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[Varche]

I have the luxury of being able to start my old car up and leave it running to warm interior or cool it down safe in the knowledge that no one will nick it where we live. I even leave it running when i go to collect the post but i do crack the window in case it locks itself!

Cant do maverick things with a modern car. Open drivers door to see how close an object/kerb is and drive is disabled and parking brake applied. Not easy either starting engine to cool interior when you return to your car and it is 1000deg c inside while you then wait in the shade.

In fact i am beginning to think that some features are naff. Auto rain sensors? Auto light sensors? Hill start and electronic handbrake.

What modern features do you think are good?

[Nick W]

I have the luxury of being able to start my old car up and leave it running to warm interior or cool it down safe in the knowledge that no one will nick it where we live. I even leave it running when i go to collect the post but i do crack the window in case it locks itself!

Cant do maverick things with a modern car. Open drivers door to see how close an object/kerb is and drive is disabled and parking brake applied. Not easy either starting engine to cool interior when you return to your car and it is 1000deg c inside while you then wait in the shade.

In fact i am beginning to think that some features are naff. Auto rain sensors? Auto light sensors? Hill start and electronic handbrake.

What modern features do you think are good?

electric starter motors are quite high up the list

[TheBoy]

Direction indicators. Optional on all german idiot marques

[TheBoy]

As to bad habits caused by modern gadgets, I'm guilty of reversing sensors - I just glance the mirrors and listen, rather than looking over shoulder. And satnav, I rarely even look at maps before going on a long route, just rely on the technology

 

[biggriffin]

Rubber tyres.

[BazaJT]

Pneumatic or solid bg? One of the most useless I've come across is the reversing camera to be specific the one fitted to some models of the Citroen C1

[ronnyd]

Tyre pressure sensors, can,t we bother to use a gauge.? Ok whilst running i suppose.

[Bigron]

My first car (NOT from new!) was a 1938 Morris 12 and it had a starter motor, and because the starters were so reliable back then, it also had a starting handle which poperated in a dog on the end of the crank pulley - remember them? 

Ron.

[ronnyd]

Yes Ron, if you didn,t hold em right and the bugger kicked back you ended up with a broken thumb.

[Toledodude1973]

I had a hillman minx in the early 80's and remember stalling in a queue of traffic and having to get out and crank it over in full view of many other "modern" motorists .....embarrassing or what

[Varche]

I think the last car i owned with a starting handle to supplement the battery was a Wolsey 16/60. That was about 1977. 

Are tyre pressure sensors a must have? How hard is it to check them at a garage and have a look for blebs or cuts at the same time.

[Viral_Jim]

Are tyre pressure sensors a must have? How hard is it to check them at a garage and have a look for blebs or cuts at the same time.

Legal requirement for the yanks. The rest of us get them as an unfortunate side effect. The ones in the Yeti can be set off by big pot holes. 

[pauls]

Wifes got tyres pressure sensors on her bmw stupid thing is you can only check them while you are driving. Which means you have to take your eyes off the road and fiddle with the controls

[Lizzie Zoom]

Automatic chokes, radio's and carpets

[Viral_Jim]

Automatic chokes, radio's and carpets

My first car had a manual choke. 1991 1.3 ford escort 3 door estate. Guessing it was one of the last.