Things to love or hate about cars...

[nilagin]

I stalled the car on my test, put my foot on the clutch and restarted, said oops I shouldn't have done that !!

If you do that in a stop start car it will restart itself as soon as you drop the clutch.

 

[stickytape]

What make of car? A bit pointless having the keyhole on the passenger door if the remote locking fails.

A dodge

 

[Nod]

What make of car? A bit pointless having the keyhole on the passenger door if the remote locking fails.

Why? I'd much rather be faffing on the pavement than standing in traffic.

 

[nilagin]

Why? I'd much rather be faffing on the pavement than standing in traffic.

You still have to walk back round to the drivers side to get in. Putting a key in the lock and unlocking the door, takes less than a second, hardly fading around.

 

[ancient_mariner]

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.

I passed mine in '84 or '85 and we weren't taught to depress the clutch then either.

The only things I find irritating about modern cars is that they will sometimes bleat that you need to fix something without telling you what, when you open the bonnet there's just a sea of plastic covers and BIGGEST gripe - touch screens that are dangerous to use when driving.

 

[MitchV]

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!!!!

If it has power fold mirrors set them so they close when you lock the car and then you can see from a "safe" distance if the car has been locked.

 

[nilagin]

I passed mine in '84 or '85 and we weren't taught to depress the clutch then either.

The only things I find irritating about modern cars is that they will sometimes bleat that you need to fix something without telling you what, when you open the bonnet there's just a sea of plastic covers and BIGGEST gripe - touch screens that are dangerous to use when driving.

You mean the plastic engine cover that just unclips and lifts off to reveal the engine?

I started learning to drive in 1980, I was taught to dip the clutch from day one.

 

[Gremlin]

If you do that in a stop start car it will restart itself as soon as you drop the clutch.

That hadn't even been thought of, we had to do most things manually, didn't have all this useless technology
for people that couldn't think for themselves

 

[jonbeeza]

What make of car? A bit pointless having the keyhole on the passenger door if the remote locking fails.

Our car park is very small and people can park right up against drivers door, they then go off and leave their car, and I can't always track them down. So sometimes I have had to gain access via passenger door. I know the fob can open all doors, but sometimes fob fails for some reason, so it would be nice to have other options.

 

[jonbeeza]

You still have to walk back round to the drivers side to get in. Putting a key in the lock and unlocking the door, takes less than a second, hardly fading around.

Many times I do get in via passenger side for various reasons, sometimes the drivers side is not always the best, for me at least anyway.

 

[jonbeeza]

I passed mine in '84 or '85 and we weren't taught to depress the clutch then either.

The only things I find irritating about modern cars is that they will sometimes bleat that you need to fix something without telling you what, when you open the bonnet there's just a sea of plastic covers and BIGGEST gripe - touch screens that are dangerous to use when driving.

Yes in the old days we only depressed the clutch to change gear, not to start the car.

 

[Gremlin]

Yes in the old days we only depressed the clutch to change gear, not to start the car.

Or double declutch in some older cars !!!
I used to do MOT runs for a friend who owned a garage, one day the MOT people asked me to take an old split screen Morris Minor back to him,
What a nightmare that was, along with the odd gear change , 0 to 20 eventually, parachute need for brakes that you almost stood on, heavy steering, never drove that things again, not an experience I ever want to repeat

 

[nilagin]

That hadn't even been thought of, we had to do most things manually, didn't have all this useless technology
for people that couldn't think for themselves

It isn't useless technology, if the engine has a turbo and it is excessively hot when the engine stalls, it will still be spinning with no oil to lubricate it, you want the engine restarted as soon as possible to protect the bearings.

 

[Gremlin]

It isn't useless technology, if the engine has a turbo

Didn't have turbos back then either and many breakdowns could be sorted at the side of the road
to get you home

 

[nilagin]

Didn't have turbos back then either and many breakdowns could be sorted at the side of the road
to get you home

Alot of breakdowns can still be sorted at the side of the road, those that can't would generally be the same ones that couldn't be sorted in the past either. If it is a case of a sensor failure, the car will now go into limp mode and allow you to carry on with your journey just with limited power and speed. Or if you are fortunate, switching the engine off and restarting clears the problem.

 

[Gremlin]

Alot of breakdowns can still be sorted at the side of the road,

Not without the right tools and knowledge.
Never filed points with a nail file when they got pitted, doubt you even know what points are,
Stripped a carb when the needle stuck all simple things that got you going again

 

[boogie man]

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!!!!

Our Jaguar XF was the same. The salesman was obviously very aware of it when we picked up the car and told us if the mirrors were folded in, then the car was locked. If your car has a blinking LED to show the alarm is armed, that’s another way of checking without pulling the handle.

 

[jpgreenwood]

I only discovered the folding mirrors a few days later as they had been disabled by the previous owner. No blinking light which is another annoyance!!

