New Technology in cars. Is it just me?

[Frank Manning]

The local dealer loaned me a brand new Mercedes A class 2.0 today, the start of a nerve racking 20 minute drive home. Why are their courtesy cars always out of petrol when they hand them over? What is wrong with a conventional handbrake surely not everything needs to be electonically controlled? Dont they realise that we dont need the car engine to stop automatically and disconcertingly in traffic? What is wrong with being able to see out of the rear window? Indeed at 6'3" I would expect to be able to have a good view from the front as well, but this thing is so low! It feels like a midget submarine!

I daren't touch many of the controls for fear of what they might do! Bah! Humbug! - grumpy old man!

[emjay45]

Ha Ha Frank. I've never driven one of those. I like a car with basic everything. I'm really not interested in how many miles it does to the gallon and I don't need a Sat Nav over here. My husband is always pointing things out to me in his new car which I'm really not interested in Actually I haven't driven it yet, perhaps I should in case of an emergency.
I do agree when I have a courtesy car it's SO annoying that there is never any petrol in it

[Holiday Planner]

I know just what you mean Frank. It took me ages to summon up the courage to drive Andrew's latest company car. I'm just about used to the the button instead of a handbreak, but I still struggle when the 'please refuel' sign comes up on the monitors. I keep forgetting how to get rid of it, and have had to drive for miles without being able to see the sat nav and even the digital speed indicator!

[Not so ancient mariner]

I know just what you mean Frank. It took me ages to summon up the courage to drive Andrew's latest company car. I'm just about used to the the button instead of a handbreak, but I still struggle when the 'please refuel' sign comes up on the monitors. I keep forgetting how to get rid of it, and have had to drive for miles without being able to see the sat nav and even the digital speed indicator!

Have you tried putting fuel in it?

[david63]

I know just what you mean Frank. It took me ages to summon up the courage to drive Andrew's latest company car. I'm just about used to the the button instead of a handbreak, but I still struggle when the 'please refuel' sign comes up on the monitors. I keep forgetting how to get rid of it, and have had to drive for miles without being able to see the sat nav and even the digital speed indicator!

Have you tried putting fuel in it?

Since when have women put fuel in a car?

[Silver_Shiney]

I know just what you mean Frank. It took me ages to summon up the courage to drive Andrew's latest company car. I'm just about used to the the button instead of a handbreak, but I still struggle when the 'please refuel' sign comes up on the monitors. I keep forgetting how to get rid of it, and have had to drive for miles without being able to see the sat nav and even the digital speed indicator!

Have you tried putting fuel in it?

Since when have women put fuel in a car?

SWMBO refuels our car more frequently than I do....

[Holiday Planner]

I was in Liverpool delivering daughter to uni. We were about a mile from where we needed to pick up the key for her new student house - nowhere near a petrol station and I couldn't work out which way to go cos the sat nav had disappeared from the screen. I'd got plenty of petrol to unload her stuff first as long as I knew where I was going! Fortunately the last time it happened to me, Andrew was in the passenger seat, so I now know what to do (till the next time!).

[Frank Manning]

Perhaps I should add that I am due to take the Institute of Advanced Motorists Test soon, thankfully it will be in my fairly conventional car where I can relate to everything and have a clear view of the road. I would not stand a 'cats chance' in this 'courtesy car'. My car is in for a two hour shock, the IAM expect you to "make progress", as far as I can tell that is a euphemism for driving at breakneck speed wherever possible.

My own car has automatic parking. I am not that brilliant at reversing into a space, but I haven't dared allow the car to do it automatically. The sensation of letting go of the steering wheel is unnerving to say the least.

[HK phooey]

Can you really get a car that reverse parks itself? That would be a Godsend for me.

[Frank Manning]

Seriously HK yes. Mine gets alongside a space, and sizes it up and if it thinks its OK a symbol comes up on the fascia. Then as long as I am parallel with the front car, I just engage reverse, and control the speed with my right foot making sure that I dont touch the wheel. It reverses in beautifully (well it did the one time I tried it), and then you lift your foot off the accelerator, brake, go to neutral, and you're in.

Like I said, it terrifies me and I prefer to make a hash of it myself than trust some computer. But then I'm old, and old fashioned.

[oldbluefox]

How about this one HK? Just the job!!

