Useless features in modern cars

[rockquarry]

Much of this could hardly be called progress in a practical sense. I bought a new car (4runner) several months ago and it's a good vehicle, but there's something seriously wrong when all four owner's manuals total 900 pages.

 

[johngalt]

Isn't that just for saving gas in traffic/lights?

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Yes, but the U.S. EPA test cycle is designed such that the stop-start system does not score the car significantly higher than a car without the system. So it does not help car manufacturers meet the minimum fleet mileage requirements. In Europe it does help meet their requirements.

It is also harder on the engines. Starting an engine is where most of the damage/wear occurs as this is when there is the most metal on metal contact in the bearings. I read an article that stated that the average engine is expected to be started 50,000 times. Increase that to 500,000 for a stop-start system.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

I think the proliferation of electronic hoo-ha is the price. The car makers get this stuff on the cheap and then sock the consumer with a high price for it. I do think they should come out with a "geezer" model car just the basics thank you.

 

[hkcavalier]

I think the proliferation of electronic hoo-ha is the price. The car makers get this stuff on the cheap and then sock the consumer with a high price for it. I do think they should come out with a "geezer" model car just the basics thank you.

What's funny is, when I was growing up, the cars with power everything WERE the geezer cars. Old people just loved those Lincoln Town Cars and Caddy Sevilles with the massively assisted steering (well, compared to most cars), mushy brake pedals, power windows, slushboxes, etc. Us youngsters liked manual trannies and windows.

 

[GaryS]

I'd never buy one, but every time I drive by one, I think about it. The four door Countryman Estate (station wagon) looks like fun to drive and has some degree of utility. I think of it as the Shield of automobiles.

Besides, if it broke down, I could probably put into the bed of my Tundra.

As to all the modern features, I like most of them. I don't like power seats, but since I'm the one driving my truck 99% of the time, I certainly don't need them. I do like power windows.

I recently installed a new stereo with touch screen and back up camera. When our ambulances first got back up cameras 15 or so years ago, I didn't like them, but came to really like them. I like the large display on my stereo and the touch screen. That's easier to see and use than the old style stereos. Plus I can stream music via Bluetooth to the stereo and see what's playing. And of course I can use my phone without having to hold it. All make my driving safer and easier.

Moon roofs of any kind are sort of useless. My wife's Highlander has one and it's cool to use for about three minutes then it gets hot in the car. Besides my expansive spanse of flesh colored hair burns easily.

As to older cars, nostalgia aside, they were pieces of ****. Poorly made, unreliable, and rarely made 100,000 miles before falling apart. I don't miss having to change plugs, cap, rotor, points, or spark plug wires. My Tundra has 178,000 miles on it and I've never had any of that done. It's on it's original shocks, original rear brakes, and mostly original everything else.

I've done front brakes a few times, timing belt once, and had one O2 sensor fail. The latter was replaced for labor only, which was far less than the part. Dealer good will.
Tires of course, too.

Oh, I also broke a stabilizer bar link, but that was probably from hitting a pot hole.

I plan to drive it at least 250,000 miles if the wheels don't come off.

It's been paid for for five years and shows no sign of needing to be replaced yet.

I won't even start on how much safer cars are today.

So I'm taking my first ride in a Cooper Mini with my Buddy Mike.
He's an ace car mechanic, drag racer, Corvette guy, Hemi guy.
It's his Wife's Mini.
Mike says- this is the most fun to drive car that i ever drove!
I could hardly believe my ears. Really?
Yes! But if you tell anybody, I will have to kill you!
At that point the Mini was definitely considered to be a girlie man car.

 

[ikarus1]

My wife has a 2016 VW Passat SE, without the tech package. It has a large in dash screen based entertainment, interfaces with the phones so no pay-for-navigation, uses Google search and maps, which just works.

It also has a 175hp 1.8L turbo 4 that is fairly peppy at low RPMs and gets 35MPG hwy. Love the way it drives in sport mode.

Has a moonroof that is dial-adjustable for the amount of air coming thru. Pull the shade if youre scared of Vitamin D.

Has ACC cruise that has on/off switch and adjustable distance to the car directly in front of you.

The 2 best features are collision avoidance via radar (same as ACC) and the EA888 turbo 4.

And this all was on the base $25K midsize car built in Tennesee

 

[sasu]

...heads up windshield displays are what I'd consider over the top and unnecessary.

I bought that HUD option for the Mercedes Benz we are now waiting to be delivered. The car sees speed limit signs and shows the last one on the instrument panel and in the HUD (windshield display), along with the speedometer value and other stuff. I loved that while test driving a Mercedes, having the speed and current speed limit in my view all the time.

The Mercedes cruise control can also set the speed of the car according to the speed limit signs the car sees on the road. I have not tried that yet but I guess it might come handy. We have a lot changing of speed limits and the fines are very rude, being based on your income. Some millionaires have ended up paying tens and I think even hundreds of thousands of dollars of fines for just one speeding event.

 

[JohnSW]

Don't know if other makes offer this but our Malibu has AUTO STOP START. Under certain conditions when you stop at a light the engine cuts off. Take your foot off the brake and the engine starts instantly.
GM says it saves gas. I say whatever gas is used sitting at a light, I can afford. Cannot turn it off.

That doesn't sound like a good thing when it's -20F outside. I would be concerned that the engine wouldn't restart.

 

[codenamedave]

I was thinking more of repo work. Don't need the interior lights giving away your presence.

I see, I see. Good guess though!

Prior to FSP I did run my own repo truck, but it was a 2000 Ford.

