Toys you can no longer live without

_Kaiser_ · 28-08-2016 11:55AM #1

So I was recently driving a current gen Passat and while not much different from the older version I used to have, I found I really missed 2 things from my current A6.

The first being the parking sensors with on screen display. You don't realise how much you come to rely on them until they're gone. I must have looked like a noob trying to back it into a spot especially as I was very conscious it wasn't my car.

The 2nd (related) would be how the passenger mirror automatically dips on my A6 when you put it in reverse. A small thing for sure but it makes things much handier.

Things like cruise control, USB inputs, auto lights and wipers are nice but I think the parking sensors have made me very lazy but the next car will definitely need to have them too - especially as I like big saloons

So anything you couldn't do without after having it in your car?

NIMAN · 28-08-2016 11:57AM

AirCon.
Electric Windows.

Owryan · 28-08-2016 12:00PM

You already mentioned it but not having a USB slot on the radio. Got so used to having an audio book, podcast or music on a USB stick I could just plug n play.

Current car has none and can't afford to swap radios lol

Del2005 · 28-08-2016 12:05PM

NIMAN wrote: »

AirCon.

Tell me about it. Aircon is dead in my car and had a long journey Friday and Saturday. Was a pain not having aircon and it wasn't even that warm or sunny.

Remote central locking has to be one of the best toys, no longer need to lean over the back seats to let people in

Chippy01 · 28-08-2016 12:11PM

Two things that was the minimum allowable on my last buy was cruise control and Bluetooth phone connectivity.
I found that when those two are present, most of the other toys come as standard anyway.

Atlantic Dawn · 28-08-2016 12:17PM

Climate control, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls, heated seats, heated mirrors, remote boot release on key.

MadYaker · 28-08-2016 12:20PM

Climate control, steering wheel audio controls, bluetooth for music and calls.

My dad can't park a car without parking sensors anymore either :pac: I've yet to own one that has those so I'm not that bad yet.

Clareman · 28-08-2016 12:22PM

Email & SMS through the on board display, cruise control and different driving modes are my favourite toys at the moment.

Wibbs · 28-08-2016 12:30PM

Del2005 wrote: »

Tell me about it. Aircon is dead in my car and had a long journey Friday and Saturday. Was a pain not having aircon and it wasn't even that warm or sunny.

For me it's more about winter and defogging. My aircon is on the blink too(idler pulley bearing seized) and I'm not looking forward to winter at all.

Email, bluetooth and all that, god no. I switch off my phone when I get into the car. I like being "out of touch". I can think of very few scenarios where calling me is life or death. It can all wait until I get home/to my destination. Like it did for most of my driving life. It is my humble that we're way too connected those days and that is a near constant pressure we've become mostly used to. A tinnitus of the soul. IMH it's not good for us.

Chippy01 · 28-08-2016 12:35PM

Clareman wrote: »

Email & SMS through the on board display, cruise control and different driving modes are my favourite toys at the moment.

E-mails and SMSs on the onboard display? Seriously?

Wouldn't that leave you open to a distracted driving offence while trying to read them? Or are the messages 'read to you'?

NIMAN · 28-08-2016 12:38PM

Clareman wrote: »

Email & SMS through the on board display, cruise control and different driving modes are my favourite toys at the moment.

If they are toys you can't do without, you must have a very limited range of cars available to buy.

Just curious, what car do you drive that has this capability?

goz83 · 28-08-2016 12:42PM

Jaysus, am I showing some youth here?

Never owned a car (as my daily driver) without aircon, remote central locking and electric windows rolled in. It's just not a car to drive otherwise.

I couldn't be arsed with usb slots and mp3 players. TBH, I don't even care if there is no radio...I am happy to drive in silence....especially if what I drive has a nice engine note (God Damn I Miss My FTO).

I had a parrot (bluetooth) in my mondeo and I kinda miss having it, so my next car will need bluetooth connectivity.

Having email and sms via the onboard display would be too dangerous. There's gotta be some disconnect when I am driving.

bazz26 · 28-08-2016 12:48PM

NIMAN wrote: »

If they are toys you can't do without, you must have a very limited range of cars available to buy.

Just curious, what car do you drive that has this capability?

Not really, my previous 2011 car had the SMS feature, it was voice relayed too so no need for distractions reading texts. My current 2014 car will read out news/sport/weather reports via the web will you drive too. Not that these are a must have for me.

joujoujou · 28-08-2016 01:27PM

USB for the music. No more gadgets I need at all. :cool:

JoeA3 · 28-08-2016 01:57PM

Climate control. Good Bluetooth integration. Steering wheel controls. Auto lights/wipers. Xenons.

Many of the above are standard in many cars nowadays but I wouldn't consider owning one without all them.

s15r330 · 28-08-2016 02:02PM

Cruise control, installed it on my 94 audi 80, thats parked up now and I have a 99 a4 daily, about to install it there too. Couldn't have a car without it.

