David Jenkins
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 05:15 PM |
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It's funny how the little things can really annoy...
I'm currently driving a hire car while my normal tin-top is in for repair (a dopey driver managed to scrape the rear door while reversing out of
the next-door parking bay). It's a Ford Fiesta - not a basic model, and has a few 'features' - not a bad car to drive, but
wouldn't be my first choice if I was looking for a new car.
However - the thing that's really starting to annoy me is the little up-arrow to tell me that I should change up a gear. It seems to light up
as soon as the engine is starting to work reasonably well, and certainly quite a while before I would choose to change up. It's a tiny light,
but it's right in the middle of the dash and it's REALLY getting on my nerves!
I've had a few rants in the past about unnecessary gadgets (e.g. automatic wipers that work when you don't want them, and don't when
you need them), but is this just me? Am I getting paranoid, or are car makers getting overly interfering?
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henryc
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 05:24 PM |
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It's not just you, I hate this feature of some modern cars. A bit of gaffer tape may sort it out  I normally wait until the valves bounce to
change up, so this light comes on a lot when I have to drive such a thing for work time to time!
Never stop tinkering
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beaver34
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 05:25 PM |
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on a fiesta apart from a st its not engine load dependent like the other Ford models so it is rubbish and annoying
i work for ford and got my mum a new fiesta this year and she changed gear when it said regardless on the incline and its fair to say it was not how
it needed to be driven
the rest of the models use engine load dependent shift lights which work quite well, not as well as the vw ones but still better than an annoying
light on at 1,900 rpm
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coyoteboy
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 05:32 PM |
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Another distraction you don't need, another thing to look at instead of the road.
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jacko
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 05:35 PM |
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New Astra's SRI are the same
Jacko
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MikeR
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 05:48 PM |
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search through the menus - it should have an option to display how well / badly your driving. now that's fun.
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theprisioner
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 05:48 PM |
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I believe the dealers have software via the ODB port that can give options on displaying (or not) non mission critical features, give them a ring.
http://sylvabuild.blogspot.com/
http://austin7special.blogspot.co.uk/
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deezee
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 06:30 PM |
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Obey the machines. All hail our new overlords
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jossey
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 06:37 PM |
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Think that's bad...
Look on the menu for the Eco driving rating...
Then spend you pr life trying to get 5's on them all lol
My mrs has one I can wreck it in 15 mins making everything 2 or 3 lol
Thanks
David Johnson
Building my tiger avon slowly but surely.
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GRRR
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 06:40 PM |
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Auto-indicators p*ss me off, you can accidentally nudge the stalk and the indicator carrys on blinking for a bit which can look to other road users
like you're turning off. cant cancel it or it starts flashing the other way instead! 
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coyoteboy
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 06:58 PM |
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Yep, Ive fallen foul of auto-indicators. Stupid idea.
On a similar note, has anyone been bold enough to install one of those insurance driving apps on your phone? Couple of my friends have done, you have
to register your email address, phone number etc. Does no-one else have a hint of paranoia with regards to that?
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 07:00 PM |
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I hate cars that you have to push the clutch down when starting the engine, not a problem when driving but a real pain when the car is on a two post
lift
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scudderfish
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 07:04 PM |
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I like to see how bad I can get the instantaneous fuel consumption reading on the tintop 
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coyoteboy
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 07:33 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
I hate cars that you have to push the clutch down when starting the engine, not a problem when driving but a real pain when the car is on a two post
lift
Ive never seen a car that requires that?!
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sdh2903
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 07:43 PM |
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Is everyone getting grumpier with age??
Must admit I was baffled by a new hire car a few weeks ago that needed the clutch depressing to start. Cars are becoming ridiculously complicated for
no apparent gain to the driving experience.
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jacko
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 07:49 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
I hate cars that you have to push the clutch down when starting the engine, not a problem when driving but a real pain when the car is on a two post
lift
Its the electric hand brakes that i cant get my head round
Put the brake on / rev the engine and the brake comes off not good if you are working on the car and its parked on a slight slope
Jacko
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martyn1137
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 07:52 PM |
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Modern gadgets I like in cars I thought I wouldn't, auto wipers and auto lights in my previous Golf GTD and new Audi A3. I hate wipers juddering
over a drying screen but the sensor and wipers are spot on.
