OT: Talking Cars Tuesday - Best Feature

Submitted by JeepinBen on

I read an interesting theory on why cars today have 8,000 USB ports and are offering wifi. Basically, car companies think they're the new cupholders, which were the new ashtrays. If you get in a car from the 1980s, you'll see that there were ashtrays everywhere. I think the late 80's suburbans had 7. There were ashtrays in doors, in consoles, all over. Then, move to the late 90's early 00's and it was all about cupholders. It was a big deal when Porsche added them. WHAT ARE YOU DOING DRINKING IN A PORSCHE?!?! But they had to. Everyone needed 600 cup holders. Today it's keeping people charged and plugged in with USBs.

That said, what's the best feature(s) in your car that you can't live without for your next one? Big sunroof? Did you recently get heated seats and now you can't understand how you survived winter without one? Android Auto/Apple Car play? What's your must-have in your next car?

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

August 8th, 2017 at 10:12 AM ^

I'm the kind of person that doesn't like things like blind-spot sensors because I think it makes people stupid.  The truth is there is no such thing as a blind spot if you adjust your mirrors correctly, it's just that most people have decided that for some reason they need to see the side of their car in the mirror.  

I'm not a huge fan of tech in general.  I don't need rain-sensing wipers because I prefer to decide how often they come on.  I don't want a nav system because if I have to do that work myself, I become far better at navigating.  But I love backup cameras.  To me that's the difference between tech that makes people lazy, thinking they can just let the tech do the work for them, and tech that actually does something better than I could do it.  Backup cameras make pulling out of a parking space way easier (and my grocery store has some cramped-ass parking spaces with pedestrians everywhere) partly for the simple reason that they put your eye in the back of the car instead of in the front.  That and the wide-angle view.  You still gotta look backwards, but the camera is a major help.

I also love love love the kick-open tailgate that Ford introduced on the Escape and now others are copying.  That thing is hella useful.

RainbowSprings

August 8th, 2017 at 12:54 PM ^

My current Accord doesn't have a backup camera, and it never bothered me. In fact, I thought the idea was stupid, and the feature couldn't be any better than a rear view mirror. Then I used a loaner that had a backup camera for a few days. Wow, what an improvement. Not enough to make me want to dump my current old but reliable car, though. But I am envious.

UMfan21

August 8th, 2017 at 10:35 AM ^

my supercharger.

it's not like I drag race or anything, but I like having that power at my disposal if I want to pass someone or just give it a little "go"

SoDak Blues

August 8th, 2017 at 10:39 AM ^

Ford F150 has massaging seats for the driver and passenger. Not exactly the greatest massage in the world, but fantastic for long trips. 

/firstworldproblems

koolaid

August 8th, 2017 at 10:48 AM ^

I had a Ford Focus Hatchback a few years back that had wiggle wire defrosting/defogging in the front windshield. It was FANTASTIC. Press the button and the electric wire defrosting has the window clear in 30s. The car doesn't need to warm up first and visibility hardly impeded. I've missed that feature on every car I've had since. The wires are thinner than the back ones and closer together. You can definitely notice them but they don't impact visibility as much as you would think.

BlueHenBlue

August 8th, 2017 at 10:48 AM ^

Bought the new CX-5 a few months ago. Can't drive without the blindside sensors and backup camera now. Those features weren't standard 2-3 years ago. I was shopping for used cars at first, but glad I bought new instead.

I agree that USB ports are the new ashtrays/cupholders for new buyers but the USB ports in my car are a bit underpowered so I ended up using a cigarrette adapter anyway. Wifi doesn't seem to be a must-have to me, but I don't have a family. I don't see why I wouldn't just expand my cellular plan for an overall cheaper price. I still use only 1GB/month despite streaming music all the time.

Bulit-in dashcams should be the new "must-have" someday. My brother was giggity over the passenger camera in his new Honda Odyssey so he can police the kids in the back.

xtramelanin

August 8th, 2017 at 10:56 AM ^

sold my old one last month after 18 yrs.  having trouble finding the right replacement.  is very helpful for farming so i need to get one soon.  harvest so far has been a challenge, and i do not dig borrowing friends trucks. 

Trebor

August 8th, 2017 at 11:08 AM ^

The only feature I ever really want on cars is your basic as hell cruise control. I don't need backup cameras, bluetooth radio, navigation, heated seats, etc. When I drive, I want it to be me and the car. That's what intrigues me the most about cars like the Lotus Elise/Exige. Cut out all the unnecessary frills and you can have an incredibly light and stupidly quick car that still gets almost 30 mpg on the highway.

