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Tech in your car?

D.T. said:
Our 4Runner has an aux input (3mm) inside the center console/armrest, and while not technically sophisticated, it works outstandingly well: better than Bluetooth, 30-pin interfaces, no lag, the device just works and outputs to the stereo. I can listen to music, podcasts (including 3rd party apps). There’s also a power plug in there, so you can charge and aux at the same time :D

When I was writing this, I just remembered, I added the same to the X5 we used to own! Actually scored the OEM box off FleaBay for like $50 (the dealer wanted $200+). :eek:
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Oh, see that's excellent. My car is pushing 9 years old, and when I bought it aux inputs were still relatively rare at my price point.

My only real complaint though is that I didn't do it earlier! It only took me 15 min to rip out my center moulding, plug into my stereo, and reassemble everything.
 
LizKat said:
Not the answer you'll be expecting but my old '67 VW sometimes used to have intermittent wipers... when there was a heavy snowburst going through the mountains it would occasionally blow a fuse. And then another fuse... and then another fuse. And when I was out of fuses then the intermittent wiper was a rigged up de-snowing device operated with left hand out the window. Even the dog stopped wanting to ride with us when that happened. Guess the breeze in the back seat was pretty stiff.
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Very funny post.

mobilehaathi said:
Oh, see that's excellent. My car is pushing 9 years old, and when I bought it aux inputs were still relatively rare at my price point.

My only real complaint though is that I didn't do it earlier! It only took me 15 min to rip out my center moulding, plug into my stereo, and reassemble everything.
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You know, when the OP (who hasn't yet returned to give voice to further thoughts) sees fit to eventually drop in, he (or she) will be stunned that a thread which was started with the possible intention of show-casing technological pyrotechnics has inexplicably turned into a hilarious and slightly lugubrious account of ancient bangers and antique roadsters defying death and the modern world with chutpaz and a touch of world weary class.

I just gotta say that I really love it.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Ooooooh.

Er, actually, I remember the Fiat Spyder; what a snappy, snazzy, sports car. (I have even been driven in one…….a red one, which ate up the road, mind you, my recall of the intermittent wipers……is entirely absent….)
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In the mid 70s US made cars were mostly junk. I went to the Fiat dealer to look at an X19. The salesperson pulled me aside and said, listen, I think you'd be more happy with this pointing at a red Fiat 124 Spider. I fell in love with that car, its curves and it's handling, but not a muscle car. Ironically I payed as much for that car as a Corvett. Had A muscle car earlier, a 1967 Cougar with a big engine...va-rooooooom
. :)
 
My car has a **** load of tech. GPS nav screen, second touch screen, all kinds of backup and collision warnings, blind spot warning system, lane keep system, voice controls that actually work, HD stereo although I just have an iPod plugged into one of the USB ports. All kinds of cool ****
 
rdowns said:
My car has a **** load of tech. GPS nav screen, second touch screen, all kinds of backup and collision warnings, blind spot warning system, lane keep system, voice controls that actually work, HD stereo although I just have an iPod plugged into one of the USB ports. All kinds of cool ****
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All for $10,000 less than the Lexus equivalent ;-)
 
Huntn said:
In the mid 70s US made cars were mostly junk. I went to the Fiat dealer to look at an X19. The salesperson pulled me aside and said, listen, I think you'd be more happy with this pointing at a red Fiat 124 Spider. I fell in love with that car, its curves and it's handling, but not a muscle car. Ironically I payed as much for that car as a Corvett. Had A muscle car earlier, a 1967 Cougar with a big engine...va-rooooooom
. :)
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Such memories. Sigh. And what a lovely (looking) car - very stylish.

And did you ever get to try out the (even more seductively wonderful, but occasionally equally erratic) Alfa Romeo Spider? As it happens, in my youth, I was also driven in one of these, and yes, it was a glorious clichéd red in colour…...
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Very funny post.



You know, when the OP (who hasn't yet returned to give voice to further thoughts) sees fit to eventually drop in, he (or she) will be stunned that a thread which was started with the possible intention of show-casing technological pyrotechnics has inexplicably turned into a hilarious and slightly lugubrious account of ancient bangers and antique roadsters defying death and the modern world with chutpaz and a touch of world weary class.

