Modern cars and unnecessary complexity....ffs!

[Wacky Racer]

Now we all know even poverty spec cars generally have a lot more gadgets in them than they did in the fifties/sixties, electric windows, electronic modules, fuel injection etc.

However are things really better?

Case in point:-

My brother has a four year old Peugeot 407 Estate, and one of the tyre valves split causing the tyre to deflate slowly.

He took it along to the local tyre place, expecting just to have a new valve fitted for around £10, as there was nothing actually wrong with the tyre.

He was told he would have to take his along to an approved Peugeot dealer, because the tyres were linked to a "deflation" warning light on the dashboard, a special valve would have to be fitted, and the car software "reset" at a cost of around £165.

It would be possible to "disable" the feature, but this would cost even more, and then the car might fail an MOT, because all the warning lights have to be operational.

Anyone know a cheaper way btw, to get round this "problem"?

Thanks in advance...

[Nursing a hemi]

Wacky Racer said:

Anyone know a cheaper way btw, to get round this "problem"?

Don't buy a Peugeot?

[Wacky Racer]

Nursing a hemi said:

Wacky Racer said:

Anyone know a cheaper way btw, to get round this "problem"?

Don't buy a Peugeot?

Yes, I kind of expected that.....

[Lunablack]

Nursing a hemi said:

Don't buy a Peugeot?

Wrong...... Don't buy French full stop







On a more helpful note... I was told that tyre preasure sensor valves for my car were £80+

Found the part number on line, and the valve part itself, was £12 quid for all 4

[Ozzie Osmond]

IMO modern "complicated" cars are still massively more reliable than cars used to be.

Unreliable ignition systems, dodgy starter motors and leaking wheel cylinders are thankfully a thing of the past.

[Dave Hedgehog]

Ozzie Osmond said:

IMO modern "complicated" cars are still massively more reliable than cars used to be.

Unreliable ignition systems, dodgy starter motors and leaking wheel cylinders are thankfully a thing of the past.

there also starting to get very impressive power and fuel economy from petrol engines

[dave stew]

Agreed - remember all those wheezing cast iron lumps where 100bhp was about all you'd get out of 2 litres!

[Dave Hedgehog]

dave stew said:

Agreed - remember all those wheezing cast iron lumps where 100bhp was about all you'd get out of 2 litres!

1989 Ford Sierra Sapphire 2.0
1998 cc
54.6 bhp/litre
0-60 9.7


lmfao

http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/...



my 2011 RS Golf
2480 cc
348 bhp




well not mine of course as the engines in bits lol

Edited by Dave Hedgehog on Sunday 25th March 10:46

[Watchman]

Lunablack said:

On a more helpful note... I was told that tyre preasure sensor valves for my car were £80+

Found the part number on line, and the valve part itself, was £12 quid for all 4

And an OBDII reset box can he had for ~£20.

[Hammer67]

IIRC all new car models from November this year must have a tyre pressure warning system fitted. More guff from the Euro nanny state that might sound like a sensible idea but in reality these systems are an expensive PITA when they go wrong.

From my experience at work these systems are notoriously unreliable, often flashing phantom warnings and going out of sync. The valves themselves corrode, leak and are easily damaged and broken.

Adds another item to the list that effectively shortens the financially viable life of the vehicle.

[Marquis Rex]

Lunablack said:

Nursing a hemi said:

Don't buy a Peugeot?

Wrong...... Don't buy French full stop

Most modern cars ARE over complicated heaps of uninspiring st- some due to regulations, some due to lowest common denominator customers more concerned with gadgets and complexity than driving in it's purest form and ease of maintennance.
Not buying French is good advice at any time, but there would be similar stories to the OPs in other areas of stupid complexity on almost any modern car.

[Chicane-UK]

I still don't entirely see the point of electronic handbrakes.. additional complication with arguably no benefits.. what was wrong with the old lever?

[Dave Hedgehog]

Chicane-UK said:

I still don't entirely see the point of electronic handbrakes.. additional complication with arguably no benefits.. what was wrong with the old lever?

i dislike electric handbrakes as well, i cant see the point of them, you loose a lot of control on hill starts

[intrepid44]

Dave Hedgehog said:

dave stew said:

Agreed - remember all those wheezing cast iron lumps where 100bhp was about all you'd get out of 2 litres!

1989 Ford Sierra Sapphire 2.0
1998 cc
54.6 bhp/litre
0-60 9.7


lmfao

http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/...



my 2011 RS Golf
2480 cc
348 bhp




well not mine of course as the engines in bits lol

Edited by Dave Hedgehog on Sunday 25th March 10:46

There's no such thing as an RS Golf. Why are you calling it that?

[anonymous-user]

Dave Hedgehog said:

Chicane-UK said:

I still don't entirely see the point of electronic handbrakes.. additional complication with arguably no benefits.. what was wrong with the old lever?

i dislike electric handbrakes as well, i cant see the point of them, you loose a lot of control on hill starts

How it doesn't 'come off' until 'the bite',, PITA in the snow though,, can't have a good slide around .

I hate the 'dinging' sound if you move anywhere without the seat belts clipped in cannot put bags or anything on the seats without a 'blo@dy' dinging sound

[D1bram]

Completely agree with the electronic handbrake. Just had a nightmare trying to have issues with the handbrake in the tiguan resolved. Got there in the end, but completely unnecessary IMO.

And what the hell is a 2480cc golf RS?

[Wacky Racer]

Thanks for the replies, I will show my brother this thread tomorrow....

[cuprabob]

intrepid44 said:

There's no such thing as an RS Golf. Why are you calling it that?

Maybe he is from the future :-)

Y don't believe the 5 pot Golf RS will ever happen other than in the world of AutoExpress, CAR or Autocar but that;s a whole different topic.

[Cemesis]

I had an E39 540i on a V-reg (2000) and that flagged up a tyre pressure warning after 5 miles. Off to BMW for their £65 code reading. Told me I needed a new module for £300. Came back a week later for them to do it. Paid, went to the car in the car park, started it up and the warning is there straight away. Reset the system, off and back on, still a warning.

So they take it back and code read it again, say they now do a complete check and it turns it out it has no sensors in any of the valves and I need 4 new ones plus the aerials in the wheel arches. I just walked away as I couldn't take any more of their crap.

Bought an M5 a few months later (also a V-reg 2000) and found out that it uses the ABS sensors to measure the rotational speed and not a sensor in the valve.

I can't be sure about Renault but both BMW's had a button to reset the system for you and I would be very surprised if the Renault did not have the same. Otherwise what happens if you get a punture? Have it repaired for £15 + £165 for Peugeot to turn off a light? Get lost!

[Fox-]

Dave Hedgehog said:

1989 Ford Sierra Sapphire 2.0
1998 cc
54.6 bhp/litre
0-60 9.7


lmfao

http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/...



my 2011 RS Golf
2480 cc
348 bhp




well not mine of course as the engines in bits lol

Edited by Dave Hedgehog on Sunday 25th March 10:46

a) You do not own an RS Golf because they dont exist
b) You are comparing a turbocharged high performance car against a run of the mill family car? I mean... really? Heck at least use the Cosworth if you are going to be like that.