However, for long highway stretches, I do like to give my right foot a break and throw the cruise control on, but it doesn't need to be adaptive/semi-autonomous. I can handle stop-and-go just fine, especially since I'm pretty sure adaptive cruise control would be pretty garbage with a manual transmission.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

August 8th, 2017 at 12:29 PM ^

I don't have adaptive cruise, but I've tried it and I don't like it.  You can adjust the difference between you and the next car, but it's still very often an invite for someone to dive into that space.  And then your car goes backward and someone else dives in and so on.

I tend to make passing decisions based on how fast my car is going - when that changes and I'm not aware of it, it screws me up.

BlueinOK

August 8th, 2017 at 11:24 AM ^

I remember I never wanted heated seats...until I got them. My wife is jealous that her car doesn't have them even though it's seven years newer. 

swan flu

August 8th, 2017 at 11:46 AM ^

Honestly, the most important thing for me is how much play is in the steering.

Renting chevys for work makes my blood boil because it feels like I'm driving a boat.

mgobleu

August 8th, 2017 at 12:07 PM ^

I would've never said navigation, but after renting a new Ford edge a few months ago, I have wished for it ever since. Waving your foot under the bumper to open the rear hatch got to be really handy too.

All that said, these stupid little features are great when they're new, but every one of them is going to fail at some point, become a total annoyance and cost a butt-ton to fix.

These and many more reasons are why I'm looking for a 1972 Jimmy or Suburban that can be fixed with duct tape and bailing twine.

KC Wolve

August 8th, 2017 at 12:18 PM ^

I would just like a decent interface/panel. In my 2009 A4, I need an engineering degree to turn down the AC. My wife has a 2016 XC90 and it has a giant iPad like interface that is clunky and difficult to navigate. It has CarPlay and that is almost just as bad. I was excited about it when we got the car but it is pretty terrible too.

South TX MFan

August 8th, 2017 at 12:52 PM ^

I love all the creature comforts in my truck. Heated and cooled seats, adjustable pedals, Nav, etc. One of my favorites is definitely the rain-sensing wipers. I hate fidgeting with the wipers when it can't decide whether it wants to rain or not. The "must have" feature would either have to be cruise control since I do a lot of highway driving or the back up camera.

seksdesk

August 8th, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^

had a chrome and black leather kleenex box holder that pivoted out from under the center of the dash. Always thought that was cool - despite there never being a box of kleenex in it.

JHendo

August 8th, 2017 at 3:42 PM ^

Android Auto has been amazing for me. I was able to drop the nav package for Onstar since I get my on screen directions through it. I was able to also cancel my SiriusXM description since I get my Amazon Prime music through it too. Hundreds of bucks saved a year thanks to this little feature.

However, living in Michigan, whenever I buy a new car, my first requirement is that it must have remote start. I won't buy it if it doesn't, so that's my #1 feature.

MGoAero

August 8th, 2017 at 3:57 PM ^

I love the 3-blinks feature on turn signals when you tap it but before you get to the indentation where it holds the signal on.  Makes signalling during lane changes easier to the point where there's no excuse for not signalling ever.  Most all new cars have this feature now, I believe, but it's taken a long time for that to happen.  Sadly, turn signals are still used infrequently.

Features that I thought were silly until I got them are push-button start and proximity keys.  They go hand-in-hand so that you don't ever have to fish your keys out from your pocket.  Love it.  I'd like to have remote start for the winter.

I've never driven a vehicle with front windshield defrost in the winter time but I think that would be a huge benefit, especially as someone who parks outdoors in MI.  If I could turn on that defroster and melt the windshield in less than a minute, that would be amazing!  

Rear-view cameras that replace the mirror mounted to the windshield with a screen (Cadillac is speardheading this, I believe) sound great because they get rid of all blind spots and you get a much better view behind.  I'd like to give that a try.

All in all it's an exciting time for technology in new cars!

Benoit Balls

August 8th, 2017 at 5:52 PM ^

there is a convex mirror on the underside of the sunglasses holder, so you can push the sungleass holder back up about halfway, and it locks in place and I can see whats going on in the rear seats without having to turn around. It's a little thing, but I absolutely love it. Considering we put about 20k miles a year on that van, and a lot of them are highway trips to either Columbus or Grand Blanc, that little mirror gets a lot of use.

I juts told a story about how cool my minivan is.  Fitting that 40 is only 2 weeks away. But, seeing as how Michigan won their last NC when I was 20, I think that means they're due this year.

Cruzcontrol75

August 8th, 2017 at 11:01 PM ^

The glove box which filled a shot glass with booze. I didn't really have that but I think i saw it in a movie.

I remember the front corner windows on my dad's conversion van. Wish they would bring them back.

Heated And cooled seats are t!ts.

The Tucker Torpedo steerable center headlight, I had a Mercury Villager that had corner lights that would turn on with the turn signals and light up what is in the path. I wish all cars had that. But when people don't use their turn signals it kind of defeats that feature.

I'm sick of people. I'd say drivers are the worst feature. Bring on autonomous vehicles.