Freak Or Unique: Motoring Innovations

[Sloth in a bowl]

I hope this one is only a fad:

The stupid buzzer mounted under the windscreen of my Skoda that is setup to buzz when you accelerate hard for bonus engine noise. A fair number of these things get unplugged and I can see why. Normaly it's almost unnoticable and ocassionally it sounds like a bad trim rattle. Totaly pointless.

 

 

Seriously?

 

 

Are you SURE it's not a trim rattle?

 

 

There is a thread on Briskoda on how to disable the 'sound generator' or electric rattle as I now call it.

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/301834-has-anyone-disabled-the-vrs-sound-generator/?p=3609062

[vulgalour]

Volvo 740 saloon rear screen, either by design or happy accident, always stays clear when driving in the rain, no matter how heavy that rain gets.

[rml2345]

^ I'd forgotten about that actually! It's amazing what you never miss until it's gone. 

[Sloth in a bowl]

Not freak or unique but I need to rant about this somewhere.

 

Daytime running lights or vajazzle lights as they are known at chez Sloth because they are sparkly and highlight the presence of a twat.

Just because the EU dictate that some leftover christmas tree decoration was stuck to the front of your car does not mean that you need to leave the bloody things on. Read the manual and find the off switch. Also the aftermarket sets; I've seen better motoring upgrades given away free on the cover of a magazine. Just say no.

 

Please note that in 25 years time, an aftermarket set of DRLs in their box will be considered as the ultimate in Autoshite accessorisation. Nobody says I have to be consistant.

[dollywobbler]

The rear screen on pretty much any saloon stays clear in the rain unless you stop.

[derskine]

Not on a Renault 18.

Might be the weird rear screen shape.

[twosmoke300]

I thought the whole point of the new compulsory drls is that you cant turn them off

[DVee8]

Yeah sloth i agree i put that on page 1

[dugong]

 

Ach c'mon man, stop being so bloody shoulder-chipped. You have your opinion, I have mine. That we don't agree is no bad thing, just don't take it so bloody personally. I ran (ie welded, painted, rebuilt engines) my own business rebuilding old cars from my 20s into my 30s, which included working on Minis, Ferraris and other odd stuff. If there was ever a car marque which impressed me, it was Citroën. I loved driving them and enjoyed putting them right. The brainpower used to design them was quite superb.

 

Blame it on a family of aircraft engineers, ships pilots, academics or classical musicians - it don't really f-ing matter-  it's my opinion and no matter how arsey you get, you won't change it! I found their mechanical and structural (before rust) engineering utterly awesome compared with almost every other marque I had the pleasure or displeasure to sort out.

Fair enough. Did you not read the bit where I said I like Citroens at least as much as I dislike their fan club?

I'm glad we've got some common ground on the 405 estate, too. 

 

The grumpiness stems from being treated, erm, with disdain when selling my GS. I took so much flak over that car that I started regarding Citroen fan-bois as one and the same. I know now that's not the case. 

[forddeliveryboy]

Don't start on about certain owners clubs,,, there are elements who have serious problems. One of my earliest threads on this forum asked why such clubs attracted the sorts they do. Some of the more extreme chevron crowd are almost as disorientated from the real world as parts of the company were itself by the end of the sixties. Was the dugong GS the one on ebay where there was the promise to break it and use the engine for an aircraft, if it didn't sell?

 

In fairness to the CCC, there are some extremely decent people hiding in the wings and I think the same goes for the 2cv club. I've seen very similar problems in loads of other one-marque organisations, too - they really ought to be studied by someone researching for a post-grad degree or doctorate.

 

Glad you've cheered up a bit dG, anyway. This forum is bloody brilliant, due to a general lack of prima-donnaness, real-world experience, tolerance and fair-mindedness.

 

I'm as likely to wax lyrical about Landcrabs or Saabs as old Citroëns - if you start finding I get over-enthusiastic for your tastes, just read another post. Please note the oil-burning 124s are more of a necessity, due to their simplicity and toughness. They don't leave you smiling, but they don't leave you knashing your teeth, either.

[Noel Tidybeard]

I thought the whole point of the new compulsory drls is that you cant turn them off

IT IS ONLY COMPULSORY FOR THEM TO BE FITTED

the use of them is optional- hence all of the works motors that i come into contact with have them in the OFF position

[twosmoke300]

Ahh, didnt know that

[dangerousdave]

that is 1 thing I don't get either daytime running lights why have them lights are supposed to be there so you can be seen in poor conditions or in the dark so why in daylight

[rml2345]

I actually like the daytime running lights on mine as they're so bright I don't have to put the headlights on.

They're also useful for the sort of dosy tit who doesn't put their lights on in heavy rain or mist as they can at least be seen a bit better.

[Noel Tidybeard]

i think its for people with a small penis or people who think they are murican driving a hummer

[Noel Tidybeard]

i wonder how many more bikers have been hit because no-one notices them any more with their headlight on?

