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What in-car invention are you waiting for?

Passion, instruction, buying, care, maintenance and more, any form of vehicle discussion is welcome here
redsturgeon
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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#87398

Postby redsturgeon » October 11th, 2017, 11:35 am

richlist wrote:Yes that seems to apply to most of my sports cars. The problem is that they are 2 seater cars and with both seats occupied the wheel will not fit inside the car.

It's totally unacceptable.


Until the invention of the Tardis it seems like an unresolvable problem.

John

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#87412

Postby jackdaww » October 11th, 2017, 12:15 pm

how about - reliable , comfortable and quiet - for a start .

8-)

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#87419

Postby swill453 » October 11th, 2017, 12:29 pm

jackdaww wrote:how about - reliable , comfortable and quiet - for a start .

Most are, in my experience.

I tend to hire cars abroad 2 or 3 times a year, usually in the second-from-bottom class. Then run them for up to 3 weeks. Can end up with a Polo-sized or Focus-sized car, depending on the company.

And I think I can say that every single car I've had in the last few years has led me to think - yes, I could quite happily own this myself.

German, Japanese, French, Korean, whatever, I think we've got to the point where cars are a commodity, unless your needs are esoteric. Basically the designers have just about got it right.

Scott.

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#87443

Postby brightncheerful » October 11th, 2017, 1:47 pm

Hardgrafter wrote:Or at least a vacuum cleaner crevice tool that fitted the small gap.


Exists already.

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#87491

Postby PrincessB » October 11th, 2017, 3:29 pm

I would like:

A switch on the indicator stalk which shows I intend to go straight ahead at those weird junctions you find where nobody has a clue.

Mercedes and Rolls Royce have a headstart on this as the front indication could be the Mercedes sign in the middle of the bonnet flashing while the Roller could have a hollow Spirit of Ecstasy made out of grown diamonds with an LED in it.

For those cars with line of stop LEDs you could double those with the indicators and light the left yellow if you're turning left, the middle yellow if you're going ahead and the rest is clear.

I would also like progressive brake lights. Some vehicles automatically flash all indicators under savage deceleration (I don't know if this is a UK requirement?) Some way of knowing whether someone is gently slowing or stopping as fast as possible would make life on motorways a bit nicer.

For younger drivers, it would be nice to see an insurance model which starts you at maximum no claims bonus which you could lose if you crash into stuff a lot. This would also be great for older city folk moving away for retirement who may have relied on public transport for years - If I had driven for 20 years without incident and then given up the car to live in Soho for a decade, I would be a bit peeved at having to rebuild my no claims discount again.

B.

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#88033

Postby Slarti » October 13th, 2017, 5:15 pm

PrincessB wrote:I would like:

A switch on the indicator stalk which shows I intend to go straight ahead at those weird junctions you find where nobody has a clue.


That would require the use of indicators :lol:


On a more serious note, I'd like indicators to be more noticeable in daylight, and I'd like the "tick" to be played through the car speakers even if the sound system is off, in the homes of fewer people who do use their indicators driving along for mile with them merrily flashing away.

Slarti

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#88156

Postby bungeejumper » October 14th, 2017, 9:59 am

Slarti wrote:On a more serious note, I'd like indicators to be more noticeable in daylight, and I'd like the "tick" to be played through the car speakers even if the sound system is off, in the homes of fewer people who do use their indicators driving along for mile with them merrily flashing away.

Good call. Any indicator that stays on after, say, ten seconds of straight-ahead driving (as measured by the steering wheel) ought to sound a loud(ish) alarm. Mind you, Those types of dozy drivers are also the ones who don't notice the red dashboard lights and the insistent beeps that ought to tell them they're driving along with their drivers' doors half open. :(

Would also be good if we could sharpen up the dashboard warnings about failed bulbs. Around these rural parts, probably one car in twenty has a failed bulb somewhere or other, and after closing time the proportion of one-eyed cars masquerading as motorcycles in the unlit lanes is something terrible to behold. (I was about to say sobering, but thought better of it!)

