What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?

[The Panda Nut]

That could be a problem for "normal" old cars, where the dont make the parts anymore and you need buy a custom exhaust, and get stainless because you want it to last more than a few years.

I wonder if that will also cover ECU remaps?

Its a rumour I suspect and not one that bears scutiny.
Declaration of mods is however a good idea as in many cases people remap cars and are effectively under paying road tax and driving without insurance wittingly or not. Mods should be declared so they can be examined for safety and tax band adjustment where the original environmental discounts are no fairly applicable. If you want to drive a 200HP Panda then pay the proper road tax. Some people do a great job of mods for styling and mechanically and already declare them, but most are frankly appalling and many unsafe. I dont think there is any mileage in pursuing this though its unworkable and unenforcable.

It couldnt be for replacement parts even things like replacement chassis these things are maintenance. Its right for overt performance mods, changes in specification or type approval and mods that adversly impact on safety or environmental specifications. It would ensure that highly modded cars were properly insured or scrapped. That would be a good thing. We habve some burk round here driving around, usually at excessive speed in a highly, and clearly badly modified Discovery, if it got a handle on the likes of that GREAT.

 

[irc]

Could just be coincidence, or possibly the extra rainfall we've had lately around here, but I seem to be fixing a lot of Panda wiper problems lately. In the last month I've swapped out 3 complete mechanisms, and replaced 1 motor (because I didn't have a complete good mechanism to swap over).
Only one was an obvious fault - the main bar plastic end had snapped completely off, leaving the drivers side wiper to do some very strange motions.
I already had a pile of replaced ones accumulated over the last few years, so switched to recycle mode.
All of the "broken" ones were perfectly fine apart from a lot of drag on the spindles, so removed circlips, dismantled spindles, removed old grease, cleaned, regreased and reassembled.
Apart from one.
After cutting myself on one of the sharp edges, realising it was a cheap aftermarket unit, and deciding to have a look anyway.... no sign of any grease ever having been in residence, and deep scores around the spindles. And a date tag of 10/22. Went in the bin. Saved the motor as it was a genuine one.
Oh, also realised that the actual motor is the same as the one used on the 500, even though the mechanism is different.
Now got a pile of 8 tested complete mechanisms, sore fingers, and possibly the makings of a Panda Wiper Rebuild guide.
And a warning to beware of cheap aftermarket wiper mechanisms as they may only last a surprisingly short time.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

No, I only knew Daewoo as the Korean company

Or Proton, my boy had one and it was a jolly good car. It was written off when bank robbers, seriously, yes bank robbers, fleeing from the police were going to fast to navigate the corner and rammed it at full speed. Unfortunately non of them was seriously injured but the poor car was a complete write off!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

A couple of times, over the last week or so, my microsoft news feed has popped up with notification that testing of "driver safety aids" is under consideration for inclusion in the MOT. So pretty much all the electronic nonsense, which I'd rather do without anyway, like auto lights, auto wipers, city braking, cruise control and adaptive CC, lane departure, etc, etc. Cruise is the only thing I'd like to retain.

I was also reading that use of touch screens as they are configured in the latest generation is under consideration as they have decided they are dangerous! Hurrah! been saying this for ages now. Wonder if whatever they decide will be applied retrospectively? Probably not realistic? but wonderful news if it means we go back to knobs and get rid of stuff like the screen in my new Scala which is asking me to again perform an update!

 

[portland_bill]

A couple of times, over the last week or so, my microsoft news feed has popped up with notification that testing of "driver safety aids" is under consideration for inclusion in the MOT. So pretty much all the electronic nonsense, which I'd rather do without anyway, like auto lights, auto wipers, city braking, cruise control and adaptive CC, lane departure, etc, etc. Cruise is the only thing I'd like to retain.

I was also reading that use of touch screens as they are configured in the latest generation is under consideration as they have decided they are dangerous! Hurrah! been saying this for ages now. Wonder if whatever they decide will be applied retrospectively? Probably not realistic? but wonderful news if it means we go back to knobs and get rid of stuff like the screen in my new Scala which is asking me to again perform an update!

I'd heard that NCAP had decided that the full stars could only be achieved if certain controls were physical. Back to buttons and knobs.

