Good little design features

[Formula Autos]

Every thread, it seems, has to have an opposite. A sort of Autoshite Ying and Yang, perhaps?

 

So... as a counterpoint to Pete M's annoying features thread*, has anyone got a car with a nice, perhaps unexpected, little piece of design lurking somewhere?

 

I'll start with the pleasing little mechanism on the windows of my Ford Cougar. If you open the door a little mechanism drops the window glass (for the doors are frameless) a little, so as to clear the groove in the sealing rubber on the door opening. Shut the door, and it raises back into place again, sealing the window up nicely and keeping the rain out. All of this is proper engineering, with no electrical assistance - just a set of cogs and rods, from what I can manage to peep at. I didn't even notice this when I first got the car, so unobtrusive is its operation. It's just a shame the chassis of the car's not up to the same standard of engineering.

 

I also used to own a SEAT Arosa, the gearknob of which seemed to be a homage to the golf ball one in the first Golf GTis. Even better though, it was in biege.

 

* a thread about annoying features, not an annoying thread about features.

[myglaren]

I like my C5's ability to raise or lower the rear end to accommodate loading.

I am easily impressed though.

And it is something that is rarely if ever needed, not that that stops me using it at every opportunity.

[Shep Shepherd]

The Volvo's illuminated front seat belt buckles, seat side storage pockets, integrated parking ticket holder in the bottom corner of the windscreen on the driver's side (also present in TV2), and the warm air vent beneath the steering column

[Volksy]

+1 on the parking ticket holder!

 

It's the little things!

[Shep Shepherd]

+1 on the parking ticket holder!

 

It's the little things!

 

Volvo Concessionaires Ltd. used to use the slogan "It's The Little Things Which Make A Volvo Great" in its advertising back in the 1970s. How right they were

[tooSavvy]

Hmmm... My Savvy, on the rear doors you can flick this little metal pin - thus preventing our GDaughter falling out completely.

 

.... and, happily, in four years I haven't any other gripe.

 

Is it I'm not trying

 

tooSavvy

[Pete-M]

On the Range Rover if the battery in the alarm fob is going low the car tells you on the info display. Also, if a fuse has gone, it tells you which fuse (i.e. which number), and what is affected.

 

It's not foolproof, but that is seriously cute technology.

 

Also, the centre console lid will rotate through 180° and has four cupholders on the hidden side.

 

 

Jag XJ's have magnetic petrol cap flaps with a little metal ring on the cap itself. Great idea.

[r.welfare]

I had a 1988 Mazda 323 which had a light around the driver's door lock. I liked that.

[kinkersaab]

hill holder clutch on the last generation of Subarus, very neat idea.... now not available.

[dollywobbler]

The 2CV has a simple push button for the windscreen wipers - yet Citroen still built in a 'mist function,' so if you press it just a bit, you get a single wipe. Amazing how useful this is! The BX has no mist function - I guess that's progress for you.

 

2CV steering column and sills (if you're brave...) can open beer bottles.

 

Always loved Montegos with light-up column stalks and I'm afraid I do like BMWs with the floodlit dashboard. It's great at night.

 

I remember that my Subaru Impreza had a delay when you operated the washers. This was superb because if there was no water because the screenwash had frozen, you could let go before the wipers started. I HATE the way moderns make the wipers go even if there's no/frozen fluid, so it smears salty muck all over the windscreen. FANKX!

[scooters]

not really little things BUT....

 

 

small Fiat pushrod engines of the 20th C

 

Volvo 240/700/900 series door locking mechanisms, cast in Mount Doom by Sauron and lost for 100 million years so indestructible are they

 

Volvo 240/700/900 seats

 

M30 Engine

 

Citroen Suspension

 

Self dimming rear view mirror

 

electronic angling near side door mirror to assist parking

 

PSA XUD engines

 

Mk2 Gtis

 

Variomatic

 

turning circle in the Volvo 240

 

Walnut Champagne Tables in the Daimler Double Six

 

LS400 fuel lines - soooooo dinky they look like a little steam engine!

[ashmicro]

Illuminated ignition barrel on my R8

 

The little trays beside the seats on a phase 2 Montego that catch things that fall off your lap, or that you've aimed at the door bin and missed. Electric window and sunroof holding relay on that car allowed you 30 seconds to close windows/roof after you'd removed the key

 

Rocker switch on a Merc 190 dashboard that turns on the rear interior light.

 

This is probably commonplace, but if you have the windscreen wipers on in my Rover 25, and you engage reverse, the rear wiper comes on by itself.

[Amazo]

Illuminated ignition barrel on my R8

Rover I take it, not Audi? unfortunately that neat little touch is only on 'pre-moustache' models.

The inside of the fuel filler flap on my BMW E21 has a holder for the fuel cap.

[The Moog]

Saab 900 dash hole that predicted the size of mobile phones 20 years before they became the norm

850 booster seat in the middle. Awesome for taking nephews out.

850 Seats - easy to lower in about 2 seconds.

Heated Seats

Saab 900 centre fresh air vents. You really notice other cars without them

[Volksy]

The programmable intermitant wiper relay on VWs (and DAF Lorries come to think of it).

 

You put on the intermitant, let it do one sweep, then switch off, wait as long as you want the delay to be and switch back on to intimitant, it then continues to wipe at that interval until you switch off, or reprogram. The relay can be fitted to most cars, can't remember the number of it though.

[The Moog]

Relay is 99. Fitted it to my saabs. Makes life a lot better!

[gricer]

Infinitely variable heater fan control.

 

FSO Polonez!

[R9UKE]

The Renault Avantime's double hinge doors. Absolutely incredible, and have to be lived with to appreciate the true benefits.