And another thing, what about towbar electrics? Only the other night I, was almost taken out of circulation by an oncoming Land Rover that was towing an unlit trailer eight feet wide. In a winding, pitch black lane it was a fatal waiting to happen.

BJ (Still shuddering)

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#88237

Postby Slarti » October 14th, 2017, 3:31 pm

bungeejumper wrote:Would also be good if we could sharpen up the dashboard warnings about failed bulbs.


Many years ago a car I owned had a stylised picture of a car on the dash that displayed a number of warning lights, as appropriate to show
Which door wasn't closed properly, or the boot or petrol cap
Which corner of the car had a failed lamp, in appropriate colours
Which seat belt was not done up where there was a weight in the seat

It was either the Volvo 240 I bought when I went self employed, 24 years ago, which was already about 15 years old, or the Vauxhall Carlton that I traded that in for a year later. I think.

Never had anything like it again until this car which tells me which seatbelt needs attention, if one does.

Slarti

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#88250

Postby bungeejumper » October 14th, 2017, 3:59 pm

Slarti wrote:Never had anything like it again until this car which tells me which seatbelt needs attention, if one does.

Yes, my Toyota has all that, just as yours does, and my 2007 Passat had it as well. The dead bulb detectors are said to be fitted to a wide range of cars, but when a headlight went out on my Toyota last year it didn't flag the error.

Seatbelt detectors are great, except when they're not. Put a heavy shopping bag onto your back seat and the car will nag you about how your "passenger" needs to be belted up. The wife had that happen last year In her Golf, and the red dashboard lights scared her so much that she cancelled her journey and returned home. I gave her full marks for taking the red light seriously! :) But surely there has to be a better way?

BJ

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#88255

Postby Slarti » October 14th, 2017, 4:10 pm

bungeejumper wrote:Yes, my Toyota has all that, just as yours does, and my 2007 Passat had it as well. The dead bulb detectors are said to be fitted to a wide range of cars, but when a headlight went out on my Toyota last year it didn't flag the error.

Seatbelt detectors are great, except when they're not. Put a heavy shopping bag onto your back seat and the car will nag you about how your "passenger" needs to be belted up. The wife had that happen last year In her Golf, and the red dashboard lights scared her so much that she cancelled her journey and returned home. I gave her full marks for taking the red light seriously! :) But surely there has to be a better way?


As far as I am aware my Avensis (2011 model) doesn't have a dead lamp detector. Nothing mentioned in the handbook.

As for seat belt warnings, only the front seats cause an audio/visual warning. The rear seats change the central display to the 3 blobs for people mode and can be overridden by pressing the Mode button, at which point it goes back to whatever it was displaying before.

Slarti

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#88397

Postby jackdaww » October 15th, 2017, 2:35 pm

swill453 wrote:
jackdaww wrote:how about - reliable , comfortable and quiet - for a start .



Most are, in my experience.

German, Japanese, French, Korean, whatever, I think we've got to the point where cars are a commodity, unless your needs are esoteric. Basically the designers have just about got it right.

Scott.


===================

astonishing !

do you read the consumer mag WHICH? ?

-- based on consumer reviews and their tests - there is wide disparity between brands and models.

many brands have cars rated poorly for reliability .

very broadly japanese are best , and french/italian worst.

commodity yes , but some have better designs and some use better quality parts than others .

:roll:

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#88399

Postby swill453 » October 15th, 2017, 2:43 pm

jackdaww wrote:astonishing !

do you read the consumer mag WHICH? ?

No.

jackdaww wrote:there is wide disparity between brands and models.

many brands have cars rated poorly for reliability .

I think it's all relative. Cars in general are much more reliable and last much longer than in the past. And the disparity between the best and the worst is much smaller.

Consider the difference between, say, an Austin Allegro and a Merc back in the days when they (Mercs) were good. These days the difference between, say, a Peugeot hatchback and a Toyota is tiny by comparison.

Scott.

