MIL asked me to see if I could fix the brightness of the clock on her 10 year old Hyundai i20.
I looked in, saw the wee wheel knob underneath her headlight switch and scrolled it back up - sorted!
In a new car I bet its not as simple!!
I have joined a few FB groups for different types of cars that may be my next prospective purchase and some of the stuff I read is quite scary! The more I read, the more I think I will keep my 10 year old diesel X1.
How do I actually switch the engine off??? - oh you need to swipe down from the top of the screen and then select off! WTF!
I want to adjust the temperature whilst I drive - are you really sure you want to attempt that??
(Incidentally I also discovered the new MGS6 EV doesn't have the function whereby the auto lights come on if the auto wipers have been triggered to stay on with heavy rain. Think every car I have had in last 20 years has had that feature (my friend bought a used MG ZS, 2023 model I think, and discovered it hasnt got an outside temp gauge! When did you last have a car without that!)
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The last car I had with traditional tech was a 2011 Skoda Octavia - excellent vehicle which I ran to 150k with only 2 problems - leaking water pump fixed under warranty, and coil pack problem which cost about £80 to sort - probably flaky connection.
Current cars is they are designed and specified by petrol (EV) heads and marketing gurus. It is easy to add functionality at fairly low cost with digital technology - often just a few lines of code. So the average motor winds up with screens full of rarely used options.
It would be interesting to understand how many car owners ever bother to change their menu settings (aside from temparature etc). I suspect a large number of the fairly IT illiterate simply stick with the delivery defaults and never change anything.
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yeah reading the carious different car FB groups, software glitches seem to be the biggest issue.
MG boots wont open fully because of a software problem.
Renault have just rolled out new software to allow their E Scenic to have one pedal control.
BYD DAB radios seem to be non existent
lots of issues across many models whereby EV charging and car not talking to each other (do you use your car app, your charger app, or your electricity supplier app to schedule a charge!) - seen a few folk wake up in morning and find their car hasnt charged and they need to go to a high speed charging point to get enough juice in it to go about their day
loads of issues with apple play / android auto which again get put down to software updates and of course, things can work one day and then not the next after an update!.
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I know of four family and friends who've never used their cruise control and don't know how to. As for reading the owner's manual.........................................
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I know perfectly well how to use cruise control. Do I use it: no. Just don’t see the point of it.
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>> I know perfectly well how to use cruise control. Do I use it: no. Just
>> don’t see the point of it.
If it's as good at squeezing the last mile out of a kilowatt as it is with a gallon you might want to give it a go.
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In my experience it makes no difference . I suppose it depends on how you drive.
Things I have in my car that I seldom
or ever use.
Cruise control
Various settings for lights . Just leave on automatic
Driving modes. Leave on comfort
B mode (utilises regen braking when you lift off accelerator) just use D mode
Windscreen wiper speeds. Leave on automatic.
Media player. Happy with radio. No interest in music while I drive
Apple Car Play
Electric blind for panoramic roof - leave open
Adjusting heating - just leave climate control on 19C all year round.
Split folding rear seats
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Oh and the folding arm rests!
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>> Split folding rear seats
As regards the cruise YMMV!.
Agree re driving modes though perhaps I should see if 'economy' makes any difference.
Split folding sets, or removeable seats in the second 'lingo, were brilliant with accommodating full size bikes. Also used them in a BX when we had push chairs, travel cots and God knows what else to cope with.
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Cruise control - use it all the time even around town to keep me within speeds
Various settings for lights . Just leave on automatic - DITTO
Driving modes. Leave on comfort - switch between the 3 I have, actually prefer Eco
B mode (utilises regen braking when you lift off accelerator) just use D mode N/A
Windscreen wiper speeds. Leave on automatic. DITTO
Media player. Happy with radio. No interest in music while I drive - use radio / spotify / bbc sounds depending what I am listening to
Apple Car Play - DONT HAVE IT
Electric blind for panoramic roof - leave open - Ha, used to do this until last year I realised the handle on the baby seat and a part of my door trim show all the signs of having melted which I guess came from sun through the sunroof, so shade always closed now
Adjusting heating - just leave climate control on 19C all year round. - 21 winter, 19 summer
Split folding rear seats - use them a lot for Costco runs and dump runs
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>> Cruise control - use it all the time even around town to keep me within
>> speeds
Think thats what the speed limiter is for.
