What are the automotive quirks of the world?

"My citroen won't start" (lucasboechat) 10/30/2014 at 13:02 • Filed to: None

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The US of Freedom has a weird relationship with vinyl roofs and pin striping, the Japanese love red-ish/weird fake wood, tell me other ones!

ly2v8-Brian > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:05

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Pin stripes are awesome! Can't knock that.

anothermiatafanboy > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:05

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The Europeans love good handling cars and wagons that are space and gas efficient. Very Unamerican! We are coming around though...

itschrome > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:06

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FWD cars with spoilers!

BATC42 > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:06

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France and its microcars (see my post below)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:11

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Fiat used to be obsessed with having the stereo at the top of the dash (I actually love this idea since I can change songs without being distracted from the road.

Cé hé sin > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:11

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American hearses with fake chrome bars for supporting the non existent soft top.

My citroen won't start > itschrome 10/30/2014 at 13:15

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I find that so funny, FWD with steelies and spoiler.

My citroen won't start > anothermiatafanboy 10/30/2014 at 13:15

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That ain't exactly a quirk haha

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:16

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Italians seem to have an obsession with fire.

/obligatory

Ballzonya > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:17

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Russians make awful automobiles

My citroen won't start > ly2v8-Brian 10/30/2014 at 13:17

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Every single car in "Limited" trim has pinstripping, even Azeras, I can't into understanding.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > itschrome 10/30/2014 at 13:18

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Say what now?

My citroen won't start > BATC42 10/30/2014 at 13:18

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James May's last documentary had a great insight about them.

anothermiatafanboy > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:19

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All I could think of...im trying!

My citroen won't start > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 13:20

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My awful old Palio had it as well.

anothermiatafanboy > itschrome 10/30/2014 at 13:20

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That is such an exhausting cliché. Camry with a spoiler is silly yes, but spoilers have plenty of use on a FWD car tuned for handling. See every FWD race car with a big wing. When your at speed, drive wheels don't matter as much, and you still need to keep the ass of a car planted.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:21

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The palio isnt that bad of a car is it?

itschrome > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. 10/30/2014 at 13:22

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Shut up! You know what I mean!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:23

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Until recently, US cars were the only ones likely to have deep well cupholders. Euro cars, particularly Swedes and Germans, usually had cupholders in the glove compartment, as they were to be used during an in-car picnic rather than as firm storage after a visit to the drivethrough. Even if one is not eating while driving, having a good place to put a drink to get it *to* such a picnic didn't seem to be thought of.

My citroen won't start > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 13:23

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It was my second car for some time because no moneys, I could hear the fuel slosh in the tank, I hated that car, a lot.

itschrome > anothermiatafanboy 10/30/2014 at 13:25

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Right and any thing listed here has an extreme example of "But wait!". those race cars use actually functional wings for a functional reason. Most if not all factory spoilers, esp on FWD cars are simply a little quirk they use to sell cars with a "essence" of sport thrown in for style. more than likely that spoiler on your camry in no way adds any aerodynamic advantage besides in creasing drag.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > itschrome 10/30/2014 at 13:25

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You could have just said non-functional spoilers.

Tohru > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:28

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Japan loves awful (usually orange) wood steering wheels, cloth interiors, mismatched front seats, really long names for cars, and lifted 4WD vans. Not all on the same vehicle, usually. The Japanese do not like leather seats pretty much as a rule.

1982 Toyota Cresta Super Lucent Turbo: Awful steering wheel, long name, cloth seats.

1985 Nissan Cedric Brougham VIP Turbo: Long name, cloth seats.

1989 Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon Chamoinx: Long name, lifted 4WD van, cloth seats.

1986 Toyota Corolla Levin GT Apex: Long name, mismatched seats, cloth seats.

1971 Nissan Skyline: Mismatched seats.

Bonus awful steering wheel. JDM as fuck yo.

anothermiatafanboy > itschrome 10/30/2014 at 13:28

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Like I said, on a Camry of course it is useless. And if you said spoiler on a midsize sedan I would have moved along on my merry way. But you implied that 'FWD cars with spoilers' are pointless, which isn't quite true.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:29

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Haha I can hear the fuel in my Panda too and when I'm stopped I can just hear the fuel pump whirring away.

My citroen won't start > Cé hé sin 10/30/2014 at 13:30

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EU hearses are so much nicer.

My citroen won't start > Ballzonya 10/30/2014 at 13:31

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I love ZILs, but yeah

itschrome > anothermiatafanboy 10/30/2014 at 13:32

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then you still would have countered with a photo of some mid size race car with a spoiler...

Gosh when did ya'll get so nit picky. Look most RWD mid size sedans that come with spoilers are usually higher end sport models where they may have actually put some testing into it for actually functionality. My point being any stock production FWD car with a spoiler is pretty much a pointless. It's simply a dealer/manufacture quirk used to sell calls under the false sense of being sporty..

