about your last car?
I miss the variable speed intermittent wipers - which I thought were the work of genius.
My new car has automatic wipers that seem to have a mind of their own and prefer to be on the fastest setting even in light drizzle....
Madness.
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I'm something of a control freak. If I couldn't manually over ride a feature like that I'd be selling the car. I can't even cope with auto windscreen washers which won't let me wet the screen properly before they start wiping. Then, when I've finished doing what I want to do, they wait about 20 seconds and do a final wipe to pick up the last dribble from the top of the screen...grrr.
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The thing I miss most about my last car were its (a) insurance group and (b) its lower road tax band!
Agree about vari-speed intermittant wipers, very useful (my last 4 or 5 cars had them, including current- Sunny, Celica, Lancer and present Colt)
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Foot operated dip switch
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The automatic wipers! Variable is all very well but having to keep adjusting the speed and turning them on and off gets tiresome.
I've heard you can retrofit them to the Golf so I might look into if I can do it to the Toledo.
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The triple digit power output..... :-(
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mss11tw Yes, if it's like other VAG models, you need to exchange the wiper control relay (usually in relay panel above foot pedals) for the one for cars without automatic wipers, the stalk is the same, the sensitivity adjuster becomes a speed adjuster.
"The automatic wipers! Variable is all very well but having to keep adjusting the speed and turning them on and off gets tiresome.
I've heard you can retrofit them to the Golf so I might look into if I can do it to the Toledo."
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A
you don't change your car very often do you :-)
Do you think windscreen washers will catch on?
JH
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I'm something of a control freak. If I couldn't manually over ride a feature like that I'd be selling the car. I can't even cope with auto windscreen washers which won't let me wet the screen properly before they start wiping. Then, when I've finished doing what I want to do, they wait about 20 seconds and do a final wipe to pick up the last dribble from the top of the screen...grrr.
So you have an Audi too then? :o)
Have to agree about the auto clock update, they did it via RDS so I don't know why all cars don't do it
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I'm something of a control freak. . . . I can't even cope with auto windscreen washers which won't let me wet the screen properly before they start wiping.
Snap. About the only thing I miss about the old Fiesta was that it allowed me to wet my windscreen before the wipers started wiping
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I can't even cope with auto windscreen washers which won't let me wet the screen properly before they start wiping. Then, when I've finished doing what I want to do, they wait about 20 seconds and do a final wipe to pick up the last dribble from the top of the screen...grrr.
That's an Audi, then?
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2000 "W" Vectra 2.5 V6 GSi Estate: automatic clock adjustment. Second-perfect time keeping throughout the year, including automatic summer time adjustment.
BTW - I love the auto wipers on my V70. They spend most of their time "three clicks" from least sensitive and work perfectly, only having needed an adjustment to "least sensitive" on the very few occasions I've driven in finely atomised spray. On balance therefore, much more useful than having to adjust manually.
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Overdrive on 4 forward gears operated by switch on top of gearlever.
madf
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Column change gearlever and umbrella handbrake, both on the right, and a wide bench seat.
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605
Sheer size. Swallowed everything a family of four could throw at it. 406 is just pokey and has nowhere to store my nic-nacs. Half a mind to get another even though they're getting on a bit. Miss its batteredness too, didn't have to care about it at all.
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98 Mondeo - the purchase price - six and a half years old, £1K at auction, the handling - excellent even at 120,000 miles, park it anywhere don't care if someone opens their door on it because they're more likely to knock a dent out rather than in.
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The sunroof. Ever since aircon became more or less standard very few people have specified a sunroof as an optional extra so there are very few secondhand cars for sale (in my price bracket) that have one.
--
L\'escargot.
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Easy to change bulbs! A friend whose sister has an A3 asked me how to change a brake light. A quick look last night (admittedly in the dark) lead me to the conclusion that it isn't straightforward and probably why Halfords told my friend's sister to take it to the dealer.
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Manual wind up windows;
Easy to find the crank, even when driving an unfamiliar car and they can be adjusted without taking your eyes off the road.
Easy to position correctly, within a MM or two
They rarelly give trouble and no £250 bill for motors when they stop working
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>>Easy to change bulbs!
A good candidate on many cars.
I have a further list to choose from.
Dip stick in my washer bottle.
Bumpers that are bumpers not plastic stying bits.
Seats that tip forward in a four door car.
