Things I like in cars.

"not for canada - australian in disguise" (for-canada) 08/31/2016 at 17:18 • Filed to: None

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1. Heated seats. They may not be necessary somewhere like Florida, or the Phillipines. But I live in Canada. The flat northwestern bit, where it gets to -80 million degrees in the winter. You do not know how much these help you not lose your ass to frostbite.

2. Cupholders. Fuck any car that doesn’t have them. Also, flimsy plastic cupholders can fuck off too, but I will make consolation for the fact that they tend to look cool.

3. Armrests. What kind of lunatic designs a car, and doesn’t put in an armrest? Do you want my arm to fall off?

HammerheadFistpunch > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 17:22

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4. Physical HVAC and radio controls

I Will Always Be The Honey Badger > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 17:22

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Yes. I, too, live in a place where I could build an igloo and live in it during the winter.

arl > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 17:23

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Yea for heated seats. Also for sat radio and sunroofs.

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 17:23

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+1 to all of those things. And add power seats with memory. Yes, I know they are heavier. No, I don’t care. I just want to be able to push a button to get the car back to exactly where I like it after the wife drives it.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 17:25

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1) Does not come in cheap cars that Canadians like to buy.

2) Cupholders are for fat American pigs that eat/drink in their cars. Filthy barbarians. I wish more cars came with covers for them if they must put them in there. My Lincoln got it right: Tiny little ninja cupholders that you have to flip out that won’t hold more than a small can of soda. It’s obvious from many things in the car that it was designed by a German, but this is the most painfully obvious part of the interior.

3) One that is trying to save money and/or space. Really small economy cars often don’t come with them, which is fine, because you will want the space for elbow room.

In spite of all this, I like heated seats and steering wheels. I also use armrests when I have them.

Fuck cupholders.

not for canada - australian in disguise > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 08/31/2016 at 17:26

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Kia actually has (had?) heated seats as standard on the Optima, which is a relatively cheap car. Sadly though it doesn’t seem like more base models have them. It really should be a more standard feature like A/C.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 17:26

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Well my car is 1 for 3 on your like list.

not for canada - australian in disguise > HammerheadFistpunch 08/31/2016 at 17:26

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This too.

TysMagic > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 17:27

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I’d like you to take # 3 to whoever first designed the fiat 500 interior. It can come without armrest or center console. Then it was just an armrest of the driver, which can be shared with a passenger who likes to lean...then finally two arm rests. It took years for this to happen - YEARS.

not for canada - australian in disguise > arl 08/31/2016 at 17:27

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Satellite radio is very nice when you’re on a road trip where you end up somewhere there isn’t FM stations. Which happens a lot in Canada. Without it you’re stuck listening to CBC Radio. Which is something that I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy.

WiscoProud > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 17:35

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I used to harshly judge heated seats as an unneeded luxury. Then I bought an SUV with them and never looked back. They are a requirement now.

facw > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 17:44

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I live in Texas and like heated seats. In the winter I can keep my windows and sunroof open and use the seat heaters to stay warm. In the summer, well I have a bad back, so it’s nice to be able to apply heat and keep it limber.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 17:45

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I can’t imagine they cost that much to add. Still, when pinching pennies and looking for something to increase the price...

The Optima is a mid-size, so it’s way up from most of their offerings.

Which reminds me: Kia makes some very nice cars these days. You can still tell they’re a little bit on the inexpensive side in a few places, but they’re light years better than their price point competitors. My friend that needed a cheap, practical, fuel-efficient car (that would hopefully get a ferry discount) fell in love the moment they got into a Soul (the top two I thought they should consider were that and the Honda Fit, which they felt was too small). Even I was impressed. For a car with an MSRP $12k lower than my completely loaded Focus ST, the interior doesn’t look much more than a leather package cheaper. Hell, the Soul they took home even has really nice looking 18" wheels (part of some $500 package that includes a leather steering wheel/shift knob).

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 17:56

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Satellite radio is totally useless where I live. My car came with it and I had it for 6 months, but refused to pay for it because it cut out way too often to be worth it.

Sunroofs are a mixed bag. They’re cool, but they can also leak. Leaking is bad. Solid roofs are better for long-term reliability.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > HammerheadFistpunch 08/31/2016 at 17:57

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I miss preset buttons that aren’t touch screen.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP 08/31/2016 at 17:58

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Something I really like, too. I only have one car with memory seats, though.

The next-best thing is to get a car with a manual, then others won’t be able to drive it (unless she can drive one, then you’re screwed).

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 18:02

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Did somebody say “cool looking but flimsy”?

