Are cars too complicated?

[KeithEvans]

Just sitting here reading the new threads on the forum, and seeing lots of threads where members have problems with all sorts of stuff on the newer Mercedes models.

Are cars getting too complicated? I am reading about things like command, that seems so complicated that there are lots of questions about it. Is it really an asset if its so complicated and fragile that folks cant work it from the instructions?

There are all sorts of buttons to do this and that where on the older cars you do it manually. Like I unlock my door with a key, just put it in the lock and turn it. its magic!

No fancy electronic gizmos, no remote this and that, and about the only electric thing in the car is the radio, oh and the windows, and if i could i would go back to winders. They dont let you down in the middle of a journey. There are even cars with a remote to operate the radio now? how lazy can you get?

It mainly seems to be electrical problems that cars have, and i suppose that while manufacturers keep stuffing as many new gadgets into a car as they can, and still build them to an accountants budget, thats the way it will stay.

Yes i like some modern advances, but lots of the toys on cars now seem to be just that...toys.

I did consider recently purchasing a newer car as they should really be an advance on the older models.. but from what i read here and other places, and from my own history, they arent.

So what do you think, are cars getting to complicated now, or not?

 

[toby1]

They're not reliable enough IMO

 

[E320mark]

I think so! I can remember years ago lying on the garage floor changing an exhaust on one of mums cars, then taking the radiator out and getting it recored! I wouldn't attempt either of these jobs on my E!
Electrics play too much of a part in modern cars today, say for example you have a perfectly good 10 yr old E class, the ecu dies, the cost of replacing (in some instances) will be more than the car is worth!

 

[television]

Yes they are a nightmare now days, some faults are near impossible to find,,but I have everything possible to keep my head working, even if the car isnt. My doors have handle inside with electric motors to assist in the opening, and another to help with the closing of the door, yes I love it all, but ridiculous and stupid then yes

 

[syncropaddy]

Yes they are too complicated, too big and too heavy! Its the marketing people trying to outdo each other!

My 2012 Passat is bigger in every way than my W126 except length .....

 

[SL63 Mark]

Like I unlock my door with a key, just put it in the lock and turn it. its magic!

So did I, I until I got keyless Go. Now I put my hand on any car door and expect it to open, including our old landrover, then get surprised when it doesn't work.

Look, I'm a luddite too, but when things improve in life, it seems silly not to take advantage of them. And I'm beginning to like "Distronic" too ....

 

[JBell]

Yes, ridiculously so.

A BMW E92 convertible has 14 motors in its floppy hard top, each one is over £1k if you need to replace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In all honesty most just make us lazier (IMO), we don't really need electric seats, keyless go, soft close doors, powered Tailgates etc, they just make life that little bit nicer (and have more buttons to push which is the real reason).

 

[SL63 Mark]

we don't really need electric seats, keyless go, soft close doors, powered Tailgates etc.[/SIZE]

Yes we do !

 

[M80]

I've been questioning whether motoring is too complicated.
Servicing, repairs, renewals, taxing, insurance, refuelling, cleaning, clay bar, polishing, parking stress, kids and ice creams, dogs and poos, passenger when Larisa drives (balding fast), punctures (2 in 2 weeks).

I'm sure I spend more time attending to the flippin' things than using them.

 

[R W]

I think the manufacturers are getting a bit OTT on the gimmicks & toys available. I used to be the first to criticise modern cars & how complicated they are compared to 30/40yrs ago. It wasn’t till I was reading through old car magazines that I realised 30/40yrs ago we drove the likes of Cortina’s & averaged 24mpg . Today’s modern equivalent would double those mpg figures. The cars of that era it was common to have a non starter on a cold damp morning. I also remember as an apprentice, cars coming in for regular de-cokes & cars with 60k mls requiring engine rebuilds.
Car technology has come a long way since the Cortina days & for the better. I think if we went back to our Cortina’s for a while we would appreciate our “ modern” cars.
What I don’t like & it irritates me that some modern car gizmos you almost need a degree in IT to do a simple task. They need to make the toys easier to use.