I agree current indicators can be a pain. Current other hates are electric hand brake - no finesse or feel available, driving by robot and stop start
system. Stopped the other day to let some nervous horses past and just as they got level car restarts after its regulation off time out - grrrr.
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Mr C
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 07:56 PM |
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Got a golf and its got all the above and more, collision alarm, radar, stop start, auto engine start on stall, racing engine sounds, the bloody lot.
18 buttons on the steering wheel as well..total head fook..
Girl walks into a bar and asks for a double entendre, so the barman gave her one
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 07:57 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
I hate cars that you have to push the clutch down when starting the engine, not a problem when driving but a real pain when the car is on a two post
lift
Ive never seen a car that requires that?!
Newer Ford Focus amongst others
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 09:01 PM |
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I had to get my sister out to show me how to start the engine in her bmw
It had like an atari cartridge that went into the dash and then needed the brakes or clutch pressed before the button on the dash did anything, I was
like how is this progress????!!! this is madness 
Best bit is when the battery went flat and they couldn't get the doors open oh how I laughed, you see I have this little thing called a key and
it doesn't need batteries to work smart thinking
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johnny chimpo
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 09:02 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by jacko
quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
I hate cars that you have to push the clutch down when starting the engine, not a problem when driving but a real pain when the car is on a two post
lift
Its the electric hand brakes that i cant get my head round
Put the brake on / rev the engine and the brake comes off not good if you are working on the car and its parked on a slight slope
Jacko
The auto handbrake wont come off if you dont have your seat belt clipped in. You would need to keep your foot on the brake to release the auto
handbrake without your seat belt on.
I've got a 2011 Passat as my company car and it has all the annoying features mentioned, but my number one hate is auto stop start. I switch it
off every time I get in the car!
[Edited on 19/2/14 by johnny chimpo]
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 09:09 PM |
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yeah that stop start thing, doesn't that wear out the starter and the flywheel teeth? I notice too the batteries for them are more than twice
the price. Also wonder about the extra wear to the engine if it needs to build up oil pressure each time it starts as that is when most wear occurs
not to mention the engine cooling back down so it becomes less efficient... seems a crazy thing to do just to save a tiny bit of fuel while idling a
lights
have to admit there's nothing at all in new cars that makes me want to get one, I find my 25 year old one much nicer all round
[Edited on 19/2/14 by Mr Whippy]
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nick205
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 09:09 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
I hate cars that you have to push the clutch down when starting the engine, not a problem when driving but a real pain when the car is on a two post
lift
Ive never seen a car that requires that?!
Passat and other VAG group cars with the push-in key make you depress the clutch to start.
Those with electric parking brakes also make you depress the brake pedal before it will release.
I have no problem with either feature and actually like the electric parking brake a lot. Getting back into a car with a manual handbrake now seems
archaic and a waste of good space between the front seats.
[Edited on 19/2/14 by nick205]
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nick205
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 09:12 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
yeah that stop start thing, doesn't that wear out the starter and the flywheel teeth? I notice too the batteries for them are more than twice
the price. Also wonder about the extra wear to the engine if it needs to build up oil pressure each time it starts as that is when most wear occurs
not to mention the engine cooling back down so it becomes less efficient... seems a crazy thing to do just to save a tiny bit of fuel while idling a
lights
The Volvo V50 eDrive I had for a year or so was Start/Stop. It didn't perform the Start/Stop unless the engine was up to temperature, thus
limiting cold start wear. It had a definite positive impact on urban fuel consumption as well.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 19/2/14 at 09:12 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
I hate cars that you have to push the clutch down when starting the engine, not a problem when driving but a real pain when the car is on a two post
lift
Ive never seen a car that requires that?!
Newer Ford Focus amongst others
And my Toyota Yaris - that doesn't bother me too much, as it's something I tend to do anyway.
It's also got the auto stop-start, which does annoy me occasionally. I think they only fitted it to achieve the emissions level for the lower
road tax rating (£30 per year). The stupid bit is that it needs a huge battery (it's about the size of the one fitted to diesels - twice the
size of a normal petrol car one).
Oh - and I am getting grumpier as the years go on! But it is partly due to the unrelenting rubbish weather...
[Edited on 19/2/14 by David Jenkins]
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