Things to love or hate about cars...

Mr Badger said:
My pet hates, those cars that automatically cut out when the car stops, and restarts (hopefully!) when you want to sett off again. I had a BMW Mini as a courtesy car for a half a day once that did that and I found it really annoying. Almost as annoying as inserting a sort of mini flying saucer key fob into a slot in the dashboard, then pressing a starter button instead of an ignition key! Novelty rubbish!
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My Mini has stop/start, never been an issue; in fact I've had it on my last 4 or 5 cars (all Mini's or BMW's). It's a bit weird until you get used to it, it's meant to be for economy, and with my JCW I need all the help I can get!! :LOL:
 
haven't driven a manual trans for years, but I would always from memory - right foot on brake, left foot down on the clutch, handbrake (if manual handbrake) off and then hit the gas
 
Mr Badger said:
I was taught to depress the clutch before starting a manual car, just in case it was in gear. Presumably this avoids the possibility of making a mistake and not selecting neutral before starting, or the gear linkage not working and it appearing to be in neutral when it isn't! As others have said, it also takes a bit of load off the starter motor and battery, which, in the days of dynamo rather than alternator charging, was probably a wise thing to do.

My pet hates, those cars that automatically cut out when the car stops, and restarts (hopefully!) when you want to sett off again. I had a BMW Mini as a courtesy car for a half a day once that did that and I found it really annoying. Almost as annoying as inserting a sort of mini flying saucer key fob into a slot in the dashboard, then pressing a starter button instead of an ignition key! Novelty rubbish!
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I dislike that myself, surely it can't be any good for both battery and starter motor.
 
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And while I am moaning about it, no key hole in any other doors, neither has a boot lock.
Pity they are getting rid of the combustion engine in the not too distant future, otherwise I would buy a classic car.

PS

Sorry for the dirty car photos, I could not be bothered to clean the car.
 
A read of the manual will reveal where the key holes are. On mine, they're behind covers on the passenger door and boot lid.
 
Nod said:
A read of the manual will reveal where the key holes are. On mine, they're behind covers on the passenger door and boot lid.
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Usually the keyhole is behind the Ford badge, tried looking behind badge on the boot, but found nothing. Time to read manual. :)
 
Jelster said:
My Mini has stop/start, never been an issue; in fact I've had it on my last 4 or 5 cars (all Mini's or BMW's). It's a bit weird until you get used to it, it's meant to be for economy, and with my JCW I need all the help I can get!! :LOL:
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Same here, stop start doesn't bother me either. Most cars with stop/start have a switch that lets you disable it temporarily.
 
broc said:
Same here, stop start doesn't bother me either. Most cars with stop/start have a switch that lets you disable it temporarily.
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It annoys me when at a roundabout, the car can cut the engine off, resulting in not being able to get across the round about quickly enough.
 
jonbeeza said:
I dislike that myself, surely it can't be any good for both battery and starter motor.
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Starter motors and batteries are upgraded to suit and tested for reliability.
At work we run tests on the starter motors for a minimum of 300,000 stop start cycles and they perform just fine. I would imagine other manufacturers will be doing similar.
 
Just listening to Gloria Estefan on the TV channel, and remembering I bought her stuff a while ago. Just about to dig them out, to play in our new car. Just remembered it was cassettes I bought. :(
 
jonbeeza said:
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And while I am moaning about it, no key hole in any other doors, neither has a boot lock.
Pity they are getting rid of the combustion engine in the not too distant future, otherwise I would buy a classic car.

PS

Sorry for the dirty car photos, I could not be bothered to clean the car.
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Only the drivers door has a key hole. There isn't one on the tailgate or any other doors.
On my Focus there is a boot / tailgate release button on the underside of the plastic trim between the rear number plate lights.
 
jonbeeza said:
Usually the keyhole is behind the Ford badge, tried looking behind badge on the boot, but found nothing. Time to read manual. :)
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The only time I have known Ford to hide keyhole behind the badge was on bonnet locks, these were discontinued about 14yrs ago after the locks were breaking and people had to break their grills to get the bonnet open.
 
Disable stop/start by leaving air con on, Ecu knows a load is on the battery and will keep engine running.
 
I passed my test in 1968 and I was not taught to depress the clutch when starting the engine. Does it bother me nowadays - No, does the auto Stop/Start bother me - No, and neither do the automatic wipers and headlights.
The thing I like about modern cars is you get in them and they start, in the old days if it was too hot, too cold, raining, snowing or there was an r in the month they were a pain. Choke in or out? out how much? pump the accelerator or not? keep the starter motor whiring away or give it a rest.
My Ford has a keyhole for the drivers door only, although I have never used it.
 
My new car has keyless entry and start. I walk towards the car, put my hand into the drivers door handle and the car unlocks. Or, it has a lock/unlock button on the handle, or, it has the remote key fob!! 3 ways of opening one door!!

Locking the car, i can press the button on the door handle or key fob and walk away......

But.... i always like to check and make sure its locked so i go back and pull the drivers door handle just to make sure.....AND THE F****ING CAR UNLOCKS ITSELF!!!! aRRRGGGGGGG!!!!
 