 

Oh and it, as well as the Mégane, have really effective puddle lights on the bottom of the inside of the doors.

 

Oh oh and heat reflecting windscreens. They're the ones that look an odd shade of purple/blue/red from the outside. They REALLY work!

[Shep Shepherd]

Relay is 99. Fitted it to my saabs. Makes life a lot better!

 

Someone I know who has a Volvo 850 has done the same thing

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

MK5 Escort: plastic tube on the washer fluid cap which acted as a dipstick. Most cars with hidden reservoirs have no obvious way of observing the level.

[r.welfare]

I believe the late-model Mazda 323s have a piece of foam in a channel in the washer bottle - it rises as the level fills. Simple but effective, and I have no idea whether other Mazdas have it.

 

Just remembered - the trays sort-of moulded into the outer lower edges of the front seats in a Volvo 740 (and one assumes 760 and 940/960) are damned useful.

[R9UKE]

Just remembered - the trays sort-of moulded into the outer lower edges of the front seats in a Volvo 740 (and one assumes 760 and 940/960) are damned useful.

 

This reminds me. The original rubber mats in these old Volvos had turned up edges. Damn useful when you spill your bottle of coke on the floor - holds it all in and you just tip it out the door at the next set of traffic lights!

[eddyramrod]

Volvo heated seats... total bliss at 4am in January!

 

FSO Polonez intermittent wiper delay: variable by turning a little wheel, giving you almost infinitely variable delay.

Also Polonez: all-round disc brakes and a cable-operated boot release. Weren't Communist cars supposed to be rubbish? Mine even had comfy seats, ffs!

 

My 1979 Cadillac had little lights incorporated into the door handles that illuminated when you touched the button, shining down on the lock. It also had electric boot-closing. You've probably seen this on the movies, when a Cadillac boot is closed, it's done gently to the first click, then the motor takes over and pulls it down the rest of the way. And there's a pushbutton in the glove box to open it again. Both my Cadillacs had this, 79 and 62. Yeah I know, lazy Yanks, but hey, if it's on a car now, chances are it was on a Cadillac first, and probably 50 years ago!

[CreepingJesus]

The programmable intermitant wiper relay on VWs (and DAF Lorries come to think of it).

 

You put on the intermitant, let it do one sweep, then switch off, wait as long as you want the delay to be and switch back on to intimitant, it then continues to wipe at that interval until you switch off, or reprogram. The relay can be fitted to most cars, can't remember the number of it though.

 

Volvo trucks do this too, it's such a simple idea but so effective. Might have to look at fitting that relay to the V70, 'cos I keep trying to do it, as the stalks are so similar to the truck ones. Had a plush spec Merc Actros for a while last year, where the rain sensitive wiper speed device worked really well, very neat. As did the speed dependent volume control on the stereo.

I have to confess, I didn't know why that little bit of clear plastic was tucked into the V70's A-pillar when I got it. When I worked out that it held parking tickets, I was quietly impressed. No more sticky grot on the window/dashboard. I also appreciate the gas rams holding the bonnet up, and the bit of carpet that unfolds from the boot.

The petrol cap holder on the inside of the flap on the Megane always struck me as a neat idea. The cubbyhole in the dashboard of the old Renault Premiums which was exactly the right size for 20 Kingsize and a lighter, and was angled so they never fell out, appealed to me too!

[RoadworkUK]

+1 on the Rover illuminated ignition barrel. My '88 Mk1a had it, I was relieved that the 825 does too. I'll add the self-parking and concealing wipers, and the follow-me-home headlamps; this is the first car I've ever had with them.

 

Of my old Saab 9000; green illumination of the glovebox and centre console box, presumably to lessen eye strain. Born from jets, indeed. Also the joystick centre vents, the illuminated seatback buckles and the fact that the fasten seatbelts sign only goes out when the seatbelts are all buckled up. If it went "ding" too, it would be like being on a plane. Addtionally, were 9000s the only car with ventilation fans in the rear doors?

 

From my A4, I have to say the little extra sunvisor behind the rear view mirror. And the first car I've had with gas struts to hold the bonnet up. And the removable front panel to allow access to the whole front end of the engine.

[eddyramrod]

follow-me-home headlamps; this is the first car I've ever had with them.

 

I had these on my Cadillacs, which was rather pointless as I've always done what my instructor drummed into me all those years ago: reverse into my drive, thus making driving out again safe and legal. Of course that did leave my still-illuminated headlamps pointing out into the road instead of at my front porch, but you can't have everything. Anyway, it was worth it to open my front door and look straight at the rear view of my 62, all fins and chrome.

Now, this would be an excellent feature, as my cars are lined up along the back of the yard, facing the rear porch, which we use as the main entrance. A bit of illumination would be most handy.

[M'coli]

IIRC when a Rover 800 hatchback's wipers were on and you engaged reverse gear, the rear wiper would sweep the screen automatically for you. I thought that was pretty cool.

[dollywobbler]

Just thought of about the only decent thing about a Saab 9-5. TWO sunvisors. Pull one down and if you twist it to shade the top of the side window, there's another one behind it to save you having to keep switching the visor position! Genius. Very Scandinavian.

[R9UKE]

Just thought of about the only decent thing about a Saab 9-5. TWO sunvisors. Pull one down and if you twist it to shade the top of the side window, there's another one behind it to save you having to keep switching the visor position! Genius. Very Scandinavian.

 

The Citroen C5 has these! Took me ages to work out why the hell there were two.

[eddyramrod]

At last! It had to come from Saab or Volvo really, didn't it? I've always wanted sunvisors that do that.