Well our old one is finally on its last legs with what is probably a
dodgy alternator but they aren't quite sure and it's not really worth
possibly fixing it due to the age of the car vs. the cost. Kinda
annoying as although it's almost twenty years old it only has 50,000
miles on the clock. Enter stage left the used but only a year and a half
old one.

Feck me it's like sitting behind a computer with all the controls and
displays it has. The navigation, entertainment and communications
owner's manual is eighty pages long. Do the really think I'm going to
read all of that. The amusing part is that the standard owner's manual
spends four pages explaining how to put petrol in it. So someone is
going to understand all the complications of the location services but
doesn't know what that round flap is for.

On the plus side it does have some niceties such as displaying the
actual speed limit in case you've missed the sign, not having to take
the key out of your pocket to start it and the top of my list - user
profiles so you can have the wing mirrors and AC adjusted to how you
like them. Now if only we could get a toilet seat that does the same.

The less said about warning me that my small rucksack in the passenger
seat isn't wearing a seat belt the better. Oh and there's an app because
of course there is.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 8/1/2024 4:52 AM, JAB wrote:

Well our old one is finally on its last legs with what is probably a
dodgy alternator but they aren't quite sure and it's not really worth possibly fixing it due to the age of the car vs. the cost. Kinda
annoying as although it's almost twenty years old it only has 50,000
miles on the clock. Enter stage left the used but only a year and a half
old one.

Feck me it's like sitting behind a computer with all the controls and displays it has. The navigation, entertainment and communications
owner's manual is eighty pages long. Do the really think I'm going to
read all of that. The amusing part is that the standard owner's manual
spends four pages explaining how to put petrol in it. So someone is
going to understand all the complications of the location services but doesn't know what that round flap is for.

On the plus side it does have some niceties such as displaying the
actual speed limit in case you've missed the sign, not having to take
the key out of your pocket to start it and the top of my list - user
profiles so you can have the wing mirrors and AC adjusted to how you
like them. Now if only we could get a toilet seat that does the same.

The less said about warning me that my small rucksack in the passenger
seat isn't wearing a seat belt the better. Oh and there's an app because
of course there is.

Re: The App. That's so you can change settings on your car as you are
driving illegally using your phone. Because EVERYTHING is done via
phone app now.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 01/08/2024 14:31, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

There is, slowly but finally, some pushback to this design philosophy,
with some cars coming with more dedicated buttons. But it's not
enough.

This one is ok as the AC and dehumidifier do have their own little push
button panel/knobs.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 8/1/2024 4:52 AM, JAB wrote:

Well our old one is finally on its last legs with what is probably a
dodgy alternator but they aren't quite sure and it's not really worth possibly fixing it due to the age of the car vs. the cost. Kinda
annoying as although it's almost twenty years old it only has 50,000
miles on the clock. Enter stage left the used but only a year and a half
old one.

You sure it's more costly to fix/replace the alternator (not to mention
if they aren't sure on the alternator you should use a different mechanic.)

Sounds like it's too late anyway.

Feck me it's like sitting behind a computer with all the controls and displays it has. The navigation, entertainment and communications
owner's manual is eighty pages long. Do the really think I'm going to
read all of that. The amusing part is that the standard owner's manual
spends four pages explaining how to put petrol in it. So someone is
going to understand all the complications of the location services but doesn't know what that round flap is for.

On the plus side it does have some niceties such as displaying the
actual speed limit in case you've missed the sign, not having to take
the key out of your pocket to start it and the top of my list - user
profiles so you can have the wing mirrors and AC adjusted to how you
like them. Now if only we could get a toilet seat that does the same.

The less said about warning me that my small rucksack in the passenger
seat isn't wearing a seat belt the better. Oh and there's an app because
of course there is.

I had to replace my car of 12 years because someone plowed into the rear
end in Jan while I was at a red light. It was getting pretty long in
the tooth, but was still working before that. Actually it was still
working, but the back end was crumpled in pretty far and the hatch
wouldn't open, that would've cost far more than the car was worth to
fix. I suppose I could've kept using it without the back hatch, but
could be other issues I didn't see. Something wrong with the driver
seat too, it was extremely uncomfortable.

My new car has all that crap in it too. Fortunately it has buttons for AC/heat, but changing radio stations or setting clock is deep in the
menus, and I still haven't figured out how to use the cruise control.

The one thing I really like is it has a bunch of safety features, backup
camera and collision detection, it even detects if you're backing out of
a spot or driveway and someone is coming a hundred feet or so.

--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> looked up from reading the entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
say:

On Thu, 1 Aug 2024 12:52:29 +0100, JAB <noway@nochance.com> wrote:

Well our old one is finally on its last legs with what is probably a
dodgy alternator but they aren't quite sure and it's not really worth >>possibly fixing it due to the age of the car vs. the cost. Kinda
annoying as although it's almost twenty years old it only has 50,000
miles on the clock. Enter stage left the used but only a year and a half >>old one.

Feck me it's like sitting behind a computer with all the controls and >>displays it has. The navigation, entertainment and communications
owner's manual is eighty pages long. Do the really think I'm going to
read all of that. The amusing part is that the standard owner's manual >>spends four pages explaining how to put petrol in it. So someone is
going to understand all the complications of the location services but >>doesn't know what that round flap is for.

On the plus side it does have some niceties such as displaying the
actual speed limit in case you've missed the sign, not having to take
the key out of your pocket to start it and the top of my list - user >>profiles so you can have the wing mirrors and AC adjusted to how you
like them. Now if only we could get a toilet seat that does the same.

The less said about warning me that my small rucksack in the passenger
seat isn't wearing a seat belt the better. Oh and there's an app because
of course there is.