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>>Think thats what the speed limiter is for.
Genuinely dont think I have ever used the limiter
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>> >>Think thats what the speed limiter is for.
>>
>> Genuinely dont think I have ever used the limiter
Should do, its v handy.
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>> >> Genuinely dont think I have ever used the limiter
>> Should do, its v handy.
Yeah, the Fabia had one and it was useful though less so than full cruise on Seoras the Superb.
Somewhere in the Superb's menu you can toggle cruise and limiter.
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>> If it's as good at squeezing the last mile out of a kilowatt as it
>> is with a gallon you might want to give it a go.
I'll agree with that. It can achieve better economy than I and I know all about hypermiling. I used to compete on economy runs back in the day.
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>> >> I know perfectly well how to use cruise control. Do I use it: no.
>> Just
>> >> don’t see the point of it.
>>
>> If it's as good at squeezing the last mile out of a kilowatt as it
>> is with a gallon you might want to give it a go.
>>
I rarely use cruise control mainly because I find it less economicial than me driving the same roads. For example, it will try and maintain a fixed speed up a motorway incline whereas I will maintain a steady throttle and let the car slow down a bit. Cruise control cannot anticipate like a driver can.
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>> I know perfectly well how to use cruise control. Do I use it: no. Just
>> don’t see the point of it.
>>
>>
Me too. An d the same goes for stop/start.
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>> I know perfectly well how to use cruise control. Do I use it: no. Just
>> don’t see the point of it.
Norfolk has no roads it would work on.
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There's always the Acle Straight.
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True, you can watch the train if its on cruise.
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50 mph limit now and speed cameras. Might save a few motorcyclists lives. I think they’ve ruled out duelling it.
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>> Swords?
>>
Pistons at dawn.
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Here is an interesting fact. I do dog obedience in its various forms, and the dog must be on ones left.
Apparently stems from the day when you need your right hand free to draw your sword.
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>> Here is an interesting fact. I do dog obedience in its various forms, and the
>> dog must be on ones left.
>>
>> Apparently stems from the day when you need your right hand free to draw your
>> sword.
>>
Same reason why we shake hands with the right, and also pass the port!
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Unless you’re left handed of course.
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>> Unless you’re left handed of course.
There are some sinister types on here
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>> It would be interesting to understand how many car owners ever bother to change their
>> menu settings (aside from temparature etc). I suspect a large number of the fairly IT
>> illiterate simply stick with the delivery defaults and never change anything.
>>
Not so long ago my sister and brother-in-law treated themselves to a Jag F-Type V8. They are not "car" people, but they are "image" people, IYSWIM. It sits on their drive alongside a diesel Jag F-Pace SUV (which I advised them not to buy, and has proven a money pit. Anyway).
Sis brought the car round to show me and she took me for a spin up the local roads of south Oxfordshire. Which are like the surface of the moon in terms of potholes like craters. She started saying how pleased they were with the car, but isn't the ride hard. They weren't expecting that and it's taking the shine off a bit. I immediately realised that such a vehicle would have adjustable suspension settings, and lo and behold, I found those in the menu in a couple of seconds. Transformed the car and sis was delighted. Now why she hadn't just bought a luxury car with cosseting ride if that's what they want rather than a fire breathing sports car, well I refer the panel to the "image" comment above. They had no idea that such tech existed, let alone that it would be fitted to their car.
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Most settings remain untouched - auto lights, auto wipers, climate, mirrors, ambient lighting (a real gimmick) etc.
Satnav is android auto through the phone - built in Seat satnav is not as good and needs a subscription to get updates.
Stop start gets switched off every journey. The savings in fuel are trivial and it can compromise swift starts in heavy traffic - eg: entering roundabouts.
Rarely use cruise in the UK - too much traffic - forever adjusting on/off or speed up/slow down. Not the most economic as it can't antcipate traffic ahead, hills, speed limit changes etc. On longer overseas trips it is useful as m/ways carry about 20% of UK traffic volumes through most of France and Spain.