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#88426

Postby bungeejumper » October 15th, 2017, 6:54 pm

swill453 wrote:Consider the difference between, say, an Austin Allegro and a Merc back in the days when they (Mercs) were good. These days the difference between, say, a Peugeot hatchback and a Toyota is tiny by comparison.

Subject to the proviso about how a Citroen/Pug city car is essentially the same thing as a Toyota Aygo, you are surely speaking in jest? Neighbours have a Pug people carrier of some sort (61 reg) which has gone through a gearbox, a complete wiring loom replacement, a couple of replacement seats, a new speedo, a loose door and a series of braking faults which the main dealer says he's powerless to fix. I don't think any of the Jap manufacturers would have let that happen. Not with five year warranties to honour. ;)

All of which fills me with sadness and regret. My old Citroen Xantia was the most reliable car I ever had, and I've loved three small, crude and very faithful Pugs in my time. But the world's moved on, and the French haven't. I note that Renault aren't even going to try selling their new large car in Britain because they say we won't buy it anyway. Nuff said, probably.

BJ

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#88499

Postby jackdaww » October 16th, 2017, 9:11 am

bungeejumper wrote:
swill453 wrote:Consider the difference between, say, an Austin Allegro and a Merc back in the days when they (Mercs) were good. These days the difference between, say, a Peugeot hatchback and a Toyota is tiny by comparison.

Subject to the proviso about how a Citroen/Pug city car is essentially the same thing as a Toyota Aygo, you are surely speaking in jest?


BJ


============================

my thoughts also - is it a wind-up ??

again looking at which? reviews , the difference between best and worst is enormous and its crystal clear which brands are guilty.

my own experiences --

3 renault 16 - super car but rusty - unbreakable push rod engines -

renault25 - nice car but engine failed - camshaft starved of oil - bad design

ford granada - nice car - but gearbox failed - then engine failed - then gearbox again.

nissan primera 2l cvt - good car - 150000 trouble free miles.

nissan qashqai - nice car - but (renault ) engine rattles / burns and leaks oil - gearbox whining and jumpy.

so will i buy renault / ford / nissanrenault again ?? no chance !

:x

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#88659

Postby Slarti » October 16th, 2017, 6:10 pm

jackdaww wrote:ford granada - nice car - but gearbox failed - then engine failed - then gearbox again.



Trouble is, when you say Ford Granada the MkII was quite a different beast to the MkI with a different engine and gear train. Especially if you had auto.

My dad's MkI was an excellent car, but his neighbour's MkII was a dog.

Slarti

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#88680

Postby jackdaww » October 16th, 2017, 7:26 pm

Slarti wrote:
jackdaww wrote:ford granada - nice car - but gearbox failed - then engine failed - then gearbox again.



Trouble is, when you say Ford Granada the MkII was quite a different beast to the MkI with a different engine and gear train. Especially if you had auto.

My dad's MkI was an excellent car, but his neighbour's MkII was a dog.

Slarti


=====================================

thanks for that.

i dont know the model - it was new about 1995 - very nice car all round .

the engine had cylinder head problems beyond economic repair , luckily my local ATS found me a replacement engine and fitted it ridiculously cheaply .

but then the auto gearbox went again so i gave up .

sadly ATS no longer do these things !

and of course fords are a different beast now , all i can do i look at reviews and make a judgement .

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#89817

Postby DrFfybes » October 21st, 2017, 6:59 pm

Slarti wrote:
As far as I am aware my Avensis (2011 model) doesn't have a dead lamp detector. Nothing mentioned in the handbook.

Slarti


I spent quite a while looking for a dead bulb when the warning light came on - there is only one warning light, and no clue as to which light. It would go off for a while, then back on again.
I decided it was Italian character until one night I opened the boot and noticed a failed number plate light. Turns out the holder had cracked and was making intermittent contact.

£38 for a replacement lens and bulb holder, so I glued it together and braced it with a bit of CD case and it has been fine since.

Paul

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Re: What in-car invention are you waiting for?

#93542

Postby UncleEbenezer » November 6th, 2017, 11:04 am

Bed, shower and loo?

No, not a campervan. Unless there's one where you can use the facilities while driving it?


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