Complicated Gadgets

[#1]

I've just taken my son's VW Passat into the dealer's for it's service while he's on honeymoon.
He dropped himself and his SWMBO off at the airport yesterday and I brought his car back to mine.
I sat in the car this morning outside my house for 5 minutes trying to work out how to start the thing.
I had pushed the lump of a key into a hole in the dash and everything lit up but the engine.
I tried tentatively pressing various buttons and finally spotted a message on the dash information screen "Depress clutch to start engine"
Now, come on, who in their right mind would have thought of that. I had pressed the clutch once but not for long enough apparently.
What's wrong with a simple insert key and twist.
He found it very funny when I sent him a text this morning.

[#2]

Do they still have the electric handbrake ?

[#3]

That was another thing, reaching for the handbrake and finding none
I did like the cruise control on the way back up the M1 through the 50mph endless road works.
Take it up to 50, hit the button and relax.

[#4]

Quote from: Strat

Take it up to 50, hit the button and ...

Up to? 

[#5]

Well you know how it is.
As soon as you hit the road works and speed limit markers everyone (almost everyone) brakes and traffic slows to a crawl until everyone sorts themselves out at which time you could be doing 30.
Even with no road works most of the M1 is speed restricted simply by the amount of traffic.

[#6]

Also a problem with hire cars, working out how to start and to release/apply handbrake. The other problem is headlights, some cars have automatic lights so dip headlights switch on when needed but you driving along and it's completely dark and you want to switch on the headlights so you move the stork and nothing happens and after trying multiple things then finding the actual light switch you move this from automatic to lights on then the headlights work. Why do this?

[#7]

We get a new car every 6 months and it is usually pretty high end with all the toys so my wife tends to stick with one manufacturer as it is quicker to learn how to use the bits on it 
We went for a Mazda 6 this time (normally have a VAG car) and it took a bit of getting used to. There is a useful function on it which limits the speed rather than cruise control so you can drive normally in roadworks but not worry about exceeding the limit.

[#8]

My Ford CMax has one of the new fangled Radio keys that has no hole to plug it into - just have it in a pocket.  The engine start is a Push button on the Console.  Other features are controlled by a multitude of buttons or even Voice Control.
Had to sit reading the Manual for several hours before doing anything more than A to B in daylight 
M

[#9]

Quote from: MauriceC

My Ford CMax has one of the new fangled Radio keys that has no hole to plug it into - just have it in a pocket

These are a serious headache for Fiesta ST, Focus ST & RS owner's.
There is a serious security flaw in Ford's system allowing someone with the right equipment to drive the car of in under a minute.
The factory alarm, deadlocks & immobiliser are totally useless as the unprotected EOBD port is the weak leak yet again just like it was with BMW.

[#10]

you mean the much reported case of people buying a certain brand of RC car because it's signals could defeat a beemer's security in 5 seconds ?  or the one about how using an all in one remote with the right code would allow you to unlock and drive them ?
its not going to change because the vehicle manufacturers buy the same cheap OTS parts as the other manufacturers do when building there products, but then again you expect that with a bit of old tin n board not so much with the priceier motors like bmw

[#11]

Nope neither of those, the car thieves are going for fast Ford's now that have keyless entry fitted as they have found a serious flaw & a very easy way to bypass the factory security system.
The alarm, deadlocks & immobiliser are basically useless, it's the unprotected EOBD port that's the weak link.
Even the fast Ford's with old fashioned keys have the same flaw but the mechanical steering lock slows the thief down.

[#12]

Older cars (very much older cars) could be "hacked" with various remote devices, code grabbers and learning remote controls but I very much doubt you'll find a new car with such easy to exploit flaws.
Being able to order or program keys, transponders and fobs from the VIN number of the car (which is displayed in the windscreen of most cars) has made it easier in other ways ......
Having control of almost every vehicle system via the OBD port makes it pretty simple for modern day hackers / thieves who know what they are doing with access to the right equipment.

[#13]

SWMBO has a toyoto yaris, the engine will not start unless you keep the clutch pedal pressed to the floor.
My own car, a Honda locks itself if you are out of the car for more than 2 minutes.
I Guess there are advantages and disadvantages, certainly a disadvantage if you dont know these things.
Once had a Ford focus and it was some time before I realised that to open the bonnet the key went in the lock on the front of the bonnet.

[#14]

Apart from the poor heater I'd love to have another Morris 1000 Traveller.
Can't say it had any super duper gadgets though it did have a separate button to start the car, whoopee.
Well not strictly a button as you had to pull it.

[#15]

I had to do an airport run witrh a hire car years ago in the middle of the night. It was a vauxhall zafira. Do you think I could find the bl**dy headlights? No way. Then I found it was a little rotary switch to the right of the steering wheel on the dash 
Whatever happened to light switches on the stalk? - you can't beat those!