Is it just me being a dinosaur or is this really poor, lazy design?

[carlos]

try fixing that screen yourself on a sunday aftrernoon?!

oh well just have toss the whole thing in the bin and get a new one, iam sure it wont be that expensive!!!

[Bob_z_l]

I thought one of the things about the screen is. The manufacturer has control of you. 

You can't "add" functions to turn you "L" into a "Ghia X" (sorry showing my age) by swapping bits from other models.

If you have a bog standard model you have bog standard functions. You'd need a real whizz to hack into the code and release the Extras and fancy features. They'll probably all be there but dependant n what you pay for depends on what you get. Makes the assembly easier. 

I'm sure I read about a subscription service on the new BMW's or MB's where you could pay a fee and get an upgraded screen/performance/whatever.  

 

 

[Dan Maynard]

43 minutes ago, Bob_z_l said:

I'm sure I read about a subscription service on the new BMW's or MB's where you could pay a fee and get an upgraded screen/performance/whatever.

I think Tesla do something like this too.

[Dan Maynard]

9 hours ago, AHPP said:

 

I was remarking to a mate earlier on a slightly different motoring matter that we've reached the top of the rollercoaster. 

 

On reflection I think this might be right. The obsessive quality engineering and reduction in part count has had a massive positive impact on reliability, the Japanese methods of the 80s which made British cars look terrible have spread throughout the industry.

 

Problem nowadays is that feature count has gone up so part count has climbed too. More parts just means more to go wrong, it's really inevitable.

 

Our two main cars are 2010 and 2014 and both well over 100k miles and really had nothing but wear parts. I don't really want to buy a new diesel with Adblue, heard too many stories of trouble.

[Ashes_Firewood]

13 hours ago, patrickgalloway3 said:

Which cars look so outlandish that you don't want to drive them? Electric mini looks like a mini. Tesla model S  looks like a generic saloon. New Audi looks like a yummy mummy's SUV. BMW id3 looked a bit different but had some genuine engineering reasons for doing so.

 

VW ID3/4/5, BMW IX, Cupra Born just some that spring to mind. Think all the Teslas look odd apart from the Model S too.

 

The Mini is one of the few that basically looks the same as it's ICE counter parts.

[GarethM]

Do the normal electric models use a base chassis like most of the modern ICE cars.

 

As in the past that was the main cost for manufacturers ?. I think they have started to realise we want standard looking cars in the lower price bracket that can be repaired.

 

Like the Mini, Corsa, Polo etc.

[doobin]

3 hours ago, Bob_z_l said:

I thought one of the things about the screen is. The manufacturer has control of you. 

You can't "add" functions to turn you "L" into a "Ghia X" (sorry showing my age) by swapping bits from other models.

If you have a bog standard model you have bog standard functions. You'd need a real whizz to hack into the code and release the Extras and fancy features. They'll probably all be there but dependant n what you pay for depends on what you get. Makes the assembly easier. 

I'm sure I read about a subscription service on the new BMW's or MB's where you could pay a fee and get an upgraded screen/performance/whatever.  

 

 

The subscription for the heated seat was the last pisstake from them that made the news.

 

I'd never buy a car like that. If you buy the base model you've already paid for the heating elements to be fitted to the seat ffs!

[openspaceman]

3 hours ago, Ashes_Firewood said:

 

The Mini is one of the few that basically looks the same as it's ICE counter parts.

It is the same they just have a battery that fits in the space of the engine bay and transmission tunnel.

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, doobin said:

The subscription for the heated seat was the last pisstake from them that made the news.

 

I'd never buy a car like that. If you buy the base model you've already paid for the heating elements to be fitted to the seat ffs!

When, I think it was, pentium processor chips came out for PCs the standard expensive one had a maths co processor. The SX version was exactly the same chip, much cheaper and had the connection to the co processor scratched out on the chip.

[josharb87]

Currently got a loan vehicle, everything is touch, very pedagogical, very simple, the dash and interior is extremely simple and plain tbh, not much to look at inside (less distractions, more focus in the road I guess) 

A stark contrast to my Land Cruiser which looks like a fighter jet cockpit with all the buttons, dials, offroad mode options constantly lit up, constantly looking at you!