80sDiesel · 28-08-2016 02:02PM

Real Time MPG. Makes me drive more relaxed.

dudara · 28-08-2016 02:05PM

Wibbs wrote: »

For me it's more about winter and defogging. My aircon is on the blink too(idler pulley bearing seized) and I'm not looking forward to winter at all.

Ditto here, aircon is nice on those hot days, but it's far more useful as a dehumidifying tool in winter.

Besides aircon, cruise control and steering wheel controls are the next most important features for me.

skywanderer · 28-08-2016 02:06PM

I wouldn't a car without an autobox, cruise control, parking sensors,
climate control aircon, 4 x electric windows, some VRT paddy spec cars are still shipped with manual rear windows.

CIP4 · 28-08-2016 02:58PM

Centre arm rest for me is a massive one ideally an adjustable one hate driving cars that don't have them. A/c but that's nearly a given at this stage.

My a4 is the first saloon I've had and also the first car to have rear parking sensor. My god they are the best thing ever particularly in a saloon where you can't see where the boot ends. Hatchbacks you can kind of get away without them but they are honestly great I never thought I'd appreciate them as much.

The next things for me would be; auto light, aux in or usb or Bluetooth, auto dimming centre mirror.

s15r330 · 28-08-2016 03:01PM

CIP4 wrote: »

Centre arm rest for me is a massive one ideally an adjustable one hate driving cars that don't have them. A/c but that's nearly a given at this stage.

My a4 is the first saloon I've had and also the first car to have rear parking sensor. My god they are the best thing ever particularly in a saloon where you can't see where the boot ends. Hatchbacks you can kind of get away without them but they are honestly great I never thought I'd appreciate them as much.

The next things for me would be; auto light, aux in or usb or Bluetooth, auto dimming centre mirror.

Just installed an oem armrest in my a4 yesterday.

tossy · 28-08-2016 03:05PM

Horse power lol - i keep thinking i can do without it but i keep coming back to it.

After that, A2DP haven't had a car without it since 2008, air con, xenons and 4wd - haven't owned a 2wd car since 2008 either.

Del2005 · 28-08-2016 03:28PM

Wibbs wrote: »

For me it's more about winter and defogging. My aircon is on the blink too(idler pulley bearing seized) and I'm not looking forward to winter at all.

Wasn't planning on waiting for it to get cold to get it fixed:D

ianobrien · 28-08-2016 05:02PM

For the everyday driver, it's climate control, Bluetooth with audio streaming, cruise control, auto lights, auto mirror and plenty power.

However, I've another car that's almost 40years old (and only got transistors in the radio) that has none of the above and its a bloody lovely thing to drive due to the wonderful feedback. Why oh why have car designers engineered out all the feedback and feeling through the steering, pedals, gear lever and seat!

antodeco · 28-08-2016 05:15PM

Jesus, I'm.misisng out big time here! My car(s) have none of them!

For me, steering wheel radio controls is as fancy as I get. Really need it too!

Colser · 28-08-2016 05:20PM

I love the heated seats and controls on the steering wheel in my car.I've never used the cruise control .My absolute favourite thing is the hill hold,the waiting on a steep hill with handbrake up used to leave me sweating at times but maybe that's a woman thing or just me..l had a new golf for a while but hated the button handbrake,didn't trust it at all.ðŸ˜›

Wishlist would be heated steering wheel and a guarantee that the car would never skid on ice.ðŸ˜

Eric Cartman · 28-08-2016 05:23PM

8 Cylinders
Cruise Control
iPod / iPhone connectivity
auto dimming mirrors.

padd b1975 · 28-08-2016 05:27PM

Adaptive cruise control.

Wibbs · 28-08-2016 05:37PM

Colser wrote: »

the waiting on a steep hill with handbrake up used to leave me sweating at times but maybe that's a woman thing or just me..

I'm saying nothing…

ianobrien wrote: »

However, I've another car that's almost 40years old (and only got transistors in the radio) that has none of the above and its a bloody lovely thing to drive due to the wonderful feedback. Why oh why have car designers engineered out all the feedback and feeling through the steering, pedals, gear lever and seat!

Electronics get in the way for the most part. In many cases entirely replacing the hard connection between you and the car. Cars have also become bigger and heavier as people require/want more gadgets. Safety improvements have added weight too. All that dulls responses. People have also become used to certain levels of volume of noise and harshness.

Del2005 wrote: »

Wasn't planning on waiting for it to get cold to get it fixed:D

I know.

Sadly it looks to be a big enough job. Engine out kinda thing, so pricey.

Sh1tbag OToole · 28-08-2016 07:26PM

Im perfectly happy with the bare basement spec Peugeot 405. I dont need any toys or electronic doohickeys

frozenfrozen · 28-08-2016 07:39PM

I don't have any of the mod cons but I think dimming mirrors and xenons are must haves for my next car.. night driving is so much nicer with those

Toys you can no longer live without

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