The most pointless 'feature' ever?

[Conquistador]

2012 W221,

Can anybody tell me exactly what the point of the two buttons to swivel the central display left and right is? It swivels the display ever so slightly, it's barely noticeable

Or is it something to do with Splitview? (Which I don't have)

 

[Spinal]

I do believe that's for splitview...

Most useless I've seen were the telescopic parking sensors on dad's S-class all those years ago...

M

 

[donubenz]

Air conditioned glove box on my SL that can be turned on or off!

 

[blaser24nig]

Ermmmm, is the cooled glove box standard on all R230's?

#coversface...

 

[Conquistador]

Ermmmm, is the cooled glove box standard on all R230's?

#coversface...

It is indeed! From the SL350 to the 65 AMG and everything in between. Keeps your service book nice and cool.

 

[st4]

Its just to make the screen easier to view IIRC

 

[markjay]

Air conditioned glove box on my SL that can be turned on or off!

Had this feature on my 1997 Vauxhall Omega - it was supposed to keep a can cool at summer - never tried it though.

 

[cinek]

Foot operated 'hand brake'!
That alone makes me seriously considering going off mercedes
.

 

[boxbrownie]

I suppose it could be useful if two people use the car and have vastly different seating positions, it might be that in one position it produces reflections and moving the screen slightly eliminates them, or just to optimise the screen viewing angle to enhance LCD perceived contrast/colour, maybe?

What does it say in the manual?

 

[Conquistador]

Foot operated 'hand brake'!
That alone makes me seriously considering going off mercedes
.

Are there any current models which have a foot 'hand' brake?

I've driven a Lexus IS a few times and they have a foot parking brake. I'm terrified that one day I'll slam my foot down on it while bracing or thinking it's one of the other pedals.

 

[boxbrownie]

I am fine with the foot operated parking brake as I also have a Lexus which uses the system, also used to drive a LHD US Ford Explorer SHO all over Europe for my work which had foot parking brake (as indeed virtually all US vehicles) , but they only work well with auto transmission.

 

[cinek]

I like my steering wheel to be set fairly low, which makes operating the foot/hand brake fairly impossible.
It is the positioning of the pedal that makes it so bloody awkward.
Why cant they make a simple, electric button to do this??

I know that mercedes aims to be different and special, but to me, this is 'wrong' type of special.

 

[Stratman]

The Cayenne also has the foot operated parking brake. It was/is very common on American cars. My friend's '66 Pontiac GTO with manual transmission had one, which made hill starts interesting.

 

[millo777]

My w140 has an economy meter dial which gives reading in KM/L. I'm undecided which is the what makes it most pointless, that an economy meter exists on a 6.0 V12, or that it reads in an entirely pointless metric.

The most irritating feature are the buttons in the back that operate the passenger electric seat. Perhaps useful if you're being chauffeur driven and want mroe leg room, but no so good when you're half cut mates find them 30 minutes into a road trip.

The snow chain button on my w124 is a close second. But perhaps this is a triumph of pointless marketing nonsense rather being genuinely pointless. Thankfully by the time ESP had replaced ASR the button with the same purpose was simply described as turning the ESP off.

 

[moff]

Foot operated 'hand brake'!
That alone makes me seriously considering going off mercedes
.

Not sure why all the issue with this?

I rarely use the handbrake - only if parking on a hill, all other times I just stick it in Park.

I can see how it's a nightmare with manuals, but not with auto's?

 

[st4]

I like my steering wheel to be set fairly low, which makes operating the foot/hand brake fairly impossible.
It is the positioning of the pedal that makes it so bloody awkward.
Why cant they make a simple, electric button to do this??

I know that mercedes aims to be different and special, but to me, this is 'wrong' type of special.

W221 is the car for you. It's electric on them.

I quite like it as it saves room in the cabin over a conventional handbrake

 

[cinek]

C class I have- is manual.

You are right, never had an issue as all other cars were auto :/

 

[renault12ts]

C class I have- is manual.

You are right, never had an issue as all other cars were auto :/

I had a manual C class...never had an issue.

 

[Conquistador]

The most irritating feature are the buttons in the back that operate the passenger electric seat. Perhaps useful if you're being chauffeur driven and want mroe leg room, but no so good when you're half cut mates find them 30 minutes into a road trip.

Kids too.

It's a nice touch but there is still masses of leg room in the rear even with two well sized people in the front seats.

 

[markjay]

My Renault has an automatic/electronic parking brake.

It does save space in the cabin.

Not sure you can use it in an emergency though.