But an oil temperature gauge would be nice, or a light that went out when the oil (and therefore the engine) was up to full operating temperature. Without even a coolant temp. gauge you have no idea at all.
With cars - are we getting too soft?
- Thread starter stephenmercedes
- Start date
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But an oil temperature gauge would be nice, or a light that went out when the oil (and therefore the engine) was up to full operating temperature. Without even a coolant temp. gauge you have no idea at all.
Edd1968
MB Enthusiast
I have faith in the force! 
I remember when my father started up his Morris 1000, the red generator light would go out when the thing fired up, as would the orange oil pressure light when the pressure was reached.
I remember when my father started up his Morris 1000, the red generator light would go out when the thing fired up, as would the orange oil pressure light when the pressure was reached.
Most overyday cars were pretty miserable back in the day but Mercs weren't. My 190 came with standard discs on all corners, abs, full multi link rear suspension, plus it's optioned with ac, leccy seat and sunroof. It's really little different to driving a modern car other than how much fuel it guzzles for so little movement.
BD E55
Member
Yugguy - but then manufacturers wouldn't be able to make a song and dance about a clever (but mostly gimmicky) technology their car now has!
Edd1968
MB Enthusiast
I'd never heard of this until I read your post. That's how in the dark I am.
It's scary, that they feel such a product is nessesary.
I feel we should all be retested on our driving at least every 5 years. Pilots need continued refreshing a d we've all come across those car drivers that just keep on making the same mistakes over and over.
Rant over!
BD E55
Member
It seems that the level of skill between car operations versus driving ability is swinging more to the car operations side. Some things have become much simpler (I love my memory electric seats!) And others way more complex (getting a Bluetooth connection working properly).
DanteTheGreat
Member
A lot of it is fluff (Things like multicolour ambient lighting, air balance package and lane keeping assist come to mind), but don't agree with some of the earlier points. I used to have a W212 back when I was still in Nigeria and it had a lot more kit than my current car. To me, keyless go is not fluff, is it something I can live without? Of course, but it's a nice feature. I never had to fumble for my keys. I just walk up to my car, grab the door handle, car unlocks, sit down and push a button, I'm sorry but as a feature it made sense.
Blind spot assist is another one, I've heard people say time and time again about "well, all you have to do is turn your neck, if you can't turn your neck to look at your blind spot you don't deserve a license". Again, I don't have that feature in my current car, but I absolutely hate looking away from the road anything above 60 mph, which I what I have to do every time I make a lane change, mirrors, then window. At 70mph, a lot can happen in a brief second.
Parking sensors and reverse cameras, c'mon guys are you kidding me? I don't care how good a driver you think you are, you CANNOT see all of the back of your car, there is a huge blind spot that no mirror or any amount of driving experience can show you, worse with SUVs. A parking sensor or a reverse camera removes some of that guess work.
Blind spot assist is another one, I've heard people say time and time again about "well, all you have to do is turn your neck, if you can't turn your neck to look at your blind spot you don't deserve a license". Again, I don't have that feature in my current car, but I absolutely hate looking away from the road anything above 60 mph, which I what I have to do every time I make a lane change, mirrors, then window. At 70mph, a lot can happen in a brief second.
Parking sensors and reverse cameras, c'mon guys are you kidding me? I don't care how good a driver you think you are, you CANNOT see all of the back of your car, there is a huge blind spot that no mirror or any amount of driving experience can show you, worse with SUVs. A parking sensor or a reverse camera removes some of that guess work.
Yugguy
MB Enthusiast
I remember back in the day having to use a Krooklok.
Then car security got better and we didn't need them.
Now we have keyless go and we are having to use metal boxes and Ghost, which is basically a posh Krooklok
And this is progress?
I couldn't give a toss about fluff like this. Where's the 200mpg engine that can do 150mph?
I'm much more interested in things like Ford's awesome little 3-pot engines than am I am wether my car can read a roadsign.
Blind spot? Had a passenger ride in aa mate new civic the other day. There's this constant binging. What's that I say. Blind spot warning he says. I wanted to rip out the speaker.
Then car security got better and we didn't need them.
Now we have keyless go and we are having to use metal boxes and Ghost, which is basically a posh Krooklok
And this is progress?
I couldn't give a toss about fluff like this. Where's the 200mpg engine that can do 150mph?
I'm much more interested in things like Ford's awesome little 3-pot engines than am I am wether my car can read a roadsign.
