Modern car controls are idiotic and I hate them.

stuart in mn wrote: Do any of the manufacturers have a backup camera that looks to the sides as well as the rear? I think that would be useful when backing out of a space that's perpendicular to traffic, to see if there is oncoming traffic. A related complaint is how big and tall so many modern vehicles are, particularly pickups and SUVs. If I'm in a parking lot space in my e30 or e28 BMWs, it's impossible to see past the F-150 pickup parked next to me when I back out of the parking space.

all the factory-installed ones I've dealt with have VERY wide angle lenses. When parked in your average grocery store, straight-in space, you can see an amazing way to the left and right on the perpendicular traffic aisle. Ididn't realize how nice the side view was until I backed my pickup out the other day. Compared to the camera, you just tap the gas a little and hope until you're half way out of the space and can actually see left/right.

I personally think everyone complains too much.....adapt & overcome, it's what we as the human race are best at.

I like to joke about iDrive all the time, yet can still operate it.

Jay wrote: I'm all for the death of mechanical keys. As far as I'm concerned, the less of this E36 M3 that I have to carry around in my skinny jeans pocket, the better.

Maybe stop wearing skinny jeans or put them in a coat pocket?

Besides, skinny jeans aren't good for your health long term.

I like the backup camera. It gives me a much better view than using the mirrors and twisting my head around.

I have a button on my steering wheel that I love and IMO it makes me a safer driver. No more looking around to change the music, temperature, make a call, etc.. Just push the button on the wheel and tell it what you want!

Stefan (Not Bruce) wrote: Maybe stop wearing skinny jeans

No.

Stefan (Not Bruce) wrote: Besides, skinny jeans aren't good for your health long term.

Neither is getting stabbed in the junk by keys.

The thing that bugs me is mechanical keys have been obsolete for two decades. Every car's ignition key has a transponder in it now. People scream and shout when the "key" section is removed because of a false sense of loss of security, but the transponder has always been the better part of the equation. Something the size of an SD card that you don't even need to take out of your pocket would do the same job just fine.

One control that I've never seen anyone get right is the switch for the rear wiper. I'm convinced that everyone who has ever designed such a system has never used it. I love having a rear wiper, but all I do is turn it on and off again over and over, since you don't usually need it when moving forwards. Some have an intermittent feature- which works backwards and speeds up as you drive forwards, when you need it less. Maybe they expect you to drive backwards at high speed in the rain?

Couple years ago I rented a MINI Cooper. 20 minutes after getting in the car, one of the rental folks came over to me and asked if everything was okay.

"It would be okay... if I could stick the key into a slot in the dash, turn it and start the car... just like I have done for 40 years. MINI seems to have a better idea."

Been driving 35 years. Nobody ever had to teach me how to start a car before.

Instead of sticking the key in the dash and turning, you stick the $%^&* FOB in the dash and push a button.

Somebody tell me why that is better/simpler/easier.

EvanR wrote: Somebody tell me why that is better.

Because you can't steal the car with a teaspoon?

Jay wrote: Every car's ignition key has a transponder in it now.

And that is why both my Silverado and the wife's new rav4 have keys duct taped to the inside of the plastic on the steering columns. The keys in my pocket are regular old flat brass jobies that fit on a ring with other keys.

How many of you have read this thread on another forum?

"Help. I accidentally sent my key through the washing machine and it no longer works. Dealer wants $$Texas to replace it! What do I do?"

Guess what works just fine after going through the wash? My mechanical key. Guess how much a replacement is when I lose it? Between $free and $2.

That said, my DD does have a keyfob that has been broken for a while (4 or 5 trips through the washer & dryer) that I haven't bothered to fix because I don't want to pony up the $16 for a new one.

In reply to ProDarwin:

Guess how much it costs to replace a mechanical tumbler switch when it fails? About $25, that a GRMer can do in his shop.

Guess how much it costs when your girlfriend's Nissan decides it wants a new "steering lock module" - the part that the fob communicates with - when it's -6°, late at night, and AAA is busy as hell? $1167.92, that's how much!

In reply to Jay:

How many cars can you drive at one time? Leave all the extra keys at home, man!

Yep, to me a keyfob is just an obese key that needs a battery (and more electronics on the car that can fail), and the only advantage it offers is that it saves a sliver of time in opening doors & trunks. Not worth it.

I have no interest in traditional car alarm systems either, they're the boy that cries wolf constantly, and nobody bats an eye when a car alarm goes off. They're far more likely to lock you out of your car than to ever prevent a theft.

