Most useles piece of technology ever?

GXL078 · 10-08-2016, 05:56 AM

Stop/start. On a Mercedes GL 63 AMG, monster SUV. (FFS!) 6.3L V8 Bi Turbo and stop/start. I guess a turbo timer is not required these days.
But I suppose they need all the help they can to get through the emissions test, without doing what VW did.

I'll bet the new Mustang has it. Also has a great alarm that works the horn, just like grandad's HR Holden had 50 ago. How to I know this? It was the only alarm that went off at car show on the weekend.

malazn mafia · 10-08-2016, 06:48 AM

Agreed. Really don't know what idiot fool invented stop/start technology. Pretty sure the 2015 Mustang did not feature this wonderless technology.

OzJavelin · 10-08-2016, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Agreed. Really don't know what idiot fool invented stop/start technology. Pretty sure the 2015 Mustang did not feature this wonderless technology.

Lot of it doesnt directly relate to individual consumers, but lowers the overall manufacturers CAFE standard (total fuel consumption across their entire product range). A lot of this stuff isnt necessarily driven by "stupid" consumer requirements (which isnt really stupid to give consumers what they want .. albeit not necessarily need) but by regulatory ones ..

Sox · 10-08-2016, 07:34 AM

Climate control, automatic transmissions, traction control.

R12RT · 10-08-2016, 07:38 AM

I have to agree wiyh stop/start bring a waste of time.

I turn it off in my Mondeo.

I was stuck in traffic with the engine running. The trip computer was indicating that the car was using 0.5L/hr of diesel while idling. Therefore, I can save a whopping 60 cents per hour by using the stop/start.

I can only assume that the stop/start is there to reduce emmissions.

Yellow_Festiva · 10-08-2016, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R12RT

Therefore, I can save a whopping 60 cents per hour by using the stop/start.

60c per hr / salesperson on the rd may drive 8hrs a day = $4.80

Company with a fleet of 10 cars saves $48 a day.

Say said company works 220 days per year.

Saving of $10,560pa.

Yep.. totally useless technology.

Peter B - CV8 · 10-08-2016, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

60c per hr / salesperson on the rd may drive 8hrs a day = $4.80

Company with a fleet of 10 cars saves $48 a day.

Say said company works 220 days per year.

Saving of $10,560pa.

Yep.. totally useless technology.

But you're assuming an 8 hour fuel shut off period (ie the whole working day...) in reality it would probably be under half an hour = $0.30c per car, per day x 10 cars = $3- x 220 days = $660- per annum.

Franco Cozzo · 11-08-2016, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

60c per hr / salesperson on the rd may drive 8hrs a day = $4.80

Company with a fleet of 10 cars saves $48 a day.

Say said company works 220 days per year.

Saving of $10,560pa.

Yep.. totally useless technology.

Except when you gotta replace the battery and its $500 because all of a sudden its an AGM one specifically for stop start cars that no one carries in stock, not the regular sealed lead acid banger normal non stop/start cars have

So add in 8 hours wages lost per car when the car no longer starts and no one has stock

Sox · 11-08-2016, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Except when you gotta replace the battery and its $500 because all of a sudden its an AGM one specifically for stop start cars that no one carries in stock, not the regular sealed lead acid banger normal non stop/start cars have

So add in 8 hours wages lost per car when the car no longer starts and no one has stock

Yerp, plus the extra wear on starter motors.

Stop/start is just a gimmick and will likely go away in time.

Mercury Bullet · 11-08-2016, 07:15 PM

I believe the starter motor is also specifically built for start/stop.

More $$$ if it goes bang.

DBourne · 12-08-2016, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sox

Yerp, plus the extra wear on starter motors.

Stop/start is just a gimmick and will likely go away in time.

I thought the same as you, re: starter motors, but I read up on how it works and actually it doesn't put any stress on the starter motor.

Keeps 1 of the cylinders at just past TDC, then fires that one first when going to move away again and that kicks the engine to life.

Actually quite smart once I read about it..

Granted it would still annoy the hell out of me, but still.

**Beastie** · 11-08-2016, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

60c per hr / salesperson on the rd may drive 8hrs a day = $4.80

Company with a fleet of 10 cars saves $48 a day.

Say said company works 220 days per year.

Saving of $10,560pa.

Yep.. totally useless technology.

Whilst I understand your methodology, I'd be more worried about the lack of sales if all the reps are driving for 8 hours each day..

superyob · 10-08-2016, 07:48 AM

Twitter, facebook...