Audi Self Parking

or this one?:

Mercedes Park Assist

[Silver_Shiney]

I wonder how the insurance companies would view this if your car bashed one of the others as it self-parked?

[emjay45]

Seriously HK yes. Mine gets alongside a space, and sizes it up and if it thinks its OK a symbol comes up on the fascia. Then as long as I am parallel with the front car, I just engage reverse, and control the speed with my right foot making sure that I dont touch the wheel. It reverses in beautifully (well it did the one time I tried it), and then you lift your foot off the accelerator, brake, go to neutral, and you're in.

Like I said, it terrifies me and I prefer to make a hash of it myself than trust some computer. But then I'm old, and old fashioned.

A friend of ours has a car which self parks and like you is too scared to trust it. I wonder if anyone actually does.

[Manoverboard]

Perhaps I should add that I am due to take the Institute of Advanced Motorists Test soon ...

Nice one.

Test code 47 : Reverse parking into a line marked position from 250 mtrs at 40mph with a trailer attached.

Easy peasy ....

[Silver_Shiney]

Perhaps I should add that I am due to take the Institute of Advanced Motorists Test soon ...

Nice one.

Test code 47 : Reverse parking into a line marked position from 250 mtrs at 40mph with a trailer attached.

Easy peasy ....

No sweat

[Frank Manning]

Perhaps I should add that I am due to take the Institute of Advanced Motorists Test soon ...

Nice one.

Test code 47 : Reverse parking into a line marked position from 250 mtrs at 40mph with a trailer attached.

Easy peasy ....

I am going out for a pre test Saturday morning MOB! I hope they dont ask me to do that! I haven't towed a trailer since I sold my Wayfarer dinghy, but I couldn't get between two lines at 40mph thats for sure.

I should add that local Mercedes garage were fantastic when I went to collect my car yesterday evening, and as ever have compared very favourably with every main dealer I have encountered in 50 years of driving.

[Manoverboard]

Just kidding, Frank, in truth trailers are out these days but they use a caravan with one under inflated tyre instead.

ps ... good luck on Saturday

[Frank Manning]

Thanks MOB. You had me worried there!

[jay-ell71]

My friend has a new Audi, I cant wait to show her that video. She hasn't had the courage to try the parking thingy yet.

Perhaps one day the car will go to the supermarket and get the groceries and fill up at the service station on its way home?

I have the pictures and the beeper on my car, but I have to manoeuvre it myself. Shame.

[emjay45]

My friend has a new Audi, I cant wait to show her that video. She hasn't had the courage to try the parking thingy yet.

Perhaps one day the car will go to the supermarket and get the groceries and fill up at the service station on its way home?

I have the pictures and the beeper on my car, but I have to manoeuvre it myself. Shame.

I have the beepers on my car too Jay. I hate them they start beeping when I still have 2 ft left to go and it really puts me off.

[Manoverboard]

Having auto parking is very hard work ... unless you can get it to park at a 20 degree angle like all the other supermarket shoppers.

[Frank Manning]

Having auto parking is very hard work ... unless you can get it to park at a 20 degree angle like all the other supermarket shoppers.

Oh you've been to Sainsburys Alder Road too MOB! The spaces are even smaller in Waitrose Winton, and in the underground car park the sensors on mine are beeping almost all the time especially if I try to park between two chelsea tractors both at divergent angles to the lines. Its hell down there, they should make a movie down there; ideal for Anglina Jolie.

[Silver_Shiney]

The spaces are even smaller in Waitrose Winton, and in the underground car park the sensors on mine are beeping almost all the time especially if I try to park between two chelsea tractors both at divergent angles to the lines. Its hell down there, they should make a movie down there; ideal for Anglina Jolie.

Is the Tesco still on the opposite corner (used to be Victor Value many years ago)?

[jay-ell71]

Emjay.... I agree, it is annoying, sometimes I "squeeze" into a space only to find that there is plenty of space behind me!!!

[Manoverboard]

Alder Road ... not me, we are more yer Sherborne Sainsbug type

Now, their's is a fascinating new tech type car park which causes utter confusion to the ' Ladies of Sherbun ' cos there's TWO unbroken lines between each of the car parking spaces. Watching some of them you do begin to wonder what exactly is going on in their minds as they shunt back n forth umpteen times and still manage to straddle at least two of the lines even in their little blue Yarises.