Gadgets (or features) I've never had

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Fri 26 May 2023 17:07
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - Chris M

Following the gadgets we never use thread got me thinking about what I've never had.

My current Astra introduced me to quite a few new ones like sign recognition, cruise, lane assist, hill start, auto wipers and lights, no spare wheel and electric rear windows! But there are so many things I've never had or, in many cases, wanted. From the top of my head:

Diesel

Automatic transmission

More than 5 forward gears

Climate

Leather seats

Heated or electric anything seats

More than 4 cylinders

More than 110bhp

Parking sensors or camera

Headlamp washers

Electric parking brake

and despite driving for 45 years

Leaf springs

Grease nipples

Drum front brakes

Or a car I couldn't rely on to get me home.

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Fri 26 May 2023 17:53
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - badbusdriver

Does this really need a separate thread?

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Fri 26 May 2023 18:04
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - Sofa Spud

Does this really need a separate thread?

Yes!

I've never owned:

An automatic car

A car with more than 4 cylinders

A rear-engined car.

A brand-new car.

A convertible.

Although I have driven all of the above, owned by other people!

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Fri 26 May 2023 18:05
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - Adampr

Does this really need a separate thread?

Why not?

I've had all of those apart from (I think) front drum brakes. I don't feel like you're missing much.

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Fri 26 May 2023 21:05
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - edlithgow

Does this really need a separate thread?

Otherwise he'd have to add "a separate thread" to his list.

I think we've all had "Climate" and, since we lack "Climate Control", are likely to get quite a lot more than we want, if we live.

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Fri 26 May 2023 21:15
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - gordonbennet
That list has brought home to me just how many different types of vehicles i've owned, and why i'm broke.
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Sat 27 May 2023 10:19
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - John F

Back in the 1970s a friend's Renault coupe (I think it might have been a Renault 15) had a really useful infinitely variable intermittent windscreen wipe, ideal for patchy drizzle conditions. I presume it was a rheostat in the rotating wheel of the wiper stalk. I have often wished our cars had had this. A single, or even three or four settings are not enough. Even my Audi's automatic rain detection facility often doesn't get it quite right. I wonder if any modern cars have what was such a user friendly device?

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Sat 27 May 2023 10:23
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - Bromptonaut

Back in the 1970s a friend's Renault coupe (I think it might have been a Renault 15) had a really useful infinitely variable intermittent windscreen wipe, ideal for patchy drizzle conditions.

My Dad had occasional use of one of the Renault 16s that his company used for their sales people. IIRC that had a similar facility.

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Sat 27 May 2023 10:35
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - gordonbennet
Some Volvo trucks had a variation of the infinitely variable theme (might still have it for all i know), you'd operate the intermittent then flick it off, when you needed the screen swepat agin you'd flick it back on and it would memorise the time lapse you used, this would stay as time delay until you reset the timer.

On the downside same vehicles, if the headlights were switched on every single time you used the screenwash the headlamps would get washed too, you might think it a good thing but one salty winters days driving and the gallon+ washer bottle would be empty which proved ridiculoous when having to add anti freeze mix to the wash, hence after each service (when they reconnected it) i'd nip underneath and disconnect the headlight washer pump.

Note, i carry a squirty bottle of clean water and a silicon squeegee, not only good for cleaning headlights but removes salt residue from side/rear windows and mirrors in seconds, where wiping only shifts the salt around and leaves a terrible impenetrable by sight surface when the sun comes out.
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Sat 27 May 2023 16:40
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - Bromptonaut
Note, i carry a squirty bottle of clean water and a silicon squeegee, not only good for cleaning headlights but removes salt residue from side/rear windows and mirrors in seconds, where wiping only shifts the salt around and leaves a terrible impenetrable by sight surface when the sun comes out.

I've done that for years too. Few things I find more bothersome than driving at night with smears on the side windows...

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Mon 29 May 2023 18:02
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - John F
Some Volvo trucks had a variation of the infinitely variable theme (might still have it for all i know), you'd operate the intermittent then flick it off, when you needed the screen swepat agin you'd flick it back on and it would memorise the time lapse you used, this would stay as time delay until you reset the timer.