Blind spot? Had a passenger ride in aa mate new civic the other day. There's this constant binging. What's that I say. Blind spot warning he says. I wanted to rip out the speaker.
BD E55
Member
DanteTheGreat - parking sensors and reversing camera are invaluable.
DanteTheGreat
Member
Not all cars make a sound when BSA is active, and that does not change the fact that it's one of the few useful modern features. It could be argued that BSA is an evolution of the humble rearview mirror but now it can tell you there's something there that the mirror can't see. More to the point, with all this tech, I can't believe we are still using mirrors.
BD E55
Member
I apologise to all the female MB drivers but I got this from a German pal of mine....
I might send this to my mother in law to let her know local shopping caters for her mode of transport...
chesterpiglet
Active Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2008
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- Mercedes W211 E280 Cdi Sport Estate
merc85................leave the Isetta out of this! Have you ever driven one? If you ever do I guarantee the biggest smile on your face. People waiting when you come back to the car to chat about it. Simple & fun, & with character. Lost on so many who crave the latest update & are "relieved" that the latest Apple whatever it is hasn't come out doing 3 things their last one did at £XXXX(and meaning they don't HAVE to go out & buy it). I am an old fart & proud of it.....................
- Joined
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- Mittel England
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- Smart ForFour AMG Black Series Night Edition Premium Plus 125 Powered by Brabus
Ever used it?
Yugguy
MB Enthusiast
In a few years time I'll likely be buying a new car. One of my criteria will be that if these systems are there I can switch them off.
We happily didn't pay several hundred quid for keyless go on the wife's new fiesta.
I basically want Bluetooth stream, nav with live traffic and parking sensors.
We happily didn't pay several hundred quid for keyless go on the wife's new fiesta.
I basically want Bluetooth stream, nav with live traffic and parking sensors.
wivenhoe
Active Member
Aids
Aids like traffic sign recognition and blind spot are all coming from development of semi-autonomous driving. I have Driving Assistance and this make a long journey far less stressful & less tiring. Which would you prefer - having to deal with an hour of stop go traffic on a motorway in a manual car or just sit there and let the car totally deal with it - it still makes me smile when on a dual carriageway or motorway I indicate to overtake and the car decides when it is safe to and then steers itself and completes the manoeuvre - childish I know.
Driving these days on over crowded roads demands far more attention than years ago and the systems have been developed to help cope with that. My last 4 cars have had the driver monitoring system and sure enough on the few times it nagged me, I realised I was tired and needed a break. I know I should have decided to take a break without an ‘aid’ but it is there if I don’t.
I can turn off all the safety systems but why make a drive more challenging - I have never heard anyone say they would turn off ABS to make a drive more enjoyable !
OP
OP
stephenmercedes
Active Member
I am a totally different animal. Haven't bought a 'new' car since my RS Turbo in 1990! By the time I buy a car it has aged with multiple owners, my current one being bought at 17 years old. All these 'systems' over time, will fail, and that's a hassle for me because often the cost of repair (even with used parts) outweighs the value of the car, so will mostly go unrepaired, unless it's a safety issue for the car...
Yugguy
MB Enthusiast
Wiv I can see your point but I'm not sure I could ever put that much trust in a computer. I know statistically they are safer than humans but I could not simply let it do it by itaelf. So if I'm aware and monitoring I may as well do it myself.
I completely agree you shouldn't turn off safety systems but what defines these? I would argue that things like park assist are not safety systems but are replacing a skill a driver should have.
With so much modern technology it boils down to choice. I'm on a smartphone now but I chose one with a stripped down on that lets me put the options I want on and no fluff.
I completely agree you shouldn't turn off safety systems but what defines these? I would argue that things like park assist are not safety systems but are replacing a skill a driver should have.
With so much modern technology it boils down to choice. I'm on a smartphone now but I chose one with a stripped down on that lets me put the options I want on and no fluff.
My son recently bought a Golf GTI which has a collision avoidance system that will prevent accidental low speed impacts. He was pleasantly surprised by the insurance premium as the insurance companies give reduced premiums to cars fitted with this type of system. So if it has no negative impact on reliability, it has to be a plus and if you are a skilled driver the system will never be initiated so there shouldn't be a negative impact on driving.
I wonder what other bits of technology are looked favorably on by the insurance companies.
I wonder what other bits of technology are looked favorably on by the insurance companies.
