Modern features cars don't really need...

[duncan-uk]

So it occurs to me modern cars have things to "make life easier" some of this so called progress is actually a hinderance in some cases.

Having lived with the F11 for a bit now my gripes are:

Electric tailgate just doesn't open, if i don't press the switch quite right it just pops up 6" not all the way, when it shuts and detects an obstruction it stops, press button and instead of opening up so you can clear whatever is in the way it trys to shut again...

Push button start - i never found a key a chore, was somewhere to keep the key, you didnt forget it and made maintenance tasks easier. "oh you're not in car, foot not on brake blah blah"

The auto box selector - door open, can't move car, bonnet open can't move car - to many nanny controls for my liking. Actually car i know what i'm doing!

No dipstick to check oil manually...

So what are yours?

 

[Guest]

Lane Assist - what utter bollocks

[Calypso-E34]

I don't have the electric tailgate on my F10, but when you press the boot button, the lid pops up anyway - so you only have to close it manually.  My car is a 2016, and it still has a dipstick - as well as the electronic thing.  I agree with you about the key, but it doesn't ruin my life exactly.  Tell you what though - that shit where the car won't move with the door open if you're not wearing a belt and other warnings - just make me want to set the bloody thing on fire at times.

[Andrew]

Transmission dipstick

Water temperature gauge

The fact the engine needs to be running to shift out of P, meaning you can't roll it for maintenance tasks.

[Calypso-E34]

On 01/09/2022 at 09:37, Andrew said:

Water temperature gauge

Actually yes - this should absolutely be reinstated.  Oil temperature gauge tells you nothing useful. 

[Matthew]

 

On 31/08/2022 at 18:15, Calypso-E34 said:

 

My car is a 2016, and it still has a dipstick - as well as the electronic thing.  

I don’t know why Diesel engines have a dipstick and Petrol ones don’t. Even the B57 and B58 that are both cast in the same mould, B57 diesel does have one, B58 petrol doesn’t. I reckon it’s discrimination 😁

[Andrew]

4 hours ago, Matthew said:

 

I don’t know why Diesel engines have a dipstick and Petrol ones don’t.

My guess would be to help identify failed DPF regens which end up diluting the contents and increasing the sump level with Diesel fuel and big ends don't take too kindly to being lubricated with Diesel instead of LL04.

[BobA]

Foot controlled tailgate opening/closing.

It’s no fun when you sit in the back to change your shoes at the golf club and the lid comes down in you. It beeps OK but I can never get away quickly enough!

[Andrew]

2 hours ago, BobA said:

Foot controlled tailgate opening/closing.

It’s no fun when you sit in the back to change your shoes at the golf club and the lid comes down in you. It beeps OK but I can never get away quickly enough!

No no no

That's a godsend on the wifes Kuga.  Armfuls of children and or shopping and a quick kick the boot opens to dump stuff easily and quickly.

Your problem is you are a golfist.  If you didn't play golf then clearly you wouldn't have that issue🤣

[BobA]

7 minutes ago, Andrew said:

Your problem is you are a golfist.  If you didn't play golf then clearly you wouldn't have that issue🤣

On the other hand I don’t limp up to the car with an armful of children and shopping. I’ll stick with the golf thanks! 😉

I could hardly keep a straight face when the salesman tried to demo the foot dance - nearly fell on his back but no success. I think the later ones needed a less energetic kick but it has its drawback as I said.

Edited September 7, 2022 by BobA

[Andrew]

1 minute ago, BobA said:

I’ll stick with the golf thanks! 😉

You thinking of buying a Jaaaaaaaag or a Lexus next then?

[BobA]

1 minute ago, Andrew said:

You thinking of buying a Jaaaaaaaag or a Lexus next then?

I’m sure the next one will be electric but on present form the BMWs are out of reach. 😪

[Andrew]

Just now, BobA said:

I’m sure the next one will be electric 

Language, please!

[BobA]

Well I’d remind you that my current one is diesel but I worry you might get apoplexy.

[Andrew]

I can cope with heavy oil, but electric............

[duncan-uk]

Found this on Andrew's linked in profile...

[BobA]

Something else I don’t think much of is gesture control. My current car came with it but it never works properly. Randomly increases the volume to max but won’t reduce it again. It’s harder to learn the gestures it likes than just push a button.

[Matthew]

6 hours ago, Andrew said:

My guess would be to help identify failed DPF regens which end up diluting the contents and increasing the sump level with Diesel fuel and big ends don't take too kindly to being lubricated with Diesel instead of LL04.

StilL doesn't explain the dipstick on some and not others. The electronic one is going to alert the driver to the fuel dilution raising the level, not the manual dipstick. 

[Andrew]

More the ability to sniff the dipstick, diesel honks and you’d notice it by smell from the dipstick before any significant increase in level on an electronic warning. You know as part of your weekly checks…That we all do religiously 🤣

Like transmission fluid, you could tell a lot about the health of the autobox from its colour and smell of its fluid  on a dipstick. If you smell toast, it’s time for a fluid refresh. If it’s dark, time for a refresh. No electronic gizmo can tell you something that you can measure with a Mk1 nostril.

Yes I have automotive issues 🤣

[duncan-uk]

Monitor it for idiots, thats fine but i like to physcially check. much easier topping up too.

[Matthew]

9 hours ago, Andrew said:

More the ability to sniff the dipstick, diesel honks and you’d notice it by smell from the dipstick before any significant increase in level on an electronic warning. You know as part of your weekly checks…That we all do religiously 🤣

Like transmission fluid, you could tell a lot about the health of the autobox from its colour and smell of its fluid  on a dipstick. If you smell toast, it’s time for a fluid refresh. If it’s dark, time for a refresh. No electronic gizmo can tell you something that you can measure with a Mk1 nostril.

Yes I have automotive issues 🤣

Nice try Andrew, One could just remove the oil filler cap and smell those fumes and 2), It still doesn’t answer the point as to why diesels do and petrols don’t.

[Andrew]

10 hours ago, duncan-uk said:

but i like to physcially check. much easier topping up too.

Nail on head, takes 3 minutes for the computer in the F10 to measure the oil level each time, slows things down following an oil change.

[Steve VH]

Modern cars have far too many fripperies, to supposedly make life easier, central locking, electric windows and mirrors, yes, soft closure doors, boot lid, Bluetooth, computer, service indicator ( though the service indicator is 40 years old, came out in 1981 with the E28) etc etc, no, I remember when telling my father who did most of his motoring up until the late 1970's  that my car had power steering, just something else to go wrong was his reply. I also think deleting the engine, and transmission dipsticks was a mistake same with the coolent temperature gauge, what on earth were bmw thinking, probably trying to discourage DIY car maintenance.

 

[duncan-uk]

Bluetooth is good. I love being able to stream from my phone intact it’s a must have. 

[Sharkfan]

I'm not so keen on auto lights and auto wipers as features - whilst I see the benefits to a rain sensor to aid the intermittent wipe having auto lights and wipers just stops people thinking altogether. Lack of dipsticks is another bugbear - my wife's 2015 435d has no dipstick and to check the oil you have to be up to temperature, parked flat and level and then wait a minute while some kind of wizardry goes on and a sensor gives you a guess - I say gives you a guess as the amount of sensors that a modern car has that fail is bonkers.