Useful and Useless

[Slab]

What’s the most useful and useless feature on a/your car (actually thread can be about anything not just cars)

One touch ‘3 blink indicator’ I use this so much its unreal
Brake pad wear sensor, seems on first change everyone buys the non-sensor variant so for the rest of the cars life that feature doesn’t work

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Useful, electronic boot open and closure. Mock all you like but after having 2 cars with it and my current one doesn't, boy do I miss it. If you haven't had it you wont know but if you have, you will understand. I could probably give a list of useful features but the OP requested one and so one is what I'll stick to

Useless, auto wipers. Maybe they work well on some cars but I've always found them either too sensitive or not sensitive enough. I just don't both with them now.

 

[RichA]

Useful - heated, memory seats.
Useless - runflat tyres.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Both the same. When I bought my used Skoda Yeti the digital speedo was in Km/h, really useful. Found out from a Skoda Forum that I needed to access the car's computer & change the location to Australia to get mph in the display. Why do they sell cars configured in the UK like this? The analogue speedo only shows 20 or 40. Couldn't do without the digital one now.

 

[PJ87]

Big car most useful power sliding doors. Fantastic for getting the kids in and out. Don't even need to look for baby spaces leave them for others that load them up.

Useless feature on it sports mode. What's the point? It's a mpv lol

The little car

Most useful feature? I'd say the regen breaking mode. Use the actual breaks a lot less now

Most useless? Eco mode. (Much like sports mode) it's pointless. Way overused for no reason

 

[Orikoru]

On the Qashqai, the most useful for me is the 360 parking cameras that give you an image on the dashboard. Made my transition to driving a bigger car so much easier.

Useless feature - the bloody keyfob thing. You don't put a key in the ignition, it just recognises that the key is nearby / in the car and you start with a button. Only, it gets confused a lot of the team because my wife and I use a different key each, so it keeps saying key not recognised - my wife even had an issue where it did that on a journey and she started losing power! So you have to keep tapping it on the start/stop button to connect it again. And you can't lock the car with one key if the other key is inside the car - not really sure why, because if you're pressing the lock button then you obviously have a key on you. What's wrong with an old-fashioned key in the ignition?

 

[Bdill93]

Heated seats - pure bliss in winter

My boot will not close if keys are in there - just pops back open again.

Kinda love my sat nav/ entertainment system too, since Mercedes updated their interiors the new model stuff is just beautiful IMO

Mercedes Me is also pretty class - just saying "Hey Mercedes call my wife" is pretty handy and keeps your hands on the wheel.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Useful.... the digital MPH on dashboard.
Useless.....Gear economical indicator.....useless on winding country lanes where I mostly drive.......never in 5th or 6th rear though.

 

[Neilds]

Not sure what I would say is the best, as long as it works how I want, when I want then that is fine by me.

Which is why I agree that auto windscreen wipers are the worst. Never seem to wipe when I want, much prefer to be in control of when I am able to see out of the windscreen

 

[Pin-seeker]

Being able to heat/defrost your car via a app on your phone

 

[Dando]

there's lots of useful out there but the most useless is Gemma Collins

 

[AmandaJR]

Useful - the idrive infotainment thingy. Voice recognition is amazing "navigate home" "oh yes, it will be lovely to be home"

Useless - trying to use the idrive sat nav thingy from the dial - fortunately to date I've always had success with the voice recognition. Also "auto" anything really...lights/wipers - never seem to get that right.

 

[GreiginFife]

Many useful - Apps, specifically having Ringo that auto searched for a nearby meter when you park. Speed Camera detection system, brilliant (even though it's £25 per year). Other useful, Heads Up Display, rear heated seats with rear zonal AC controls. Adaptive headlights on on car is great, on the other... a bit so-so (both the same manufacturer).

Useless - Runflats and possibly ECO driving mode.

To Slab's point on brake sensors, in both of my cars, if you try to run it without a sensor it will constantly throw a system fault.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Being able to heat/defrost your car via a app on your phone

I love the sound of that

 

[GreiginFife]

Being able to heat/defrost your car via a app on your phone

Likewise, being able to remotely vent the car on a hot day. Save opening the door to a blast furnace.

 

[Pin-seeker]

I love the sound of that

Sadly not on my car
My sister as an Electric Jag which as it.
Game changer.

 

[Backache]

Sat Navs are great to have in cars but fairly old technology nowadays.

Most irritating thing is seat belt alarms. Sometimes so sensitive that they go off with a couple of books on the passenger seat.
I know whether or not I have a seat belt on and sometimes in a car park I don't have to wear them and they serve little purpose at 5mph.

 

[RichA]

Sat Navs are great to have in cars but fairly old technology nowadays.

Most irritating thing is seat belt alarms. Sometimes so sensitive that they go off with a couple of books on the passenger seat.
I know whether or not I have a seat belt on and sometimes in a car park I don't have to wear them and they serve little purpose at 5mph.

Audio books are much safer when you're driving.

 

[nickjdavis]

Most useful: 180 degree rear view camera. I have to reverse out of my drive which has a thick tall hedge on one side...I basically cannot see the road in one direction until I've backed up halfway out. Previously I wound down the rear window and listened for traffic....but thats no good for cyclists and pedestrians. Now with the 180 degree camera I can see far enough up the road without reversing out to know if there is any approaching traffic, cyclists or pedestrians.

Least useful: Economy mode gear selector...adjusts the gear ratios for better economy but also switches off the air-conditioning and other similar energy consuming devices. Car gets hot and stuffy within about five minutes.

 

[Hobbit]

Most useful: The 3 blink indicator as previously mentioned.

Most useless: it’s got to be the sat nag. And if I put her in the boot I can still hear a constant muffled moaning.