Who really touches their dashboard? 

"dinobot666" (dinobot666) 02/06/2014 at 11:31 • Filed to: Dashboardolopnik writer fetishes WTF who does this? ooooh so soft

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Every single review of any car that I've ever seen written by any kind of publication always mentions the so-called "touch points" of the vehicle, which are namely the dashboard(??) center console, elbow rest etc.

Taken from the Jalopnik 2015 WRX review:

"The interior follows the same WRX formula as it always has. Great steering wheel, great seats, pretty bland everything else. There are softer touch materials on the dash than the past, but the center stack is still hard and blah, though there is faux carbon fiber, so woo hoo."

The thing is, I don't know any sane person who spends any appreciable amount of time touching their dashboard. Why would you? I wipe mine down with a rag a few times a year to clear it of dust, but other than that, I have no reason to ever lay a hand on my dash.

Car magazine editors and even car bloggers always talk about how soft the dash is to the touch, which leaves me completely bewildered every time they mention it. Is it some kind of weird writer fetish, or should I be touching my dash in a way I am currently unaware of.

Please help me understand this.

CalzoneGolem > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:33

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Put shea donkeyboard, amirite?

. . > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:36

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I can't stand cheap plastics on dashboards. Whenever I get to take a look around some new car, the quality of dashboard materials will be among the first things that I'll check.

Gamecat235 > CalzoneGolem 02/06/2014 at 11:36

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#winning

(let us see how many get it)

Joe_Limon > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:37

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Well... considering that you're stuck looking at it for the duration of your ownership of the vehicle, if you know it's a cheap strip of plastic vs a leather, or even soft touch plastic surface, then you will have different levels of perceived comfort. And you will be reminded of its existence every time you sit down in the vehicle, even if it is subliminal.

Desu-San-Desu > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:37

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I just ignore the parts of reviews that discuss interior touch points.

Obviously the reviewers priorities are very, very different than mine.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:39

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I actually agree... Mine's plastic is as hard as they get and I don't think I ever paid any attention at all to it or spent any significant amount of time touching it, and I've had that same car for 18 years.

Here it is, in all its simple designed, hard plastic glory. The steering wheel and shift knob, which are the parts I come the most in contact with, though, are leather, and they have a great feeling even after all this time.

-Amateur > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:39

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I always touch the dash, especially my brother's new 2014 mazda 6.....so000 plushy, you can feel the quality oozing out of its materials! It's like when you sit on a chair/sofa, you like to feel the materials used. It goes along way with the overall quality of a vehicle. Touch a Dodge Caliber dash, it's as bad as it gets with materials. It's not really a fetish, but adds to the overall experience of the quality of the car.

Jayhawk Jake > Joe_Limon 02/06/2014 at 11:40

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I made a post a while ago about the look of the material.

To me, it doesn't matter what it is, as long as it looks nice. My dash is plastic, but it doesn't look like cheap plastic, it has a different 'effect' than most cars. When I sit in a Fiesta though, it looks cheap, and that bothers me.

Desu-San-Desu > . . 02/06/2014 at 11:40

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But....why? Why does it matter? You don't some in contact with it, you don't interact with it, and you don't get any value out of the added cost of the nicer materials, aside from a buff to your ego stats.

My only concern with the dash? Visibility. Does it block my view? Are there glare issues? No? Then I'm good to go.

Bonus points if it has a flat spot for my phone mount. Smooth, untextured plastic preferred, for suction-cup compatibility, lol.

Casper > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:41

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I hate cheap plastic. Touch or the idea of touch is important to humans. It's one of the reasons I hated the C6 Corvette.

Gamecat235 > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:42

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Somewhere, I have a picture of my wife lying down on the dash of our New Beetle. I can't find it though... So... yes, it happens.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Gamecat235 02/06/2014 at 11:43

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I'll admit that I don't get it (or don't remember what it was) But I'm quite sure I saw Put Shea Donkey Board on Jalop YEARS ago...

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion 02/06/2014 at 11:43

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18 years?! Wow. Very miles. Much Jalop.