 

[StevenRB45]

I'd heard that NCAP had decided that the full stars could only be achieved if certain controls were physical. Back to buttons and knobs.

I wouldn't get too excited about this..

From what I've read it's more to stop the absolutely egregious ones. Eg. Tesla getting rid of indicator stalks and wiper stalks for touch buttons on the wheel or stuff in the screen.

A lot of the touchscreens of recent years would pass on the basis the majority of major controls are accessible directly via a button. Eg. Demist, hazards, lights and wipers.

Where they stand on needing to go 3 layers deep to switch on a heated seat or look down to check you have the front windows selected before pressing the button to wind them down is probably unlikely to get any air time as I don't think they'll be looking into whether "convenience features" are in fact like solving a Rubik's cube... although it would be nice to see an end to unlit heating controls you need to stroke.

 

[StevenRB45]

my new Scala which is asking me to again perform an update!

Christ, VW software team is clearly working overtime, last update available for ours was September 26th 2019.

I know this because I had to download it to a memory stick and plug it into the car

I have checked since but no new files have even been placed, but given it has no connected features that aren't driven by a smart phone it makes no difference.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I'd heard that NCAP had decided that the full stars could only be achieved if certain controls were physical. Back to buttons and knobs.

hurrah!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Christ, VW software team is clearly working overtime, last update available for ours was September 26th 2019.

I know this because I had to download it to a memory stick and plug it into the car

I have checked since but no new files have even been placed, but given it has no connected features that aren't driven by a smart phone it makes no difference.

Mine does all this by itself so must be permanently connected? I notice I also have a button on the roof dash panel that I'm to press for instant connection if I have an accident? Not sure who it connects you to or exactly what then happens after you press it? The dashboard looks like a Christmas tree when it's doing it's bulb check on first switch on. Also there are so many menus and sub menus I doubt if I'll ever understand or even explore them all! Utter stupid daftness!

I was just thinking as I'm writing this that I'm very interested in cars and my own cars in particular. If I'm finding it difficult to understand all these "features" then there's absolutely no hope for your average Joe Bloggs, or his wife. In my experience many don't even understand what the red ignition light or oil warning light signifies or has any interest in finding out!

 

[StevenRB45]

Mine does all this by itself so must be permanently connected? I notice I also have a button on the roof dash panel that I'm to press for instant connection if I have an accident? Not sure who it connects you to or exactly what then happens after you press it? The dashboard looks like a Christmas tree when it's doing it's bulb check on first switch on. Also there are so many menus and sub menus I doubt if I'll ever understand or even explore them all! Utter stupid daftness!

I was just thinking as I'm writing this that I'm very interested in cars and my own cars in particular. If I'm finding it difficult to understand all these "features" then there's absolutely no hope for your average Joe Bloggs, or his wife. In my experience many don't even understand what the red ignition light or oil warning light signifies or has any interest in finding out!

I seem to remember in 2019 or so it became mandatory to have an emergency call feature.

If ours was a later car it would have this.

On ours the SOS and Chevron buttons are blanks because it predates the mandate, the panel between shows seat belt and airbag information. We avoided the auto braking mandate by a few months as well.

My father's Yaris was registered 2 months after our car..it has the random bong/ emergency stop machine sorry auto braking. I start to lose interest in driving when your relationship to the vehicle becomes similar to a rider and recalcitrant horse. It is particularly annoying...but at least it doesn't tug at the wheel on the motorway if you're in contraflow as is now expected.

I feel your pain with the infotainment ours is reasonably basic and common sense at least to me. I "dived" in around 2020 set everything how I want it and I've not interacted with it really since. I put the temperature up a down a degree occasionally, reset the TPS but otherwise it's a case of Android auto is on the screen and the car deals with itself in the background, all the demist etc doesn't use touchscreen.

I've mentioned it previously but the Yaris my god in heaven what a mess that system is. They didn't support android auto so instead to get live traffic information you need to share your phones WiFi hotspot then link the car to it. This also enables Google street view apparently...I say apparently because I looked it up and then imagined the look on my dad's face as I talked him through it. Imagine your VW system but you supply your own internet.

