can't the controls be moved? I know a lot of cars use a modular system that allows you to, say, retro-fit sat nav and relocate your radio or climate controls.

[Vladimir]

Weird - I had a mk4 R32 and it was much tidier than that.

Our old Astra (mk5/H) has ridiculous dials - you couldn't see half of them when driving - DOH!! In fact it was a truly insipid dashboard. The binncle at the top did nothing except display some useless info - why not stick that in the dials bit like other cars do?!

[marcosgt]

kambites said:

RHD manual cars with the indicator stalk on the left hand side of the steering wheel.

What's wrong with that?

Bristol dashboards!

M.

[sleep envy]

kambites said:

RHD cars with the indicator stalk on the left hand side of the steering wheel.

that's pretty much most of the non-jap cars, isn't it?

[marcosgt]

sleep envy said:

that's pretty much most of the non-jap cars, isn't it?

And most of the modern Japanese ones? It's that side on the RX8.

Only car I've driven 'recently' (last 10 years) that isn't like that is my Marcos!

M.

[kambites]

sleep envy said:

that's pretty much most of the non-jap cars, isn't it?

Yes, and it's utterly idiotic. Just because everyone does it to save money, doesn't make it right.

[powwerr]

TonyRPH said:

I'll start with the Golf MK4 electronic climate controls.




Image credit to "Immortal" on golfgtiforum.co.uk

Is that not partly due to the fact thats where the heater dials are on the "lesser" models? i.e thats where the space and wires are already?

DOnt have a problem with the dials being there in the Bora if im honest.

[George H]

Aston interiors look fantastic, but are really akward to use, tiny buttons and if the sun shines on them they are difficult to read.

[kambites]

marcosgt said:

kambites said:

RHD manual cars with the indicator stalk on the left hand side of the steering wheel.

What's wrong with that?

Can't turn the indicators on whilst changing gear. It's stupid.

[sleep envy]

kambites said:

sleep envy said:

that's pretty much most of the non-jap cars, isn't it?

Yes, and it's utterly idiotic. Just because everyone does it to save money, doesn't make it right.

why does it save money?

sorry, don't follow your logic

ETA - what's the problem with it?

[kambites]

sleep envy said:

why does it save money?

sorry, don't follow your logic

Because they can use the same column on LHD and RHD cars. That's the only reason it's done. Or at least that's why they started doing it. Cars whose domestic market was LHD used to put them on the left, and vice versa.

[TonyRPH]

George H said:

Aston interiors look fantastic, but are really akward to use, tiny buttons and if the sun shines on them they are difficult to read.

But this is a problem many of us would *like* to have!!!

[marcosgt]

kambites said:

Because they can use the same column on LHD and RHD cars. That's the only reason it's done.

I can honestly say that's been a ergonomic disaster for me precisely zero times

M.

[kambites]

marcosgt said:

I can honestly say that's been a ergonomic disaster for me precisely zero times

Well I absolutely hate it. I'd have gladly paid an extra thousand pounds for my car to rectify it. Ever since I bought it I've been trying to find a way to change it.

[5lab]

ford's hazzard light positioning through the 90s was the definition of an ergonomic disaster. Lets put the button you might need in an emergency in such a position you can't really use it unless the wheel is dead straight and you're not moving along

[gazchap]

Got to agree with the indicator stalks - my GT-Four is a Jap import and has the indicator stalk on the right hand side of the steering wheel and it's much, much easier to use in that position because generally speaking my right hand is always on that side of the steering wheel while my left hand spends a lot of it's time on the armrest/gear lever.

[Liquid Knight]

The first thing I did with my BMW E36 was rip out the stupid arm rest. 2nd and 4th gears meant my elbow got hit.

[mrmr96]

marcosgt said:

kambites said:

Because they can use the same column on LHD and RHD cars. That's the only reason it's done.

I can honestly say that's been a ergonomic disaster for me precisely zero times

M.

Good for you, but some of us have a mix of Jap/Euro cars which occasionally leads to changing lanes with the wipers on...