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

[GarethM]

That's value engineering, why make several versions when you can just enable or disable features.

 

Take a heated seat, somebody has to physically assemble it so add everything for pennies but charge extra to turn it on.

 

Think the world changed once the heated windscreen patent expired for ford, now it's pretty standard.

Edited February 1, 2023 by GarethM

[rapalaman]

22 hours ago, AHPP said:

 

I too love a pub quiz and can't stand people cheating with phones at them. I reckon put them in a bowl on the way in and have the option to do a bit of swinging on the way out.

Six of us do a quiz every Thursday and do just that - phones go in phone boxes in middle of table. Anyone seen using one - the team gets immediately disqualified 👍

[Stubby]

6 hours ago, openspaceman said:

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.

Bit like the Husqvarna 365Xtorque and 372Xtorque . Same saw . Just got some restrictor fins in the transfer covers . Take the covers off , grind of the fins and " shazam " a 372Xtorque . 

[Squaredy]

6 hours ago, josharb87 said:

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! 

 

And do you find that operating the touch screen is convenient and easy whilst driving?

[william127]

43 minutes ago, Stubby said:

Bit like the Husqvarna 365Xtorque and 372Xtorque . Same saw . Just got some restrictor fins in the transfer covers . Take the covers off , grind of the fins and " shazam " a 372Xtorque . 

Thanks, that's saved me typing that😅😅👍👍

[josharb87]

9 hours ago, Squaredy said:

And do you find that operating the touch screen is convenient and easy whilst driving?

 

 

Yeah i do actually, take the heating for example, its much clearer what you're doing, rather than having 3 identical dials.

 

I guess its a bit like any new vehicle you jump in, takes a couple of minutes to "discover" everything but then its 2nd nature

[difflock]

regarding the peak of automotive design. 

In respect of automotive diesel engine design, I reckon the VAG PD 1.9TDI from about the year 2000, or the MB OM605/OM606 from about the same period, plus no doubt the contemporary offerings from BMW, Fiat or the PSA group. 

Petrols, I am not so up to speed on, but "The Car Care Nut" an independant Toyota specialist on Youtube was dropping a new short block into a 300,000 mile petrol Toyota(due to an acknowledged by Toyota poor piston design or manufacturing issue) due to oil consumption of something like a quart every 100 miles! and was carefully showing and stating, camshafts still good, timing chain still good, timing chain tensioners and guides, still good,  head still good, valves still good, etc etc etc.

Plus the owner had kept meticulous records of all expenses, and there were very very very few parts that had required replacement over the 300,000 miles, other than wear items, which had included a single replacement clutch quite recently.

Which has to be the peak of automotive design durability.

Well except for the quart of oil every 100 miles!

EDIT

In terms of engineering, when D A Stewart was stripping the 1999 Steyr Puch, ALL nuts, bolts and threaded components unscrewed without rust fuss or damage, despite 23 years of benign neglect. Alywen has mentioned this "factoid" to me on several occassions.

Plus when I replaced the rear brakes, with genuine MB items(and at Sprinter as opposed to G Wagen prices) and adjusted  the traditional cable operated parking brake, I got full engagement, with some physical difficulty in  engaging even the first "click", but yet both wheels spun totally freely when the parking brake was disengaged. Now THAT is superb "run of the mill" production engineering, in respect of tolerances.

Ramble over.

Edited February 2, 2023 by difflock

[Billhook]

I have a strong dislike of touch screens and digital information in cars and tractors.  With digital read outs you have to actually read them which is not as quick as glancing at needles on dials.  yes it may be micro seconds but that can be all the difference between an accident and a good result.

The old Bourdon tube gauges told me far more accurately what was happening with engine temps and pressures and kept working when the engine was switched off.

I have a Fastrac and the dash must have been invented by a spotty geek who had never been on a farm.  Try adjusting touch screens when you are being bounced around!

The only car that has sensible instruments and switch is our Volvo XC70 from 2005.  It has a couple of rotary knobs for volume and stations on the radio and the wipers and lights are intuitive and the minor switches also

With one of my old classic cars from 1967 the dash layout looks scattered, but because the switches are well spaced it is not long before you learn them all without looking.

 

  Unlike a classic Jaguar set of switches from the same period, where they look neat and wonderful but you really have to stare at them to find the right one

 

[Mesterh]

Shirley there must be a tesla owner amongst us who can give a bit of feedback?

[Squaredy]

58 minutes ago, Mesterh said:

Shirley there must be a tesla owner amongst us who can give a bit of feedback?

Good shout.  Maybe they are trying to keep it quiet - scared of losing street cred?