Modern cars annoy me with their reliance on flat-panel displays to
control almost everything. I get why this is; not only does it look
'flashy' and 'clean', but it's also a lot cheaper to just use a single >touch-screen display rather than the dozens of buttons we used to
have. It's also easier to embed a lot of extra functions without
needing to rework the dashboard for the new controls.

and of course it's impossible to not drive distracted to change fucking anything with this system instead of the old buttons an knobs on
everything.

Want Ac, delve in menus, want heat, delve in menus, want to change radio station , delve in menus.


Literally _designed_ to distract the driver, along with the "oh look
we're scrolling the band and song name on the front of the fucking
radio" bullshit.

But it's just so damned inconvenient to use. Everything always seems
to be hidden two or three menus deep, making for slow and cumbersome >navigation. And forget doing it while you're driving; you can't afford
to take your eyes off the road that long! Old-fashioned cars, you'd
just memorize where the button to turn on the radio or the defroster
and muscle memory would take it from there, but with touch-screen
displays you need stare at the stupid screen. It's aggravating and
dangerous.

Indeed, everything at your fingertips, but that's not longer, sleek,
svelte and modern, so hey, just drive into the back of a dump truck
trying to turn the fucking heat up while not parked.

There is, slowly but finally, some pushback to this design philosophy,
with some cars coming with more dedicated buttons. But it's not
enough.

And don't even get me started on the embedded tracking and
data-collection used by car-manufacturers (and insurance companies,
and law enforcement) to spy on drivers. It's positively dystopian.

this has recently been touted as a feature to save you money, if you
know, you are the perfect driver according to the insurance companies,
and are never surprised by, oh I dunno, a kid chasing a ball between
parked cars for which you calm on the brakes to avoid killing them
(flagged as, heavy breaking, inattentive driver, increase premium.)

Xocyll

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 8/1/2024 12:42 PM, Justisaur wrote:

On 8/1/2024 4:52 AM, JAB wrote:

Well our old one is finally on its last legs with what is probably a
dodgy alternator but they aren't quite sure and it's not really worth
possibly fixing it due to the age of the car vs. the cost. Kinda
annoying as although it's almost twenty years old it only has 50,000
miles on the clock. Enter stage left the used but only a year and a
half old one.

You sure it's more costly to fix/replace the alternator (not to mention
if they aren't sure on the alternator you should use a different mechanic.)

Sounds like it's too late anyway.

Feck me it's like sitting behind a computer with all the controls and
displays it has. The navigation, entertainment and communications
owner's manual is eighty pages long. Do the really think I'm going to
read all of that. The amusing part is that the standard owner's manual
spends four pages explaining how to put petrol in it. So someone is
going to understand all the complications of the location services but
doesn't know what that round flap is for.

On the plus side it does have some niceties such as displaying the
actual speed limit in case you've missed the sign, not having to take
the key out of your pocket to start it and the top of my list - user
profiles so you can have the wing mirrors and AC adjusted to how you
like them. Now if only we could get a toilet seat that does the same.

The less said about warning me that my small rucksack in the passenger
seat isn't wearing a seat belt the better. Oh and there's an app
because of course there is.

I had to replace my car of 12 years because someone plowed into the rear
end in Jan while I was at a red light.  It was getting pretty long in
the tooth, but was still working before that. Actually it was still
working, but the back end was crumpled in pretty far and the hatch
wouldn't open, that would've cost far more than the car was worth to
fix.

This last bit always bothers me. The cost that you should be comparing
the repair costs to is "how much will it cost me to _replace_ my car".
The "more than the car is worth" line is a sales pitch to push you into
buying a NEW car and is not coming from a place of wanting to actually
help you save money.


--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 02/08/2024 01:54, Dimensional Traveler wrote:

I had to replace my car of 12 years because someone plowed into the
rear end in Jan while I was at a red light.  It was getting pretty
long in the tooth, but was still working before that. Actually it was
still working, but the back end was crumpled in pretty far and the
hatch wouldn't open, that would've cost far more than the car was
worth to fix.

This last bit always bothers me.  The cost that you should be comparing
the repair costs to is "how much will it cost me to _replace_ my car".
The "more than the car is worth" line is a sales pitch to push you into buying a NEW car and is not coming from a place of wanting to actually
help you save money.

I view it as that's an element but also for this it was thinking about
what may happen in the next few years. My thoughts are it's going to
develop into somewhat of a money pit as I already know there's a problem
with the brake servo which will eventually fail. What else is going to
go wrong in that time, my guess is at least a few things due to its age.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 01/08/2024 20:42, Justisaur wrote:

Well our old one is finally on its last legs with what is probably a
dodgy alternator but they aren't quite sure and it's not really worth
possibly fixing it due to the age of the car vs. the cost. Kinda
annoying as although it's almost twenty years old it only has 50,000
miles on the clock. Enter stage left the used but only a year and a
half old one.

You sure it's more costly to fix/replace the alternator (not to mention
if they aren't sure on the alternator you should use a different mechanic.)

Sounds like it's too late anyway.

Obviously the new car cost more so it really came down to is it worth
spending £500-£600 pounds when it may not fix the problem and even if it does, due to its age how long will it be before something else goes
wrong and it's more money.

The garage I first took it to I've used for years and do trust them. It
was them that said they think it could be the alternator but they aren't
making any promises. It was also their suggestion to take it to the main
dealer as they should have more specialised knowledge about the car.
They seemed more confident that it was the alternator but still weren't
making any promises.

The current plan is just to keep on driving it until it finally gives up
as it does work but the battery warning light starts coming on for a few seconds after driving for about fifteen minutes then it goes off for
maybe thirty seconds and repeat. If you then stop the car for an hour or
two it's then fine until about fifteen minutes later and back to the
same cycle.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)