My citroen won't start > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/30/2014 at 13:33

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I remember those pop-out cupholders being fairly common though, especially in VAG products

My citroen won't start > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 10/30/2014 at 13:33

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That is where the passion comes from.

My citroen won't start > Tohru 10/30/2014 at 13:36

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I was looking at some Crowns in goonet and I couldn't understand why so many luxury cars came with cloth seats, made no sense. Also those weird half knitted-ish seat covers

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:41

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Euro cars just have the shittiest of shit cupholders.

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > itschrome 10/30/2014 at 13:45

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Spoilers aren't always for downforce.

My citroen won't start > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/30/2014 at 13:46

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Agreed.

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:47

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Works the other way around!

cbell04 > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:51

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Japanese will gold badge anything

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:53

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To some degree, but only after the well style had become very prolific in US models. What's interesting is that the dashboard/glove box cup recesses probably predate the modern cupholder recess by a good bit, and that was probably part of the reason those manufacturers were slow catching the wave.

itschrome > luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! 10/30/2014 at 13:53

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I know I know, sometimes they are for boosting esteem during mid life crisis. After all a spoiler on your mazda 6 will help that cocktail waitress think you're taking her home in a sports car.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:53

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Old Volvo cupholders are so flimsy they'd actually flex under the weight of the drink.

And they would break within a year so you never got to use them anyways.

Cé hé sin > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 13:57

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Hmm. Depends where in the EU you are.

Voici un véhicule funéraire francais.

Tohru > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 14:05

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YES! I was going to mention the seat doilies but couldn't find a car with them quickly on GooNet.

The Japanese don't have big cattle herds for leather, so culturally leather wasn't a luxury material for them because they simply didn't use it. It carries on today.

Saoul-Virage > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 14:05

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That's an excellent feature, it tells you that you have still some fuel in your tank !
I totally agree with you for the stereo at the top of the dash, it's ergonomic and safe. The best is the dash of the Fiat Panda II (2nd picture), it's very well packed.

My citroen won't start > Tohru 10/30/2014 at 14:10

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Toyota Crown Comfort, every single taxi in japan had those on.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Tohru 10/30/2014 at 14:12

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But they also have awesome interiors that they don't sell in foreign models. This is the Recaro interior of the Hilux Surf, an interior the 4Runner never got.

luvMeSome142 & some Lincoln! > itschrome 10/30/2014 at 14:20

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I know we're just joking around here. But this surprised me, the little spoiler on a Porsche 924 actually reduces the drag coefficient from .36 to .33.

RallyWrench > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. 10/30/2014 at 14:29

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Ah, good to see a pic of my old friend (bottom). Poor thing got pretty well beat up at the 'Ring in June.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Saoul-Virage 10/30/2014 at 14:29

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I agree that the Panda dash is well designed. Although I'm biased since I bought one haha.

Your boy, BJR > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 14:33

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American cars have a level of swagger that other countries WISH they could achive.

ahem

Saoul-Virage > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 14:52

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Well, me too, i have one. But you can compare it to other car of its category and it's probably one of the best dash to use. I drive a Citroen C2 too, the A/C buttons and stereo are very low it's nearly dangerous to use them when you drive. Bbut handling is way better (and funnier) than the Fiat...

ly2v8-Brian > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 15:03

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Not that crap. THIS

Wouldn't mind putting some of that on my truck's tailgate.

My citroen won't start > ly2v8-Brian 10/30/2014 at 15:06

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This is awesome, I was talking about that weird shit, single golden stripe in a top trim korean sedan.

ly2v8-Brian > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 15:12

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Contour stripes are a bit more appropriate on an American fullsize or pickup trucks(though hardly anyone does contour stripes for trucks anymore, not bro enough I guess) but on the right car they look right. A bland slab sided Asian car is not one of those. The new Impala would probably look pretty good with them.

anothermiatafanboy > itschrome 10/30/2014 at 15:20

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I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU JUST WROTE. On a stock production FWD vehicle it usually is pointless. But you only added stock and production in this last post. The Internet is nitpicky get used to it. People can sometimes learn things from well written informative comments/posts on this site, so people will correct you if you say something that isn't right.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Saoul-Virage 10/30/2014 at 15:36

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Cool never met a fellow panda owner on oppo. I'm not a big fan of the C2 overall but I imagine it handles better, the Panda has a lot of roll and skinny tires. Although it's still better than the micras and corsas i've driven from that era.

How are you liking the Panda overall?

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > My citroen won't start 10/30/2014 at 16:12

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Brits love wood and leather. Wood and leather everywhere :)

Germans like grey in the same abundance...

davedave1111 > itschrome 10/30/2014 at 16:28

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a) That's a wing, not a spoiler.

b) They're not necessarily pointless. Some are just there for styling, but often they provide a minor aerodynamic benefit by redirecting the airflow as it comes off the car. So no, they don't improve handling or provide downforce, but they do (often) improve fuel efficiency and top speed.