That's nearly my entire driving life. What is it?

KB Garage > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:43

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I clicked this article for the image. I was hoping for a gif.

Gamecat235 > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 02/06/2014 at 11:45

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Yep. It's from years ago.

(put the whole thing together and reorder the words: putsheadonkeyboard)

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > Desu-San-Desu 02/06/2014 at 11:45

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Ugh, don't even get me started on glare... The Tipo's slanted windshield reflects everything from the top of the dash to the steering wheel, right at eye level. It's really annoying sometimes, but other than that I don't think I mind if it's hard or soft plastic.

. . > Desu-San-Desu 02/06/2014 at 11:46

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Because the cabin is where I spend the vast majority of my time with a car, so I want it to be as nice as possible. Cheap platics not only look worse and feel worse (and yes, I actually like to touch various bits and bobs around my car, I generally love spending time in it), but will most likely start getting noisy at some point, and I can't stand any sort of creaks or rattles around my interior. There's also the fact, that with a cheap interior, when you want to operate some part of it (for example open the glovebox) it's a really horrible feeling when you go to grab it and it feels like the flimsiest thing on the planet. DO NOT WANT.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Gamecat235 02/06/2014 at 11:47

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Ahh.. hah.. I remember now :) My problem is Dyslexia, makes it rather hard to see stuff like that :)

dinobot666 > KB Garage 02/06/2014 at 11:47

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Sorry. :(

thebigbossyboss > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:47

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I have always also wondered that. Maybe it's because I have only owned boring terrible, slow cars, but it's never bugged me.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > CalzoneGolem 02/06/2014 at 11:48

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I do that regularly because reasons!

dinobot666 > thebigbossyboss 02/06/2014 at 11:49

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I'd rather have durable over touchy feely goodness. I guess that doesn't make me a car editor then.

HammerheadFistpunch > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:49

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If its soft, it will look more natural and organic, if it just looks soft but isn't it looks artificial. You don't finger the dash, obviously, but you want it to look like it wouldn't be an offense to touch it.

puddler > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:50

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most of my dashes have been steel, but i built a nica aluminum piece for the truck. it's not soft to the touch, but i should be able to cook lunch on it on sunny days this summer.

Victorious Secret > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:50

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I rub my goods all over my dash. I only expect the highest quality.

Yea, you heard me.

Joe_Limon > Jayhawk Jake 02/06/2014 at 11:51

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Do you know what has the cheapest looking plastic? Last gen Impalas. I sat in one and I could swear I could see the manufacturing oil/grease pooling on the surface. Textured glossy black plastic is gross.

Victorious Secret > Gamecat235 02/06/2014 at 11:51

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And I thought I was the only one.

What?

Victorious Secret > Casper 02/06/2014 at 11:52

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Yup, most people don't get the mental aspect.

Just knowing its better quality can make you like the car more. Even if its Fabio grade pleather. It just needs to reassure you.

Cheap plastics do not reassure. They are cheap. Hard. Flimsy. Useless.

Desu-San-Desu > . . 02/06/2014 at 11:53

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Eh, the only parts of car I care about about feeling nice to the touch are:

steering wheel

glove box handle and face

shifter

knobs and buttons

indicator and wiper stalks

arm rests

seats

Aaaand...that's about it. Maybe it's because I've grown up driving older Craigslist Specials all my life, but I've developed a different set of priorities than most people I know. Sure, my Audi has a nice faux-leather dash, but all that does is get overly shiny and create glare and piss me off, as well as pissing me off by being a material that a suction cup or adhesives won't stick to, meaning I can't put my phone's car mount where I want to.

I've always been function-over-form to a fault and I know I'm in the minority, but it's just the way I am. I'm not saying I'm into low-class interiors, and I'm not calling you a snob in any way, I'm just saying that our priorities are different.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/06/2014 at 11:54

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1995 Fiat Tipo Sedicivalvole, bought new, been in the family since. To be fair, though, when we boguht it, I was only 5, it was my dad's car until 2006 when he passed it on to me. I've been DDing it ever since and holy shit It's been almost a decade already!

