Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
That's not an equivalent argument. Cars are not designed with the express purpose of killing things.
Idiotic things on new cars...
- Thread starter RJohan
- Start date
Ponty
pfm Member
Just thought of a new car I’d like to be able to buy today, other than a W124. I remember when a new E30 came with nothing. I’d have a 325i with its wonderful straight 6, manual of course. 16 inch steel wheels (with a full sized spare), cloth, manual windows. OK, ABS, air con and an Alpine stereo. Oh, and a couple of bags of cement in the boot. Perfect.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
Barrymagrec
pfm Member
I wasn`t claiming equivalence, I was being a smartarse.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
a man after my own heart, then!My point is that there are two parallel phases of development going on ATM: electrification; and synthesis of new liquid fuels. And the latter, provided it is powered by renewable, or zero carbon (eg nuclear) energy could speed removal of CO2 from the atmosphere, and enable ICE powered cars to continue to operate in a carbon-neutral fashion. It's going to be essential for aviation, IMHO, as I don't see there being sufficient energy density for electric aircraft other than short range stuff, in the forseeable future. And there's a lot of legacy hardware, aircraft and cars, which it would also be unreasonable to consign to landfill before EOL.
PaulMB
pfm Member
Agree completely. Modern cars are no fun and the "perceived build quality" is abominable. Once you have A/C and electric windows, all the rest is just added weight. My 1982 320i coupe' didn't even have power steering, and didn't need it. Another good one was the 535i, 3.5 litre straight six, LSD, 1980s vintage. A friend had one and his only complaint was that it "drank" a lot.
PaulMB
pfm Member
I wondered for a while about "ballache," thought it must be some very refined, recherche' expression borrowed from the French, maybe a figure in classical ballet. "She does a marvellous ballache, don't you think?"Lots of good suggestions here, but the worst has surely got to be the electronic handbrake.
An annoyance with an automatic, but a major ball-ache on a manual tranmission.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
From now on, I am going to pronounce 'ballache' with a French lilt, as though it rhymes with 'moustache'.
SteveG
pfm Member
Agree it's a major annoyance on a manual but I've never had a problem with it on automatics. It seems to work particularly well on my Mercedes.Lots of good suggestions here, but the worst has surely got to be the electronic handbrake.
An annoyance with an automatic, but a major ball-ache on a manual tranmission.
awkwardbydesign
Officially Awesome
You obviously haven't driven some of the old cars I have had.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
point well taken! I've driven a few like that in my time, too.
Barrymagrec
pfm Member
I rather like it on my (auto) S type, for one thing it works, which is something of a novelty to most drivers of older Jaguars.Lots of good suggestions here, but the worst has surely got to be the electronic handbrake.
An annoyance with an automatic, but a major ball-ache on a manual tranmission.
PaulMB
pfm Member
Good idea; one could have said that a Facel Vega was a "rather ballache car," or "There you are, Sue, looking very "ballache" this morning!" Except that Narabdela has "corrected" it to a vulgar and pedestrian "ball-ache" and spoilt it.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
Indeed. I'm also going to pronounce the 'ball...' bit as I would for 'ballet'. There's a song in there somewhere, something about 'You say ballet, I say ballache, let's call the whole thing off'
cutting42
Arrived at B4 Hacker Ergo
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
Almost - bal-ash I think
wulbert
pfm Member
Ahhh...rear windows you can see out of from the driver's seat.....sigh....Preferably the Touring variant, for me.
Pet hates:
The ever-decreasing size of rear windows and ever-increasing bulk of C-pillars.
Cars with a massive footprint, but yet a tiny cab with inward sloping walls. I.e. excessive "tumblehome" to use boat-design terminology. Massive car; "can you fit a washing machine in it?"....nope.
Stupidly wide and large (expensive) diameter "Hot Wheels" style tyres. What age are we? Nine?
awkwardbydesign
Officially Awesome
Getting there.
wulbert
pfm Member
Is there not a case for just making a car like this decade after decade? Just refine it gradually but keep components retro-fittable as far as humanly possible. Modular engine and transmission. Just make the perfect car and keep making it. forever. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.Preferably the Touring variant, for me.
I remember reading "Design for the Real World" by Victor Papinek where he is scathing about built-in obsolescence. He gives the example of the Zippo lighter where form and function are perfectly integrated. Lasts for ever. Bullet-proof. Not the cheapest fag lighter either. And yet they kept selling them in their millions decade after decade. People would own one, but still buy more; one for the car, one for the cabin, a fancy one for "posh', one for work etc.