[RohanDheman]

Originally Posted by GTO

See what I mean? Hardly anyone in India knows how & when to use the rear foglamps:

Attachment 1932639

I always think these people like having the maximum number of lights on inside (on the dashboard) and outside the vehicle. Full paisa vasool!

[Kosfactor]

Right now there are some interesting videos in the Harrier thread, both screens in the dashboard has stopped working. Leaving the driver clueless about the vehicle's vitals.

Manufacturers should provide normal instrument cluster with Speed, Temp, Odo, fuel level additional LCD screen for whatever other information they want to show you. But the basic information must be present with normal needles.

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by V12Doc

Well I have been using every feature in the car and I absolutely love having them at my disposal.
==============
I love having the convenience of everything! Makes life easier if you use everything!

Exactly my thoughts. None of these features can be termed as useless. They are all either nice to have or must to have, and I make good use of most of them.

Cruise control - Extremely useful for me even in Kerala roads. Heck, I use it even at 35 kmph sometimes. Many drivers are really hesitant to use it, because of a feeling that engaging and disengaging CC is a complicated process and that it is dangerous to do so when you have vehicles moving in front of you at a distance. I cannot think about owning a car without Cruise Control now. I would love to have Adaptive CC.

Push button start - what a welcome change from the traditional way of cranking up the engine by turning the key!

All electronic adjustments (like mirrors) - again, an extremely useful feature.

Voice commands - I use them with Android Auto and they work brilliantly!

Sunroof - I make good use of it during overcast / rainy days.

Auto headlamps - I have set it to Auto mode from day #1.

[saisree]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

It's the 5th gear in my ecosport. The rising traffic on roads would mean I seldom cross 80 kmph in the daily commute (sub-urban/rural).

If its the 5th gear in ecosport, then its the 6th gear in Honda jazz. Hardly cross 60KMPH in daily commute (City conditions). But, its the same 6th gear that munch miles tirelessly on a highway all day. Good on pocket too.

[Lobogris]

Originally Posted by Brishti

Very true and it had an impact on me when buying my new car. There are now sensitive receivers which can pick it up from a radius of almost 15-30m. Imagine how easy it would be to pick up the signal in your office parking lot and steal the car the next day since they know you would be coming back.

That is no different than a car with a remote fob to unlock the doors. Virtually all cars come with such remote unlocking nowadays. Signals can’t be picked up and used the next day. Each time a unique code is generated.

The only possible drawback is the use of some kind of amplifying device to pick up the signal from your key and then relay it to your vehicle. This is quite difficult as the keys only transmit for about a couple of feet. This could only happen if you left your keys right by the door or a window and the thieves knew about this practice. If you live in an apartment or park on the street then this is a non issue.

[GTO]

Many new cars are now offering 'electric seats', but I find them absolutely useless if the memory function is not provided along with. Just electric seats are too slow - it's far quicker to use manual adjustments.

With memory settings however, electric seats are useful as you just press a button to get back your perfect driving position.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by GTO

Many new cars are now offering 'electric seats', but I find them absolutely useless if the memory function is not provided along with. Just electric seats are too slow - it's far quicker to use manual adjustments.

Very interesting point! However, maybe it is just me, but my experience is actually the opposite. Especially for long drives where I drive for 8-10 hours a day.

What I found in such long drives is that just doing minor changes in the seat position after every couple of hours makes me feel better and eliminates any back pain or any other discomfort from sitting in the same position for long hours. I have developed a habit of doing very small adjustments to my sitting position every 2 hours or do, while on a long drive. I start with my position set in the memory, but during the day, I do these small adjustments and at the end of the day, return to the set memory position again :-) This has completely eliminated any back pain or any discomfort for me. Of course, this technique only works for minor adjustments (a few mm here and there) and not for big adjustments - those will require getting used to a totally new driving position. The trick is to give your back and body some changes without changing your overall driving position.

This trick is easily possible in electric seats, regardless of memory function or not. Therefore, I love electric seats even without memory function. On the other hand, in my other car which has mechanical seats, this is simply not possible because the seat jumps from one position to another totally different position. Finer changes are just not possible. I absolutely hate that since I am stuck into the a specific back angle without any small adjustments possible.

Thus, in my view, electric seats with memory are of course great, and I love those in my car. But I would still love electric seats even without memory. Again not sure if it is just me or if anyone else also has similar habits.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

What I found in such long drives is that just doing minor changes in the seat position after every couple of hours makes me feel better and eliminates any back pain or any other discomfort from sitting in the same position for long hours.

