Premium car features you would pay extra NOT to have

[Harpers Tate]

Do you just leave it in gear, or is it an auto so you just use the park setting?

If I stop (eg on a hill or even at lights/otherwise) then the car (hand-)brakes itself. When I touch the accelerator, it releases itself. When I park, I just turn it off. It has already braked itself, and turning it off engages "park".

 

[Snow1964]

Following are a definite no for me :

Lane departure, just doesn't work on single carriageway roads, and is dangerous as lines and hazard's don't match

Auto dimming headlights, too slow to spot oncoming cars on winding country roads

Start Stop that cuts out whilst still moving slowly, creeping forward, mine does this, so always turn it off

Touch screens for items like window demisting, so have to take eyes off of road to find it.

Low profile tyres that get damaged by potholes, much prefer 55 or 60 aspect tyres (I prefer driving with my 16 inch winter wheels to stupid 18 inch wheels car came with, rides rough roads better)

Auto parking, if you can't park it, should have something smaller that you can fit in parking spaces

Then there are other trendy features would rather not have

Keyless entry, creates as many problems as it solves, easier to use a key than a faraday pouch

navigation updates that go dead after a year, sorry but if I spend tens of thousands, I expect at least 10 years of updates

Servicing plans, where they inspect things, but don't service items which manufactures says needs doing, leaving required items outside of service plan

At times I regret getting rid of our small second car which was much lower spec (would be 11 years old now), much less to go wrong, and more engaging to drive.

 

[DustyBin]

I agree with most of the common undesirable features; lane departure warnings, electric handbrakes, auto lights, and I’ll also add auto start/stop. Automatic transmissions are another thing I’d rather not have, but are increasingly “standard” on higher end cars.

I don’t get the fixed glass roof fad to be honest. My current Fiesta ST was originally ordered as a demonstrator so came with every option, including a glass roof, but it opens so is actually quite nice on a sunny day. I still wouldn’t have specced it myself though as it’s a lot of extra weight high up.

I disagree with heated seats, they’re great IMO. I could live without a heated steering wheel but I’ll confess to using it occasionally!

@8A Rail has already touched on it, but low profile tyres don’t necessarily equal a harsh ride. My previous Fiesta ST (elastic bands for tyres!) was a limited edition with adjustable coilovers all round, and whilst there was barely any body roll the ride was incredibly smooth. The problem is that manufacturers want their cars to appear sporty, so fit slightly stiffer suspension and great big wheels to what are essentially mundane family cars.

 

[nlogax]

The low profile thing..wasn't a prior concern for me but due to the extreme pothole situation in Glasgow I've been through three tyres in the space of a month.

Lane assist/correction is a bugbear of mine but at least I'm able to turn the function off.

 

[birchesgreen]

There is a nice button on my dashboard to turn stop/start off. I don't mind tech gizmos as long as you can disable them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The last time I had a sunroof was on a Metro of all things and I've always missed it, I liked how it brightened up the cabin but the cars I've bought since have all been second hand and it's been an option almost no-one seems to have specced.

Aircon has effectively replaced it, and I see little point in a glass roof unless hiring a car to drive in a scenic place like Switzerland with passengers (I can't really spend time looking out of it myself!)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Apr 2023 ==

If I stop (eg on a hill or even at lights/otherwise) then the car (hand-)brakes itself. When I touch the accelerator, it releases itself. When I park, I just turn it off. It has already braked itself, and turning it off engages "park".

You can keep that. Definitely in line with the subject of the thread!

 

[dangie]

….navigation updates that go dead after a year, sorry but if I spend tens of thousands, I expect at least 10 years of updates

On that subject, I update our Ford Kuga navigation via a USB stick. I download the update from the Ford website, copy it to the USB stick, then insert it into the car. Depending on the size of the file it can take up to 2 hours to transfer the update to the car.

Unfortunately for this the car must be running. This either means waiting for a 2 hour drive or leave the car on the driveway with the engine running.

If any Ford owner could tell me a different method I’d be most grateful.

 

[Bletchleyite]

On that subject, I update our Ford Kuga navigation via a USB stick. I download the update from the Ford website, copy it to the USB stick, then insert it into the car. Depending on the size of the file it can take up to 2 hours to transfer the update to the car.

Unfortunately for this the car must be running. This either means waiting for a 2 hour drive or leave the car on the driveway with the engine running.

If any Ford owner could tell me a different method I’d be most grateful.

