Things you miss when driving a 30+ year old car

"BJohnson11" (brettjohnson01) 02/21/2017 at 18:56 • Filed to: None

0

20

I guess I always took having variable interval windshield wipers for granted. My current wiper speeds are:

Wipe once every 5 (five!) seconds-gets used about 47% of the time

Constant wiping - gets used about 47% of the time

Double time! - gets used 4% of the time

Triple time! - gets used <1% of the time.

The annoyance is, the gap between options 1 and 2 is huge! I really need a middle ground, and option 4, triple time? That’s overkill for everything.

Another thought, anybody know if they make like, a universal rear windshield wiper? Seems like a novel idea, just a standalone wiper with motor that suctions or glues or something onto the rear windshield.

RT > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 19:02

0

What vehicle are these wiper settings on?

BJohnson11 > RT 02/21/2017 at 19:08

1

1984 Mercedes 300d

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 19:10

3

This is actually more settings than some cars I have owned.

BJohnson11 > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 02/21/2017 at 19:14

1

Same here. My old C10 only had two intervals (options 2 and 3 from my post). I guess you could survive with one? I hate having the wipers going faster than they need to though.

sn4cktimes > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 19:22

0

My AMC has 2-click to the right settings and then a no-click variable interval to the left up to 10 second spacing. First time I turned it left I thought I broke the knob.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 19:25

0

That’s the same as my 12 year old Honda.

I preferred the system on my ‘02 Acura - adjustable intervals, intermittent wiping while at a stop.

Wife’s ‘16 Infiniti has rain-sensing wipers but they’re flaky at times and often I end up telling them to wipe manually in light rain.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 19:27

0

Yeah I’ve had a few that had slow constant and fast constant and that was it. I suppose you could just have on/off. I’m guessing that some econoboxes up until the 90's probably did but I’ve never experienced anything less than 2.

BJohnson11 > sn4cktimes 02/21/2017 at 19:30

0

10 second! Wow, I can’t imagine that ever being useful!

sn4cktimes > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 19:41

0

Is pretty weird. I’ve only used it in REALLY light snow conditions.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 19:52

0

Try an 03. Miatas didnt have variable intermitent wipers until 06.

Khalbali > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 20:11

0

My 2008 miata has the same problem lol, the wiper stalk from a mazda6 is a common mod but haven’t gotten around to it yet.

Funktheduck > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 20:13

0

My truck has a variable speed switch but only has one speed

fintail > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 21:23

0

My 50+ year old car (also a MB) has two speeds: normal (too fast for PNW drizzle) and doubletime (never use it).

When I was younger, my dad had some old cars, one had vacuum wipers. If you used kept the engine revved, they’d crawl across the windshield. Kind of fun.

twochevrons > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 02/21/2017 at 22:07

1

Heh, my ‘68 Triumph has just on and off. Definitely makes you appreciate variable speed and intermittent wipers. Naturally, the one speed you do get is too fast for light rain, but far too slow for a real downpour, but on the upside, the switch is huge and makes a satisfying ‘thunk’ when you press it.

Of course, it still has nothing on the vacuum-operated wipers that Ford UK (and maybe others) used into the 1950s. Being powered by manifold vacuum, the harder you worked the engine, the slower they went! Variable-speed, yes, but in completely the wrong way.

I also have a car (‘56 MGA) that not only has single-speed wipers, but has an honest-to-God hand pump to run the washer jets. Naturally, it is almost entirely useless.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 22:09

0

I thought you were going to say cup holders that are actually useful, but the wipers are a good one, too.

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > BJohnson11 02/21/2017 at 23:12

0

I’m kinda jealous of your options, my ‘74 Corvette has

1. Constant (which is stupidly fast)

2. Much faster!

and that’s it. And converting the switch to one that’s intermittent, not even variable interval, involves a good amount of wiring, dash removal, and needing a new motor because reasons. Also, the wiper fluid pump doesn’t work and I’ll be damned if I can figure out why

BJohnson11 > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun 02/22/2017 at 00:22

1

Yea, I replied to someone else, but I had a 74 C10 with those same options. Luckily that wasn’t a daily so I didn’t have to live with it much.

duurtlang > BJohnson11 02/22/2017 at 03:29

0

My old mk2 Golf had the same options as your car. I then replaces the wiper relay with one from a more luxurious VW and I suddenly had variable interval wipers. I’d suggest researching if you can do the same with a relay from a more recent Merc. In my car it was a 2 minutes €5 upgrade.

Nauraushaun > BJohnson11 02/22/2017 at 05:36

0

Haha! My MR2 has 3 interval settings, it’s gold! The Z had like 10. Both 27 years old :)

diplodicus > BJohnson11 02/22/2017 at 08:47

0

I feel you. I just push the lever manually cause I can’t stand when my wipers wipe with nothing to wipe.