Your favourite car gadget/spec

Jamesyboyjim · 28 Jun 2017 at 13:30

MichaelAwkward said:
Why are the people without time and energy saving gadgets always so bitter in these threads and eager to point how much of a better driver/man it makes them?

Because they are poor.

Flibster · 28 Jun 2017 at 13:33

Fun.

That's pretty much the biggest thing I look for in a car.

shauncr91 · 28 Jun 2017 at 20:52

MichaelAwkward said:
Why are the people without time and energy saving gadgets always so bitter in these threads and eager to point how much of a better driver/man it makes them?

I'm not bitter in the slightest, I just genuinely think most of these modern features built into cars are a joke. A rear parking camera? Really? If it's a van then I'll accept it but a car with mirrors all round...come on.

I think the only modern feature that I really like is hill start assist in my GF's Abarth 500; but even then I can just use the handbrake in the Clio. Because I'm not a pleb.

[TW]Fox · 28 Jun 2017 at 21:03

shauncr91 said:
I'm not bitter in the slightest, I just genuinely think most of these modern features built into cars are a joke. A rear parking camera? Really? If it's a van then I'll accept it but a car with mirrors all round...come on.

I think the only modern feature that I really like is hill start assist in my GF's Abarth 500; but even then I can just use the handbrake in the Clio. Because I'm not a pleb.

You don't really see the value of many of these things until you live with them and get used to them.

I'm quite capable of turning wipers on when it rains, adjusting the speed of them to fit the rain, reversing without sensors, changing gear myself and navigating using road signs.

But why would I want to?

Vore · 28 Jun 2017 at 21:08

Heated seats
Climate control
Cruise control
Sat-Nav
Apple Carplay

The_Dark_Side · 28 Jun 2017 at 21:56

Madeddie said:
Leaving for work 7am in the morning seeing people scraping the ice of their windscreens I walk out of the house to a fully defrosted car, upon opening the door I feel the hot ambient temperature and pre heated seats & steering wheel greet me with a warming glow.

Best extravagant gadget imho.

Maccapacca · 28 Jun 2017 at 22:09

Adaptive cruise
Lane guidance
Reversing camera
Front and rear pdc
Android auto Google maps sat nav
Heated seats
Quick clear windscreen
Auto wipers
Auto lights
Auto high beam
Automatic box

All in a pick up made to carry a bricks

PardonTheWait · 28 Jun 2017 at 23:15

Honestly the only things I miss when absent is air conditioning, and bluetooth for music.

When I bought my runabout I wasn't paying attention and bought one without aircon, and I bitterly regret it sometimes.

I do like all the gadgets you get in modern cars, but none of them feel necessary to me, they're just fun and/or handy.

My girlfriend's work car has a reversing camera and I honestly kind of find it does more harm than good, it makes everything look really close! I can't bring myself to trust it.

Jamesyboyjim · 29 Jun 2017 at 11:16

I find with rear cameras I only use them to see how close I am to the car / post etc behind me, I cant use them to actually manoeuvre. My mates missus literally cannot park without gluing her eyes to it but then she's always been terrified of reversing and is one of those who will take ages driving into a space when she could easily reverse into it first time.

Participant · 30 Aug 2017 at 16:46

Bump. How much will I regret not specifying

1. Driver aid package (including adaptive cruise)
2. HUD
3. Soft close doors

...on an estate car? My man maths is telling me the above will only make a difference of £50 per month

.

[TW]Fox · 30 Aug 2017 at 17:12

Participant said:
Bump. How much will I regret not specifying

1. Driver aid package (including adaptive cruise)
2. HUD
3. Soft close doors

...on an estate car? My man maths is telling me the above will only make a difference of £50 per month .

These three are all options you can quite easily live without and you won't detract from the experience as a result. However I gather once you've had the first two, you'll probably not want another car without them, so be careful of the ratchet effect :d

I have neither a HUD nor Adaptive Cruise and don't miss either. But you try getting my Dad to buy another 5 Series without the HUD he's had on both his last two....

Clarkey · 30 Aug 2017 at 17:29

Keyless, and backup camera. Never had adaptive cruise but I want it in my next car.

ShivP · 30 Aug 2017 at 17:55

I would take option 1 from that list and leave 2 and 3

Soft close affects you twice per journey for sub 1 second and HUD personally I could live without but I can see why people want them

crinkleshoes · 30 Aug 2017 at 20:13

Jono8 said:
3.) Auto high/low beam - I was sceptical about this at first as i wasn't really sure how well it would work. I figured it would be slow or temperamental but boy was i wrong! It seems to work exceptionally well and really has exceeded my expectations. It reacts very quickly and toggles between main and dipped exactly as I would. I do a fair bit of driving at night through unlit roads, so this has made night driving much nicer.

Tried this on a Volvo and hated it... but it was really slow... took over a second after seeing the car to dip its beem.
I've had full adaptive LED headlights on a few cars and they are absolutely amazing... track the cars on the road ahead and provide light everywhere else so as not to blind the car(s) in front... like being able to drive with high beam on all the time - great tech.

1. Bluetooth audio streaming... I find I use it a lot and now get annoyed when I'm in a car that doesn't have it. Current car has it.
2. Adaptive headlights, as mentioned above - current car doesn't have them.
3. Comfy seats... poverty spec seats in most UK cars are terrible... the relatively small price for the upgrade is worth every penny. Current car has them.

bainbridge · 30 Aug 2017 at 20:16

Electric roof that goes up and down with the touch of a button!

Vertigo · 30 Aug 2017 at 20:43

I think climate control is probably the most indispensable, but also one of those things you just forget is there, which is the whole point.

Aside from that - decent built-in navigation. This is becoming more common now but I've added it to every car I've had for the past decade. So much nicer than faffing about with a phone or other dedicated device.

Opinions may change when the new car arrives - suspect either Virtual Cockpit or Matrix Lights will become the latest 'flavour of the moment'

Rilot said:
1) A good stereo. I don't mean the junk that most manufacturers put in as standard, but the decent top-end stuff that no one ever pays money for as an option (£2k on 21" rims but won't pay £400 for the decent hifi)

I feel the same way about people who don't spec nav in decent cars. Businessmen cruising down the motorway in their £50k Merc/BMW/Audi barges with a Tomtom stuck to the windscreen makes me cringe.

Kaka · 30 Aug 2017 at 21:14

Bluetooth to make/receive phone calls.

dacads · 30 Aug 2017 at 21:37

PDC
I have managed fine without but it's nice to have in my new car

Also one grievance in my previous car was no AUX, surprisingly I haven't used it in my new car yet but I'm sure I will in time. Still getting used to everything else

Stuff like auto wipers and lights is not necessary at all but again can't complain.

timmeh · 31 Aug 2017 at 02:05

Lane assist is the most pointless extra. If you can't keep in your lane, you shouldn't be on the road. Mine regularly pulls me towards the side of trucks I'm trying to keep away from

Akagi · 31 Aug 2017 at 02:45

My favourite one is retro... The pin immobiliser in E30's with OBC... You get in, turn the key to ignition on, and then have to enter a 4 digit pin to disable the immobiliser, only then can you start the car. SO COOOOOL!

Aside from that, it has to be climate control...

Your favourite car gadget/spec

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