Cars!

Not keen on modern electronic everything cars
No way to wind the windows down if electronics fail
No way to open the boot if electronics fail
No way to open the doors if electronics fail
Usually two years after warranty expires
Lost your key then £550 to get into your car before you start

Old Aunt can not remember where her keys are (should she be driving) searched for three months nothing, but she goes on about the car
It got to the stage where we had to do something (give us a break)
Main dealer, no problem, bring your V5 and proof of residence and for £295 we will provide a replacement key, then bring it into us and we will programme the immobiliser, £170 How do I get it to you? Oh hire a low loader to bring it here. Do you have one? No we just have the eight car transporter, but it would cost you £400 for the ten mile round trip DOH

Private guy No problem just the same docs and two trips, so around £500

Called AA no problem sir we will be there within the hour, you need the V5 and proof of ID
AH she is not a full member So no home start (where the car was) but you can join for £50
OK
We will only charge the home start fee if he has to tow you from home Fine
45 minutes the guy arrives, cuts key, sets immobiliser and cancels home start fee, £194 for new key RESULT

Electronic everything cars really shake me up, I have suffered the previous three problems, windows, door locks and rear tail lift

 

Forget the windows etc, what about electronic handbrakes (Angelina had one).
I think I saw a programme on tv where someone had broken down in the outside lane of the motorway, and they couldn't move the car because the handbrake was on.
I believe they had to 'drag' it onto the hard shoulder.
My memory is getting bad with age though , so I may be talking rubbish

 

If we look back at the history of cars, what would be seen is that many years ago, japanese manufacturers started selling cars with more accessories, mirrors, electric windows etc. than the British ones of the period at a similar or lower price. The fact that they also tended to be more reliable sounded the death knell for many of the British motor manufacturers.

To a certain extent, when people saw better equipped cars cars being shipped halfway round the world, they began to think that these electric things were items that did not add much to the cost of the car. Every year, more and more things were added. Quite often for no practical reason whatsoever. Take central locking as an example.

Once upon a time, if someone wanted to lock all the doors in a car, they just reached over and pressed down a button. Whilst I can understand that this might be a good idea in a Cadillac or other large car that has 4 doors, each of which seem to be in a different county, I dont really see the point of it in a Toyota Aygo...

Then, when central locking became more or less standard, buyers seemed to think that putting a key in the lock was hard work. Much easier to have remote locking, and the need to press just one button...Nowadays, there are two variants that make pressing buttons obsolete. Some cars have a system that locks it as you walk away, and unlock as you approach. Others have a timer that lock the car automatically after a short period of time.

I do agree with what has been said previously. There are far too many electric or electronic things on cars. Its not bad design though, just manufacturers supplying what the buyers think they need...

 

Now when I compare my first car with my new car......
Ford Anglia 105E , drum brakes , leak into cabin so carpet froze in winter ! Precise technique to start it half choke dab on throttle to stop it flooding , constantly recharging battery....
Mitsubishi ASX , electric everything , heated seats (lovely) , AC , traction control .........
Now which do I prefer , hmmmm, stroking chin
No electric handbrake thankfully , more trouble than they are worth !

 

Your brain is supposed to hurt at this time of year...I blame the potatoes!

Seriously, @shiney theres a good case for what you wrote.

Obviously the Anglia...

 

Joking aside, and not quite as old as an Anglia, but I miss my old C reg Astra in some ways. Mainly because it was so easy to work on and fix. Recently my coil pack went down on me (typically just before the accident), and it cost £360 to fix . Years ago it would have probably cost the price of a new lead or coil pack from a yard. Everything was so accessible in the engine bay too, plus the car was faster (1.8 Manta engine with carbs). These cars were built at the turning point regarding reliabilty, so never really had any problems with it .
I really fancied a Vauxhall Senator then . I was allowed to drive my MD's auto Senator. He had a Monza too .
I agree with the points about safety of new cars though, but many features are just gimmicks. I rarely use volume controls on the wheel, as it's just as easy to give the old knob a twist.
Feeling gutted today. My Bacs transfer 'STILL' isn't in my account , so I still can't collect my new car. My insurance company has compensated me though, so can't say too much, but would have preferred the car on the drive.

 

Ours has a lot of auto and electric 'bits', keyless entry, auto wipers, auto rear view dimming mirror which we had added as the corolla had it but as this has privacy glass at the rear it doesn't need it as the rear glass dims headlights from behind anyway. Folding front mirrors, dual climate air con, touch screen this and that and probably too much electrics.
We obviously don't know how to drive as the car tells us when we need to shift gears via an up/down arrow!!!!!

 

The corsa auto does that too ! , but obviously only when in manual mode.
Gotta dash. There is a cooking programme on. I have no interest in cooking programmes, except one........Nigellas .

 

My car was getting past it's sell by date (21 years old) so bought another second hand one 62 plate, we call it Gizmo

 

Husband has a dually truck, 4 huge tires on the back, two on the front. It gets stuck in the mud on our property. Get out my little Toyota SUV, chain it up, and drag it out. OK, then. (2nd time)