The Automotive "How did I ever manage without this?" Thread

[Morris Minor]

What previously-dismissed automotive luxuries do you now cherish?

The CX-5 has vented seats. Not cooled, just vented, but they're still wonderful in this hot muggy climate. I got in the car the other day after getting wet in a rainstorm: between the A/C & the seats I was dry all over in no time.

[AutobahnSHO]

adjustable seat side bolsters. CD changer.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Autotragic transmissions.
Air conditioning.
Power steering.
Cruise control.

[Morris Minor]

Radar cruise control.

[veeman]

Navigation.  To think my parents used paper maps when figuring out how to get from A to B.  Until 2005 I would use Mapquest at home and print out the directions when going to an unfamiliar place. 

Hand's free cell phone calling using Bluetooth. 

Cell phone holders that attach onto the HVAC vents

[giant_mtb]

Bluetooth audio.

[FoMoJo]

I too am fully appreciative of navigation, I'd be lost without it now.

As well, I really appreciate the little yellow light that flashes up on my mirrors when another vehicle is approaching my blind spot.  However, I think I'm starting to rely on it too much and find that I'm not even turning my head to have a visual glance before changing lanes.

[Morris Minor]

A/C has to be the biggest one, even if just for dealing with fogged-up windows.

[Laconian]

Radar cruise control.

Camera cruise control in my case, but yes. So amazing.

[Speed_Racer]

Amen to cooled seats. Backup camera makes parallel parking so much easier. Adaptive cruise: i wish I had it, since people can't keep a constant speed on the freeway.

And in general - my pickup. It's so handy, i wish I had bought one sooner.

[Rich]

Adaptive cruise: i wish I had it, since people can't keep a constant speed on the freeway.

I found your people

I rarely use cruise control.  Never experienced my right foot getting tired plus I'm constantly adjusting speed based on other vehicles near me especially semi trucks,  road conditions, and topography.  I hate being near semi trucks.

I'm the same, I'd rather just use my foot.  Really don't know what to do with it if it's not on the gas pedal.

Hah, I am one of those weirdos!  I haven't used cruise control in years.  The traffic around me is too heavy to be able to maintain a steady speed unless it's a slow speed, and I don't do slow. 

I don't have the words to convey the levels of agony, anger, and frustration and all that people that don't use cruise control provide for my brain.   Passing someone 15 times over the course of a fuel run drives me batty.

[Laconian]

I would probably love a pickup, but in Maverick dimensions. I wish Honda could release their own take of the B2000.

[CaminoRacer]

I would probably love a pickup, but in Maverick dimensions. I wish Honda could release their own take of the B2000.

I'd like a Mazda pickup. I want a Maverick but I like Mazda a lot more than Ford. CX-5 with a pickup bed please.

[CaminoRacer]

Amen to cooled seats. Backup camera makes parallel parking so much easier. Adaptive cruise: i wish I had it, since people can't keep a constant speed on the freeway.

And in general - my pickup. It's so handy, i wish I had bought one sooner.

Backup cameras are definitely a cheat code for parallel parking. I nailed my first attempt at parallel parking in England, with me on the wrong side of the car and everything.

[r0tor]

The only thing I don't find useful at all on the tech laden Alfa is the lane control assist.  I don't have the active system that actually steers the car (which universally sort of sucks anyway), rather just an alarm when you leave the lane.  In cases where I can't see the road well - it can't either.  I generally just leave it off.

Autonomous braking is a love/hate thing.  95% of the time it's a false alert, but that 5% of the time it works makes the difference.

Radar cruise control is another love/hate for me.  It feels odd running into an invisible wall at times but helpful on long drives.  The sensing range is lacking as well, so a human might slow down well I'm advance of what it does.  I liked it for stop/go traffic until I had some prick dive bomb the space on front of me to the point he only got a fender in and it wasn't very apparent to me the system unlocked from the car in front to the prick and would have stopped in time.

Front parking sensors can be nice, but they don't always seem to see a curb.  Camera is probably a better solution.

[r0tor]

Oh, I'll add headlights that follow the steering wheel are absolutely amazing on twisty roads.  The Alfa also has some side firing leds for when you make a turn at an intersection that is also immensely helpful.

