Modern car design.

kaypeejay

What’s a cabin filter?

digitalscream

It's one of the reasons I like 2000-2005 era cars. Just enough tech to make them reasonably efficient, but not enough to make everything a ballache.

The only thing that's irritating on my ZS 180 is that the second bank of spark plugs is damn near impossible to get to. Well, that and the fact that a previous owner put a RamAir wet filter on it, thus turning a 30 second job into a couple-of-hours-to-clean-it job.

Kittyfrisk

guitargeek62 said:

Can’t say I’ve ever had to replace a cabin filter, yet another benefit of riding motorbikes!

It's called a scarf/neck draught excluder etc. Try not washing it for a while :-D

exocet

To be honest, its pretty much all modern cars. I first discovered the Renault Scenic headlamp replacement process back in 2004. Since then, every other car that I've owned has had similar challenges.

HAL9000

Similar issues replacing headlight bulb on an S-Class Merc. As I recall there were all sorts of gubbins that needed to come out before you could access the bulb. Bearing in mind just how big a car it was, it seemed surprising just how little space there was under the bonnet.

A light bulb really should be something that can be changed in a few minutes with a minimum of tools (even when it’s dark). 

EricTheWeary

digitalscream said:k

It's one of the reasons I like 2000-2005 era cars. Just enough tech to make them reasonably efficient, but not enough to make everything a ballache. 

I used to have a Citroen AX, I can’t remember exactly but registered something like 1995. It was a reliable, fun car but did break down at one point. Turned out to be a problem with the digital engine management system. I was quite gobsmacked that a mid 1990s vehicle that was little more than a baked bean tin on wheels actually had a digital engine management system. 

I had a band mate who restored vintage cars for a living ( many sold to minor rock stars) and he would only drive vehicles that had no digital systems. He used to pick up things like Mark I Range Rovers very cheap and get them running. 

richardhomer

I had a previous generation Focus which needed the horn replacing out of warranty. It cost more money, than the most money you could ever imagine ever, in the entire history of money - largely because the front bumper had to be removed to access it....

menamestom

Modern cars to be fair do cram a lot in.  I grew up around Fords from about the MK1 Capri and have a modern Focus while less character is far more reliable and gives you a lot more.  Abs, traction, heated seats, cruise control, 6 speed, 250bhp.   I’d take all that over an older car just because you can change the battery quicker.

menamestom

digitalscream said:

It's one of the reasons I like 2000-2005 era cars. Just enough tech to make them reasonably efficient, but not enough to make everything a ballache.

The only thing that's irritating on my ZS 180 is that the second bank of spark plugs is damn near impossible to get to. Well, that and the fact that a previous owner put a RamAir wet filter on it, thus turning a 30 second job into a couple-of-hours-to-clean-it job.

Always wanted one of those. That’s a sweet engine that V6, my dad has an immaculate ZT, but the ZS chassis is more fun.

chillidoggy

menamestom said:

digitalscream said:

It's one of the reasons I like 2000-2005 era cars. Just enough tech to make them reasonably efficient, but not enough to make everything a ballache.

The only thing that's irritating on my ZS 180 is that the second bank of spark plugs is damn near impossible to get to. Well, that and the fact that a previous owner put a RamAir wet filter on it, thus turning a 30 second job into a couple-of-hours-to-clean-it job.

Always wanted one of those. That’s a sweet engine that V6, my dad has an immaculate ZT, but the ZS chassis is more fun.

I had a ZT190. Really nice car, quality piece of kit, and I loved it. But when inlet manifold needed changing, something to do with worn throttle butterfly spindles which would fall off and be eaten by the engine, I ended up selling it.

Rocker

It would be 'nice' if car manufacturers installed a decent sounding radio or radio/player as standard.  Not too much to ask for is it?

digitalscream

chillidoggy said:

menamestom said:

digitalscream said:

It's one of the reasons I like 2000-2005 era cars. Just enough tech to make them reasonably efficient, but not enough to make everything a ballache.

The only thing that's irritating on my ZS 180 is that the second bank of spark plugs is damn near impossible to get to. Well, that and the fact that a previous owner put a RamAir wet filter on it, thus turning a 30 second job into a couple-of-hours-to-clean-it job.

Always wanted one of those. That’s a sweet engine that V6, my dad has an immaculate ZT, but the ZS chassis is more fun.

I had a ZT190. Really nice car, quality piece of kit, and I loved it. But when inlet manifold needed changing, something to do with worn throttle butterfly spindles which would fall off and be eaten by the engine, I ended up selling it.