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Never used cruise on any vehicle I've had, gives me a strange feeling of not being totally in control, on the current Swift I've left the auto lights etc switched on same with the auto high beam, reacts faster than I can however I do disable the lane assist on every trip no matter how short the drive, if your changing gear and holding the wheel lightly when it decides to kick in it does take the wheel from your hand quite violently, it's the only thing I hate about the car.
Never listen to music while driving only ever local radio so i can't comment about connectivity etc, makes and receives calls when needed just fine and that's about the only reason my phones connected at all.
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Does your lane assist not react if you are going under 40mph or indicating? I thought most did. I’ve never had a problem with lane assist. On my car at least it certainly doesn’t take the wheel from my hand. Just a slight tug. Figure it might just save my life sometime so I leave it on.
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You need adaptive cruise Terry, reads the road ahead and maintains your distances etc. will allow to a stop, out crawl along in traffic, making it pretty effortless in most conditions.
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Yes it will do that but so can I. It gets hardly much of an effort is it? I really don’t see the point. Exactly what does it save? You still need to look where you are going and concentrate on what you are doing.
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>> You need adaptive cruise Terry, reads the road ahead and maintains your distances etc. will
>> allow to a stop, out crawl along in traffic, making it pretty effortless in most
>> conditions.
>>
It does have adaptive - will bring the car to a halt from 70mph, slows down and speeds up to maintain safe distance from vehicle in front etc.
But if on a m/way pulling out into fast moving traffic to overtake - acceleration is initially too slow. With manual control i start to accelerate before I pull out.
If traffic is slowing half a mile ahead with manual control you may lift of to gradually lose speed - cruise control can't do this. Similarly it cannot anticipate bends, roundabouts, traffic lights changing etc etc etc.
So only gets used in very light traffic conditions, and sometimes for extended 50mph roadworks where average speed cameras operate. IMHO more hassle than taking full control on M25, M4 etc.
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>> Stop start gets switched off every journey. The savings in fuel are trivial and it can compromise swift starts in heavy traffic - eg: entering roundabouts. >>
Agreed about entering roundabouts. But surely the thinking is that while the savings in fuel to you are trivial, the global sum of those trivial amounts may be significant - especially when most take place in built-up areas ?
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The Series 1 BRZ I have just bought has a late 80's style dashboard, bar one LCD dial.
The clock is a red LCD almost made to look like LED! There are little H and M buttons. Press each one until they show the right numbers.
I won't need to leave it on BST all year round.
It also has 3 knob heater controls, not a menu. I am so happy with that.
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It took me a bit of time to move from my 2012 CRV to my 2023 CRV. After 2 weeks I had shut off most of the "nannying electronics" and kept a few that I found useful.
On Monday my remote acted up and a swapped it for the other remote. Got in the car and it was like driving somebody else's CRV - many of the "nannying electronics" had come to life again.
On my return home it took be 5 minutes to put a new battery in my remote (4 minutes looking for a 2032 battery). All back to "MY normal" setup.
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I’ve had cruise control on all my cars for years. I used the basic on/off early versions regularly. You could operate it on and off with a flick of one switch once you reached your desired speed. Now I have adaptive control and you need to set a speed and distance with a pair of switches. I seldom use it as it’s a faff.
As for electric parking brake (EPB) and stop start my VW Golf has these set up seamlessly. I seldom switch them off. My previous Avensis had a terrible EPB design and my Civic stop start felt mechanically unsympathetic.
The difference between manufacturers can be marked.
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I love adaptive cruise. Both my EVs have it. It works brilliantly, and counterintuitively I believe it makes me pay more attention and stay more alert to the road and traffic around me, as I'm constantly on alert to the possibility that the car might make a "wrong" decision and I'll have to compensate for it quickly. It frees up some brain and thought capacity from having to focus on maintaining the car's speed to give me more opportunity to concentrate on the things which really matter - i.e. not having a crash.
