I am a .... Dinosaur

[My Old Landy]

I wasn't going to post anything as I rarely drive and I have an 06 Shogun that has traction control and that's about it.
The 90 was from 1987 so seat belts were the only safety feature.
I don't have any experience of modern cars but they sound like a nightmare!
Fortunately I won't ever find out as once the Shogun has gone I will leave the driving to my Mrs

 

[bricol]

But you don't! You keep your eyes on the road and do it by feel.

Exactly. I can point the air where I want, select how warm it is, and how noisy I want the fan blowing it to be from three dials in my Lancia. Reach, twiddle, done. Wouldn't help looking as the fibre optics that directly the slight glow from bulb buried in the dash fail to show much light after 30 years (they didn't after 8 yrs either). Same illumination issue with the row of switches above to control rear screen demidt, rear wiper, wash etc. no need to look.

Luckily my Dodge has both touchscreen and buttons and twiddly knobs. I can select demidt and fan speed. Heat adjust is a bit more annoying as it's up and down buttons to dial in a temp, when all I really want is it to blow air at a suitable temp, not try to act like central heating.

The touchscreen does have an "off" button, but I have to look to find it.

 

[bricol]

I got used to letting my loaded car transporter trailer pull me backwards down the drive when reversing in, controlling speed on the foot brake.

Now, with more modern cars (although I was thinking this morning, my "modern" Alfa will soon be 20 yrs old!) as soon as you touch the brake, hill hold comes in . . .

 

[dobbslc]

For instance to fix the rear main oil seal on the porsche is an engine out job. Apparently 50+ hours in labour and porsche do a complete engine reseal rather than just the RMS.

That's why a mate didn't want to get involved with a Porsche, it's a very expensive job and a common fault.
That reminds me that the first job I had to do on my missus first car was the rear oil seal, that was an air cooled Beetle...

 

[barracuda816]

That's why a mate didn't want to get involved with a Porsche, it's a very expensive job and a common fault.
That reminds me that the first job I had to do on my missus first car was the rear oil seal, that was an air cooled Beetle...

About an hours job.

Love the aircooled vw engine but hate the zenith carb.

 

[dobbslc]

An hour's work?
Is that after you've got the engine out?

 

[Ubique]

I work with (and own) vehicles with the tech mentioned in this thread, which is why I'm not really going to 'join in' on one side or the other.
I would though point out that lane departure warning and lane keeping assist are two different levels of ADAS with different levels of intervention , both of which respond well to the driver using the indicators...

I thought this to be in the spirit of the thread...

 

[OJCar]

An hour's work?
Is that after you've got the engine out?

Its draining the cooling system that takes the time...

 

[dobbslc]

Yeah it took me hours to find the drain plug...

 

[bert]

That's why a mate didn't want to get involved with a Porsche, it's a very expensive job and a common fault.
That reminds me that the first job I had to do on my missus first car was the rear oil seal, that was an air cooled Beetle...

Those I can do in about 2 hours, quicker if I don't stop for a tea

 

[barracuda816]

Yea, my post was a bit hyperbolic, but not much. About 30-45 mins for me to get the engine out, but I have never tried to see how fast I could do it.

 

[GRW]

I got used to letting my loaded car transporter trailer pull me backwards down the drive when reversing in, controlling speed on the foot brake.

Now, with more modern cars (although I was thinking this morning, my "modern" Alfa will soon be 20 yrs old!) as soon as you touch the brake, hill hold comes in . . .

Hill Hold is another nuisance in that regard (as well as one more piece of tech to go wrong).
It's so useful on upslopes to be able to have your vehicle in 1st & use roll back to shunt or manoeuvre in a tight space... but annoyingly the Hill Hold "feature" again intrudes - making you take more time and actions so you can complete a simple manoeuvre instead of quicker & easier.
IMO these systems are meddlesome, intrusive and counterproductive. If a driver needs these "aids", then they do not meet the minimum standard of driving to hold a licence. In fact, they foster bad habits and inattention and have no business being in a vehicle at all.

 

[redlig]

Of course.
I do have qty (2) feet.

And possibly annoying the hell out of anyone immediately behind you with your brake lights,especially in the dark.

 

[redlig]

Definitely doesn't have one, none of them came with one and the tube is blanked. They have an oil level gauge in the info settings. I've ordered one from a touareg as they came with one as standard and I like to be able to manually see the oil level.

 

[redlig]

Hill Hold is another nuisance in that regard (as well as one more piece of tech to go wrong).
It's so useful on upslopes to be able to have your vehicle in 1st & use roll back to shunt or manoeuvre in a tight space... but annoyingly the Hill Hold "feature" again intrudes - making you take more time and actions so you can complete a simple manoeuvre instead of quicker & easier.
IMO these systems are meddlesome, intrusive and counterproductive. If a driver needs these "aids", then they do not meet the minimum standard of driving to hold a licence. In fact, they foster bad habits and inattention and have no business being in a vehicle at all.

Totally agree. The gov are thinking of yet another class of drivers on the licence . L.C.D.(river)

 

[m_c]

If you are driving proactively and using proper observation, timing and forward planning - very often there is no need to indicate. Very often on motorways looking ahead and behind, you can change lane with no,one close enough to need indication.
Often in less urban areas, you can be making manoeuvres with no-one to indicate to at all - so it becomes unnecessary.
There are already road markings and cats-eyes, ridged paint on hard shoulder lines etc to provide plenty of notice of road position to an attentive driver.
IMO while the lane assistance might "work as intended" I for one remain sceptical - and would find it an irritating intrusion.

And in amongst all that observation and planning, is it really too much effort for you to tap an indicator stalk?

 

[GRW]

And in amongst all that observation and planning, is it really too much effort for you to tap an indicator stalk?

You think a driver should have his vehicle  demand an input when it is unnecessary?
These systems are not infallible, and can initiate an incorrect act based upon incomplete information, that can exacerbate a situation as easily as it operates as intended.
I realise I'm not infallible either - but I'll take responsibility for myself thank you.

 

[Ubique]

Hill Hold is another nuisance in that regard (as well as one more piece of tech to go wrong).
It's so useful on upslopes to be able to have your vehicle in 1st & use roll back to shunt or manoeuvre in a tight space... but annoyingly the Hill Hold "feature" again intrudes - making you take more time and actions so you can complete a simple manoeuvre instead of quicker & easier.
IMO these systems are meddlesome, intrusive and counterproductive. If a driver needs these "aids", then they do not meet the minimum standard of driving to hold a licence. In fact, they foster bad habits and inattention and have no business being in a vehicle at all.

And in amongst all that observation and planning, is it really too much effort for you to tap an indicator stalk?

You think a driver should have his vehicle  demand an input when it is unnecessary?
These systems are not infallible, and can initiate an incorrect act based upon incomplete information, that can exacerbate a situation as easily as it operates as intended.
I realise I'm not infallible either - but I'll take responsibility for myself thank you.

And the above summarises why I'm staying out of this one...

 

[GRW]

And the above summarises why I'm staying out of this one...

Ah, go on..... you know you want to!

 

[Smallfry]

Just out of interest, what do these lane assist things do ? Do they just give a warning if you are wandering ? If so, different signal if left or right ? Or do they snatch the steering wheel out of your hands ?

Do they work on roads with no markings ?

Everything is reliable and dependable until it goes wrong, and everything will fail eventually.

I always use indicators whether any one is around or not. Even lane changing. Its easy to get out of the habit, and besides, if someone is around who you don't see for whatever reason, you cannot be blamed for not indicating.