Pointless feature (in car or elsewhere)

[Leftie]

On the flip side of this thread, one of the better aids is the heated front windscreen that takes all the hassle out of frosty mornings. Do Ford have a monopoly on this?

 

[Blue in Munich]

On the flip side of this thread, one of the better aids is the heated front windscreen that takes all the hassle out of frosty mornings. Do Ford have a monopoly on this?

Sadly I believe the answer is yes.

 

[PJ87]

On the flip side of this thread, one of the better aids is the heated front windscreen that takes all the hassle out of frosty mornings. Do Ford have a monopoly on this?

Ford's worldwid patient ran out a few years back now

You can get on other cars for a premium

I think vw group offer it but you pay for it.. which I believe is basically to cover the fee they pay to Ford's to use it

I believe so

 

[Smiffy]

Sadly I believe the answer is yes.

It's a "No" Rich. Others can use it now. But as said, they either charge for it as an option or you'll find it's only "standard" on the top of the range cars.
But it's a brilliant idea as Leftie says and I personally think it should be standard on every car made.

 

[IanM]

My Freelander had heated front window. Worth its weight on gold on frosty mornings.


I've got an E class now. You find a new feature every week!

 

[Mudball]

My old Jag xtype has it in 2003... but then Jag was owned by Ford and it was just a Mondeo with a different name ?

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Sadly I believe the answer is yes.

Sorry, my VW Transporter van has it as standard on the trim level it is
I hate it. Yes it defrosts a frosty windscreen more quickly, but I dislike the "star" effect of every light through it and it also seems the screen is weaker and way more prone to cracking from stone-chips.

 

[Blue in Munich]

It's a "No" Rich. Others can use it now. But as said, they either charge for it as an option or you'll find it's only "standard" on the top of the range cars.
But it's a brilliant idea as Leftie says and I personally think it should be standard on every car made.

Fully agree it’s a cracking idea Rob, and it’s probably what Mrs. BiM will miss most when the Fiesta goes shortly. I knew Ford had the sole rights to it, didn’t realise they’d expired.

 

[Rooter]

I have driven rear wheel drive cars for the best part of 35 years, way before TC was available. I often drive my wifes Z3Mcoupe, with 321 bhp, and no aids at all. I would be quite happy without it in my Z4 or my Merc.

the Z4M will have the feature i mentioned, my brother in law had one, i found the traction system really irritating on a trackday, press and hold switched it all off and allowed me to have some fun! And ruin his tyres!!

 

[jim8flog]

On the flip side of this thread, one of the better aids is the heated front windscreen that takes all the hassle out of frosty mornings. Do Ford have a monopoly on this?

I remember back in the 60s you could buy windscreen heaters to fit yourself as they were not standard on most cars. One of my mates fitted one to his front screen and a copper wanted to do him for it for having obscured vision!!

I also think it is one of the features that should be standard. I drive a diesel and it is an age before warm air comes out of the vents.

 

[Mudball]

Blindspot in the wing mirrors.

Absolutely necessary. All cars seem to have them as standard on the driver side. But I have yet to have a car which has the Blindspot section on the passenger side. Never understood the reason why car manufacturers dont have a blind spot on the passenger side as standard

 

[backwoodsman]

1) The steering wheel of the beemer, but i dont know if that is because Surrey roads are full of potholes or because of the steering
2) Too much touch screen these days. I saw a BMW video that shows gesture control. I think this is too dangerous as I wont be able to guesture and drive at the same time.

Surely, people have been making hand gestures whilst driving since the invention of the car ??

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Been driving my first ever Automatic for a few months now and I haven't the foggiest idea what the N (Neutral) position is for.

My previous - a Nissan Qashqai had loads of features - some I found useful (Very - Cruise Control, Speed Limiter; Quite - Cameras in the wing mirrors and rear pointing; Speed Limit detector camera; auto-dipping of main beam) - some I just switched off (lane drift warning).

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Been driving my first ever Automatic for a few months now and I haven't the foggiest idea what the N (Neutral) position is for.

My current car is my first auto. When I picked it up and was getting the talk through I asked the dealer when I should use N. 'Never' was his answer, 'there is no need' . Good spot.

 

[Jacko_G]

I hate the spider behind your wing mirror glass feature in cars. Does my head in and its pointless.

 

[ScienceBoy]

“Smart TVs”

Totally pointless. I have a much smarter device in my hand.

Just include a way to cast to it like Apple’s AirPlay, chromecast and a like and it’s fine.

We do not need all the other rubbish.

 

[backwoodsman]

Not sure if the umbrellas that came supplied in a recess in the offside & nearside front doors of my car count as pointless or useful ??

 

[woofers]

Been driving my first ever Automatic for a few months now and I haven't the foggiest idea what the N (Neutral) position is for.

OK, so it's not normally used as it cut's the connection between the engine and the wheels but it would be useful if the car needed pushing or towing.
More 'specialised' uses would be when the car has a fault but killing the engine would result in a loss of control, e.g. stuck throttle. I accept 99% of people would turn the engine off in this instance and instantly lose the hydraulic steering.

 

[Leftie]

If I'm stuck at lights/non-moving traffic for a while, I'll often put handbrake on and select neutral so I'm not sitting there blinding the driver behind with my brake lights. Will often cancel the indicators as well for same reason.

 

[USER1999]

If I'm stuck at lights/non-moving traffic for a while, I'll often put handbrake on and select neutral so I'm not sitting there blinding the driver behind with my brake lights. Will often cancel the indicators as well for same reason.

You could put it in park?