Nod said:
I'd be worried if all 4 of mine started spinning - only RWD!!! Used to be able to spin all 4 up on a humble 200TDi Defender - on gravel.
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The name of the game is to avoid wheelspin . . .
broc said:
Several cars we have had in recent years provided setup options through the onboard computer to control which doors unlocked using the key fob.
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What's an onboard computer? :)
 
mj4456 said:
Disable stop/start by leaving air con on, Ecu knows a load is on the battery and will keep engine running.
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Why not switch it off the the stop start disable button? If the battery is fully charged, you'd need to switch on more than the aircon to disable the stop start.
 
jpgreenwood said:
My new car has keyless entry and start. I walk towards the car, put my hand into the drivers door handle and the car unlocks. Or, it has a lock/unlock button on the handle, or, it has the remote key fob!! 3 ways of opening one door!!

Locking the car, i can press the button on the door handle or key fob and walk away......

But.... i always like to check and make sure its locked so i go back and pull the drivers door handle just to make sure.....AND THE F****ING CAR UNLOCKS ITSELF!!!! aRRRGGGGGGG!!!!
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When you press the button, you should hear the doors lock, indicators will also flash, press the button again, you will hear the doors double lock and the indicators will flash again.
 
j crossley said:
My car has Stop/Start, but the engine only stops when you select neutral and then let the the clutch back up.
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That's how most work. The Ford mild hybrids will stop the engine when the vehicle has slowed right down and rely on the electric motor until you stop or start to pull away again when the electric motor restarts the engine.
 
Suvv said:
I passed my test in 1968 and I was not taught to depress the clutch when starting the engine. Does it bother me nowadays - No, does the auto Stop/Start bother me - No, and neither do the automatic wipers and headlights.
The thing I like about modern cars is you get in them and they start, in the old days if it was too hot, too cold, raining, snowing or there was an r in the month they were a pain. Choke in or out? out how much? pump the accelerator or not? keep the starter motor whiring away or give it a rest.
My Ford has a keyhole for the drivers door only, although I have never used it.
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Neither was I, it was make sure hand brake is on, and gear lever is in neutral, keep feet clear of the pedals while starting the engine. I do recall there being I phase when we all seemed to pump the accelerator pedal, when the engine turned over. I was never really sure if that was necessary.
 
jpgreenwood said:
My new car has keyless entry and start. I walk towards the car, put my hand into the drivers door handle and the car unlocks. Or, it has a lock/unlock button on the handle, or, it has the remote key fob!! 3 ways of opening one door!!

Locking the car, i can press the button on the door handle or key fob and walk away......

But.... i always like to check and make sure its locked so i go back and pull the drivers door handle just to make sure.....AND THE F****ING CAR UNLOCKS ITSELF!!!! aRRRGGGGGGG!!!!
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That's what folding mirrors are for! Look back and you know it's locked because the mirrors are in :LOL: :LOL:
 
Jelster said:
That's what folding mirrors are for! Look back and you know it's locked because the mirrors are in :LOL: :LOL:
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That is what I used to look out for, the mirrors folded in, knowing car is locked...

That's another thing, our new car does not auto fold in. Have to do it manually, close then re open, it does become a chore.
 
nilagin said:
Only the drivers door has a key hole. There isn't one on the tailgate or any other doors.
On my Focus there is a boot / tailgate release button on the underside of the plastic trim between the rear number plate lights.
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My drivers door does not have a keyhole, the manual key locking is on the passenger side..
 
nilagin said:
Only the drivers door has a key hole. There isn't one on the tailgate or any other doors.
On my Focus there is a boot / tailgate release button on the underside of the plastic trim between the rear number plate lights.
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I initially thought the bonnet lock was behind the badge, nearly broke my nails trying to get the badge to move.:ROFLMAO:
 
I had a battery fail in a key fob once, I could use the key to gain access to the car. The imobiliser kicked in, and car could not be used. So some things good, and other times can be a right pain.
 
jonbeeza said:
Neither was I, it was make sure hand brake is on, and gear lever is in neutral, keep feet clear of the pedals while starting the engine.
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I stalled the car on my test, put my foot on the clutch and restarted, said oops I shouldn't have done that !!
Examiner asked what I should have done so told handbrake on make sure car is in neutral then start, as long s you know was his reply, and yes I passed
 
Gremlin said:
I stalled the car on my test, put my foot on the clutch and restarted, said oops I shouldn't have done that !!
Examiner asked what I should have done so told handbrake on make sure car is in neutral then start, as long s you know was his reply, and yes I passed
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I got away with being in the wrong lane for turning right, maybe not so lenient today. :)
 
stickytape said:
I think it's because it's not a car made in England, so everything is set up for the "normal side, maybe? (Dodge Journey)
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Can't be that - my car was made in England and has the keyhole on the passenger side.

Never had to use the physical key, the keyless entry system has worked every time.
 
Nod said:
Can't be that - my car was made in England and has the keyhole on the passenger side.

Never had to use the physical key, the keyless entry system has worked every time.
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Hmm maybe you're right then! I sometimes use it as the alarm goes off occasionally in the night.. so prefer to lock manually!
 
stickytape said:
My drivers door does not have a keyhole, the manual key locking is on the passenger side..
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What make of car? A bit pointless having the keyhole on the passenger door if the remote locking fails.
 
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