Your Fave Car Gizmo ?

[Roland Butter]

Was it manual?

No, Auto, it was an XF Prestige 2.0D which is the base model I think.

 

[vanpeebles]

Diesel powered heater (no not the engine)

 

[labcoattech]

Power steering

 

[kurosagi01]

Snail power and heated seats.

 

[TheVoice]

Doesn't every single auto light system do this?

Nope.

 

[paintguy]

Gobsmacked at the number of people mentioning heated seats, I can't stand them. I drive hundreds of different cars through work and they are the first thing I turn off if they've been left switched on. That warm feeling like I've wet myself isn't pleasant at all.

My car has very few modern gizmos but the auto hold handbrake in the wifes Tiguan is pretty useful.

 

[mollymoo]

Remote preheating - still can't help but feel a bit smug stepping out of the front door and driving off straight away while the neighbours are all scraping off the ice.

Speed limiter - a godsend in the endless 50mph average speed limit on the M6

And one that my old civic had, but my current car doesn't (and I don't think many do ): rear seats which fold up, giving a really practical space in the back for transporting things upright, e.G. TVs, bikes, etc

I remember the "Magic Seats" in mt Civic, what a great idea.

 

[robj20]

Heated windscreen is still my must have feature almost anything else I wouldn't miss.

Gobsmacked at the number of people mentioning heated seats, I can't stand them. I drive hundreds of different cars through work and they are the first thing I turn off if they've been left switched on. That warm feeling like I've wet myself isn't pleasant at all.

My car has very few modern gizmos but the auto hold handbrake in the wifes Tiguan is pretty useful.

I'm not the only one then, hate heated seats not nice at all.

 

[HEADRAT]

Adaptive Cruise, I use it all the time (probably too much), couldn't have another car without it. Unfortunately it came as standard on my VW MK VII GTD but it a massively expensive "extra" on most other cars, eye watering on Audi/BMWs

 

[Yaayuh!]

Gobsmacked at the number of people mentioning heated seats, I can't stand them. I drive hundreds of different cars through work and they are the first thing I turn off if they've been left switched on. That warm feeling like I've wet myself isn't pleasant at all.

My car has very few modern gizmos but the auto hold handbrake in the wifes Tiguan is pretty useful.

I'm not gobsmacked by it, but i'm with you that i can't stand them. I've used a couple of times when my back's been aching, but that's it, can certainly do without heated seats and heated steering wheel.

 

[Django x2]

Interesting thread. I wonder where things will go next seeing as I've had most of the above for over a decade in one form or another

 

[labcoattech]

I'm surprised more cars don't have heads up displays

 

[Lopéz]

I've just picked up a Fiesta with a heated screen, and got used to how convenient it is very quickly. This is coming from someone who doesn't even see electric windows or central locking as a necessity

Not a fan of heated seats - they make me feel like I've done a big soft poo in my pants.

 

[<Dubz>]

I miss my Keyless entry / start from my megane RS250, especially with the card type key which just lived in my wallet. The heated seats were a bit to aggressive in it though.

My A45 doesn't have Keyless but with the number of Keyless cars getting stolen lately i'm not so sure it's a bad thing. Heated seats are better and better distributed. Despite the price tag the equipment level isn't that great.

 

[wolfie138]

more gizmos on my car than i've had on all my others put together, lol ~ i love the SD card music, i've got about 80 albums now instead of a passenger seat full of CDs, but i think my fave is the satnav, just for the ball ache it's saved me when travelling afar to concerts etc, especially when a junction/slip road etc has been closed and forced a detour. how i fondly remember the days of scouring maps and writing a route on paper only to find roadworks or such like buggering up the plan and leading to panic and fury

 

[shadow_boxer]

Gizmo's? My E46 doesn't even know what they are!!

 

[Roland Butter]

I'm surprised more cars don't have heads up displays

I must say they are of no practical value or a safety feature, an expensive gimmick, how long does it take to to glance down to the speedo then back up on the road ?
I'd happily trade in my HUD for Global Closing or Adaptive Headlights [ they swivel to illuminate when cornering ] which my car lacks

 

[robj20]

Interesting thread. I wonder where things will go next seeing as I've had most of the above for over a decade in one form or another

I hope cars get that ultrasonic technology that basically means rain doesn't touch your windscreen so you don't need wipers on at all.

Why don't we have heated side windows at least the fronts.

Probably see auto limiters on more cars.

Cameras that replace all the mirrors.

Junction cameras on more cars the ones that look out from your front bumper left and right.

 

[ahar]

Personal fav, small but great
- Clip on the windscreen for parking tickets, not seen many cars outside of Volvo that have these, so handy

My Octavia has one - surprisingly useful

But the best has to be Android Auto - linking Sat Nav, music, podcasts etc all seamlessly into the car entertainment system is fantastic and hugely extends its useful life. Its good enough that I'd never consider a BMW for my main family car as they only support Apple CarPlay.

 

[Skidder]

Not a gizmo as such but pano roof. Last 2 cars have had it, wasn't fussed before I tried but I love the light.

Love being able to set max speed particularly when driving long distances where can tend to creep up.

Auto headlights. Every time I rent or borrow a car without it I miss it