I just gotta say that I really love it.
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Heh heh, for some reason I currently have an image of Basil Fawlty giving his car a 'damn good thrashing.'
 

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Apple fanboy said:
I hate to tell you this, but this is generally how the rest of the world calls it still today.

All the best cars are European.

Ferrari
Mercedes
BMW
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Interesting, most US manufacturers have Europen operations.

Scepticalscribe said:
Such memories. Sigh. And what a lovely (looking) car - very stylish.

And did you ever get to try out the (even more seductively wonderful, but occasionally equally erratic) Alfa Romeo Spider? As it happens, in my youth, I was also driven in one of these, and yes, it was a glorious clichéd red in colour…...
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I saw ARs around, but never got to drive one. They were regarded as a step up as I recall. :)
 
A European manufacturer, Volkswagon, built a LEED certified plant in Tennessee, US. Largely robotic, it's as though all workers are technologically trained.

http://www.volkswagengroupamerica.com/facts.html
 
Huntn said:
Interesting, most US manufacturers have Europen operations.



I saw ARs around, but never got to drive one. They were regarded as a step up as I recall. :)
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They were, and were also a fast, snappy, stylish and slightly flamboyant car; needless to say, they were also regarded as not being entirely reliable at times….
 
Scepticalscribe said:
They were, and were also a fast, snappy, stylish and slightly flamboyant car; needless to say, they were also regarded as not being entirely reliable at times….
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When I was thinking about buying the Fiat, people either hated or loved them. One person told me they catch on fire, as if that was to be expected. ;) I remember Triumps having bad mechanical reps.
 
Scepticalscribe said:
They were, and were also a fast, snappy, stylish and slightly flamboyant car; needless to say, they were also regarded as not being entirely reliable at times….
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The Japanese dominate reliability, and therefore, while their luxury is not up to snuff with the German competitors (although I still contend an Acura has more value for the price than a BMW/Audi/Merc), their more pedestrian brands like Toyota, Honda, and Subaru are the best and most reliable on the market.
 
Huntn said:
When I was thinking about buying the Fiat, people either hated or loved them. One person told me they catch on fire, as if that was to be expected. ;) I remember Triumps having bad mechanical reps.
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Oh, very true.

Some of those exquisite and stylish Italian numbers still give rise to a weird admixture of longing recall, and repressed shudders, decades later, among those who had them, drove them, loved them, and ended up concluding that they were 'too high maintenance' for daily use.

Besides, in the damp climates of Northern Europe, Italian sports cars - while drop dead gorgeous - were not always the most……reliable……..or well built……


AustinIllini said:
The Japanese dominate reliability, and therefore, while their luxury is not up to snuff with the German competitors (although I still contend an Acura has more value for the price than a BMW/Audi/Merc), their more pedestrian brands like Toyota, Honda, and Subaru are the best and most reliable on the market.
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Fair comment, and I don't doubt - for one minute - the well earned and richly merited Japanese reputation for reliability; there is a very good reason their cars hold their value so solidly on the used car market.

lowendlinux said:
Not in the 70's particularly in the early to mid-70's they're talking about.
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Yes. A little bit of - slightly self-indulgent - memory lane, stuff, here…….
 
I don't like add-ons that ruin the OEM nature of the cars, so I haven't done anything to my BMW or Audi, but the only thing I carry around in both cars is a 2.4A USB charger. The stock USB ports in these cars don't provide enough power to charge my iPad or 6+

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AustinIllini said:
The Japanese dominate reliability, and therefore, while their luxury is not up to snuff with the German competitors (although I still contend an Acura has more value for the price than a BMW/Audi/Merc), their more pedestrian brands like Toyota, Honda, and Subaru are the best and most reliable on the market.
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Brands like Audi and Porsche are more "reliable" than Acura/Infiniti, etc

On the other hand, Lexus is #1 and has been for a long long time. No one touches Toyota/Lexus when it comes to quality though.
 
My 2013 Audi A5 came with depressingly little in the way of toys.

Looks awesome, drives great, but less equipped than its German rivals.
 
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