That sort of thing almost inclines me to add "built in sat nav" to the list. I just use Waze on my phone and ignore any built in feature, which is always inferior. Newer cars with the big touchscreens (much as I hate them) can show it on a bigger screen via Android Auto/Apple Carplay.

 

[cactustwirly]

That sort of thing almost inclines me to add "built in sat nav" to the list. I just use Waze on my phone and ignore any built in feature, which is always inferior. Newer cars with the big touchscreens (much as I hate them) can show it on a bigger screen via Android Auto/Apple Carplay.

I personally prefer my built in sat nav over waze etc.
It has a split screen so one side is zoomed out so I can see the next 2 or 3 miles. And the instructions come up on the screen where the speedo is

 

[Bletchleyite]

I personally prefer my built in sat nav over waze etc.
It has a split screen so one side is zoomed out so I can see the next 2 or 3 miles. And the instructions come up on the screen where the speedo is

Does it do traffic though? That's the killer app of Waze etc. Most journeys I make I know the way anyway, but I still put Waze on as it'll pick up on delays and reroute accordingly.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

If any Ford owner could tell me a different method I’d be most grateful.

Believe that for many Ford models you can straight-forwardly update the SatNav system by purchasing / installing a newer SD (Secure Digital) memory card. Literally takes less than a minute to do.

 

[dangie]

Believe that for many Ford models you can straight-forwardly update the SatNav system by purchasing / installing a newer SD (Secure Digital) memory card. Literally takes less than a minute to do.

Interesting. One question, which I’m sure is stupid but here it is anyway, where does the SD Card go?

 

[gg1]

Does it do traffic though? That's the killer app of Waze etc. Most journeys I make I know the way anyway, but I still put Waze on as it'll pick up on delays and reroute accordingly.

My built in Kia one does, and it's generally pretty accurate. It's a massive improvement on Citroen's built in satnav on my previous car. I'm 95% sure mapping updates (via a USB stick) are free too but I haven't got around to doing it yet.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Interesting. One question, which I’m sure is stupid but here it is anyway, where does the SD Card go?

Depends on the model, on some, there's an SD card slot in the centre storage console (just behind the gear change stick). Also has a separate USB port if I correctly recall. Different models may have the SD card slot in a different place.

 

[bspahh]

If I stop (eg on a hill or even at lights/otherwise) then the car (hand-)brakes itself. When I touch the accelerator, it releases itself. When I park, I just turn it off. It has already braked itself, and turning it off engages "park".

The first car I drove with an automatic hand brake like this was a hire car. I parked it in an underground car park at a hotel. To get out, there was a steep ramp on a corner. There were two boxes near the barrier for the parking card. I drove up to the one closest to the barrier and found out it was the wrong one. I had driven close to the edge, so I could reach the card reader. That meant I was too close to be able to open the door.

With a manual handbrake, I would have rolled 1m back down the hill and all would have been fine. However, the hill start assist wouldn't let me do that. To move the car backwards, I had to accelerate in reverse, down the ramp and hope I didn't do it too fast and miss the turn. I didn't have time to read the manual to see how to turn off the hill start assist.

 

[cactustwirly]

Does it do traffic though? That's the killer app of Waze etc. Most journeys I make I know the way anyway, but I still put Waze on as it'll pick up on delays and reroute accordingly.

It does, when I started my journey on Thursday it said there was traffic at Theale and suggested an alternative route.
When I got there it was queuing after the M4 junction so I took the alternative route it suggested.

I know my way around Reading and take better routes than what Google maps suggests anyway

 

[richa2002]

Everything listed here is why I will keep my 12 year old car as long as possible. Feels to me as though models in that late 00s/early 10s period had the perfect level of tech. Goes way too far these days IMO.

 

[RailWonderer]

Everything listed here is why I will keep my 12 year old car as long as possible. Feels to me as though models in that late 00s/early 10s period had the perfect level of tech. Goes way too far these days IMO.

I agree. I liked it when USB and SD cars slots and infotainment was introduced before all the large touch screens and automatic functions that beep and stop/start and tell you what to do and then do it for you. Invasive tech can go, but enough creature comfort tech is welcomed.

Edited for spelling

 

[Bletchleyite]

I agree. I liked it when USB and SD cars slots and infotainment was introduced before all the large touch screens and automatic fuctions that beep and stop/start and tell you what to do and then do it for you. Invasive tech can go, but enough creature comfort tech is welcomed.

Main one for me was Bluetooth. I'd long used external audio devices, initially using one of those cassette adapter things (remember those?) and then a cable, but Bluetooth integration was the big gain. Of course CarPlay etc are good, in my view cars should concentrate on that rather than their own software which is invariably poor.