 

maybe in the Scandinavian countries where there is complete white-outs fair enough but over here no thanks

[richardmorris]

I actually like the daytime running lights on mine as they're so bright I don't have to put the headlights on.

They're also useful for the sort of dosy tit who doesn't put their lights on in heavy rain or mist as they can at least be seen a bit better.

But then they don't put the headlights on - which means that their rear lights aren't on either.

I think they're rubbish and often far too bright and obscure the indicators. Why else would audi need theirs to dim.

 

The law is odd though, it's a bit like bicycle bells. New bikes by law have to be sold with one, but you don't legally need to keep it on.

[chaseracer]

Daytime running lights or vajazzle lights as they are known at chez Sloth because they are sparkly and highlight the presence of a twat.

 

Brilliant.  Literally.

 

[chaseracer]

I thought the whole point of the new compulsory drls is that you cant turn them off

 

[Lacquer Peel]

But then they don't put the headlights on - which means that their rear lights aren't on either.

 

I've seen this a few times in heavy fog, snow and dusk conditions. FUDS.

 

Has anyone noticed the newest Polo? VAG's disdain for visible indicators is worrying.

[Jazoli]

I've seen this a few times in heavy fog, snow and dusk conditions. FUDS.

 

Has anyone noticed the newest Polo? VAG's disdain for visible indicators is worrying.

Yep its stupid, the newest Astra has the best/most visible indicators on any modern car and is a great bit of sensible design, so not all vauxhalls are shite.

[ChinaTom]

Oldsmobile's Jetfire Turbo Rocket was a decade and a half before the SAAB.

 

My Jag has a heated screen. It works well, particularly as it is linked to the air conditioning/climate control. The screen clears very fast indeed. I do notice the wires slightly at  night, but it doesn't really bother me.

Really? Mine doesn't (and it is Sovereign spec). Is this something I have lost with a windscreen change? I assume the connector is in the overhead console? Fascinating. It is one gripe I have with the XJ12. The screen loves to mist up and hates clearing.

 

It does have the auto dipping passenger side mirror for reversing. Well, it used to. Knackered now obviously...

 

Also, I really like the swivelling headlamps and foglight thing on my Merc. I think they have saved me a few punctures around these Devon lanes. Sounds unlikely, but I did try some journeys with the facility disabled to check the difference.

 

I liked the radio volume increasing and decreasing depending on speed in a Peugeot 405 I had once.

[forddeliveryboy]

But then they don't put the headlights on - which means that their rear lights aren't on either.

I think they're rubbish and often far too bright and obscure the indicators. Why else would audi need theirs to dim.

 

The law is odd though, it's a bit like bicycle bells. New bikes by law have to be sold with one, but you don't legally need to keep it on.

 

 

Agree, another step in the dimming of the human brain. In countries where there is a tenth of the population density and the sun scrapes along the horizon most of the year, they may make sense. Not in rUK.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Magnificent Rustbucket, on 12 Aug 2014 - 01:10 AM, said:

Oldsmobile's Jetfire Turbo Rocket was a decade and a half before the SAAB.

 

My Jag has a heated screen. It works well, particularly as it is linked to the air conditioning/climate control. The screen clears very fast indeed. I do notice the wires slightly at  night, but it doesn't really bother me.

 

Really? Mine doesn't (and it is Sovereign spec). Is this something I have lost with a windscreen change? I assume the connector is in the overhead console? Fascinating. It is one gripe I have with the XJ12. The screen loves to mist up and hates clearing.

 

It does have the auto dipping passenger side mirror for reversing. Well, it used to. Knackered now obviously...

 

Also, I really like the swivelling headlamps and foglight thing on my Merc. I think they have saved me a few punctures around these Devon lanes. Sounds unlikely, but I did try some journeys with the facility disabled to check the difference.

 

I liked the radio volume increasing and decreasing depending on speed in a Peugeot 405 I had once.

 

The heated screen was an option on the Sovereign and XJ12. Not many people fitted it, so perhaps it was expensive?

 

It can be retro fitted very easily though, since all the wiring is there for it already (as it is for all options on the XJ40 - all cars used the same loom, nomatter what the original spec).

 

Late heated windscreens are still available from Jaguar, though unfortunately the earlier type for 1993 cars are not. Late screens are the same as the earlier ones, but have an attachment on them for the rear view mirror. The part number is JLM11269 http://www.jaguarclassicparts.com/uk/part/JLM11269

 

The heated windscreen has a big grey plug on each side. This plugs into the big grey plug right in the rear corner of the engine compartment on each side. The A/C controls on the dash need to be changed to the type with a heated screen switch. This type have six equal sized switches on them, rather than five switches with a singe wide demist switch across the top. The heated screen comes on automatically when the climate control demands it (on the demist setting for example) or you can switch it on manually to clear ice from the windscreen.