DBourne · 10-08-2016, 09:12 AM

Still stand by my hatred of auto wipers.

If you need help knowing it's raining, then you just need help full stop.

Ben73 · 10-08-2016, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBourne

Still stand by my hatred of auto wipers.

If you need help knowing it's raining, then you just need help full stop.

Auto wipers are awesome. Well they are in rain that keeps changing its speed, or if you keep stopping at traffic lights around town. At the lights the wipers slow to intermediate so you don't get the horrible noise, when take off they speed up to keep your vision clear. Changing wiper speed isn't hard, but it's pretty mundane and not something I enjoy doing.

I agree that stop start is a joke. Works great when you pull up to look for traffic at a roundabout, it's clear so you start to let off the brake just as the engine shuts down, so it restarts instantly and you get a 2 second delay from the time you let your foot off the brake until the time you get power to the wheels. Then you have to jump on the brakes again because another car is now coming around the roundabout. Happened to me in a Kuga loan car. After that I remembered to switch it off each time I started the car back up.

Mercury Bullet · 11-08-2016, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben73

I agree that stop start is a joke. Works great when you pull up to look for traffic at a roundabout, it's clear so you start to let off the brake just as the engine shuts down, so it restarts instantly and you get a 2 second delay from the time you let your foot off the brake until the time you get power to the wheels. Then you have to jump on the brakes again because another car is now coming around the roundabout. Happened to me in a Kuga loan car. After that I remembered to switch it off each time I started the car back up.

I had a Focus for a loan car once and first set of lights, the engine died.
I shat myself, had no idea what was going on.

I only read on here that it could be turned off. I eventually worked out that if you held the brakes ever so slightly at the lights it wouldn't shutdown.

I can understand why they would have it in a city car like a Focus, but a thumping great big AMG 4WD?

I don't like it though.

Rodp · 10-08-2016, 10:38 AM

Surprised the 'Polariser' hasn't been mentioned, yet.

auxr · 10-08-2016, 11:29 AM

Polariser - there ya go I said it

XB GS 351 Coupe · 10-08-2016, 11:38 AM

Front parking sensors

The first time I saw them I thought that if you need front parking sensors you probbaly should not be driving

GXL078 · 10-08-2016, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

Front parking sensors

The first time I saw them I thought that if you need front parking sensors you probbaly should not be driving

I think some of them work with the cruise control to allow safer tailgating.

2011G6E · 10-08-2016, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

Front parking sensors

The first time I saw them I thought that if you need front parking sensors you probbaly should not be driving

Honestly?
With a lot of new car styling and sloping invisible noses means you literally have no idea where the front of the car actually ends in tight spots? Best idea out.

XB GS 351 Coupe · 10-08-2016, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Honestly?
With a lot of new car styling and sloping invisible noses means you literally have no idea where the front of the car actually ends in tight spots? Best idea out.

Time to start catching the bus I guess, I have been driving for 30 years and never needed a front parking sensor, or a rear one at that...

Seriously if you don't know where your car or truck ends you should probably not be holding a drivers license.

XB GS 351 Coupe · 10-08-2016, 10:39 PM

Reclining bucket seats in a ute is another one that comes to mind

Yellow_Festiva · 10-08-2016, 02:56 PM

So only a saving of $6600 across ten cars? Yeah, hardly worth it ! Lol

Peter B - CV8 · 10-08-2016, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

So only a saving of $6600 across ten cars? Yeah, hardly worth it ! Lol

Umm - no mate. If you look closely you'll see that I calculated my figures for 10 cars. oh yeah, ROFL

R12RT · 10-08-2016, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

So only a saving of $6600 across ten cars? Yeah, hardly worth it ! Lol

Yeah. But I have only one car...

NX74205 · 10-08-2016, 03:48 PM

Automatic transmission.

superyob · 10-08-2016, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NX74205

Automatic transmission.

I am offended and outraged at your trans-phobia!!!

Junkyard-Dog · 10-08-2016, 03:01 PM

selfie sticks, smart phones, nuclear weaponry, auto-tune and facebook.

All the things that are going to destroy the world.

Big_Daz · 11-08-2016, 02:16 PM

2 main ones for my with my daily:

- Stop start tech - total pain in the **** and doesn't work well/turns off the engine at the worst times... It can be turned off, but cant be disabled permanently so everytime the car is turned on its automatically back on...

- Electric Handbrake - Only entertaining part is watching when mates/my mother drives it and freaks out when they cant find it... lol