Thankfully that car has physical everything controls except satnav and radio and he doesn't use the configurable screen between the dials so other than it bonging at him for reasons he can't be bothered to understand and are most likely unimportant it can just be used as a car and use the volume knob to turn on the radio and steering wheel controls to change the station.

To me there's a point at which you don't need anymore crap on a car..ours isn't bog basic by any means and I don't think there's anything on it I don't use except lane assist as it was catastrophically annoying so got switched off 7 years ago. But at the same time...most of it got adjusted once and we've not touched it again if it wasn't adjustable you'd not even realise.

Stuff like you can set the headlamps to stay on after the car is locked in the dark, because we park in an unlit place this is set to the maximum as is interior light duration. If it wasn't adjustable or didn't do it would have made a massive difference to my life? Probably not..but it's nice I suppose.

 

[vexorg]

which I'd rather do without anyway, like auto lights, auto wipers, city braking, cruise control and adaptive CC, lane departure, etc, etc. Cruise is the only thing I'd like to retain.

I like them when they work well. The citroen autolights are good, never had to mess with them in 7 years of owning. Smart enough to realise "it's raining, I'll put the light on" - something the nissan never does. Same with the handbrake, citroen is flawless in operation compared to others I've had.
Adaptive cc is also good, but have been caught out a few times, not in a bad way, of suddenly noticing you are trundling along at 50mph behind a slow car.

On ours the SOS and Chevron buttons are blanks because it predates the mandate, the panel between shows seat belt and airbag information. We avoided the auto braking mandate by a few months as well.

Odd, mine is 2011 and has them

 

[StevenRB45]

Odd, mine is 2011 and has them

We had the option to pay more for it, which wasn't taken up, same as automatic braking they became standard for all cars.

There's a good chance yours will stop working with the 2g network..

 

[vexorg]

Never felt the need to press it.
I always assumed it connected through your phone

 

[StevenRB45]

I always assumed it connected through your phone

It was fitted to cars with the connected Nav system I believe which got their own SIM.

We didn't pay for connected Nav because such systems are usually awful beyond the first 3 years and never up to date and the plan always was to plug a phone into it.

Otherwise I'd agree on the Citroën the logic for most things is good enough that you can use auto-wipers, lights, climate control and just let it get on and it rarely does something unexpected or that you wouldn't want.

 

[portland_bill]

Mine does all this by itself so must be permanently connected? I notice I also have a button on the roof dash panel that I'm to press for instant connection if I have an accident? Not sure who it connects you to or exactly what then happens after you press it?

Never felt the need to press it.
I always assumed it connected through your phone

The early systems used the driver's connected phone, but since being mandated, the car has all it needs built in.

In the event of a crash, the car will speak to the driver/occupants, giving time to cancel the emergency call. If it is not cancelled, or if the button is pressed, the car dials out. This connects to a call centre, thankfully not in India, and gives some fixed message, about the make and model of car, plus its location co-ordinates, and that the driver has not responded. The operator will then speak to the car, and if still no response, will connect to the police to report the location. There will then be a 3-way conversation, where police, operator and car are all connected. Meanwhile, police, and probably ambulance have been despatched to the location.
Some time ago, there was a video on YouTube, where a young driver, in his Corsa, crashed at night. His dashcam recorded the whole process, and emergency services were with him just as he regained consciousness. Sadly, I can't find that video now. The video is mildly distressing, with someone obviously in trouble, but also heartwarming that it worked, very well, and he recovered with no permanent issues.
Initially, manufacturers set up their own call centres, and offered breakdown services and general vehicle queries, but I think now they all subscribe to one, more efficient and cheaper overall, and for emergencies only.
Nice to know it is there, hopefully never needed.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

The early systems used the driver's connected phone, but since being mandated, the car has all it needs built in.

