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is anyone else turned off by all the gadgets etc on new cars?
of all the new tech and gimmicks on new cars all i really want is:
auto gearbox
comfy seats.
decent mpg and performance
the ability to get in and out easily.
decent looks
the only tech i want is satnav basic get me from a to b,i dont need 3d etc i can see roadsigns/speed limits etc.
i dont need to connect my phone,play movies or games etc i have a laptop at home for that.
i dont need keyless,electric everything auto this and auto that.
i need a car not a fancy mobile computer.
i appreciate that some need the various techy bits to aid their disability but fortunately i just need a highish seat easy to get in and out of and an auto box.
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Just turn it all off simple. ?
Sorted it for you mitch. The car of your dreams.
Joss
Current car: BMW X2 sDrive 20i M Sport 5dr Step Auto In metallic Portimão Blue. 04:10:2025
Previous car:Peugeot 308 GT Premium 1.2 Pure tech Petrol.In all seriousness I felt the same way, but things can change quickly over 3 years health wise, hopefully yours won’t.
But I’m relying on tech I’d never dream of paying for in the past.
These days I’m a massive fan of tech.3D sat nav looks clearer and can show much greater detail older 2D units tend to be slow and laggy.
Road sign recognition is great when you drive in areas you don’t often drive in especially at night on unlit roads and yes I can also see and eat carrots.
It just makes life easier, less chance of being caught out be speed cameras, signs that have been vandalised or partly rotated. Sun in your eyes.
Distractions by passengers.I could happily and safely drive without I just prefer to be able to chose what tech I want.
Or I can turn it all off and go commando. ?
to get comfy seats it seems you need to climb the spec chart in a lot of models and have a bunch of stuff you dont need. bring back the options list rather than all these packs and stuff.
Damn mitch. A can opener is often used to modify door entry size. Just a thought. I do love my tech it has to be said. Total agree with Philjbs post too.
Joss
Current car: BMW X2 sDrive 20i M Sport 5dr Step Auto In metallic Portimão Blue. 04:10:2025
Previous car:Peugeot 308 GT Premium 1.2 Pure tech Petrol.Mitch,
In that case you can look to the lower trim models of most cars. Also save on the AP (or even get one with a fixed weekly payment so you keep any increases in WPMS).
I agree that the amount of tech loaded into cars can sometimes be of doubtful worth – for example my seat belt warning tones sound and I get a flashing warning on the dash whenever I put any sort of shopping on the seats. The car cannot differentiate between a person and a bag of spuds from Sainsbury’s!
Then there is ‘auto-park, which actually de-skills a driver in parallel parking. If it stops working for any reason you end up being like Reginald Molehusband, unable to parallel park.
I believe some of the lower trim Suzuki Vitaras can be low on gizmo’s, as can the basic Dacias or Jeeps
Dave
A lot of drivers need Self parking, as I’ve found out coming back to my car to find a massive scrape or dent.
Ive been driving over 50 year and I use the self park in this car, I never though I would even trust it. But I’m always amazed how well it works plus my grand kids love it, they think it’s grandads magic car.
If it stopped working I could still manage fine.
I like tech that works and makes like easier as I now need it, it doesn’t make me any less capable of driving.
Basic cars tend to be less comfortable too
hi Philjb, dont get me wrong some of the tech coming out has been a real help to people with more severe disabilities than mine. mine is mostly pain based rather then lack of movement other than the back at the mo hopefully that can be resolved with surgery. it just seems that i am forced to have all sorts of mobile phone tech and autonomous driving stuff that i dont need. i dont want 24/7 access to phones,twitter twotter and the other rubbish.
i would just like a basic car with decent seats why is it so hard?
I tend to ignore the Tech that I don’t use, I must try the self parking one day you never know I might like it, I do like the reserving camera. When we picked out our next car top of our list of “Wants” were
Comfy Seats
Ease of getting in and out
Go for a BMW Mitch, all the ones on the scheme have satnav and other than the 1.5 models they have decent performance and mpg. They come with some tech but all the flashy bits are options.
options being considered are:
suzuki ignis,vitara.
arona
juke when the new one comes back.
jeep rengade
mini countryman, as saintsman says the tecky stuff is an extra.
may look at bmw 2 series as well same reason.
What about the saaangyong (what ever it’s called) that came back on the scheme last week. Not sure on specs but they seem to be vehicles you can “get in and drive”
the tivoli looks ok js unfortunately theyre all manual.
they do autos though so hopefully they will be added later.
Mitch ; you given up on the new DS3 Crossback?
I saw one the other day (the second one I’ve seen on the road now) at a petrol station and it looked stunning – absolutely gorgeous. Admittedly I haven’t sat in one yet as I’m not due to change for quite a while, but it sure is a lovely machine.
Mitch I’m not trying to say surgery won’t be your answer it may well be, but I’ve was told surgery will make me a new man and 6 major ops and 35 years on I’m still waiting.
