Dog's thread about his HUD got me thinking about "useful/useless" car features. So I wanted to get folks' opinions on what they found to be must have and an IDK (or even annoying) feature.

I'll throw these out

Most useful: I've got to have heated seats. More for the back than the bum

Less useful (annoying): Auto shutoff. I used to take my car to the shop if it quit when I stopped; now I have to pay extra for it.

Most useful: I'm going to agree with you on the heated seats. Once you have them you can't go back.

Most useless: The damn automatic windows piss me off. I want them to stop where I want them to.

Useful: back up camera.

Useless: back seat. Gimme cargo space dammit.

(07-29-2022, 06:16 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Most useful: I'm going to agree with you on the heated seats. Once you have them you can't go back.

Most useless: The damn automatic windows piss me off. I want them to stop where I want them to.

I actually like the auto-up. What I hate is when I hit it, then open the door and the window stops

Yeah, Heated seats are a must

(07-29-2022, 07:07 PM)BigPapaKain Wrote: Useful: back up camera.

Useless: back seat. Gimme cargo space dammit.

The backup camera is great but is a huge crutch. I cannot count the times I used to drive my truck and looked at my radio when I put it in reverse; because I'm was used to the cam in my other vehicles. The truck now has a stereo with a backup cam

I just got a new Silverado and it has HD surround cameras. The infotainment screen shows everything around you as you park. Look it up, it is awesome.

Useless item: paddle shifters.

Useful: Gotta agree with heated seats. Remote start (hate how Hyundai has an app subscription for it though) is great in both summer and winter.

Is being Eletric a feature? Don't think I'll ever go back to gas.

Useless: push button folding seats. Really not a big deal to fold em down yourself. Auto tailgate. Doesn't even work half the time. Sun/moonroof. Literally touched the button for the first time in a year and 4 month to show my son. Otherwise always shut.

Useful: Remote lock/unlock
Useless: RPM gauge

Useful: Auto start - a must have when you live in Alaska.
Useless: Night dimmer switch thingy on the rear view mirror. The first thing you do after flicking the switch is adjust the mirror so just cut out step one and adjust your mirror.

(07-30-2022, 02:20 AM)guyofthetiger Wrote: Useful: Remote lock/unlock
Useless: RPM gauge

Couldn't disagree with you more on this one.

Great way to see that your engine and/or transmission are starting to not function properly, also a great way to check your speed if you've had the vehicle more than a short time.  I had a spedometer cable break on a car once and was able to tell my speed based on the RPM and what gear I was in.  2250 RPM in 5th gear meant I was going 60.  Half of that meant 30.  Double the RPM and the PoPo were chasing me!


For current vehicles:

Useful:
Mine: Keyless Entry Key Pad - lock and unlock without having keys on me is used regularly, from throwing something in the car for later to leaving something in the car by mistake.  I hate having keys in my pocket, so I look forward to leaving them in the house as soon as I get home.
Hers: Heated Seats.

Useless:
Mine: Roof rack.  A full sized SUV with a V8 and the factory roof rack can only hold 80 pounds.  Aftermarket racks from Thule and Yakima or other brands can hold double that.  You can fit a 2 boat kayak holder onto my roof rack, but chances are it will only hold the weight of a single boat.  So dumb.
Hers: Remote start.  Toyota factory remote start only works from 20 or so feet, and that is if it is unobstructed.  And once it is started, it will shut off the moment any door is opened.  We literally never use it because your already at the car for it to be in range, and then you have to start it again to drive the thing so why bother.

(07-29-2022, 11:19 PM)Destro Wrote: I just got a new Silverado and it has HD surround cameras. The infotainment screen shows everything around you as you park. Look it up, it is awesome.

Useless item: paddle shifters.

Gotta agree on the paddle shifters. The only time I ever used mine was when I hit one by accident.

Also, shout out to remote start and lock/unlock. 

A feature I didn't think I'd miss is the power liftgate. My current SUV doesn't have it and I never realized how convenient it was. Never again

Most useful has to be the rear camera. When I have to drive my wife's car, which has no camera, I feel like I'm leaving the house without pants. Honorable mention goes to the nav system. I love being able to put in an address and be directed there. I just have to remember to disable it until I have left familiar surroundings. And, for the record, I like the auto shut off for the long light cycles. Two minutes of burning gas at intersection after intersection adds up over time. For quick stops, admittedly, it can be a little annoying.

Most useless is the collision alert system. It has a hair trigger, so I can be driving 26 mph on a residential street, and it will (on rare occasions) freak out when I get nowhere near a parked car.

I've never owned one with the projected HUD on the windshield, but thought it was the most gimmicky thing ever when I drove one.

(07-30-2022, 10:55 AM)jfkbengals Wrote: Couldn't disagree with you more on this one.