Variable / delay squirt washers.
Oil filters that fit bottom down.
Indicators on the right stalk
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"Bumpers that are bumpers not plastic stying bits."
Tell me about it, I just got an £850 bill to take out car park scratches on my Vectras plastic bumpers.
Same re mirrors. The case should be black.
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To add:
Front opening windscreens (for those hot days when the sunroof is not enough)
Petrol guage doubling as an oil level guage
Tools in a nice sliding tray under the dashboard
Drivers window which opens and closes on half turn of a winder (much faster and more convenient thean electric ones)
Headlamps with a little section on top which glows when they are lit (makes moderne bling look as crass as it is)
Side opening bonnets (so easy to use).
Radiator muffs (for those cold days).
Hand throttle - ideal for traffic jams.
Rear blinds controlled from the drivers seat (for privacy in those moments of passion)
Freewheels - for clutchless gearchanges
All in one car - my 1946 Rover 16:-)
madf
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All in one car - my 1946 Rover 16:-) madf
Pay attention madf. The OP said your last car not your first car! ;-)
--
L\'escargot.
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All in one car - my 1946 Rover 16:-)
madf, do you also miss the rusting that started as soon as it was driven off the production line? :-(
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Heated front windscreen.
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The memory function for traffic reports
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Previous car was estate replacement is hatch so I miss the usefulness no end. Also previous car was OK on veg oil if needed.
---
Xantia HDi.
Buy a Citroen and get to know the local GSF staff better...
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Cheap parts. Economy. Being able to set the ignition perfectly with a cigarette paper, a dwell meter and a strobe light, and the mixture by ear with a screwdriver. Instant readout of state of tune with a simple glance at the colour inside the exhaust pipe after a few miles on the road. Light unassisted steering.
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Solar panel in the sunroof(!) that powered the heater blower independently
of the battery when temp. rose in the car on hot days when car was parked - excellent.
It didn't 'fridge the interior, but cooled & circulated the air enough to
obviate the need for the all-doors-open-for-5-mins before driving off.
(Skoda Superb Elegance)
Just a comment on auto lights/wipers/dimming et al: The devil's
spawn in my view. The 'auto' algorithms never seem to fit my 'view'
about when/where/how, especially auto-wipers. Auto-dimming rear view
mirrors seem far too tolerant & only seem to switch on when blasted by xenons
at ten paces (auto dim side mirrors are ok, since you don't have the 'flip' alternative
anyway)
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The boot light mounted in the tailgate of the Synergie; it cast the light where you wanted when the tailgate was raised. Now on the C8 I've got a light above the rear seats that's seemingly on a 5-second timer, and a pair of lights on the rear wheel arches conveniently shielded by tools and other boot contents.
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
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Revolving number plate and missiles behind the headlights.
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Dont miss anything about my last car, it was a temporary banger! Although I was amazed how good the grip was from the remould tyres I put on it.
On my old Peugeot I miss 160bhp in an 1100kg car.
On my old Audi I miss the gorgeous 5-cylinder burble, could pretend I was Walter Rohrl!
;o)
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Revolving number plate and missiles behind the headlights.
Does that mean that you don't really miss the passenger ejector seat, or does it mean that your current car has one?
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about your last car? I miss the variable speed intermittent wipers - which I thought were the work of genius. My new car has automatic wipers that seem to have a mind of their own and prefer to be on the fastest setting even in light drizzle....
You haven't by any chance just swapped something from the VAG group to a Renault by any chance ?
--
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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The thing I miss most is the black leather heated seats which also had electric adjustment on the front, electric adjustment part I fitted myself ( after a Peugeot master technician told me it couldnt be done )
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Heated front windscreen and electric/heated seats.
Can't beleive my list price £20k Mondeo had heated electric seats yet my list price £36k BMW 530i has neither...
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The "proper" Citroen suspension on my old BX
--
Phil
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Heated rear bench seat......in my much loved previous VW T2 Transporter Syncro. Pretty low tech...a tartan rug over the engine compartment cover, but a fantastic 'go anywhere' van which I should never have sold.
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Ahhh... this brings back memories of Polo, who has been gone for four Months now :(
His little cheeky face and smart little alloys.
The fact he didn't sound like a tractor.
The gear lever that didn't come off in your hand.
His easy pull forward seats (he was a 3dr) that didn't involve a complicated handle pull and slide movement that only a russian gymnast could accomplish.
