Cars with weird or out of place options

[ensignia]

What's the most out of place option you've seen on a car so far?

Today I saw a tatty R reg Passat estate which was a basic 1.8 but had factory fit xenons installed. Now, I can only assume they were factory fit as they had headlight washers and I peered in and saw no headlight levelling dial (sad I know). I can't imagine why the original owner specced it with xenons when it was a bog standard trim level and would have been mighty expensive back in '98.

Alleviate some of my boredom this afternoon, by regaling me with stories of out of place options on cars.

[Riknos]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm no expert, as frankly such things bore me, but when did having headlight washers instantly mean the car had xenons? Old volvos have had them for years, pre-xenon days?

[XVar]

I'm guessing something to with the fact that headlight washers and being self levelling are a legal requirement for HID headlights, although you can get regular xenon headlight bulbs. Having headlight washers definitely doesn't mean the car has HIDs though.

[helmutlaang]

I hired a 'Moke' in Barbados last week which was actually a chevvy spark with a plastic body,no doors and a piece of plastic for a roof.

Thing is it was fitted with air con,which worked perfectly! Why have air con when you have no doors or a roof?

Good fun though!

[Torquey]

Astra GTE Mk2's had headlight washers, no light level switch and didnt have Xenons.

[Jamie VTS]

My old corsa had electric, heated wing mirrors but manual windows always thought that was a bit strange..

[mk1matt]

I had a Mk3 Golf Avantgarde Cabriolet for a few years. It had black heated leather, electric mirrors, electric roof, but manual windows and no central locking. I'm not sure why you'd spec a car like that - especially when putting the roof and windows down meant winding down each window in turn!

[devnull]

That would be my old Vectra 1.6 enjoy. It had the crappiest 1.6 8v engine, windy windows, and a host of blanking plates to remind you that you chose the poverty spec.

However it did have an electric tilt and slide sunroof.

My current Mercedes C240 has digital climate a £2k option (tempmatic) - standard on the C43 AMG and in the US cars, but i've only ever seen it in one other mercedes in the uk. AND it has rear windy windows.

[mk1matt]

devnull said:

That would be my old Vectra 1.6 enjoy. It had the crappiest 1.6 8v engine, windy windows, and a host of blanking plates to remind you that you chose the poverty spec.

However it did have an electric tilt and slide sunroof.

That reminds me of another odd spec car I had - my 2nd car - a 1995 Peugeot 306 1.4 XL. Manual windows + mirrors, wheel trims, no options at all other than an electric slide & tilt sunroof. Madness.

[new_bloke]

My MX5 has 4 cup-holders. 4! That's two more than it has seats, and 4 more than I need...

[Noesph]

not a option i've seen,but if you look on peugeot service box, you can get a 106 with weapon mounting points.

Edited by Noesph on Friday 1st June 14:13

[Odie]

new_bloke said:

My MX5 has 4 cup-holders. 4! That's two more than it has seats, and 4 more than I need...

I know where 2 are, but where are the other 2?

[CampDavid]

Our Megane has the vanilla 1.6 16valve engine but is gloriously well appointed with a full leather interior, climate control and a dash mounted CD changer.

The original owner was an idiot

[R0B.]

Odie said:

new_bloke said:

My MX5 has 4 cup-holders. 4! That's two more than it has seats, and 4 more than I need...

I know where 2 are, but where are the other 2?

2 under the arm rest and 1 in each door pocket?

[anonymous-user]

When I was looking at Focus ST's it was very annoying that even ST3's rarely came with climate control specced, particularly since Mondeo ST's had it as standard since 2002.

[MagnaJeep]

I would rather order some decent headlights on a bog standard car
than optional chrome trims or wooden dash inserts for the same price.
In fact I did upgrade to factory xenon and don't feel that
it was a bad decision.


Maybe the owner prefers function over style?

[DanDC5]

Symbolica said:

When I was looking at Focus ST's it was very annoying that even ST3's rarely came with climate control specced, particularly since Mondeo ST's had it as standard since 2002.

Stupidest option on the ST is the Sat Nav. It doesn't work at all, I know one person who bought an ST with it and has gone back to using a Tom Tom!! And it has the climate controls built in!

[ShawCrossShark]

Had an N reg Rover 214 with manual windows and no central locking, but with electric sunroof. I bought a central locking kit and fitted it

Current 306 has 3 electric windows, AC and electric mirrors. Drivers side only moves up and down and passenger side only sideways. Knowing the Frenmch this may have been a factory fitted option

[Snowboy]

Where I work there’s a company car scheme.
People can but whatever car they like for a certain price and the company foots the bill and covers the insurance.

There’s a lot of odd option on cars where people are trying to spend every last bit of their entitlement.

[chryslerben]

Noesph said:

not a option i've seen,but if you look on peugeot service box, you can get a 106 with weapon mounting points.

Edited by Noesph on Friday 1st June 14:13

Want