I now use it every time I go on a motorway. In my ID5 I even use it in town, set to the speed limit, and it becomes partly self driving, as in this mode the car will bring itself to a gentle stop when the vehicle in front does. Then it pulls away without any input form me when the traffic starts moving again. Again, it's freeing up my capacity for attention to the environment around me as I'm performing fewer control tasks.
Brilliant. Wouldn't want to be without it now.
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>> I love adaptive cruise. Both my EVs have it. I now use it every time I go on a motorway. In my ID5 I
>> even use it in town, set to the speed limit, and it becomes partly self
>> driving, as in this mode the car will bring itself to a gentle stop when
>> the vehicle in front does. Then it pulls away without any input form me when
>> the traffic starts moving again. Again, it's freeing up my capacity for attention to the
>> environment around me as I'm performing fewer control tasks.
>>
>> Brilliant. Wouldn't want to be without it now.
>>
Many/most automated vehicle controls - adaptive cruise, lane warning, auto lights, auto wipers, emegency braking, speed limit recognition etc etc - are simply systems development for fully autonomous vehicles which are coming ever closer to reality.
You could be an exception in diverting brain power, no longer needed to manage speed, into greater scrutiny of the road environment. Many would likely drift into daydreams, looking at the passing scenery (shops, people etc), fiddling with other vehicle settings.
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Interesting view on the ID 5 in town. Does it ever move off when you don’t want it to? For example into a box junction that isn’t clear all the way over. Just curious as I am becoming a convert to the idea of more automation and how it tackles some of the daily hazards.
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>> Interesting view on the ID 5 in town. Does it ever move off when you
>> don’t want it to? For example into a box junction that isn’t clear all the
>> way over. Just curious as I am becoming a convert to the idea of more
>> automation and how it tackles some of the daily hazards.
>>
Good question. Answer is I haven't been in that situation yet, but I expect it would move you in to a box junction if you weren't paying attention. Quick dab of the brake or accelerator switches the ACC off, so in those circumstances, if I was approaching a box junction, I'd deactivate it.
There is a deeper ACC setting on the ID5 called "Predictive Cruise", which I have elected to switch off entirely and leave it on plain Adaptive cruise. That deeper setting looks for speed limit signs and adjusts your cruise accordingly. However, on the first drive of the car on a motorway, I passed a point on the M4 near Datchet where there's a 30 sign on the parallel road which protrudes over the sound barriers. The car saw it and tried to brake me down to 30 from 70. I was alert to it perhaps doing that so immediately dabbed the accelerator to regain full control before my speed dropped much. I also notice it get a couple of gantry signs wrong on the M25 variable section, so quickly realized it wasn't a function I was happy to use. It's not one of those things which comes back on again when you restart he car, so it's off for good.
Like I said, I think it all makes me a more alert and attentive driver to my surroundings and negates the need to keep checking the speedo. Of course other folks (not the company on this forum I imagine) might get caught out by these functions and have problems if they're not prepared.
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>> I passed a point on the M4 near Datchet
>> where there's a 30 sign on the parallel road which protrudes over the sound barriers.
Strewth, that's carrying some speed!
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>> On the M4 near Datchet where there's a 30 sign on the parallel road which protrudes over the >>sound barriers.
>> The car saw it and tried to brake me down to 30 from 70.
I've had a couple of VAG hire cars on the Canaries/Madeira that detect speed limits in that way. Signs on, or in advance of, slip roads cause the alert system to have a hissy fit.
Not linked to cruise/brakes but a PITA.
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Interesting thread - makes me feel more comfortable owning one 18-year-old car and another twice as old ...
But it also proves that while 'progress' has often been a Good Thing, there are always developers who never know when to stop. Think Concorde, or HS2 ....
Last edited by: Andrew-T on Wed 10 Jun 26 at 10:24
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Quite right Andrew. My small fleet's ages are 23, 57 and 74. My wife's is only 12. I do have a feature on my newest which I doubt many on here will have...a cassette player. I use it as well, I have a couple of hundred tapes from my time on the road before CDs.
Ted
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>>I do have a feature on my newest which I doubt many on
here will have...a cassette player. I use it as well,
I also have one on my 24 years old Japanese barge, although unused for the last decade or so.
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Its the simple things.... - Terry