Back then there was no real helpful tech.
I still managed fine with driving, surgery generally puts early wear and tear on adjoining parts, add osteoporosis which I’ve always had and now in my 60’s I’m dam glad of any help.
If my driving was that bad I relied only on the tech I’d hand my licence in, no way would I put anyone in danger.Driving and feeling fresher due to using tech that’s on most well specced cars these days is only a good thing in my eyes, were not forced or use them and they can all be switched off, when I started driving wing mirrors, radios, heaters and seat belts were extras.
Now I need a higher seating position, comfy ergonomical seats, leg room, in winter with my old arthritic bones a heated seat, with my nerve pain and fused joints in my lumber and thoracic spin a nice warm soothing massage as I drive is bliss.
cruise control to relax me and not feel like I’m in a race to the next junction, intelligent cruise means if an idiot ahead slams his brakes on as an insurance scam my car will stop in plenty of time, as the system immediately backs off to a safe distance.
My led lights turn as the car turn, again great on unlit roads, or for seeing cyclists in dark clothing and no lights, quite common these days.Lane control is brilliant on unlit roads or when it’s raining cats and dogs, It just gently guides the car into the centre of a lane, it doesn’t jerk the wheel or do anything dangerous, the intelligent main beam constantly changes the light beam so you get the best night time view and no driver is dazzled.
self park in pouring rain when your car is misted up, full of adults or unruly kids, wing mirrors covered in rain drops, simply drive along side a space, the car says it’s big enough, press park, take feet and hands off the wheel, follow the instructions on the dash and you safely parked, sometimes I could park quicker, but there’s no danger of scrapping the kerb or missing some kid crossing behind us.
All adds to a less stressed me.
Next will be slippers wide screen tv while the car drives itself.
I wonder what the driving test will consist of then? Will there even be one?
So yes a few years back I’d agree, now I’m thinking bring it on, I’d try anything if I find it works well and I like using it.dont get me wrong i am not saying the tech improvements particularly the safety ones are a bad thing just that it seems some of the more basic considerations seem to be lost in a blizzard of bells and whistles.i always thought reversing cameras were gimmicky but my c4 grandpiccasso had one and it was brilliant so i was converted there.
there seems to be more priority given to being able to connect your phone laptop etc than to the basic need of a comfortable seat.
i like the mini countryman for example and i can get all the phone doodahs etc quite easily most are included and i can have more for £500 but if i want a wider leather seat i have to go up to exclusive and if i want an electric heated seat i have to have an expensive pack for £1000. there are times i think we have our priorities wrong.why cant i have a less techy car but have a decent seat, i appreciate i would probably have to pay extra for leather.
solent 60: almost the nearest dealer is either derby or manchester and when i went to derby to look at ds along with jeep i was basically ignored so theyre not as high on the list now.
Mitch our Tiguan Auto with all the kit was £2199 – £600 plus we got a great px deal I guess they were desperate to meet targets? So we walked away with money in the bank.
The answer on the scheme has to be try and match the AP to the things you need most, unfortunate for those who only want the basics, but we can only choose what’s on the lists.
Then add extras if we want to pay.
So look for a suitable car with excitable AP and turn of or don’t use what you don’t need.
Motability won’t discount you for it, but it’s probably a lot cheaper then ticking a load of extras on top of the AP.in an ideal world we could get exactly what we want on the scheme, but sadly we’ve always had to compromise.
its just frustrating that to get something comfortable you have to go for a hi spec model with a load of stuff you dont need.
also there are few things in the higher seat category that in a sense have that wow factor, i suppose its not easy designing something with flair thats basically shoebox shaped lol.
as i do so few miles now i may even go down the 2nd hand route and lose the tech that way. pity defenders dont come in auto lol. mind with their strong residuals the one i could afford definately wouldnt be helping the environment.and the seats arent exactly comfy lol.
anyway just me venting as yet again woken in the night by pain.
If you’re looking down the used route, have a look at the Subaru Forester.
CVT gearbox, permanent AWD, and the later models have the Isight safety system, i.e. ‘useful’ tech.
As soon as I hear the phrase “CVT” I instantly picture a boil on the scrotum, unpleasant and wanted by nobody! ?
Mitch that is very true for a base spec car now they really cut corners, seats are one of the most important part in my view as if they are unsupported and uncomfortable who wants that?
plus I guess motability don’t want base spec cars as they are harder to sell on, nearly new cars you still loose loads on depreciation and then insurance and excess, breakdown cover, tyres, servicing unless you can do it yourself?
The most comfortable car seat I’ve ever had the privilege of driving in, was my old 1990’s Audi A8, yes it was a gas guzzler and servicing was epic, but those seats, front and even better in the back were amazing.
Cheap as chips now but still scary to run, service.
If I won the lottery I’d buy a new one to be driven around in.
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