Problem I find is, in certain weather conditions many features can become unavailable and it varys alot imo from car to car, so you cannot rely on them 100% of the time.
For instance if it rains too hard and wiper go onto fast, lane keep assist will no longer work and that also might happen to adaptive cruise and the other saftey features.
If there is fog or to much spray it may not work. If there’s surface water or ice it could be very dangeous to use them.
Then there’s the situations where cars cut across you and it don’t work, or low sun or a leaf blowing in the wind. So it is limited to the perimeters setout.
The worst can be if you following a van and there’s traffic ahead and the van suddenly switches lanes and you then heading towards stationery traffic. Some acc systems do not pickup stopped cars. Or the car thinks your gonna crash and slams on the brakes for no reason, often people behind often driving to close get rather upset.
So imo there are many limitations and as i said that varys from car to car.
My latest car doesn’t have an electronic brake either or because of that, auto hold, and my last few cars have and it makes a small difference, but i can live with it. I knew it would be so when i ordered it.
Thats the big thing we all different and only we know what we can and cannot do without.
The handbrake is quite high, if it was lower it would be an issue. Also the big difference not having the autohold when car stops the acc then deactivates, so you need to put your foot on the brake and if you put in N or P and take your foot off the brake the engine starts up and s/t is deactivated.
Took a few weeks to get used to it, but now I am it’s all good. I just keep my foot on the brake pedal and the stop start is instant, by the time i move my foot to the gas pedal it’s on.
Pretty much my car has everything i do need and as I am/was used to driving vans or a tow truck often also towing a car on the back and the restricted view they give, I guess I am used to certain situations many may struggle with and use my side mirrors alot more and hardly look at my rear view mirror.
Needing an automatic is also one thing you could not say you could do without if you need one or a seat that’s suitable but some things imo are good to have but not necessary as we may think they are.
If you do have restricted movement you can get extra mirrors for different angles some attach to the rear view others to the wing mirrors.
It’s a tuff situation luckily on my car i got in june it came with everything advertised, no issues with chips at all. For other’s In this market it’s sometimes a lottery and with the long waits is one reason I decided getting something off the scheme was best for me. Luckily for me as well I got a great 0% deal and was alot cheaper than now.
I still come on the forum to try and help others make informed choices and help them with the options that might be best for them and is suitable for everyday needs and only we truely know what good for ourselves.
The worst situation is to accept something you know you’ll regret and hate and is why my top thing’s i could not do without was an auto, a nice seat and adaptive cruise.
I have had hire cars with standard cruise control and I have used it but wanted my car back with acc asap. Especally as to one of my brothers is a 400 mile round trip. So for me any car without acc is a no no no, especially if its for 3/5 years, no way could i go back to that.
Where as the handbrake, no heated seats (my mrs hates them) Parking sensors etc ain’t too big an issue for me, for some maybe they are but that’s where the hard choices come in, as not all cars have everything and sometimes compromises needs to be made and other solutions available might help.
In an ideal world we’d get everything for a price we can afford but that’s becoming harder and harder especally for many on the scheme. The seat as I have a back condition is also very important to me and many cars have poor seats unless you get the most expensive trim level. So for me those 3 things was more important than anything else.
If a car that can park it’s self is important and you’ve had one used it and cannot live without it, thats what you need. It don’t matter what anyone else thinks about it. Not having it you will regret it for years and hate the car you have and that’s not good for your MH either never mind you physical health. Some things we cannot compromise on.