Great way to see that your engine and/or transmission are starting to not function properly, also a great way to check your speed if you've had the vehicle more than a short time.  I had a spedometer cable break on a car once and was able to tell my speed based on the RPM and what gear I was in.  2250 RPM in 5th gear meant I was going 60.  Half of that meant 30.  Double the RPM and the PoPo were chasing me!


For current vehicles:

Useful:
Mine: Keyless Entry Key Pad - lock and unlock without having keys on me is used regularly, from throwing something in the car for later to leaving something in the car by mistake.  I hate having keys in my pocket, so I look forward to leaving them in the house as soon as I get home.
Hers: Heated Seats.

Useless:
Mine: Roof rack.  A full sized SUV with a V8 and the factory roof rack can only hold 80 pounds.  Aftermarket racks from Thule and Yakima or other brands can hold double that.  You can fit a 2 boat kayak holder onto my roof rack, but chances are it will only hold the weight of a single boat.  So dumb.
Hers: Remote start.  Toyota factory remote start only works from 20 or so feet, and that is if it is unobstructed.  And once it is started, it will shut off the moment any door is opened.  We literally never use it because your already at the car for it to be in range, and then you have to start it again to drive the thing so why bother.

That remote start was clutch when I had to park my car in the street because the ex got the garage.  When we'd get 10 inches of snow, I could stand at the window, start it up and let it start warming while I got dressed.  By the time I got out there (or finished shoveling the driveway), the snow on the car came right off.  Second to that was the heated mirrors, because I could clean them without bumping them out of position.  That was my most useful feature until I got divorced and have my own house so I never park outside.  

Now I'd say most useful is the rear camera.  Needless but makes me happy is the double sun roof that spans most of the car.  

Useless?  All of the different driving modes.  I either want FWD or AWD.  I don't need the other modes to drop my kids at dance or get groceries or drive into the mountains for a hike.  

I am team heated steering wheel. The heated seats are nice, but the heated steering wheel on a cold winter day is next level.

Auto start/stop is so stupid. I mean I get it from an "emissions" standpoint, but there have been times where I've literally thought about modding my car so I don't have to push that stupid button to disable it every time I get in the car.

(07-30-2022, 10:55 AM)jfkbengals Wrote: Couldn't disagree with you more on this one.

Great way to see that your engine and/or transmission are starting to not function properly, also a great way to check your speed if you've had the vehicle more than a short time.  I had a spedometer cable break on a car once and was able to tell my speed based on the RPM and what gear I was in.  2250 RPM in 5th gear meant I was going 60.  Half of that meant 30.  Double the RPM and the PoPo were chasing me!


For current vehicles:

Useful:
Mine: Keyless Entry Key Pad - lock and unlock without having keys on me is used regularly, from throwing something in the car for later to leaving something in the car by mistake.  I hate having keys in my pocket, so I look forward to leaving them in the house as soon as I get home.
Hers: Heated Seats.

Useless:
Mine: Roof rack.  A full sized SUV with a V8 and the factory roof rack can only hold 80 pounds.  Aftermarket racks from Thule and Yakima or other brands can hold double that.  You can fit a 2 boat kayak holder onto my roof rack, but chances are it will only hold the weight of a single boat.  So dumb.
Hers: Remote start.  Toyota factory remote start only works from 20 or so feet, and that is if it is unobstructed.  And once it is started, it will shut off the moment any door is opened.  We literally never use it because your already at the car for it to be in range, and then you have to start it again to drive the thing so why bother.

I used to have a Ford Explorer and I LOVED the keypad. I would literally just keep my keys in the car at all times and use the keypad. Is that only a Ford thing and do they have some kind of patent on it? No idea why more automakers don't have this. 

(08-01-2022, 12:08 AM)CKwi88 Wrote: I've never owned one with the projected HUD on the windshield, but thought it was the most gimmicky thing ever when I drove one.

My Corvette has one and I love it. I like how you can keep an eye on your speed without taking your eyes off the road. 

(08-02-2022, 09:07 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: My Corvette has one and I love it. I like how you can keep an eye on your speed without taking your eyes off the road. 

That must be it. In my car I never have to worry about my speed .

(08-02-2022, 09:07 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: My Corvette has one and I love it. I like how you can keep an eye on your speed without taking your eyes off the road. 

My Pontiac Grand Prix 2000 GT had one.....   Loved that Heads up display... i cant imagine why its not a standard feature in cars it helps keep eyes on the road.

(08-02-2022, 04:36 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: My Pontiac Grand Prix 2000 GT had one.....   Loved that Heads up display... i cant imagine why its not a standard feature in cars it helps keep eyes on the road.

These are the same automakers that are now putting 40 inch smart screens on car dashboards... 

(08-02-2022, 04:44 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: These are the same automakers that are now putting 40 inch smart screens on car dashboards... 

LOL How can we keep drivers focused on the Road... I know add a TV on the front dash