 

The A/C control panel for cars with a heated screen is also available from Jaguar. The part number is DBC11815. They do come up for sale on Ebay secondhand, but only very occasionally because they are rare. http://www.jaguarclassicparts.com/uk/part/DBC11816

 

Is your A/C and climate control working as it should? - I ask because my car doesn't tend to mist up.

 

Years ago I gave a lift to my dad (my Jag was once his) and was reversing. The passenger's window was open and he heard the door mirror dip down to view the kerb. He was amazed. In all the years he owned the car, he never knew it did that!

[Junkman]

If there is a company that combined RELEVANT innovations into a car, I suggest it's Panhard, and not Citroen.

Instead of tinkering around with pseudo-intellectual gadgets that never really worked, or had any real practical advantage, and ruining automotive styling forever, they demonstrated how available technology (look this term up, if you hitherto failed to understand its meaning) can be put to good use for consumers.

 

Note: The above will only make sense to you, if you realise, that constructing and successfully operating a supersonic jet for passengers for 34 years, is a bigger technological achievement, than sending a few selected yanks to the moon.

 

It's all about engineering. The English invented it. Own up to it.

[Junkman]

Also, automotive innovations are clearly linked to men.

 

So herewith, I present to you Carl Benz.

After all, he got the whole shit running.

 

Then there is Henry Ford.

If it wasn't for him, we'd be still fucking walking.

Few people know, that he never intended his mass produced car to run on petrol.

Actually logical, since at the time nobody could possibly have known, that there

would be oil enough to power them.

The T was designed to run on bio-ethanol, and remaining original examples

actually run better with this stuff, than with petrol.

Mr. Ford's idea was, that a car is foremost practical for country bumpkins.

So he suggested, that they allocate a part of their land to plant fermentable crop,

thus gaining the fuel they need to run their car.

He was well aware of pollution (as many others were) right back in 1908.

The oil lobby, them fucking banksters, and corrupt politicians, seeing they can fill

their coffers with fuel tax, nixed his idea. If you don't believe me, read his book.

 

Those men had incredible foresight, something that got totally lost in a fascist

corporate world.

 

I suggest a few more men. Totally at random.

 

Hans Ledwinka.

George Huebner.

Ed Cole.

William George Armstrong.

Dante Giacosa.

Eugenio Barsanti.

Colin Chapman.

Rudolf Diesel.

Keith Duckworth.

August Horch.

Alec Issigonis.

György Jendrassik

Nicolaus Otto.

Ferdinand Porsche.

Robert Bosch.

Carl Wilhelm von Siemens.

George Lucas.

Nicola Tesla.

Felix Wankel.

 

Are we talking automotive innovations here, or leaking LHM, ffs?

[Jimcit]

Also, automotive innovations are clearly linked to men.

 

So herewith, I present to you Carl Benz.

After all, he got the whole shit running.

 

 

 

Although Carl did need a bit of a shove from his wife to get the ball rolling:

http://www.wired.com/2010/08/0812berta-benz-first-road-trip/

[warren t claim]

Ribbon speedometers.

 

I can only imagine that watching the speedo of a Rover 2000 SC whilst the driver is trying to coax it up to 100 mph must be akin to sitting in front of your computer watching a fucking enormous piece of software installing. In fact I might start selling stick on speedo arrows at classic Rover shows so the hapless owner can see whether it's bothered accelerating any more over the last five minutes.

[Wilko220]

I just noticed reference to these in another thread. Have we had self-closing boots yet? 

 

If you're a dwarf who can't reach the tailgate then I get it. That can't be a very big market though.

[dugong]

Don't start on about certain owners clubs,,, there are elements who have serious problems. Was the dugong GS the one on ebay where there was the promise to break it and use the engine for an aircraft, if it didn't sell?

No, that was someone else. He was a special kind of special.

 

My GS was a Cornflower Blue 1220. The whole thing was a comedy of errors from start to finish. The two blokes selling it lost the log book and severely inconvenienced Nigel Bickle who agreed to look after it for me. I knew it was a teabag when I bought it, but I wasn't prepared for quite how rotten it turned out to be.

 

I knew selling it was going to be a pain when an internet 'expert' insisted it was an 1130 and argued with me for half an hour until I blocked him.

 

Various enthusiasts feigned interest (in fact, the same person told me he wanted it on five separate occasions, and pulled out each time with increasingly pitiful excuses). No-one from this pool of aficionados came to look at it or make me an offer. One particularly vocal gobshite told me that I should give it away for free - what a helpful suggestion! It rankled because I hadn't worked full time for seven months and was down to my last £100.

 

Yes, I gave it back a bit by threatening to gas axe the car in two and \ or sell it to a banger racer. The latter was the only person who showed an interest and spoke in monetary terms. I got so sick of the whole affair I rang a scrap metal merchant, only to cancel the collection after sleeping on it.

 

It eventually sold on eBay. I lost a packet but then again, I paid far too much for it in the first place.