And anything you may need to do on the move (HVAC and hazard lights, primarily) need to be physical switches so as to safely be usable without taking eyes off the road. Though voice control is probably a welcome development for things like the radio. Ideally using a decent voice assistant like Alexa - my Kuga does have a rudimentary one but it's rubbish, and Siri is quite poor these days too.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Though voice control is probably a welcome development for things like the radio.

Not always so good for SatNav.

7 High Street, Horwich being "misheard" as Dorridge, or Norwich, or even Shoreditch.

 

[gg1]

Invasive tech can go, but enough creature comfort tech is welcomed.

Unfortunately getting one without the other is virtually impossible.

My ideal would be a base spec car to which I could add the comfort/convenience/safety features I like but skip all the ones I either actively dislike or aren't really bothered about one way or the other, if I could find such a car I could customise to that degree I would happily buy new and keep it 10+ years. The snag is the (mainly Japanese or Korean) manufacturers I would consider tend to go for set specifications within a model range with minimal optional extras (which admittedly makes a lot of sense from a manufacturing perspective).

 

[dangie]

I have buttons on our Kuga which not only have I never used them I haven’t a clue what some do. I do know it has cruise control but even on motorway driving I’ve never engaged it. For the majority of our driving it’s totally unnecessary.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Unfortunately getting one without the other is virtually impossible.

My ideal would be a base spec car to which I could add the comfort/convenience/safety features I like but skip all the ones I either actively dislike or aren't really bothered about one way or the other, if I could find such a car I could customise to that degree I would happily buy new and keep it 10+ years. The snag is the (mainly Japanese or Korean) manufacturers I would consider tend to go for set specifications within a model range with minimal optional extras (which admittedly makes a lot of sense from a manufacturing perspective).

I was quite impressed with Dacia and their "why pay for a fancy screen when there's already one in your pocket" marketing. But I don't mind if the software features like lane departure warning exist provided I can turn them off (for good, not each time I start the car).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Apr 2023 ==

I have buttons on our Kuga which not only have I never used them I haven’t a clue what some do. I do know it has cruise control but even on motorway driving I’ve never engaged it. For the majority of our driving it’s totally unnecessary.

Non-adaptive cruise is frustrating anywhere other than an empty motorway. I do however use the speed limiter a lot, guarantees to stop you drifting over. I do wish it adjusted in 10mph blocks though - you can do that by holding the button down but it's awkward.

 

[stuu]

I had a hire car with lane assist last year. I didn't know it had it, freaked me out the first time the steering wheel seemed to fighting back. I did test that it would happily steer round corners along the motorway by itself though, which is a bit weird (on an empty motorway by myself)

 

[MattA7]

Seatbelt alarms- as someone with a medical exemption certificate they are a nuisance they can also be a problem when you have non human items such as a bag of shopping etc on one of the passenger seats.

Obviously I understand their reasoning for being there but the reality is most people who wear seatbelts do so out of habit and check their passengers are buckled without the car doing so for them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Seatbelt alarms- as someone with a medical exemption certificate they are a nuisance they can also be a problem when you have non human items such as a bag of shopping etc on one of the passenger seats.

Obviously I understand their reasoning for being there but the reality is most people who wear seatbelts do so out of habit and check their passengers are buckled without the car doing so for them.

You could probably work around that by getting a buckle from a scrappy and just leaving it permanently in the socket.

 

[Ken H]

Heater controls that dont try and double guess what you want. If I turn the temperature up it doesnt mean I want the fan on full blast. If I do, then i will twiddle the knob to turn the fan up.
And they should remember how they were set when you turn the ignition off, so you dont have to fiddle with it again when you restart the car.

 

[stuu]

You could probably work around that by getting a buckle from a scrappy and just leaving it permanently in the socket.

Some cars have a weight sensor. Pulling out the fuse would work, provided they have their own

 

[Bletchleyite]

Some cars have a weight sensor. Pulling out the fuse would work, provided they have their own

The weight sensor checks if someone is in the seat. A microswitch checks if the buckle is in and locked. You're looking to fool the latter if you have a medical exemption from wearing one, not the former.

 

[birchesgreen]

Seatbelt alarms- as someone with a medical exemption certificate they are a nuisance they can also be a problem when you have non human items such as a bag of shopping etc on one of the passenger seats.

Obviously I understand their reasoning for being there but the reality is most people who wear seatbelts do so out of habit and check their passengers are buckled without the car doing so for them.

Oh i like these, my Mum can no longer lie that she's done her seatbelt up.