Cars - Form over function

[Terry - Somerset]

It is the buying public (US) who are unambiguously responsible for increasing the demand for more complex vehicles.

Based on an Autotrader search for Dacia Duster cars for sale - originally feted as solid basic transport with limited frills, usually bought privately - of the 618 s/h cars for sale from 2020 (reasonably new):

• 83 are of their "Essential" basic specification
• 202 are for the "Prestige" and "Extreme" variants
• the 2024 updated Duster has largely eliminated the "Essential" from the range

That our desire for higher spec vehicles has partly been driven by car manufacturers promotional activity is unsurprising. It is also inevitable that in a competitive market, manufacturers will strive to improve their offering to maintain and increase sales - stagnation is not a credible strategy.

 

[Agent_zed]

It still blows my mind that cars were being sold on the basis of having bluetooth and aux jacks on stereos for many years. Bluetooth had been out for 10 years and aux inputs have literally been around for half a centuary or more. It literally did nothing to improve the car and was wildly behind the times, yet it was put out like it was the most ingenious thing ever.

This is a 2010 advert , bluetooth had been available since 1999! This isn't the one I remember as i think the one I saw was a vauxhall, or maybe that was for the WIFI hotspot feature, which also made little to no sense.

 

[Spectric]

It transpired that you had to depress the clutch to start it

Not uncommon, another feature to prevent stupid people from starting the car and it drives off. This is a bit like people who now need NVR switches on everything because they cannot be trusted to ensure a tool is turned off. An example is the Skoda Yeti and some VW's .

 

[Agent_zed]

This is a bit like people who now need NVR switches on everything because they cannot be trusted to ensure a tool is turned off

that's not entirely what NVR switches are for. If I'm half way through cutting something on my table saw and there is a blip in the power, I want my saw to stay off until I am ready to restart. I don't want to have to take my hands off the workpiece to go for the switch without knowing when it might suddenly start up again. I've had the electric go out in an evening and I've been in a pitch black garage, I don't want a power tool to come back on while I'm looking for the off switch.

 

[selectortone]

Not uncommon, another feature to prevent stupid people from starting the car and it drives off. This is a bit like people who now need NVR switches on everything because they cannot be trusted to ensure a tool is turned off. An example is the Skoda Yeti and some VW's .

Most cars with keyless entry require the driver to depress the clutch before pressing the start button.

 

[Agent_zed]

Most cars with keyless entry require the driver to depress the clutch before pressing the start button.

I guess that makes sense as its much easier to accidentally press the start button whilst leaning over or putting something in the car than to accidentally turn a key in the steering column.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I guess that makes sense as its much easier to accidentally press the start button whilst leaning over or putting something in the car than to accidentally turn a key in the steering column.

It is also entirely likely that the inattentive or stupid, having depressed the clutch to start the car will then release it before checking the car is in neutral.

The "depress the clutch to start" may have as much to do with reducing the drag created by cold oil in the gearbox allowing a less powerful smaller battery and starter motor.

 

[stuart little]

I think they may have dropped the cactus panels because more people loathed the look than liked the utility.
And it can't be aerodynamic.

But in the spirit of your post, do you remember the Ford Ka ?
Starter car for kids with replaceable plastic mouldings on all corners.

I put 140,000 miles on a Saab 900i back in the day. My favorite of all the cars I've owned. The big bumbers were incredibly practical and made a great bench seat to sit on when you needed to change your boots

YUP! My 900EMS (disguised as a Turbo) fought off a rear attack from a Sierra, with only a split in the rubber bumper-cover, (over a 'girt big' ally extrusion) a new cover £105, & a very small outward crease in a rear wheel arch, which came out by gentle fettling & needing no paint work. As for the Ford; about £600 worth of damage, mid '80s prices.

 

[stuart little]

Learned to drive in a Saab 99, lovely car and those bumpers were very useful.
It's getting hard to tell the current crop of cars apart, especially the SUV shapes. Is it a Jag or a Kia? Not good for brand status

That was my first of 8 SAABs I owned over 45 yrs from 1977 until retiring from driving in 2022. Most trouble free, apart from the 99 1854cc cr488py Triumph head gasket blowing engine, & my last, a 9-3, which suffered a head gasket fail due to loose (overstretched?) head bolts, GM rubbish!
SAAB RIP

 

[stuart little]

Were they not to deflect the odd cyclist.


Trabbants, Moskovitches and VW Beetles.

And 2 CVs

 

[stuart little]

My aunty had a new car and one of her staff was sent to move it. He came to me and said he'd tried, but he couldn't start it. I jumped and drove away. How did you do that? he asked. I don't know, I said I just started it and went. It transpired that you had to depress the clutch to start it - I always did this anyway as I was taught always to leave a car in gear - the opposite of what's taught now.

Saabs HAD to be left in gear [reverse], manual, & auto, in P, in order to remove the key, thus locking them in gear. Autos needed the brake applied to start.
Reminds me of some yobs trying to steal a Fiesta, they couldn't start it, even tried bumping it. They were too young to know about chokes needing to be pulled on!!!!!

 

[stuart little]

Most cars with keyless entry require the driver to depress the clutch before pressing the start button.

Apparently, also easier to steal!

 

[stuart little]

No reason in the UK I guess. Here in Finland I am told to park in gear without applying the handbrake so the brakes don't freeze on. I have never heard of that actually happening so either everyone does this or it is in old wives' tale. Come to think of it I was told this by my wife and she is ... hold on, let's not go there

I believe it has been known here in UK, especially slush getting everywhere, including brakes, then freezing overnight, most likely disc brakes rather than drum. I've known where damaged handbrake cables have had water ingress, then froze.

 

[Cabinetman]

When I was young I went to buy a Spitfire and the guy left me whilst I checked it over, absolutely no way to release the handbrake! Then he showed me it was a fly off handbrake, Doh! very useful for practicing getting out of skids on ice.

 

[stuart little]

When I was young I went to buy a Spitfire and the guy left me whilst I checked it over, absolutely no way to release the handbrake! Then he showed me it was a fly off handbrake, Doh! very useful for practicing getting out of skids on ice.

I had an MG Midget in the 70s to which I fitted a fly-off h/brake, it fooled anyone trying to move it!

 

[Fergie 307]

That was my first of 8 SAABs I owned over 45 yrs from 1977 until retiring from driving in 2022. Most trouble free, apart from the 99 1854cc cr488py Triumph head gasket blowing engine, & my last, a 9-3, which suffered a head gasket fail due to loose (overstretched?) head bolts, GM rubbish!
SAAB RIP

I put a dolly sprint engine in my first chrome bumper 99. Lovely car with some simple but neat ideas, like the bottom of the doors wrapping over the sills so you don't get muck on your trousers. Then had a 99 turbo, how I wish I had kept it when you look at the price they fetch now.

 

[MikeJhn]

Parking up over winter with the handbrake off is very common on trailers and caravans makes moving them in Spring much easier.