I heard on the news last night that Volvo is working on a keyless car, that you start and stop using your smart phone. It's supposed to be on the market in a couple years.

So what happens when your phone battery goes dead, or you lose your phone. Or, if you're like me and you don't have a smart phone.

In reply to stuart in mn:

If you're like you, I can't see you buying a ~2017 Volvo for another twenty years, after the electronics have since long E36 M3 the bed, anyhow.

stuart in mn wrote: Do any of the manufacturers have a backup camera that looks to the sides as well as the rear? I think that would be useful when backing out of a space that's perpendicular to traffic, to see if there is oncoming traffic. A related complaint is how big and tall so many modern vehicles are, particularly pickups and SUVs. If I'm in a parking lot space in my e30 or e28 BMWs, it's impossible to see past the F-150 pickup parked next to me when I back out of the parking space.

Sounds like what you need is a periscope.

Anybody ever had the pleasure of using that Cadillac CUE system? It's as excellent as herpes. There are no buttons, just symbols on a hard plastic panel that is touch sensitive and vibrates when you press a button. It's incredibly non-sensitive, leading you to stab the dashboard furiously with your finger, as well as inaccurate and slow to respond. Plus troublesome. Seriously, Cadillac ATS had about 6 reprograms that had to be performed on the system before we could even deliver them. And customers still hate it.

2014 Cruze - cannot open the trunk when the car is on...not just when running, but on. There is a trunk-open button on the fob, as well as a button in the license plate area...neither work when the car is on.

BTW, the car stays on for up to 10 minutes after you turn the engine off, but have not opened the drivers door yet. This means that when youre in your driveway, about to leave, but remember you forgot to throw your boots in the trunk, or need to open the trunk so SWMBO can toss her [insert oversized item here] into the trunk after running into the store, you have to turn the car off, and open the drivers door first?!?! WT actual F?

Also, google "Car hacking"...Ive seen an online interview with a hacker-gone-straight who (for the NHTSA or some other gubermint agency) intentionally hacked a cars operating system, and figured out how to control most of its electronic systems with a simple app, using the cars 4G capabilities (what cars dont have that anymore). It was scary. Thanks Obama.

RealMiniParker wrote: In reply to stuart in mn: If you're like you, I can't see you buying a ~2017 Volvo for another twenty years, after the electronics have since long E36 M3 the bed, anyhow.

You know me pretty well. Actually, I'm hoping to drive the old cars I have now for the next 20 years, and then I'll go in the old folks home and I won't need to worry about it anymore.

Also, buttons don't wear out and fall off of brass keys, and then cost hundreds to replace...my 5 year old GMC fob:

Adult male fingers weren't meant to contort into the shapes necessary to reach those little buttons in there to unlock the car or pop the trunk...

gearheadmb wrote:

stuart in mn wrote: Do any of the manufacturers have a backup camera that looks to the sides as well as the rear? I think that would be useful when backing out of a space that's perpendicular to traffic, to see if there is oncoming traffic. A related complaint is how big and tall so many modern vehicles are, particularly pickups and SUVs. If I'm in a parking lot space in my e30 or e28 BMWs, it's impossible to see past the F-150 pickup parked next to me when I back out of the parking space.

Sounds like what you need is a periscope.

Isdera is way ahead of you:

4cylndrfury wrote: Also, buttons don't wear out and fall off of brass keys, and then cost hundreds to replace...my 5 year old GMC fob: Adult male fingers weren't meant to contort into the shapes necessary to reach those little buttons in there to unlock the car or pop the trunk...

4cylndrfury wrote: 2014 Cruze - cannot open the trunk when the car is on...

I have a Sonic and it's a hatch, but they're pretty similar. Check your owner's manual. I think if you use the hand brake, you can open the trunk.

4cylndrfury wrote: Also, buttons don't wear out and fall off of brass keys, and then cost hundreds to replace...my 5 year old GMC fob: Adult male fingers weren't meant to contort into the shapes necessary to reach those little buttons in there to unlock the car or pop the trunk...

I'm curious... what GMC has a trunk?

EvanR wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote: Also, buttons don't wear out and fall off of brass keys, and then cost hundreds to replace...my 5 year old GMC fob: Adult male fingers weren't meant to contort into the shapes necessary to reach those little buttons in there to unlock the car or pop the trunk...

I'm curious... what GMC has a trunk?

That's a Terrain key fob. And if all that's happened is the key fob fell apart, consider yourself damn lucky. We currently have at least 3 Terrain/Equinoxes in the shop getting pistons and rings and timing chains at sub 100K mileages. And it's pretty much a weekly occurence.