I'm thinking that was right around the year that the various functions & bells & whistles turned the corner to inaccessibility. When I went to disable the key-in-ignition door dinger, I found it was a small unit soldered into a circuit board. I didn't want to risk damaging anything else by breaking it off, so I left the key in and shorted the two posts on the back of the board.

DING ding diiing diiiii...

and it finally shut up.

BTW for the Ram fans, I also have a pic of an ext. cab, 4x4 diesel Dodge pickup on the hook.

 

[rockquarry]

I'm not gadget-oriented and purchased my first vehicle (Toyota) with a backup camera.The camera has one significant redeeming feature: a child could be easily identified, despite the very distorted wide-angle view which is pretty near worthless for anything else.

Perhaps other vehicles cameras provide a better quality depiction with less distortion.

 

[rockquarry]

I'm not gadget-oriented and purchased my first vehicle (Toyota) with a backup camera.The camera has one significant redeeming feature: a child could be easily identified, despite the very distorted wide-angle view which is pretty near worthless for anything else.

Perhaps other vehicle cameras provide a better quality depiction with less distortion.

 

[Mr.Harry]

I have a 2003 Tacoma with power steering, brakes, AC, and 4WD. Everything include the transmission is manually operated. The one luxury is a CD player, whatever those are.


Gets 22MPG average, has 150HP 2.7L 4 banger in a 3000lb truck, goes point A to B even over steep terrain, and never breaks

Right on! Mine is an 07, but otherwise identical. Nothing breaks.

 

[Jack Flash]

I have to admit I like cruise control and intermittent wipers. But those have been around a long time.

Today's elaborate anti-theft systems don't seem to do much, judging by the number of new cars stolen. Back when I was a kid in the rural mid-west, people left their keys in the ignition when they went into the store. We didn't have anti-theft systems, we had anti-thief systems.

 

[Dave_n]

Why did they take the dimmer switch off of the floor where it belongs?

Best Regards, Les

Just a bit of a problem when like me, you drive a manual shift car and need two left feet if you have to dip your lights and change gear at the same time due to oncoming drivers on narrow roads!! LV Steve will know what I mean (think Welsh Highways!!) Dave_n

 

[codenamedave]

I have to admit I like cruise control and intermittent wipers. But those have been around a long time.

Today's elaborate anti-theft systems don't seem to do much, judging by the number of new cars stolen. Back when I was a kid in the rural mid-west, people left their keys in the ignition when they went into the store. We didn't have anti-theft systems, we had anti-thief systems.

Nowadays thieves hit the VIN plate with their bar code scanner, and keep walking. Then they run it through their d-base or access info online or phone a friend, then make/program a key (or fob, whatever) in their van on the side of the road and drive the car away like they owned it. Just need to pay for the equipment and the friends.

 

[chief38]

NY LAKESIDER:

Actually I'm not far from you. Maybe I'm a Wuss but I do like creature comforts. The first car I bought with heated seats was a 2000 Caddy and fell in love with them back then. Not only do they heat up fast but they do help out when my back acts up. I even use them on occasion in Summer months - really helps loosen my back up a bit.

When we are up at the Hunting Cabin (north of you) it gets mighty cold in November. When I want to drive in the early hours of the morning I remote start the SUV and the heated seats automatically turn on. A minute later I get in and it is nice and comfy to sit in.

I find that many of the new options that are a bit eccentric when they first appear, become standard equipment a few years later.

 

[JohnSW]

Son, when I was your age, we had to open and close car windows with a hand crank. We didn't have no newfangled power windows.

 

[ladder13]

Now Chief I do not know where you live but I live in Northern NY (rather cold at times)and have heated seats that came with two of our vechicles and never even use them.

About the only feature that most new cars come with I like is the back up camera. (that is when I remember to use it as I have been driving since 1962) When I back up I do the normal look around and start doing my well practiced maneuver. It does make hooking up a trailer a bit easier

My Vette even has a forward facing camera in the grill which for the most part I also forget about when parking, old habits die hard.

As far as Tire Pressure systems the one on the Vette is top notch. It gives you separate readings for all 4 tires and you get warnings if your pressure is too low or high.

The systems on our last 4 Toyota's, 2 Tundras and 2 Rav4 are one step above junk but they do pass the government requirements. All you get is tire pressure low. Not what tire or how low.( Most forget there is a spare with a gauge and never figure why they get a warning!) A real cheap system!

SOP for me is a good digital TP gauge in all my vechicles and the knowledge to know how things work.

I was coming back from Myrtle Beach last week in my Grand Sport, when my left rear tire warning light came and my LR tire showed xx PSI. Pulled over, kicked the tire , felt it up , and it appeared normal. Told the missus to get back in, drove another 150 miles with no warning lights, no issues.
Might be a defective TPS
I just bought an air pump nonetheless, those run flats are only good for limited distance and speed.
I found out about the TP light on my gladly departed RAV4 when it lit up. I checked the tires on the ground, all ok. It turned out to be the spare that was low, but stumped me for about a week.
Now with only 4 tires , the GS takes the guesswork out.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

There's one I forgot, non-defeatable stop-start.

You'll never find me complaining about rear view cameras. The design of most modern cars involves a high tail for good aerodynamics. That means no rear view. Cameras and rear sensors are a good answer.

AGREED!!!!! Rear view cameras are nice, and needed.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

Other than safety features have you noticed the "new innovations" on vehicles are really old ideas that are updated.

push button start
sliding rear roofs
4 wheel steer
headlamps that turn with the steering wheel

I'm sure there is plenty more.