 

[jonbeeza]

Or double declutch in some older cars !!!
I used to do MOT runs for a friend who owned a garage, one day the MOT people asked me to take an old split screen Morris Minor back to him,
What a nightmare that was, along with the odd gear change , 0 to 20 eventually, parachute need for brakes that you almost stood on, heavy steering, never drove that things again, not an experience I ever want to repeat

I always wanted Morris Minor, I never even got to drive one...

The new car tells me when to change gear, even when it would not be the best time. If I am going up a hill in second gear, the car will tell me to change to third gear, I know this will not be the best option for the speed I am going at the time, as the car will labour, so it is not always right.

 

[nilagin]

Not without the right tools and knowledge.
Never filed points with a nail file when they got pitted, doubt you even know what points are,
Stripped a carb when the needle stuck all simple things that got you going again

You still needed the tools and the knowledge back then too.
Cars haven't had points or carbs for getting on 30yrs. Nothing to pit or carbs needles to get stuck. There's a reason why people were always tinkering under the bonnet years ago and now they don't need to.

 

[nilagin]

I always wanted Morris Minor, I never even got to drive one...

The new car tells me when to change gear, even when it would not be the best time. If I am going up a hill in second gear, the car will tell me to change to third gear, I know this will not be the best option for the speed I am going at the time, as the car will labour, so it is not always right.

If the vehicle is travelling at a certain speed with the engine at a certain speed and load if the shift light comes on, it will only labour if you take too long changing gear or don't apply enough throttle after changing gear. It doesn't matter if you are on an incline or not.

 

[jonbeeza]

Alot of breakdowns can still be sorted at the side of the road, those that can't would generally be the same ones that couldn't be sorted in the past either. If it is a case of a sensor failure, the car will now go into limp mode and allow you to carry on with your journey just with limited power and speed. Or if you are fortunate, switching the engine off and restarting clears the problem.

Not without the right tools and knowledge.
Never filed points with a nail file when they got pitted, doubt you even know what points are,
Stripped a carb when the needle stuck all simple things that got you going again

I can't fix these modern cars, I have no idea where to even begin.

On my Hillman Avenger, I replaced the timing chain tensioner, and made a gasket out of a brown paper potato sack. The cost all in was under a fiver, that was back in the early 80s. Ahh, the days when you could mend and make do.

 

[nilagin]

I only discovered the folding mirrors a few days later as they had been disabled by the previous owner. No blinking light which is another annoyance!!

The hazard lights will still flash when you lock the car. You only have to watch for the side repeater to flash on the door mirror or front wing, wherever it is located.

 

[jonbeeza]

If the vehicle is travelling at a certain speed with the engine at a certain speed and load if the shift light comes on, it will only labour if you take too long changing gear or don't apply enough throttle after changing gear. It doesn't matter if you are on an incline or not.

But it does not know I want to use the engine in a certain way, going downhill in second gear for engine braking.

 

[jonbeeza]

Even with all this new fangled stuff, I think I would still prefer simpler things. Also all this starting the engine thing, I would actually prefer a car with a starting handle. Probably can still get one, if I looked hard enough, I could probably find a Citroen 2CV for sale. lol

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

I looked hard enough, I could probably find a Citroen 2CV for sale. lol

Arrrr. you young pups wi' yer new fangled, self propelled, aut-o-may-beels don't know yer born. Back in t' good ol' days we'm had to get up at t' crack o' dawn ter harness t' horse and then it were three hours into town to collect newspaper and three hours back. Still on t' way back we had t' newspaper t' read...

 

[nilagin]

I can't fix these modern cars, I have no idea where to even begin.

On my Hillman Avenger, I replaced the timing chain tensioner, and made a gasket out of a brown paper potato sack. The cost all in was under a fiver, that was back in the early 80s. Ahh, the days when you could mend and make do.

There isn't a great deal of difference between a new engine and an old engine other than most modern engines have a cover, just to make the engine bay look nice and act as sound insulation. Lift the cover up and you will see a wiring loom on a modern engine, on an old engine, no cover, but instead of a loom, it will be HT leads.

Odd that you would need to replace a timing chain, the idea of a chain over a belt is that they don't need replacing. Belts are just quieter which is why they get used. They now have belts that run in oil to prevent them cracking and lengthen their service life. The only thing that would make a belt or chain renewal more difficult is that more cars are now fwd, so you need to support the engine and remove the engine mount before removing the front cover. Head gaskets are now multilayered metal with a layer of rtv silicon sealant in strategic places. Rocker covers and inlet manifold gaskets are rubber and front covers are rtv that you apply from a tube like toothpaste.

 

[welshwizard645]

Those who do not depress the clutch when starting a car have never driven a Saab 99, 90, 900

Having been brought up on Saabs, the first thing you do is plant your foot on the clutch before turning the key otherwise the car jumps backwards (gearbox locked in reverse on the older cars), I still do it on my GM NG9-5 (new shape) even though there is no key and the steering is electronically locked instead of the gearbox.

