Useless automotive "innovations"

[Rupert]

The windshield antenna in the 944 has never worked, I think because the signal amplifier is busted.

[Soup DeVille]

Oh I got another one how about the older cars that had the radio antenna in the windshield.  They seemed to never get as good reception and your windshield was more expensive to replace.  My dad had an 83 Chevy truck a few years ago with that setup.  Also, power antennas sucked as well.  My Benz had one even though it was broke off.  The motor surprisingly still worked though.  My mom had a Mercury Mystique with a power antenna where the motor quit working. 

LOL.

The power antenna on the wagon still works, sorta: I mean, it worked flawlessly until my seven year old ran it up and down continually until something stripped out and now it goes about half way up.

None of the ones on the Cadillacs worked: but those would go up and down every time you turned on the radio: or if you left the radio on, every time you started or stopped the car. The Ford's is completely manual, so I suppose it probably gets fewer cycles.

The one on the '79 is a combo radio/CB antenna- in CB mode it goes up an extra two feet. Or, well its supposed to...

[Soup DeVille]

And the first generation analog built in cell phones from a lot of mid '90s luxury cars are now as useless as tits on a bull...

[cawimmer430]

Lack of oil dipstick in newer BMWs.  Because relying on a complex network of computers and sensors to check the most critical fluid in your engine makes so much more sense than a simple stick.  Note to BMW: Keep it simple, stupid!

I agree that it's a silly idea to eliminate the old-fashioned oil dipstick, but it's also not the end of the world. I've never had a problem checking the oil levels on the 1-Series. I just do it periodically while driving after the engine has warmed up and I've driven more than 15 km.

Would I like a dipstick? Sure.

Can I live without one? Yep. Just gotta remember to use the computer to check the oil level from time to time. And in fact I just checked my oil levels a few days ago - I'm at 50%.

[cawimmer430]

Nissan Cube dashboard shag phone holder

How many Cube owners were pulled over by law enforcement because of this "small weed garden" in their car? 

[cawimmer430]

Single windshield wipers.

In my experience with late 1980s and early '90s Benzes, these are very "slow" at their highest speed setting. It's almost impossible to drive through heavy pouring rain with them.

[2o6]

I agree that it's a silly idea to eliminate the old-fashioned oil dipstick, but it's also not the end of the world. I've never had a problem checking the oil levels on the 1-Series. I just do it periodically while driving after the engine has warmed up and I've driven more than 15 km.

Would I like a dipstick? Sure.

Can I live without one? Yep. Just gotta remember to use the computer to check the oil level from time to time. And in fact I just checked my oil levels a few days ago - I'm at 50%.

Oil level or oil life?

[280Z Turbo]

The stupid is strong with this one.

Read Madman post, shove head directly up ass.

He's putting way too much weight on shade tree mechanic BS while ignoring the benefits.

[MrH]

If it was up to Madman, I'm sure he'd want cars to be built with an English wheel and hammer.

[VTEC_Inside]

I've seen plenty of timing belts fail well before the manufacturers recommended replacement interval.  Engines trashed and cars needlessly junked all because the manufacturer was too cheap to design the engine properly and decided to pass on the increased service costs to their customers.  The idiot who came up with this idea should have been hanged by the neck with a toothed rubber belt as punishment for all the misery he's caused to motorists the world over.

The belts are quieter, stronger (correct me if I'm wrong here, but they stretch LESS than a chain IIRC), and cause less parasitic drag by virtue of not having to be dragged through oil.

[Raza]

Single windshield wipers.

In my experience with late 1980s and early '90s Benzes, these are very "slow" at their highest speed setting. It's almost impossible to drive through heavy pouring rain with them.

Dude, I loved having one windshield wiper in my old E class.  It was literally the best thing about that car. 

[MrH]

McLaren's have one windshield wiper.  Clearly it's the correct choice.

[2o6]

So do new Yarises!

[280Z Turbo]

If it was up to Madman, I'm sure he'd want cars to be built with an English wheel and hammer.

And in England, no doubt.

[veeman]

Any bell which unendingly chimes if your seatbelt is off.  Yeah, I know it's off.  There must be a reason for this.  A simple warning light on the dashboard will do.

When I was sitting in my uncles car in United Arab Emirates about 20 years ago, the car would chime incessantly whenever you passed the highway speed limit!  It was apparently mandated by the govt.

I'm sure you could get it removed but it was a reminder of the nanny state.

[Raza]

Any bell which unendingly chimes if your seatbelt is off.  Yeah, I know it's off.  There must be a reason for this.  A simple warning light on the dashboard will do.

You know your seatbelt is off.  But do you necessarily know if your kid's seatbelt is off in the seat next to you? 

[MexicoCityM3]

This Douglas Adams quote applies perfectly to what is going on here:

1. Anything that is in the world between when you're born and you're fifteen is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
2. Anything that's invented between when you're fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
3. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.

[veeman]

You know your seatbelt is off.  But do you necessarily know if your kid's seatbelt is off in the seat next to you? 

A simple red warning light on the dashboard will do.

[MX793]

At high RPMs, especially with the long timning chains in an OHC engine, it takes less tension to keep a belt on the sprockets than a chain. Plus its lighter and quieter, and there's that old truth about chains and weakest links.

Real world I doubt there's a significant difference in failure rates.

Well, excluding 1.8T VWs, the failure rates probably aren't too different...

[Soup DeVille]

Well, excluding 1.8T VWs, the failure rates probably aren't too different...

Well, I daresay there's something else going on there.

[MX793]

Well, I daresay there's something else going on there.

Junk tensioner design, not really the fault of the belt...

[cawimmer430]

Oil level or oil life?

Oil level.

The computer can only accurately measure the remaining amount after you've driven at least 14 km and the engine is has reached it optimal working temperature.

[cawimmer430]

Dude, I loved having one windshield wiper in my old E class.  It was literally the best thing about that car. 

What made you like the single windshield wiper so much?

[Byteme]

Single windshield wipers.

In my experience with late 1980s and early '90s Benzes, these are very "slow" at their highest speed setting. It's almost impossible to drive through heavy pouring rain with them.

The one on my CLK hauls ass.

[Byteme]

Useless?

Talking dash boards

Digital dash boards

About half the OEM driving/fog lights.

Vinyl Roofs

Most spoilers on 4 door sedans

[Rupert]

LOL at OEM aux lights.

[veeman]

mudflaps on cars/suvs

[Mustangfan2003]

How about the self closing trunks on luxury cars?  You know those that would fuck up if you tried to close it like a regular trunk.  So did someone one day say "you know what, this trunk it just too hard to close"

[Soup DeVille]

How about the self closing trunks on luxury cars?  You know those that would fuck up if you tried to close it like a regular trunk.  So did someone one day say "you know what, this trunk it just too hard to close"

That's a good one. Never could figure out the purpose of those.


How about power folding mirrors?

[veeman]

I use the power folding mirrors on my Enclave fairly often.  If I parallel park in the city, there's less chance someone will side swipe em.  Getting into a tight garage is easier as well.  Using them narrows the width of the car a few inches.