The fact that he actually had an ashtray that could be used as a bin, instead of a hole in front of the gear lever.
::::sob::::
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There there PG, let me comfort you ....
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I miss the long distance comfort of my old £1000 Jag XJ40. Even without air con, I got out after a
3 hr drive totally fresh. Just brilliant.
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Hey Phil, how much different is the BX to a Xantia suspension wise? It'll be CXs and DXs next....
Happy Christmas.
Steve.
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Xantia HDi.
Buy a Citroen and get to know the local GSF staff better...
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Aahh yes, I've always covetted a CX GTi turbo 2!
I think you would find the BX a bit soft and wallowy after a Xantia Exclusive. Thing is, I had 2 BX diesels, one which did 170k, the other 140k, both of which never let me down and never had the engines touched. Suspension also v. reliable, a few new spheres which I did myself, one "new" front strut and an "octopus" - that was a sod to do but I managed it myself. I've now got a Berlingo HDi - superbly practical, roomy, economical and with enough performance for me, but it doesn't ride like a "proper" Cit and of course the extra height doesn't help. Wife has a Xantia HDi like you (Hydractive 2?) and I think the suspension on that is superb, firm but so smooth and with what I reckon is great handling (for how we drive). Not had to replace a sphere on that yet (thank goodness - there are rather a lot of them!!) - just an electro valve at the back (£85) in 95k. Just wish there were some low mileage ones about - not keen on C5. Might have to wait for the rich buyers of C6 to trade them in after 2 years with 40k on the clock and selling for £12,000- £15,000!! Some hope!
Happy Christmas to you and yours
--
Phil
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225 BHP down to 75 now.......
:(
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Selespeed gear paddles on an Alfa 147 (got it from just after launch) - so like playing a video game - don't miss the electronic issues plus paddles that would wear off the coating, resulting in a 6 month wait for a new steering wheel - good job it was a company car. Wouldn't touch any Alfa with my own money - still think they sooo sexy. Got something far more steady now, but will be with me for the long term !!!!
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ease of servicing the engine.
My first *car* a MK D
web.ukonline.co.uk/nick.wotherspoon/site/Minicar%2...m
( 9years old and with worn sprockets the chain kept coming off.
You could take the head off in about 1 minute if you tried..................
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">My first *car* a MK D<"
Is this the car where you put your foot into the engine bay to kickstart it?
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Yes ! But it also had an electric starter that doubled as the dynamo and a decompression lever to aid engine spin up on the starter.
Fun days at 16yrs :)
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borasport20 wrote "You haven't by any chance just swapped something from the VAG group to a Renault by any chance ?"
Nearly spot on. Got rid of my 1997 200k Passat for a 2002 100k Pug 406....
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The thrill of approaching it, key in hand, not knowing whether the little sod would start in the morning. That's the legendary Audi build quality for you
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Heated front screen - simplicity itself (as an idea) and absolutely brilliant. At this time of year I miss it 9 days out of 10.
Second place (by a long way) - variable intermittent wipers.
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Yes, I know exactly how PoloGirl feels - moving from a car you love to one you don't.
I miss:
the lovely 6-cylinder engine (A4 Avant 2.5 TDI) which gave diesel economy withouit sounding like a London taxi
the smooth rumble at idle, rather than the 700 rpm vibro-massage that I have now
the wipers properly set up for RHD (it's strange how many of the above posts refer to wipers - clearly an easy source of annoyance)
the wiper / washer stalk on the right, separate from the indicators
the total absence of any design fault that niggled.
....I could go on. The sad thing is that just a little thought, with little extra expense, could have made this car (Mercedes B200 CDI) just as enjoyable as its predecessor - anmd encouraged repeat purchases.
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My £9k (lease prices) Vectra's cruise control which my £35k Audi does not have!
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Moving from hatchback,Mondero, to a saloon, 3series: the ability to carry the occasional larger item of furniture .
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At least it´s cheap, Avant.
Sorry it´s been such a disappointment as I remember you took a lot of care over the leasing decision.
Why can´t MB do good 4-cylinder diesels, when their 6-cylinders have such a good reputation?
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I miss, but not a lot -- the 500-mile fuel-tank range of my Audi 100 and the quality of its paintwork.
I don't miss at all -- the heated seats and variable-speed intermittent wipers of my Golf VR6 Highline.
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