What aspect/option/feature do you wish your daily driver had?

As a follow-up to What aspect/option/feature of your daily driver do you use least?, what do you wish your DD had? What do you wish it was optioned with, or what modern(ish) feature would you like to retrofit?

My theoretical DD is an '85 MR2. The one feature I really would like to graft in is a decent ABS system. These cars have some inherent brake balance issues that need to be corrected anyway, but they're sensitive enough that I'd like the extra safety net of ABS for the inevitable day when the weather is bad and my reflexes are not at their sharpest.

My actual DD is a bare-bones, first-gen AWD Matrix. Other than ten pounds of boost, what it needs most is power windows and locks. Decent projector headlights would also be a huge improvement. I've thought about splicing all that stuff in, but it just isn't worth it for a car I was supposed to sell two years ago.

The third player here is my '85 J20. It wants EFI and overdrive, but I'll settle for a four-barrel and a shift kit. It would also benefit from the Warn Lock-o-Matic hubs that have been sitting on the shelf alongside the four-barrel for longer than I'd like to admit.

Who's next?

Cruise control.
 

And double overdrive. the little 1.5 is buzzing 4k rpms at 80mph. A sixth speed would help. 

Previous cars have had cooled seats, heated steering wheel, CarPlay and adaptive cruise control.  I really like CarPlay, the aftermarket modules to add it are never that seamless.  I added one to my Land Cruiser and it worked, but used the Toyota bluetooth for calls.  So if I got in the truck on a call already, it would hand off from the phone to BT, to the CarPlay and then back to BT.  The caller would hear all sorts of pops and beeps.  My sister in particular didn't like it.

In a world where people don't know how to work a standard cruise control or maintain a set speed (at least here in Ontario) adaptive cruise control is the one thing I wish the cars I regularly drive had. As someone that uses cruise a lot of the time I think that would make a big difference for me most days of the week and relieve some stress.

Cruise control. My Yaris and my MR2 Spyder don't have it and it broke on my Miata and there aren't great diagnostics because most people just rip it out "because racecar".

Adaptive cruise control, ventilated seats, and Android Auto.  When I replace der Scheißwagen, I'm looking for those features in addition to the heated steering wheel, automatic headlights, and rain-sensing wipers.  Oh, and cruise control that will control both the throttle and the brake.  The Merc is the only car I've driven that does that and it's so handy.

The Tesla 3 should have come stock with a heated steering wheel. Chrysler had them beat on that in the Darts.

ALSO: Heads up displays! I got to experience one on a Mazda 3 and damn I want one.

Android Auto.
I can add it, but it requires taking apart half the dash and I haven't wanted to do that.

Cruise, heated seats and moar powa.

There's a few things I wish I had but only one I really WANT. 

Intermittent wipers. How hard is that to make from the factory? I mean seriously - why do I have to rely on some automatic rain sensing algorithm to decide when and how much to turn the wipers on? I mean it's never right away, so just let me decide the frequency rather than having to constantly adjust... 🙄

In reply to chknhwk :

Weird. The rain sensing wipers on my BMW and Mini are like the best intermittent wipers that are set perfectly every time at the single touch of a button.

In reply to Trent :

Jealous. 😕 I absolutely hate mine - they're never running when I want them to... 

The CX-9 is pretty nicely equipped.  Adaptive cruise control is fantastic.  About the only thing I occasionally wish it had is a rocket launcher.

All this talk of adaptive cruise and new technologies.  

What im proposing, I don't want to be used against me as well like the Govt knows Im driving too fast, but ..

I don't have this fully thought through but I'd like my car, ala GPS, to know the speed limit for that section of road.  Alone, the car will only drive up to that specific speed limit. However, with a simple gesture I can knowingly over ride that speed in increments (say increments of 5 additional mph.)

I want to car to help protect me when I don't realize the speed limit is 45, not 55 that I think it is.  

CarPlay all things. 

Umbrella in the door jamb like a Rolls Royce. (Skoda did it too)

A chauffeur. 

A supercharger 

John Welsh said:

I don't have this fully thought through but I'd like my car, ala GPS, to know the speed limit for that section of road.  Alone, the car will only drive up to that specific speed limit. However, with a simple gesture I can knowingly over ride that speed in increments (say increments of 5 additional mph.)

Modern cars can mostly do this.  They don't stop you from exceeding the speed limit, but they do put up warnings.  IIRC Android Auto and CarPlay can both do this as well.  In effect, that "simple gesture" is pushing the throttle pedal down, which IMHO is the correct way to handle it (because if you need to speed up in a hurry to avoid a collision, that's what your brain will default to doing).

What do I wish for in my DD?  A manual transmission.  I don't have one because cars in the category I was buying (new, mid-sized sport sedan) were simply not available with manual transmissions (well, the M5 was, but that was well out of my budget).  Having the rear seat space available was more important to me, so I compromised on transmission (going with a flappy paddle dual clutch) rather than the class of vehicle.  The S6 is a great car, but it would be even better with three pedals.

What I wish my Rav had, and I know that I wouldnt use it a ton for half of the year, is a sunroof.

I have had one before, and rarely used it. But this time of year...yeah, I wish I had one.

DD is a 17 Ford Escape...

my list is quite short - heated exterior mirrors, speed limit recognition, maybe a manual, maybe adaptive cruise, better headlights, floor dip switch.

• heated mirrors because I park outside
• speed limit recognition was on my Focus with a camera that recognised the signs. Shown in the drivers display and good for the temporary limits that seem to infest New Coneland  Doesn't rely on map updates or internet connections.
• only maybe on the manual due traffic congestion 
• only maybe on the adaptive cruise because we don't have many of what you call freeways which is generally the only place I might use it. I do use the limit function that's there a lot - dial up a speed that won't upset Officer  Dibble too much and use the throttle. Needs care when passing though as while full throttle will override the set speed when you back off 'cos you're going fast enough it goes back to coast down which isn't always the best when you're on the wrong side of the road alongside a semi.
• headlights because the dip's are a bit anaemic although the up/down adjustment is quite useful. 
   
• foot dip switch, maybe with an inbuilt flash function. I was bought up on them and given the left foot is all but redundant nowadays it might be time to give it something to do. 
   

cheers

R

In general I want as little extras on the daily as possible, I don't even like power windows.

A good stereo is a must though

Adequate headlights. CarPlay. 

David S. Wallens said:

CarPlay all things. 

I'm a dedicated Apple user and I don't really understand what the point of CarPlay is.

I can play music from my library over BT. And what other app am I going to use while driving?

The V60 has CarPlay but since you have to plug the phone in to use it, I have never tried.

I'm probably missing something.

Duke said:

David S. Wallens said:

CarPlay all things. 

I'm a dedicated Apple user and I don't really understand what the point of CarPlay is.

I'm not an Apple user, and I was wondering the same thing. My phone is a phone, camera, and internet browser, with very occasional GPS use. As a practicing luddite, the idea of tying my phone to my car and vice versa sounds as appealing as a gummint tracking chip in my horse dewormer. What am I missing?