I Hate New Cars

[Jeff Higgins]

I have successfully avoided the modern age of computers on wheels until very recently. My wife and I recently purchased a new Subaru Outback. Having skipped a couple of generations (this replaced her 2008 Outback), I found myself ill prepared for this new driving experience.

An electronic disclaimer appears upon startup, reminding the driver that driving can be dangerous and other related factoids. One must "agree", each and every time, or one does not get to drive.

Even though it's an automatic, one's foot must be on the brake, the parking brake on, in neutral, and seatbelt fastened to start it. I can get behind the old clutch lockout (my Boxster has one), but really?

At the airport the other day, I quick pulled over to the curbside drop-off to let her out. She went to grab her bags from the back. It wouldn't open. I thought "duh, it's in drive, with my foot on the brake", so I put it in park. No Bueno, wouldn't open. So I thought "Shirley, it's the parking brake" and engaged it. Nope. Had to shut the damn thing off just to open the tailgate.

On the way home, I found myself in bumper to bumper (Seattle...) traffic. The God Damned auto shut off / restart had reengaged since I had to shut the engine off at the airport (I hate this feature, and turn it off every time I get in the car, even though it supposedly "remembers" me). I had simply forgotten at the busy airport.

Apparently, Daniel Riccardo is not "the last of the late brakers". That would be me. That infernal alarm and auto brake system went off way too many times on my way home in traffic, long before I was even mildly interested in applying my brakes.

I could go on and on, but you get the point. Total culture shock to a guy who has never bought any four wheeled vehicle for himself that was not at least 30 years old at the time, other than my decidedly "analog" Boxster. I'll stick with that, my '93 Land Cruiser, and my '72 911, thank you very much.

[Eric Hahl]

Ummm, everything you just said is wrong. Well, almost everything. Sorry.

The screen displays a disclamer...it does not prevent you from driving and will go away in a few seconds.

Yes, all cars require "foot on brake" to start now.

Tailgate was locked, hit the un-lock button on your armrest. No need to shut off vehicle.

The auto start/stop does suck. Wish it had a physical button to just disengage and stay there. Resetting every time sucks.

Brake warning and such can be shut off in the menu and remain off even after restart.

[Eric Hahl]

But yes, the nanny features suck for sure.

[Zeke]

Thank you for the thread. Not that I would buy a new car, but good to know that my generation does not need a babysitter.

[GH85Carrera]

My 1985 911 will happily start up while in gear with me outside the car at hitting the key. I am smart enough to never do that. I have started it from outside the car by reaching in and hitting the ignition, but I am always 100% certain it is in neutral.

My wife's 2017 Macan has the ability to do the engine shutoff at every stop. It is easy to program the key to never do that.

Yea, no doubt new cars are engineered for the lowest possible idiot that gets behind the wheel. Backup cameras are DOT required, like tire pressure monitors because turning your head and looking in mirrors is too hard, and looking at the tires regularly is beyond the ability of idiot drivers.

[MMARSH]

Surprised most of that stuff can't be turned off.

I absolutely hate the auto stop feature. I wish I could permanently disable it...But now my routine is hit the start button, then immediately hit the disable button. It's a pain. But I'm used to it now I guess.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Eric Hahl

Ummm, everything you just said is wrong. Well, almost everything. Sorry.

Hah hah, I'm sure it is. I'll have to take your word for it, since I'm so grossly incompetent in the operation of this thing. I just don't have enough "stick time" in it yet. I'm sure, in time, all of this will become second nature.

In line at SeaTac Airport, with everyone behind us impatiently honking, was no place to begin to familiarize myself with its various systems. And, no, the "unlock" button on the driver's armrest did not unlock the tailgate. My Land Cruiser has one of those, I'm well familiar with it. Maybe I just hit it at the wrong sequence, like when it was still in "drive" with my foot on the brake. Dunno. Pretty frustrating, and embarrassing, though, especially with so many... ahem... "patient" travelers getting dropped off around us...