 

[nilagin]

Even with all this new fangled stuff, I think I would still prefer simpler things. Also all this starting the engine thing, I would actually prefer a car with a starting handle. Probably can still get one, if I looked hard enough, I could probably find a Citroen 2CV for sale. lol

It would be quicker to walk anywhere you needed to go.
When my son was at motorsport engineering college, they had 3 race cars, a 1980's Formula Ford with obligatory Ford Kent engine, a late 90's Fiesta that previously raced in the Ford Credit Fiesta Challenge at the British Touring Car Championship meetings and a Citroen 2CV they bought to race in a 24hr race at Snetterton.
My son hated the 2CV, they don't call them s***roen just for fun. They truly are an awful car. They need to be simple and easy to fix, because they go wrong so often, even if you try to maintain them.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

Having been brought up on Saabs, the first thing you do is plant your foot on the clutch before turning the key otherwise the car jumps backwards

We had 5 Saabs over the years: 99, 900 hatchback, 900 saloon, 9000 hatchback and 9-5 convertible. My memory is that you couldn't start the car with the gear in reverse. You turned the key to the unlock position, took the knob forward to neutral, then you could turn the key the rest of the way to start up.

 

[jonbeeza]

There isn't a great deal of difference between a new engine and an old engine other than most modern engines have a cover, just to make the engine bay look nice and act as sound insulation. Lift the cover up and you will see a wiring loom on a modern engine, on an old engine, no cover, but instead of a loom, it will be HT leads.

Odd that you would need to replace a timing chain, the idea of a chain over a belt is that they don't need replacing. Belts are just quieter which is why they get used. They now have belts that run in oil to prevent them cracking and lengthen their service life. The only thing that would make a belt or chain renewal more difficult is that more cars are now fwd, so you need to support the engine and remove the engine mount before removing the front cover. Head gaskets are now multilayered metal with a layer of rtv silicon sealant in strategic places. Rocker covers and inlet manifold gaskets are rubber and front covers are rtv that you apply from a tube like toothpaste.

I did not replace the chain, I replaced the chain tensioner, it had broken.

 

[bass_junkie83]

My pet hate for my car is the squeaky clutch pedal and no remote window control, though I think that can be added with forscan.

Oh, and kids. Dirty bloody kids leaving it in a state every time they get in!

 

[nilagin]

I did not replace the chain, I replaced the chain tensioner, it had broken.

I misread your post.
I guess that's the price you have to pay for an engine with timing gear pretty much open to the elements instead of enclosed behind a cover. Easier to get at, but more likely to go wrong.

In my test cell at work, we recently had an engine that had been replaced in a customers car after a warranty claim, so we could investigate a fault that dealers don't have the equipment for. I have no idea what the owner of the car had been doing, but it looked like they had removed all the under trays, engine cover and bonnet and then driven the car around a wet muddy field. It was filthy. Just as well the timing belts and pensioners are behind a cover on that engine, it wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes. I've seen cleaner looking engines that have sat outside in muddy old breakers yards for years on end than this particular engine.

 

[nilagin]

My pet hate for my car is the squeaky clutch pedal and no remote window control, though I think that can be added with forscan.

Oh, and kids. Dirty bloody kids leaving it in a state every time they get in!

Squeaky clutch pedal is probably just a dry spring or bush, just lay plenty of old rag on the carpet below and behind the pivot point and give it a good spray with WD40.
As for the kids, make them walk.
My boys are both adults now, but they knew from a young age, no one makes a mess in my cars, even when the cars were old.
My sister in laws kids are animals, they will make a mess in a car in seconds. They don't even get close enough to even breath on my car.

 

[jonbeeza]

Something I do like about our new car, is not having to run it in.

 

[Gremlin]

I always wanted Morris Minor, I never even got to drive one...

I've driven quite few in my time due to helping my mate out, but only the like that, was older then me !!
Still not a car I ever want to own along with the original VW Beetles

As for working on engines, give me motorcycles every day, we had a BSA B31 Tourer and a Triumph T100A
strip both down, renovated and rebuilt, great fun

 

[mj4456]

What make of car? A bit pointless having the keyhole on the passenger door if the remote locking fails.

Originally designed a LHD maybe?

 

[mj4456]

We had 5 Saabs over the years: 99, 900 hatchback, 900 saloon, 9000 hatchback and 9-5 convertible. My memory is that you couldn't start the car with the gear in reverse. You turned the key to the unlock position, took the knob forward to neutral, then you could turn the key the rest of the way to start up.

View attachment 309350

I seem to remember that to remove the key from the ignition the car had to be parked and in reverse gear? I always start any vehicle in neutral and clutch pedal on the floor.

 

[mj4456]

Stop/Start continues to work with car climate control systems switched on.

A/c is not climate control though, I can have a/c on with out the auto function turned on making the stop start inoperative, don’t think we’ve ever used auto a/c (climate control).

 

[mj4456]

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.

I don’t mind stop/start, I just tend to have a/c permanently on.