A hypothetical question: in cars which are having electrical seat adjustment, what if the electric motor fails?
If the previous driver was tall and you are short, you can't drive the car unless seats are fixed?
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Same applies if handle assy. comes off manual one-get a cushion!
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It's a pain in the proverbial. I'd much rather have a car with manual seats, less to go wrong, and I would imagine electric seats are heavier, adding even more weight to the already heavy cars of today (I reckon if you put todays efficient engines in yesterdays cars you would get amazing fuel consumption). The only advantage is that sometimes there is a greater range of adjustment with electric seats.
I don't think there is manual override on them so I suppose you would have to get it repaired at great expense.
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>> I reckon if you put todays efficient engines in yesterdays cars you would get amazing fuel consumption
Now there's an interesting concept. ISTR in the 70s attempts were made (in sheds) to fit diesel engines to Triumphs and possibly even Minis - now imagine the C1 HDi engine fitted to a 2CV, a BMW 320d lump in a 2002Ti shell, or even an 80's Polo breadvan with the Bluemotion 3-pot...
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.. or even an 80's Polo breadvan with the Bluemotion 3-pot..
Engine tuners and custom car builders have been tranplanting modern engines into older cars for years, but usually in the quest for more speed, and for the buzz they get of sorting out all the engineering problems.
But older cars, although less safe, were far lighter than todays cars. And a lot of todays cars seem to be shaped like bricks now in order to increase the practicality. In the 80's, aerodynamics were the trend, but it seems to be less important now. I remember the Audi 100, when fitted with the 2.2 5 cylinder, could still manage 40+ mpg. Pretty impressive for a large car with what is now an old engine, no doubt due in part to its aerodynamics.
Last edited by: corax on Mon 17 May 10 at 19:21
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Never liked or wanted the things meself, similarly electrically adjusted steering columns...oddly enough one of the few common failings on other wise bomp proof older Lexus and Amazons.
For the likely first time buyers of such machinery a no doubt desirable extra, i go out of my way to avoid such frivolities when searching for a used car, finding such things to be of no benefit and a likely expensive problem.
edit..no doubt when i advertise my lovely old MB it will be classed as poverty spec as it lacks memory seats.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sun 16 May 10 at 11:43
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Men are usually taller than women.
Take the wife's car. ;-)
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Having briefly moved to manual seats with the A3, I'll take electric seats every time. I'm notorious for messing with my seating position and electric seats make it much easier to make little adjustments, particularly when you're driving.
Never had a problem with one yet (that's done it!!!)
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Jag XJs fitted with electric windows in the 1970s came with a manual winding handle which you could fit in the event of a failure.
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In the Omega, it came with tools for manually winding them. A bit like the key on a tin of corned beef but much larger.
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I had a Jag with electric seats and now have a Golf with manual seats. I have to say I prefer the manual - after the wifes been in I can adjust the Golf in seconds, whereas I had to wait for the Jag seats to whine and whirr their way back. The sound of the motor struggling to move the seat (without me in it!) never filled me full of confidence!
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Tell her to get the bus and stop messing with your seats.
:-)
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Electric for me every time too. Couldn't do without the memory function. Position-1 is for driving, position-2 is for Macdonalds Drive-thru.
Never had a car that didn't have electric windows, sunroof or seats since 1987, nothing has ever gone wrong despite what you might be led to believe from reading motoring forums or listening to blokes in pubs.
Would you have manual windscreen wipers?
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Haven't had a car with electric seats yet, but the memory function sounds great, every time my car is driven by anyone else I take ages to get the seat back the way I like it.
On reliability I have had two manual windows fail and one electric window switch, the electric was much easier to fix and until I got the new switch I simply swapped it for the passenger switch so I could still open the window for car parks etc.
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What if electric seat motor fails? - jc2