Why can't there be just a general nanny systems shutdown option? Maybe an "old farts" mode? Something that returns it to how cars used to be? Hell, I would even click on the electronic waiver on the dashboard every time just to have that option.

[Scott Douglas]

RTFM, Jeff. RTFM.



I will never buy a new car that has crap like that in it.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by MMARSH

Surprised most of that stuff can't be turned off.

I absolutely hate the auto stop feature. I wish I could permanently disable it...But now my routine is hit the start button, then immediately hit the disable button. It's a pain. But I'm used to it now I guess.

Oh, I'm sure it can all be turned off. I just need to work my way through and figure out how. I've got the auto shutdown disable down pat, at least when I'm not being honked at at an airport.

The key fob allows it to "remember" me. I would have hoped that I could permanently program my likes and dislikes, like the auto shutdown disable. I'm not saying I cannot, I just haven't figured out how just yet. I can't imagine scrolling through the menus each and every time to set everything how I like it. How is that "remembering" me? So far, it looks like seat and mirror adjustments are all it "remembers".

[unclebilly]

I hate some of these features on my new tundra. Oddly, I don’t mind the start stop engine thing on this vehicle, that’s the nature of how a hybrid works.

The slamming on the brakes if I open the door backing up pisses me off. I guess the cameras are supposed to be the answer but they get dirty in Canadian winters…

Also don’t like not being able to open the tailgate if the truck is locked.

The auto brake feature is good, though it only did it once when some azzhat cut me off in traffic. Probably saved an accident.

[pwd72s]

Car features thought up by a bureaucracy...not mechanics or engineers. Tabs is right, we are "domed".

However, I do like the back up camera on Cindy's Camry.

[sc_rufctr]

Weirdly my friend can't turn off the radio in her newish (Chinese made) truck... It turns on at a set volume every time she starts it up.

I looked deep into the menus but no joy. This one feature has me stumped.

[Robert Coats]

Yeah, new cars stink.

How about these used deals (from a 60s newspaper ad) ?

[speeder]

Backup cameras are a 100% benefit. I can't believe that anyone would complain about one, just don't look at it if it bothers you? At any rate, it's an additional safety feature and any good driver will also use the mirrors and their eye sight to see where they are going, not just the camera. Backup cameras can absolutely save the life of a small child or animal behind your rear and could have prevented countless tragedies since the invention of the automobile.

Some of the other features can be annoying but they are all able to be cancelled in the new cars I've rented and the one I now own. The worst by far was the *active lane monitor* or whatever they call it on a Hyundai. I pulled onto an entrance lane of a highway with a big white strip painted on the right, (but still with a car width on the other side of it at least), when I veered over the line, the steering wheel started fighting me and trying to drive the car itself. That was a little unsettling.

I pulled over and disabled all of that **** immediately. As for door locks and trunk locks, every Manufacturer has their own way of handling that. You just need to learn your own car...no different than it ever was.

[Jeff Higgins]

I absolutely love the backup camera. To the point where if one were available to easily add to my other cars, I would strongly consider doing so.

[john70t]

Mine lights up like a hockey stadium, starts gong-ing when dog or groceries is in passenger seat, and keeps going more urgently like I didn't hear it the first time, flashes and gongs "transmission not in park", "engine is on", leaves lights and radio on etc. I don't want a machine smarter than me.

[KFC911]

I only shop at "Cars for Coots"

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by scott douglas

rtfm, jeff. Rtfm.



I will never buy a new car that has crap like that in it.

glwt

[LWJ]

Driving a friend’s newish Acura SUV a few years back was a similar experience. All the alarms and other weird crap almost caused me to wreck.

I get it. Heck, I even hated all the electronic junk in my E36!

[KFC911]

I hang on to my F150 ... though I look occasionally.

I want a 2-door with a 6.5' bed, that's not ginormous compared to my current one... and MUST not be white

Nothing new or recent fits my criteria ... needle in a haystack.

Wonder if Lamont's truck is available