The Joy of Specs !

[ProgRocker]

Rover 45 Impression 1.4 :

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-53-ROVER-45-1-4-IMPRESSION-3-5D-102-BHP/292683588657?hash=item44254d2431:g:1A0AAOSwKX9bdMKh

 

I thought the Impression was a baser spec 45 but this one has leather seats. I wonder if they have been retro-fitted. I much prefer the strokeable velour as in Dollywobbler's 2.0 V6 though.   

[Pillock]

*raises a glass to Hendry*

 

Maybe under Project Drive, actually that "leather" was probably cheaper than velour

[PhilA]

One thing, and this comes from driving old heaps, tachometer is useful for knowing how fast you are going (at least in top gear) if the speedometer is either defective, wobbly or wildly inaccurate.

 

Things I want:

Comfy: European model cars have gone towards "every model is a sort of sports variant, the new BMW iDriveX314pigpissturbodiesel is a super sports trolley" model, which means rock hard suspension, uncompliant tires and seats that even Arriva would consider a little thin on the padding. American cars are beginning to follow this trend and that's just wroooong.

 

Enough torque to get out of its own shadow: I've owned a few vehicles with large power output, and for childish giggles they are great but most of the time I drove them using the low end torque. In top gear from low speed application of loud pedal should illicit response from vehicle in terms of noticeable acceleration and lifting of nose. Acceptable with automatic gearbox- slushbox for lazy engines, high performance for hipo engines.

 

Visibility: I dislike having to wobble my head about like a damn meerkat to be able to see past the A pillar.

 

 

All the other agreeable things are merely candy.

 

Do like aircon and central locking and power steering in cars that actually need it at low speed.

 

 

Do not like:

Automatics on gutless engines

Automatics that do what they bloody well want

No driver's grab handle

Dashboard designed by committee

 

 

Phil

[paulplom]

Voice control for bluetooth/phonecalls/audio/song playback, because they never understand your accent and dont do as you ask so you end up quicker and easier just doing it yourself.

 

The voice control in my X-trail doesn't understand my makem accent .No matter how clearly i try to speak.

Ironic, considering where it's built.

[MiniMort]

This thread reminds me of a game from America’s Price Is Right in the late 70s where a contestant could win two cars of the same model. One was complete poverty spec and the other had some optional extras. The contestant had to guess which options the car had on it to accumulate the same amount as the stated difference in price. If so, the contestant won both cars.

 

Of course, being America, the 70s optional extras were stuff like a Radio cassette deck, aircon, electric windows ect and the prizes were stuff like Chevrolet Chevettes and Escorts - always something wonderfully shite!

[drivewaymyway]

Like;

 Good fuel economy.

  Doors that are small enough to open, you'll appreciate it when the dick head parked in next space thinks a modern 4X4 is a 'Normal' car and the spaces are getting smaller..

  Generally well positioned knobs / buttons / dials so you can actually see / use them along with steering wheel / peddle alignment and a handbrake that can be used without disjointing your wrist should be a given.

  Reliable engine, doesn't need to be powerful, just reliable.

  Easy to work on / fixable.

  Visibility; Windows that are big enough to be useful.

  Comfy seat, with upright position an arm rest is a bonus, I am used to one now and can be great on a long drive..

  Boot space. A small boot is next to useless, it's one of those things you don't know you need until you have the use of one.

  Rear wash wipe, nothing more annoying than not being able to see out the back.

  Small wheels = cheap tyres and a spare wheel..

  Useful mirrors, I've had cars with pointless mirrors, Why Tho ??

  Assisted brakes but not overly so.

 

Not Bothered by;

  Colour of paint are fabric or leather interior.

  Badge snobbery; manufacturer, model, trim level etc..( as long as it' not a big car or 4x4 ).

  Alloy wheels.

 

  Dislike;

 Daylight running lights, especially LED, if you've ever ridden a motorcycle you'll know what it's like to be invisible so lights on is the way to be seen, if all vehicles have DRL then the Motorcyclist is even more invisible..

  HID lights.. Blinding..

  Any Electrical technology, anti-skid / traction control / Anti Lock Brakes / LED rear lights / Bings and Bongs / Auto lights / Auto wipers / steering wheel switches of any kind / Auto parking ( WTF !! ) / Lane change warnings / Infotainment / hands free / Dash mounted SAt nav / all those kind of things that are so called 'driver aids'..

 Digital dash..

  'New car smell', Who buys those horrible air fresheners ??

 

  I'm sure there is loads more, I am generally a miserable git..

[SierraMikeHotel]

Good thread, it's interesting to see peoples' thoughts.

 

I wouldn't want to be without air con any more (preferably with climate control) and I'm a big fan of automatic boxes and cruise control.

 

I dislike leather seats but keep buying cars that have them! Too hot in summer, too cold in winter. Mrs H is unimpressed that my Merc came without heated seats but I'm not too bothered about them. They're nice to take the chill off on a cold day but I don't miss an accessory that I use for about a minute.

 

It also came without sat nav but that's fine because built-in ones are always terrible (with the exception of a Hyundai Santa Fe I rented once). I'm intending to get an Android head unit so I can run Waze on it.

 

Modern car stereos need a USB socket and nothing else.

 

Ride quality is far more important to me than sportiness - I'd pay extra to have the "sports pack" deleted rather than added.

[DVee8]

Ironic, considering where it's built.

The X-trail is made in Spain mate.

[Vince70]

After this weeks fiasco I want a car pre K plate so I don’t have to worry about a catalyst to get it through the emissions.

I fitted a couple of modern Blaupunkt stereos a couple of years back which have Bluetooth to my motors and that’s a brilliant gadget for answering the phone and streaming but it has only taken me 2 years to find out how to use it.

[Jazoli]

Dislike

  Any Electrical technology, anti-skid / traction control / Anti Lock Brakes 

 

  I'm sure there is loads more, I am generally a miserable git..

 

Why would you not want any active safety??

 

It baffles me, after experiencing modern ASC in a recent Astra when the wife had to make emergency manuevers on the motorway because of a crash in front of her I'd not want a car without it now, despite a full hard swerve from the 3rd lane to the hard shoulder at 60mph in the pissing rain the car just remained composed, flashed a few warning lights and sorted it all out, without it we would have definitely been part of the accident ahead, the same with abs, there is no way you can stop as quickly without retaining the ability to steer in as an abs equipped car in 99.9% of situations, why would you not want it? it might be the difference between crashing or not.

 

For me musts are:

 

Aircon or Climate (anyone who's had it then gone back to a car without it will understand)

Space

Reasonable economy/performance ratio

Comfy seats

Bluetooth phone integration

and the usual basic stuff such as electric windows, central locking etc, abs/vsc/tc

 

To be honest I'm happy to have all the latest tech in cars, when you are spending a lot of time in them it all helps in some way.

[Pillock]

Aircon definitely. Even in the winter for demisting.

I love heated windscreens, not sure why Ford put them on midrange and upwards even on a Fiesta but nobody else does, hasn't the patent expired?

 

Built in nav can get lost, nobody does nav better than Google so just an Android Auto screen is fine. Bin off the radio and CD player and it won't cost any extra.

 

I've fitted DRLs to cars in the past where there was a factory option available (Focus is just a resistor wire in the fuse box). Can't understand why anyone would want to be less visible.