Anyways, these are rare as hen's teeth in Brazil, most were driven to death in just a couple years due to poor maintenance... And these cars need a hell lot of maintenance, haha... Mine's still soldiering on, though.

Desu-San-Desu > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion 02/06/2014 at 11:55

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Black or grey plasti-dip is surprisingly effective at alleviating the glare issue.

Or, you know, one of those "suede" dash covers, if you want a less permanent solution.

greenagain > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:55

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Once in a while a shopper will pop into the passenger seat and knock knock the top of the dash and mutter about it.
I then suggest they buckle in, and see if they can still reach it.

Gamecat235 > Victorious Secret 02/06/2014 at 11:55

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So... you like big dashboards, eh? No judging from me.

Naijaflavor, I Love Doritos > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 11:56

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I don't understand the fixation with soft touch materials on the dashboard because I never need to touch my dash, but the soft touch materials on the door panels is what I like.

Victorious Secret > Gamecat235 02/06/2014 at 11:57

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I can not lie.

Big, soft, well formed dashboards. Ideally with grab handles for when things get a little dicey.

Hmm...

Jagvar > CalzoneGolem 02/06/2014 at 11:58

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It was actually SR20 who came up with Put Shea Donkey Board, back in his Esprit-owning days.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > Desu-San-Desu 02/06/2014 at 11:58

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Hum, good idea, I may try looking into one of those when the car's back on the street.

Jagvar > Victorious Secret 02/06/2014 at 11:58

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And I thought I was the only one!

Victorious Secret > Jagvar 02/06/2014 at 12:00

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Yea but you don't wear socks, that gets kinda gnarly.

Jayhawk Jake > Joe_Limon 02/06/2014 at 12:00

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I know, I hate those things with a passion. I had one as a rental once, it was horrible.

dinobot666 > Naijaflavor, I Love Doritos 02/06/2014 at 12:00

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I'm right there with ya.

Frank Grimes > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 12:02

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The only time I touch my dashboard is when I stroke it to reassure it that those hard shifts and wide open throttle blasts dont mean I hate it.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion 02/06/2014 at 12:04

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Aha - gotcha. Nice going keeping her running right. I had my last car (a Mazda 3s hatch) for seven years - recently swapped it out for an E90 M3. Good things come to those who wait!

I'm hoping to keep this one "in the family" for many years to come.

. . > Desu-San-Desu 02/06/2014 at 12:05

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There are some cars in which I don't give two shits about the interior. My dad's old Transit van is a good example. All the rattles and squeaks just add to the fun of the driving experience (and it is fun as hell).

However, after driving my CLK for a while, I've started noticing how terrible most of the interiors are on modern cars. In anything but strictly premium cars you won't find padding on lower parts of the dash, or even all-around carpeted footwells (which is such a nice thing I can't believe it's so rare). And that's despite teh fact that my CLKs interior is far from perfect. Of crouse, teh main portions of the dash are all soft touch, wood is actual wood and shiny bits are actual metal, but the black plastic bezels around vents are pretty rubbish (very hard). Same goes for the casing of the lights knob. I also wouldn't mind a sturdier feeling armrest cover.

If a car is my daily driver, the last thing I want to do is be careful not to accidentally touch some part of the interior in fear of it feeling cheap and horrible. In regards to that, I think plastic doorhandles are my personal nemesis.

Jagvar > Victorious Secret 02/06/2014 at 12:05

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My soles are as durable as fine Corinthian leather.

timateo81 > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 12:10

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Remember how CR (and everyone) bashed the Civic a couple of years ago outright? One of the complaints was cheap plastic-y interior, including dash. I just don't get it, nothing on the road today is as bad as 90s-era Chevy. Let's move on to other things that matter.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 12:30

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Couldn't agree with you more. I have very low demands for the interior of my car. It needs to be simple and functional. Bonus points if it has a front bench seat. I suppose my ideal car would have a metal dash board but those are never coming back.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/06/2014 at 12:35

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I don't think I'll ever have to courage to let my old Tipo go. I grew up in it, after all, haha....