That reminds me - I think I once had or drove a car with that set-up, can't remember which, though

On the downside same vehicles, if the headlights were switched on every single time you used the screenwash the headlamps would get washed too, you might think it a good thing but one salty winters days driving and the gallon+ washer bottle would be empty .......

On my Audi there's about a second's delay before the headlamp washers come on, and an injuction in the handbook to use the windscreen wash briefly when the headlights are on to avoid wasting water.

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Mon 29 May 2023 18:11
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - mcb100
I think the pre-VAG Skodas had the settable intermittent wipe.
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Sat 27 May 2023 10:26
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - elekie&a/c doctor
Rover P6 2000/3500 had infinite delay wiper control that was electrically switched by a vacuum valve and tap device.
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Sat 27 May 2023 12:23
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - Chris M

Recall my brother had an aftermarket accessory which gave infinite wiper control via a knob fixed to the bottom of the dash. That was on an A40 Farina in the days when it was easy to fit accessories. His next car was a P6. Oh the luxury!

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Sat 27 May 2023 12:20
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - Xileno

"I wonder if any modern cars have what was such a user friendly device?"

Depends how you define modern but my 2007 Focus has this device. I think there are six settings, I've always found one of them is perfect for the conditions.

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Sat 27 May 2023 12:37
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - sammy1

"I wonder if any modern cars have what was such a user friendly device?"

Depends how you define modern but my 2007 Focus has this device. I think there are six settings, I've always found one of them is perfect for the conditions.

Has no one got a car with the automatic rain sensor? Once activated goes really slow intermittently for drizzle of occasional rain and goes bananas in a thunder storm

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Sat 27 May 2023 17:02
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - mcb100
‘ Has no one got a car with the automatic rain sensor? Once activated goes really slow intermittently for drizzle of occasional rain and goes bananas in a thunder storm’

Isn’t that what it’s supposed to do? Not wipe much when not much wiping is needed, then wipe a lot when there’s the need?

My previous Jaguar S-Type used to take it to extremes and wipe at full speed on a humid day, but most stuff nowadays works well enough to take for granted.
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Sat 27 May 2023 17:13
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - FP

"Has no one got a car with the automatic rain sensor? Once activated goes really slow intermittently for drizzle of occasional rain and goes bananas in a thunder storm"

How would you prefer it to operate?

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Sat 27 May 2023 17:20
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - Xileno

That is how they work, I think sammy's just asking if anyone has one. I assume they're standard fit these days. I had it on my Megane, it worked well but I think I prefer the arrangement on the old Focus where I can adjust the delay.

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Sat 27 May 2023 17:28
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - Chris M

I had multiple choice variety on my CMax but prefer the auto version on my Astra.

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Sat 27 May 2023 17:34
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - sammy1

That is how they work, I think sammy's just asking if anyone has one. I assume they're standard fit these days. I had it on my Megane, it worked well but I think I prefer the arrangement on the old Focus where I can adjust the delay.

Well yes members saying what they had ie the " old fashioned way" when the thread is never had? All got a bit confusing when never had would infer a rain sensor?

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Sat 27 May 2023 18:59
Gadgets (gor features) I've never had - Chris M

Thread drift. Well there's a first!

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Tue 30 May 2023 09:12
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - Grenache

Most annoying feature on my car is rain-sensing wipers. Sometimes they go into oberdrive with just a few spots, other times they wait too long to wipe again.

I prefer the manually-selectable timed intermittent wipe then I can choose what speed I want.

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Tue 30 May 2023 10:44
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - RT

Most annoying feature on my car is rain-sensing wipers. Sometimes they go into oberdrive with just a few spots, other times they wait too long to wipe again.

I prefer the manually-selectable timed intermittent wipe then I can choose what speed I want.

Now I like the automatic rain-sensing wipers on my VW Touareg although I occasionally need to add a single wipe.

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Tue 30 May 2023 21:32
Gadgets (or features) I've never had - alan1302

Most annoying feature on my car is rain-sensing wipers. Sometimes they go into oberdrive with just a few spots, other times they wait too long to wipe again.

I prefer the manually-selectable timed intermittent wipe then I can choose what speed I want.

Agree with you there - all the automatic ones I have tried have been rubbish.

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