In the event of a crash, the car will speak to the driver/occupants, giving time to cancel the emergency call. If it is not cancelled, or if the button is pressed, the car dials out. This connects to a call centre, thankfully not in India, and gives some fixed message, about the make and model of car, plus its location co-ordinates, and that the driver has not responded. The operator will then speak to the car, and if still no response, will connect to the police to report the location. There will then be a 3-way conversation, where police, operator and car are all connected. Meanwhile, police, and probably ambulance have been despatched to the location.
Some time ago, there was a video on YouTube, where a young driver, in his Corsa, crashed at night. His dashcam recorded the whole process, and emergency services were with him just as he regained consciousness. Sadly, I can't find that video now. The video is mildly distressing, with someone obviously in trouble, but also heartwarming that it worked, very well, and he recovered with no permanent issues.
Initially, manufacturers set up their own call centres, and offered breakdown services and general vehicle queries, but I think now they all subscribe to one, more efficient and cheaper overall, and for emergencies only.
Nice to know it is there, hopefully never needed.

Been reading the manual about mine and I think that's exactly how it's meant to work.

I was out at my older boy's place yesterday for an early Father's Day dinner. Delicious. Chicken breasts wrapped in parma ham, with roast vegetables - onion, peppers, courgette, sweet potato etc - and really creamy mash potato with very tasty gravy, I do like a splash of gravy! Got held up at road works with temporary 4 way lights control - so only one stream at a time - glanced over at the "infotainment" screen and it's telling me there's yet another update available! It's still giving me the "Welcome Arnold" greeting at start up and I still haven't found out how to change that to "Welcome Jock".

 

[StevenRB45]

The constant updates are somewhat odd to me...

I had assumed it was perhaps mapping updates but most manufacturer systems push them 4x a year or something like that.

Are you actually getting confirmation it's successfully installed the previous update? Or is it perhaps failing and presenting it as a new update.

Seems to be incredibly often but perhaps the future is updates multiple times a month although you'd imagine if it was expected they'd have figured a way to do it overnight for example like a phone or computer does.

Could be worse regards welcome Arnold...the Mazda everytime you started the engine "Zoom Zoom", and impossible to turn off.

 

[The Panda Nut]

A couple of times, over the last week or so, my microsoft news feed has popped up with notification that testing of "driver safety aids" is under consideration for inclusion in the MOT. So pretty much all the electronic nonsense, which I'd rather do without anyway, like auto lights, auto wipers, city braking, cruise control and adaptive CC, lane departure, etc, etc. Cruise is the only thing I'd like to retain.

I was also reading that use of touch screens as they are configured in the latest generation is under consideration as they have decided they are dangerous! Hurrah! been saying this for ages now. Wonder if whatever they decide will be applied retrospectively? Probably not realistic? but wonderful news if it means we go back to knobs and get rid of stuff like the screen in my new Scala which is asking me to again perform an update!

YEEESSSSSSSS. Result! Pandas on the top!

There is some sense in this. Wipers, as fitted should work etc. But you do have to ask what the test is for. I understand stopping, steering, stuctural integrity, soundness of chassis and drive train including suspension as well as visibility / wipers and statutory lights. One has to ask where will it stop. It will it stop though. It will be the death knell for a few cars early in their lives I suspect.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

The constant updates are somewhat odd to me...

I had assumed it was perhaps mapping updates but most manufacturer systems push them 4x a year or something like that.

Are you actually getting confirmation it's successfully installed the previous update? Or is it perhaps failing and presenting it as a new update.

Seems to be incredibly often but perhaps the future is updates multiple times a month although you'd imagine if it was expected they'd have figured a way to do it overnight for example like a phone or computer does.

Could be worse regards welcome Arnold...the Mazda everytime you started the engine "Zoom Zoom", and impossible to turn off.

Think that's the third update it's asked me to do. This one still pending - I haven't told it to do it yet - but the other two confirmed update successful next time I started the engine. I tend to authorize it when I return home in the evening. It's said the update takes roughly 30 minutes and not to drive the car when it's updating so that way it has all night to sort itself out.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Think that's the third update it's asked me to do. This one still pending - I haven't told it to do it yet - but the other two confirmed update successful next time I started the engine. I tend to authorize it when I return home in the evening. It's said the update takes roughly 30 minutes and not to drive the car when it's updating so that way it has all night to sort itself out.

You have more tolerance than me. I wont have any updates applied. The first one administered to noop reduced both performance and mpg. So they have been told at the garage, Touch it again YOU DIE. The trouble is you dont know what they are changing or why. I prefer the sat nav on my phone because its not ibt
interconnected. Car updating its self. No way Hosey Josey!