I do exactly the same on long drives after this tip was shared by a friend who does long hauls very frequently. This has worked wonders for me too. I try with different seat heights and telescopic adjustment of the steering wheel too, very minor tweaks but it makes a difference. The neck and back never complains with this practice in my experience.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by GTO

Many new cars are now offering 'electric seats', but I find them absolutely useless if the memory function is not provided along with. Just electric seats are too slow - it's far quicker to use manual adjustments.

With memory settings however, electric seats are useful as you just press a button to get back your perfect driving position.

My opinion is different from yours. Even without the memory function I prefer electric seats simply because I have found on some of my earlier cars that the manual adjustments do not give me that sweet Goldilocks position whereas the electric ones do.

In the manual, one position is too little and the immediate next position is too much. I need the one between them and electric gives me that.

Plus, like Dr. AD said, I too make minor re-adjustments sometimes and this helps there.

Yes, having a memory function would be great, if there were more than one person driving the car - but that is not my case, so I am happy.

Cheers

[sridhu]

Let me get this straight - you guys adjust (micro adjust) your seating position, steering rake/ reach etc with the vehicle in motion?

Not a good idea at all.

I perfer to take a break every 2 hours or so; even if it is just a 2 minute break.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by sridhu

Let me get this straight - you guys adjust (micro adjust) your seating position, steering rake/ reach etc with the vehicle in motion?

No, I never change my steering wheel position, and certainly not while driving. I did not mention steering wheel at all in my adjustments list. I usually leave the steering wheel as it is and never found a reason to change that position. I agree that changing steering wheel position while driving could be dangerous and I do not recommend that at all.

What I meant was strictly about seat position. And it is quite easy and simple for one to reach the electric seat adjustment buttons with one hand and move them slightly - just about a couple of mm - while driving. Typically I do this with seat back angle position. I sometimes change that by a few degrees while driving, and the adjustment is so gradual and subtle that it is 100% safe to do so and yet effective in giving me relief from any potential body aches.

In fact, that was my whole point about mechanical vs electric adjustments. With mechanical adjustments, it is nearly impossible to do subtle, smooth and very minor adjustments. The seat would just jump to different positions. In that case, there is no question of doing that while driving - that would be dangerous. But with electric seats, one can do such subtle, gradual and fine adjustments that adjusting those while driving is perfectly possible and quite safe too.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by sridhu

Let me get this straight - you guys adjust (micro adjust) your seating position, steering rake/ reach etc with the vehicle in motion?

Not a good idea at all.

I perfer to take a break every 2 hours or so; even if it is just a 2 minute break.

Er... would you kindly point out where in my post I mentioned (or even implied) that I adjust the steering wheel while driving?

Cheers

[sridhu]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

...
I try with different seat heights and telescopic adjustment of the steering wheel too, very minor tweaks but it makes a difference. The neck and back never complains with this practice in my experience.

I was referring to this bit.

[vivekshukla]

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

No, I never change my steering wheel position, and certainly not while driving. I did not mention steering wheel at all in my adjustments list. I usually leave the steering wheel as it is and never found a reason to change that position. I agree that changing steering wheel position while driving could be dangerous and I do not recommend that at all.

What I meant was strictly about seat position. And it is quite easy and simple for one to reach the electric seat adjustment buttons with one hand and move them slightly - just about a couple of mm - while driving. Typically I do this with seat back angle position. I sometimes change that by a few degrees while driving, and the adjustment is so gradual and subtle that it is 100% safe to do so and yet effective in giving me relief from any potential body aches.

In fact, that was my whole point about mechanical vs electric adjustments. With mechanical adjustments, it is nearly impossible to do subtle, smooth and very minor adjustments. The seat would just jump to different positions. In that case, there is no question of doing that while driving - that would be dangerous. But with electric seats, one can do such subtle, gradual and fine adjustments that adjusting those while driving is perfectly possible and quite safe too.

I do fair bit of long distance drives (2,000 kms in one direction) and I do the same every couple of hours of driving, I try and change the seat and steering position to avoid stiffening up of the body. It helps tremendously in managing the fatigue as muscles have memory and they start aching if you remain in one position for too long. With cruise control and better roads, this becomes even more critical to handle. Of course I never do it while driving. It's done at every pit stop but sometimes the micro adjustment of the seat back is done while driving by just giving the adjuster a nudge or two. I won't call it any riskier than adjusting audio or air con controls while driving.

[anb]

To me, the most useless feature is fully sealed LED headlight units. Many of the vehicles fitted with LED headlight has inadequate vision specially during rains and when there is on coming traffic. The owners have no option to upgrade the headlights. If it was halogen/projectors, at least we can upgrade to a better rate bulb or HID.