Often they're so minimal they go unnoticed.

Seen the tiny lip at the rear end of the roof? That's a tiny spoiler. It's a functional aero device, albeit one without a huge effect.

davedave1111 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 16:30

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If I remember rightly, it's basically because they designed the curved faceplate years ago, and then that was the only way they could fit it into everything else - and they didn't want to retool.

davedave1111 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 16:31

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Do they still put the electric window buttons in the center? It makes complete sense, but confused the hell out of passengers.

davedave1111 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 10/30/2014 at 16:32

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"Brits love wood and leather."

Oh, so that's why you have a Biturbo ;)

Personally I'd have gone for Brits liking convertibles.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > davedave1111 10/30/2014 at 16:34

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Mine has the central window switches but its a 2005, so I dont know if theyve changed since.

davedave1111 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 16:59

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Looks like they haven't changed.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > davedave1111 10/30/2014 at 17:06

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Looks like a very similar interior layout overall. I need to go test drive a new Panda some day.

davedave1111 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 17:10

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Hire car time. Although they mostly have 500s instead. But my little brother and I were looking at hiring something for a day and heading up to Pendine Sands. Cheaper than go-karting. I'd love to find a Panda 4x4 for that.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > davedave1111 10/30/2014 at 17:13

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I'll just head to the dealer. If you pull up in an older version of the same car it makes you look like a serious buyer so I should have no issue getting a drive.

I'd love to hire a panda 4x4 and take it offroad, sounds like a good idea. They seem like fun little things for light offroading.

davedave1111 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 17:19

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I'd have no trouble getting a test drive, but I doubt they'd be too happy with me treating it the way I treat a rental...

Actually, my local Fiat dealer is right next to a big Tesco, so they're quite used to people walking in for a look after shopping, having left their car at Tesco. Makes it much easier to get a test drive.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > davedave1111 10/30/2014 at 17:23

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That's true haha. I'm too young to rent a car, but I remember when my grandad rented a 1.4 mk2 focus when we were in cyprus and he absolutely ragged it. He basocally had to to be fair though, it was a slow car. He also got a speeding ticket in a base yaris in malta.

I have a dealer next to the big tesco here but its vauxhall. I dont really want to drive many of the cars they have..

davedave1111 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 17:34

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Hah, yeah. My dad's the most honest, law-abiding chap you could ever meet, and even he rags hire cars. Apparently he once half-killed a Ford Focus he and my mum hired in Ireland, but I wasn't there for that one.

Funnily enough, there's also a story about him and a hire car in Malta, but I'm going to have to leave it to ask how the fuck your grand-dad managed to get a speeding ticket there. I thought speeding in Malta is mandatory? Or did he attract attention by driving for too long on the same side of the road?

KirkyV > davedave1111 10/30/2014 at 17:43

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Considering the climate, we do indeed have a rather strange degree of affection for cars with transient roofs.

KirkyV > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 10/30/2014 at 17:44

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They're just not really... A priority, to your average European.

Saoul-Virage > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 17:51

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Oppopanda! I love the Panda! I have so much fun with it, it's practical, easy to maintain, easy to repair (I crashed it many times because I'm a complete idiot), it's economical and I like its shape. In France many people prefer to buy the 500 for its retro look, but for the Panda is basically the same with more space and more practical. And it's a car which could be well equipped, mine has leather seats, auto A/C, electric roof and some nice Alfa Romeo alloy wheels.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > davedave1111 10/30/2014 at 17:55

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I have no idea how fast he was going, but he's a fairly quick driver, but a very good driver so he knows when to speed and when to slow down.

He did say the police didnt seem to care about the fact that he was speeding and were very relaxed about it. He said the fine was very small too, about 10 euros. He paid it on the spot and never heard about it again.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Saoul-Virage 10/30/2014 at 18:14

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I love mine too. It's a lower spec than yours but I still got a cool glass roof and a nice stereo. I get 55mpg out of it and its reasonably quick for such a tiny car. I'm thinking of getting alloys for mine.

davedave1111 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 10/30/2014 at 19:50

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Oh, I see, it was a shakedown :)

Having seen the way the Maltese drive, I figured it couldn't be an actual speeding ticket...

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > davedave1111 10/30/2014 at 20:15

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Haha it's possible. He does have a written out ticket with the amount on it. I'll have to dig it out and see what it says.

Davos Swinney > My citroen won't start 11/01/2014 at 16:21

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My Millenia had those too, they felt unbelievably flimsy. I can't even remember what the center stack/console had on it in lieu of actual cupholders. Nothing that I wouldn't have traded for a couple of dedicated wells, I know that.

Davos Swinney > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 11/01/2014 at 16:22

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Not to mention, the condensation would drip all over you window switches. I hear that's bad for electrics.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Davos Swinney 11/01/2014 at 16:23

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It's a Volvo. Those window switches would've gone bad anyways.