 

[Mic]

I think you have all got short memories......yes, cars are more complicated and as a consequence there are issues with electrics and electronics that we could all do without but in reality reliability continues to improve. The over riding problem is that for the vast majority they are no longer DIY and if and when they move down the ''food chain'' of ownership some may suffer an earlier demise than they should.

35yrs. ago I when I was doing 40k miles/year I ran firstly a Cortina and then a Capri.....neither made 100k before they were cream crackered.

None of us would think twice about embarking on cross continental expeditions in our daily drivers even if they had done 100k miles, 200k miles or more......

Cars, relatively speaking, compared with yesteryear are amazing value for money......especially once all the taxes are stripped away.

Just my take on it.

Mic

 

[television]

So did I, I until I got keyless Go. Now I put my hand on any car door and expect it to open, including our old landrover, then get surprised when it doesn't work.

Look, I'm a luddite too, but when things improve in life, it seems silly not to take advantage of them. And I'm beginning to like "Distronic" too ....

It will not long before a hand comes out of the dash and gives you a slap if the mirror has not seen and recognizes you eyes before you pull out or change lanes

 

[Andy.M]

Over complicated yes, but trouser bulgeingly good when working correctly

 

[Kylinski]

I read through my 2001 SLK manual yesterday (bored). Even the climate control is complex! And dont start me on cruise control and speedtronic!!? Geez!

All good though

 

[Frontstep]

When they run well and everything works no not to complicated.
When they break down or somethings stops working their to complicated.
Simples.

 

[Juddian]

If it hasn't got enough computery for the playstation generation it won't sell to the modern motorist.

Cue threads here and elsewhere when a car comes up for sale on ebay or similar...smug comments about poverty spec get thrown in from some who seem to forget that when they're online crying about their command system not behaving as it should.

Incidentally what is a command system when its at home?, have visions of Hollywood film sets with millions of blinking lights and amazing satellite cameras zooming in on agents dashing through the streets desperately chasing stolen missile launch codes.

 

[Jay Gee]

If it hasn't got enough computery for the playstation generation it won't sell to the modern motorist.

Cue threads here and elsewhere when a car comes up for sale on ebay or similar...smug comments about poverty spec get thrown in from some who seem to forget that when they're online crying about their command system not behaving as it should.

Incidentally what is a command system when its at home?, have visions of Hollywood film sets with millions of blinking lights and amazing satellite cameras zooming in on agents dashing through the streets desperately chasing stolen missile launch codes.

I agree with most of this,but very surprised at the question highlighted.A Command system is otherwise known as SWMBO. Anyway,into Luddite mode : if it needs to be connected to a computer to tell you what's happening, it's too complicated,but a few people on here still have quite a degree of success with remote diagnosis. So,where can I find a nice Moggy 1000,Lada,...etc.? :lol::lol:

 

[cleverdicky]

I read through my 2001 SLK manual yesterday (bored). Even the climate control is complex! And dont start me on cruise control and speedtronic!!? Geez!

All good though

I once knew some guys who worked in an electronic research group that were sponsored by a big car firm (can't remember).
they were in an elite group that specialised in microwave as a subset of electronic engineering. Thing is the work is more like cutting edge chemistry combined with physics and chatting one day discovered what they were working on.
Turned out it was sensors / detectors for cars that were using very high band microwave wavelength.
After asking 'why' was told it was so they could differentiate.
Not only were they designed to detect a car in front but also gather enough detail that they could actually distinguish the profile of a car and therefore its make.
A bit like radar with pictures.
I assume it would also detect other road features.
Seemed a bit like overkill back then and that was about 15 years ago.
Don't know if they ever got used though.

 

[television]

I must agree that I found my CL rather complicated for the first couple of weeks. for most of my life I have just adapted to any car within seconds, my 230 SL took to about the second motorway exit on the motorway going home to know just about all of it, but the CL is another kettle of fish, I did find the button to open the boot last week.I have not explored all of the comand yet, but it gets me there

 

[Tuvoc]

Way too complicated. You take a huge risk buying modern cars used, the repair bills are outrageous. And many mechanics are clueless these days, if the computer diagnostics system doesn't tell them what is wrong, they don't have a clue.