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 18:13

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1st mod I did on my 99 7-series? Heated Steering Wheel..... Best $80 on ebay ever spent

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 08/31/2016 at 18:21

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She doesn’t like to admit to it for some reason, but she can drive stick.

Thomas Donohue > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 08/31/2016 at 18:23

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Bummer you don’t get good SatRadio coverage...is that a lattitude thing, or your car? I haven’t ever had a factory sunroof leak in my last six cars. I’m a roadster guy, so I also need a hole in the roof. While I’d love to get a Cayman at some point, the lack of the sunroof option is a borderline dealbreaker.

And heated seats FTW....never knew what I was missing until I had them.

Lastly, a garage is also a very good non-factory option.

misfitmascots > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 18:42

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I can agree with 2,3. Heated seats, steering wheels are useless to me. Rather have a heated cup holder

Jarrett - [BRZ Boi] > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 18:48

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+1 for cupholders to hold my giant Coke Frosters.

duurtlang > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 19:06

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I had a dilemma. My car didn’t have a center armrest between the front seats. Because of this I installed an OEM center armrest. Doing so I eliminated the two cupholders the car had for the driver and the front passenger. So now it does have the armrest, but no cupholders.

Note that the rear passengers have both cup holders and a center armrest. Also note I drive a coupe.

As an added twist: I do have heated seats, but only the passenger one actually works. One more twist: Not once have I regretted not having cupholders.

. . > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 19:24

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One of my cars is 1/3 (has an armrest) and the other is 0/3. :P

As for heated seats, even if I had them they wouldn’t get any use. I hate the sensation.

shop-teacher > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 08/31/2016 at 20:03

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Sunroofs also cut into headroom, which make them a deal breaker for me in some vehicles.

Aaaron > arl 08/31/2016 at 20:35

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When I got my car it came with a SiriusXM trial and I think I’ve used it once or twice. The channel selection is amazing but the sound quality is so bad I’d rather listen to anything else.

Pich, with Z32 now featuring Civic [Si] / No > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 21:20

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My car has no cupholders, and no intensional heated seats per se but you can make anything work . The car gets so hot that the seat keeps you warm in the winter and the space between the seat and tunnel holds keeps cups in place

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 21:25

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I never really appreciated seat heaters until I hurt my back. Having heated seats eased a lot of pain.

Sunroofs won't leak if they're maintained. They're designed with drains that might occasionally need to be cleaned.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 08/31/2016 at 21:26

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All factory sunroofs and most aftermarket have drain tubes that occasionally may need to be cleaned. If the car is parked outside, clean the drain tubes about once a year and you shouldn't have leaks.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > HammerheadFistpunch 08/31/2016 at 21:27

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If I can't get a knob to twist to control my HVAC I don't want to own that car

rockingthe2 > not for canada - australian in disguise 08/31/2016 at 21:30

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I completely agree with the heated seats, however I installed (and used!) them when I was living in florida. Very handy when your back is sore from working out or on a long road trip. Hell I had the windows down, t tops off, a/c on, and the seat heaters all at once before. Both my mr2 and Saab have heated seats too, ill never go back.

HammerheadFistpunch > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 08/31/2016 at 21:37

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What about a slider?

Wagon, semi manual, not brown, turbo because volvo > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 09/01/2016 at 01:06

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There is some cbc content i seek out. Not much. They do have some awesome comedy podcasts. You canadians are hilarious.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Thomas Donohue 09/01/2016 at 01:58

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Latitude and trees/hills. If I lived somewhere further south and/or with less vegetation, it’d probably be a decent deal. It isn’t even that expensive.

I haven’t had a sunroof leak, either, but I’m picky and meticulous. I have first hand knowledge of plenty that leaked, so I know the risk is always there.

A garage isn't an option. I won't live anywhere I don't have a safe indoor spot to store my car.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 09/01/2016 at 02:02

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I know about the drain tubes. There’s also a seal around the glass that can eventually start leaking (which then fills that trough, which drains out the drain tubes). The problem is more that you’re rarely aware that they are leaking until it is a serious problem.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > HammerheadFistpunch 09/01/2016 at 08:55

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I never really cared for sliders. Why not just order the whole burger?

dogisbadob > not for canada - australian in disguise 09/01/2016 at 11:20

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You live in the Yukon?

And yeah, cupholders are the most important part of any car :)

not for canada - australian in disguise > dogisbadob 09/01/2016 at 11:20

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CLOSE ENOUGH.

Xyl0c41n3 > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 09/06/2016 at 03:02

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Pffft. There’s an easier solution to that. Just install a steering wheel fresh from a Texas summer. It’ll have you like