Mingebag cost cutting, cheeseparing ,not Project Drive.( oh OK then)

[overrun]

With regard to bonnet pulls I always thought old Ford way of a big orange lever under the column was a great idea

I liked the nuggets who assumed they were to adjust the steering column - and did it, on the move.

[overrun]

There was a time when you could get the indicator switch on the right hand side of the steering column. Think how much sense that makes in a RHD car, that if mid gear change you might be able to flick the indicators on or off with your hand that is still on the steering wheel. When was the last time a RHD version had that?

It was common on JDM stuff. Might still be?

My mate changed the stalks around, on his Pulsar GTi-R, so they were layed out like the UK, Sunny GTi-R.

I never understood why.

 

I love having the indicators on the RHS.

[2MB]

All the mercs I've had have had everthing on one stick, on the right, so you can turn the indicator on/off while changing gear. In an auto you can indicate while masturbating

[Pillock]

I believe it was the only part that didn't go rusty on a mk3 golf, apart from the tyres.

Lies.

 

The plastic fake-foglight panels on lower models also didn't rust.

[Jim Bergerac]

There was a time when you could get the indicator switch on the right hand side of the steering column. Think how much sense that makes in a RHD car, that if mid gear change you might be able to flick the indicators on or off with your hand that is still on the steering wheel. When was the last time a RHD version had that?

 

Most Korean cars had that until fairly recently. Think they might have changed it in the last couple of years though.

[oman5]

Good news! Dacia Sandero DOES have gas strut bonnet prop!

[cros]

Essentially a couple of computer fans, cut into the seat base and foam.

Surprisingly effective on my mates Ghia X estate, with perforated leather.

Not so great on mine - until running for a couple of hours - due to it having half leather and perforated Alcantara.

The current seats are the same materials. Yet I still want the feature back, as I feel like I have been robbed. Lol.

A comfort if the farmers are giving you gyp. Are the fans vented outside the car?

[cros]

The last poverty spec Viva came with cross ply tyres and only a drivers sun visor. Even by late 1970's standards this car was vile to drive compared with one on radials. I read that Vauxhall are bringing back the Viva, as if there's not enough misery in the world.

[rainagain]

Most Korean cars had that until fairly recently. Think they might have changed it in the last couple of years though.

 

Yep my OH's Hyundai Tucson has this, which as I drive this quite often means I spend a large part of my driving wiping when I should be indicating and flashing when I'm trying to clean the screen. The worse thing about it is when I get back into my car I do this same thing but with the opposite hands!! Grrrr

[overrun]

A comfort if the farmers are giving you gyp. Are the fans vented outside the car?

Hell no. Recirc, only.

Given that I don't have a particuarly lifting arse, it never posed a problem!

[Shep Shepherd]

This convenient tailgate closing handle is absent on all the post-2001 Saab 9-5 estates I've seen:

 

 

Also, the fake wood on the dashboards of such cars is printed on and looks distressingly artificial; at least the earlier cars' fake wood actually looks like real polished wood veneer at first glance.

[New POD]

I had an S40 Volvo.  One of the rear fog lights didn't work, so I bought a new bulb, only to discover that there was a bit of plastic in the way. 3 short cuts with a sharp blade and the new bulb went straight in and worked.

 

Not trimming the plastic 10 seconds on the assembly line = 10p

Not fitting the bulb 5 seconds on an automated rig with line balance set for fitting 2 so no extra time 

Cost of bulb that you buy in bulk 10p

 

Call it 20p.  What the fuck?  You could have deleted some copper wire and saved another 10p FFS.

[oman5]

I remember the Allegros with the 4 dial dash, one of which was a clock face with no internals. So just a blank dial, that still lit up with the others when the lights were on.

[steve_earwig]

They could've saved on a bulb there. No wonder etc.

[spike60]

I thought twin rear fog lamps were largely dropped in favour of a single to avoid confusion with brake lamps sometime around the 1990's?

[AnthonyG]

Austin Metro - two rear fog lights in bumper.

Rover Metro - one rear fog light, one reflector sticker that looked like a fog light!

 

Edit: that's not what my colleague, formerly of AR, said, it was cheapness pure and simple.