[CALL_911]

Keyless start for sure. I thought it was an inane feature when it first came out, now I think it's the best thing since sliced bread.

I won't say Bluetooth or CarPlay integration, because I never dismissed those. Same with heated seats and backup cameras.

[CaminoRacer]

Keyless start for sure. I thought it was an inane feature when it first came out, now I think it's the best thing since sliced bread.

I enjoy my push button start in the Miata since I put an exhaust and tune on it. Feels like a racecar or rocket ship launch when I push the button.

[Soup DeVille]

Keyless start for sure. I thought it was an inane feature when it first came out, now I think it's the best thing since sliced bread.

I won't say Bluetooth or CarPlay integration, because I never dismissed those. Same with heated seats and backup cameras.

I wish keyless start wasn't a pushbutton, but rather a selector switch that mimics the old style of control. I just want to be able to toggle between acc. and engine on without having to go through the whole startup procedure.

[giant_mtb]

What I don't like about pushbutton start is that you don't have any control over whether or not the engine cranks over.  Or the duration. 

I mean, most vehicles have essentially been that way for a number of years, even if they do still use a turnkey, they just hadn't migrated the function to a button on everything yet.

But...say it's super cold out and your battery's weak. If that voltage is too low, your vehicle won't even attempt to start, even if there's a chance that it just needs a few weak cranks to fire up.

[CALL_911]

I wish keyless start wasn't a pushbutton, but rather a selector switch that mimics the old style of control. I just want to be able to toggle between acc. and engine on without having to go through the whole startup procedure.

I don't follow- in my car, acc. is hitting the start/stop button without the clutch depressed, or the brake in AT cars.

[SJ_GTI]

Its funny, since I got the Z3 I have only realized how much I don't miss a lot of the recent advancements (like keyless entry, phone integration, cameras, etc...). It can be nice to have those things occasionally, but I don't miss them when they aren't there.

[CALL_911]

Bluetooth is the only thing I miss when driving the S2000. That and a half decent stereo, but I don't care too much about the latter.

[Soup DeVille]

I don't follow- in my car, acc. is hitting the start/stop button without the clutch depressed, or the brake in AT cars.

Let's say I'm waiting for somebody. I want to turn the engine off, but keep the radio on- I need to hit the button to turn everything off, then hit the button with the brakes off to turn the radio back on- nav screen has to go through its whole boot up and reconnect sequence. With a selector, I could just go to acc without shuttong all that down and rebooting.

[Soup DeVille]

Bluetooth is the only thing I miss when driving the S2000. That and a half decent stereo, but I don't care too much about the latter.

I put a bluetooth receiver in the wagon, and its honestly 95% of what I use in the modern cars.

edit; in some ways its even better, because it doesn't lock out any functions while driving.

[MrH]

CarPlay + Waze is a game changer when it comes to speeding

[CaminoRacer]

I put a bluetooth receiver in the wagon, and its honestly 95% of what I use in the modern cars.

edit; in some ways its even better, because it doesn't lock out any functions while driving.

Yep Bluetooth is mostly what I want. My Miata doesn't have CarPlay but I can upgrade to it, but I feel like Bluetooth is enough.

CarPlay + Waze is a game changer when it comes to speeding

I've never been worried about speeding tickets out west. Limits are usually high enough and cops don't care unless you're more than 10 over, so I stick with 10 over. That means I can go 90 mph without worry in southern Utah, no Waze necessary

[veeman]

Waze is a godsend for me.  It tells me where all the speed cameras are, is really good at picking out where police are on major roads, and reroutes me when there is a traffic jam.  On the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut highways, I'm often going 25 mph or more over the speed limit. 

[shp4man]

I wish you guys could drive my old pickup. It has no power steering or brakes, no electronic gizmos at all. One speed wipers. No clutch safety switch. No accessory position on the ignition switch. A granny 4 speed- you start in 2nd. You have to set the choke or it may stall cold, then remember to open it after a while. Manual windows. Power wasn't even available in 1965.
I love driving it!

[r0tor]

...sounds a lot like my wife's mostly broken dodge neon when I met her