That's a shame - I think you're talking about the VIS valves, which are what give the boost at 3krpm and 4.5krpm by opening up more of the intake. You can actually remove the butterfly valves entirely, at the cost of a minor loss of fuel efficiency but gaining some torque at lower rpms.

It's not an easy job to get at them, mind.

Mine actually has the throttle body from the ZT190, which (I think) is essentially the only difference between it and the engine in the ZS180.

But... @menamestom - yes, it's a great engine and a really fun car. I think it's actually my favourite car so far (I've gone ZR 120 -> Puma -> Celica -> ZS). Weirdly, it's also the most practical.

Fuel efficiency sucks, though. I average around 29mpg, although if I'm really careful and gentle I can push it up to around 42mpg. It's really bloody hard not to drive it like a hooligan, though.

If you ever want to try one...you'd better hurry up, there are only 48 left on the road according to DVLA.

Axe_meister

Try working on the engine in a Lotus Elise Mk1. But I can forgive them (a little bit) given the small car and the Engine layout.
When you get to Super cars, often an Engine out job for an oil Filter Change.

strtdv

It's inevitable that if you need to cram in more gizmos and safety kit, as well as having a nicely sloping bonnet for pedestrian crash safety, that it'll get a bit cramped in there.
My 1992 MX-5 had loads of space in there. Battery was in the boot though, but easily accessible.

@digitalscream 29mpg from a NA V6 isn't too bad I reckon, I get about 27 from my focus, up to 31 on the motorway, and down to about 23-24 if I'm "enjoying" it.

boogieman

Rocker said:

It would be 'nice' if car manufacturers installed a decent sounding radio or radio/player as standard.  Not too much to ask for is it?

The last two cars I’ve owned have both had decent quality sound systems, especially the Jag XF we had which had a multi speaker Bowers and Wilkins set-up. A car is never going to be the right environment for a hi-if experience though, if that’s what you’re expecting?

strtdv

I'd be surprised if that was standard spec though, I think what they're getting at is that you buy/lease a £30k car and they want another £800 for a decent sound system.

To be fair, the standard sound system in our Golfs was perfectly fine, and when you compare it to cars 20 years ago it's miles better.

There's something nice about getting a car with a nice trim level and having pretty much everything you could want included rather than needing to add it on as extra (Audi are particularly bad for this)

Danny1969

Rocker said:

It would be 'nice' if car manufacturers installed a decent sounding radio or radio/player as standard.  Not too much to ask for is it?

I had a Jaguar XJR which had a pretty good HK stereo in it, mind you it was a £1400 option on a car that cost 60K

Rocker

boogieman said:

Rocker said:

It would be 'nice' if car manufacturers installed a decent sounding radio or radio/player as standard.  Not too much to ask for is it?

The last two cars I’ve owned have both had decent quality sound systems, especially the Jag XF we had which had a multi speaker Bowers and Wilkins set-up. A car is never going to be the right environment for a hi-if experience though, if that’s what you’re expecting?

It is not unreasonable to expect an expensive car like a Jag to be equipped with a good sound system.  Perhaps not the last word in Hi-Fi sound quality but certainly good or better than good.

I was referring to more ordinary real world cars.  Poxy sound quality is standard and the design makes upgrading the 'radio' nearly impossible.  Even the fitting of a sat nav is a garage job if you don't want a cable draped over the dash.

boogieman

Rocker said:

boogieman said:

Rocker said:

It would be 'nice' if car manufacturers installed a decent sounding radio or radio/player as standard.  Not too much to ask for is it?

The last two cars I’ve owned have both had decent quality sound systems, especially the Jag XF we had which had a multi speaker Bowers and Wilkins set-up. A car is never going to be the right environment for a hi-if experience though, if that’s what you’re expecting?

It is not unreasonable to expect an expensive car like a Jag to be equipped with a good sound system.  Perhaps not the last word in Hi-Fi sound quality but certainly good or better than good.

I was referring to more ordinary real world cars.  Poxy sound quality is standard and the design makes upgrading the 'radio' nearly impossible.  Even the fitting of a sat nav is a garage job if you don't want a cable draped over the dash.

I guess that depends on what you consider expensive. We traded the Jag in  a couple of years ago. You could buy a very similar one now for about 9 grand. 

I take your point about upgrading being difficult though, now they’re all unique built in units rather the old universal din spec ones 

strtdv

It also makes buying a used car trickier, you need to scour the listings to see if it has the right option pack etc. Often when you buy used the well specced car is only very slightly more expensive than the standard model