I really like to think how I used to go to school on the backseat of this car, and now I drive it to college everyday.

Xentron Holy Reaper of Worlds > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 12:36

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*Slowly Raises Hand* I fondle nice dashboards when no one is looking.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion 02/06/2014 at 12:38

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Sounds like lots of great memories.

CalzoneGolem > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 02/06/2014 at 12:39

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The shea makes is soft.

CalzoneGolem > Jagvar 02/06/2014 at 12:39

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That is a man with an enduring legacy.

dinobot666 > . . 02/06/2014 at 12:40

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Do you check by touching the dash, or do you just look at it? There's a distinction here, because all these writers are talking about actually touching the dash.

CalzoneGolem > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 02/06/2014 at 12:41

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Old timers unite!

Korea Miéville > Desu-San-Desu 02/06/2014 at 13:12

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I can't say I spend much time touching car dashboards, but they are something I'm aware of, even when I'm not actively focused on them. I guess if a dashboard is nice and soft, it suggests the interior has ample cushioning to dampen car/road noise and vibrations.

But yeah, I guess I notice it most when I go to open the glovebox. I like it when the door feels solid and has some heft, and isn't clattery or flimsy.

Does it matter? I dunno. In a way I think it does, since the car interior is the area of the car you'll spend the vast majority of your time looking at. There are a lot of very minor sensory impressions you get while driving and fiddling with knobs and buttons and so forth, and they add up. So a really nice interior just smooths out those impressions and make them pleasant, while a cheap interior can be irritating on that very low, almost subconscious level, that contributes to a poor driving experience overall.

I guess it can be compared to using an iPhone versus an Android phone. For a lot of people the aesthetic qualities are just not relevant, and it's all about function and tech specs. But I can't stand Android phones for basically one minor reason, which is that scrolling feels slightly jerky on even high end phones, and when I touch an icon or keyboard key, there's this infinitesimal, barely detectable lag that shouldn't drive me crazy, but drives me fucking batshit. It's like when your smoke detector battery is low and it makes that tiny little beep every minute, and even though you should be able to ignore it, it just gets under your skin. I don't get that on an iPhone, and as minor as this detail is, it's the deciding factor for me.

. . > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 13:40

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Both actually. I care about it looking nice and feeling nice.

dinobot666 > . . 02/06/2014 at 13:43

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So, I take it you end up touching the dash quite often, once you've decided on a purchase? That's where I totally get lost on this.

Stef Schrader > dinobot666 02/06/2014 at 14:19

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I don't touch mine. It's nice not to have scratchable plastic everywhere, though. There are so many surfaces on the Lancer's interior that I'd like to flock—not because racecar per se, but because it's so easily scratchable.

Had they gone with more soft-touch materials—even in places you don't touch often—leaving scratches is less of a worry.

wkiernan > dinobot666 02/07/2014 at 20:00

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I guess you've got to say something about how these super-expensive new cars are so much better than cheap old ones. Even though they aren't.

wkiernan > dinobot666 02/07/2014 at 20:01

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My question is, how does that dash taste?

anacanapana > Desu-San-Desu 02/10/2014 at 14:05

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If you're cool with dashes that crack in the heat, I'm sure you can buy a few older Dodges that are pre-cracked.

Desu-San-Desu > anacanapana 02/10/2014 at 14:06

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Except I don't buy Dodges...

anacanapana > Desu-San-Desu 02/10/2014 at 14:11

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Dashboard quality does matter, and isn't just for "a buff to your ego stats."

Now, if you don't give a rat's ass about resale value, that's a valid point.

Desu-San-Desu > anacanapana 02/10/2014 at 14:15

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Now, if you don't give a rat's ass about resale value

I don't.

I've never bought a car with intentions of selling it again as anything but a parts/project car once I've driven it into the dirt. So...yeah.

anacanapana > Desu-San-Desu 02/10/2014 at 14:23

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Well, a lot of us do.

So, there are valid reasons to care about your dashboard's quality beyond one's ego.

Just because you personally don't care doesn't mean you should be flabbergasted that other people do.