What's the Worst Minor Design Flaw?

"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4) 04/02/2015 at 22:10 • Filed to: None

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I nominate the 1995-2001 Lumina for it's rear doors. They had a very poorly placed sharp corner that was within striking distance of your head if you weren't paying attention when exiting. I've done that on occasion when these were still offered as rental cars.

Let's see some other nominations.

E. Julius > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 22:13

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The shape of that door. That is just… wow.

dogisbadob > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 22:15

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Apollo is spelled wrong

pip bip - choose Corrour > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 22:18

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Porsche 911 , engine in the wrong spot

*dons flame suit*

:D

LOL!

Branden J -Reading the Manual > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 22:22

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Any car that puts the oil drain plug on the side of the oil pan. I hate it because you can never get a bucket in the right spot and end up with oil all over everything. Just put it on the bottom, it's not hard.

Funktheduck > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 22:30

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I hit my head on the corner of my grandmas caddy door in the same way. Don't remember the model or year (late 90s is my best guess). hurt so bad. Left a huge bump despite not hitting it hard. Sharp corner curving inward.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 22:33

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Well you could have done what my buddy did with his Lumina. Bolt the doors shut and go racin!

Captain of the Enterprise > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 22:38

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non adjustable or telescoping wheels.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 22:39

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The emergency door switch for the old AmTran RE buses. The switch is mounted to the side of the dashboard where any 10-year-old could flick the switch, sending the front door sliding to the closed position.

Frank Grimes > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 22:45

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Also the intake gaskets fail and then you leak coolant all over the place and its a major pain in the but to do.

Axial > pip bip - choose Corrour 04/02/2015 at 22:50

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It is technically a design flaw. They've muscled it into working over the years with a host of fancy driver aids.

SlickMcRick > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 22:51

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I nominate this

Late 90s to early 00s Taurus oil filter location. Imagine working at Sears and people fly in fresh from the Jersey Turnpike for fast oil change that the service writers love to promise.

Sticking your hand down there is equivalent to sticking your hand into the belly of Mt. Vesuvius on that fateful day in Pompeii in the year 79AD.

Simply put I would make sure these cars cooled off good and long before I would dare touch them.

C9200 > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 23:00

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BMW 7 Series tail lights. They look great at night:

Until you hit the brakes and you just see a mess of led spots that aren't even spaced out properly:

BTW how do I get authorship rights?

AM > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 23:07

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The cupholders that they used in the in the E39 5 series. Not only did they break all the time but when they weren't broken you still couldn't put your cup in them because it would spill anyways.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 23:22

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My E36 sedan has a similar sharp corner on the back door in nearly the same place. I don't think anyone's stabbed their head yet though.

I nominate the E36 cupholders. There's two of them in the front but one is covered by the arm rest and the one that is "usable" won't even hold a bottle of water. Terrible design. If they weren't tapered inward at the bottom they would work just fine.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 23:23

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My Neon had that same spur on the door.

Funktheduck > Boxer_4 04/02/2015 at 23:26

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Cup holders in my old GS300 (1995). Popped out from the arm rest. Super fragile. Broke. Reglued. Broke. Reglued. Broke.

ly2v8-Brian > SlickMcRick 04/03/2015 at 00:04

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As someone that worked at an Iffy-Lube I second this, and I would also like to nominate Toyota FWD v6s, GM 3.6 v6, and Subarus for this very reason.

ly2v8-Brian > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 04/03/2015 at 00:07

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Trinken Sie nichts im Auto, bitte. Das Auto ist nur für fahren.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > ly2v8-Brian 04/03/2015 at 00:42

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Ill drink in my car if I want to dammit!

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > SlickMcRick 04/03/2015 at 00:50

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I can second this. My dad drives a 2001 Sable and sometimes puts off filter replacement by an oil change or two because its so difficult for the mechanic to get at it :P

Ryoku > Boxer_4 04/03/2015 at 02:51

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In the rear hinges on Volvo 240 wagons someone at Volvo though to jam in the wiring for the rear lights and wiper, not in the side or underneath, through the roof and threw the HINGES.

So over time the wires get brittle and wear out as you use the hatch, a truly dumb design move on whats otherwise a well-designed car, well-designed for 1970.

jkm7680 > Boxer_4 04/03/2015 at 08:11

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Pre facelift B5 A4 cupholders. No picture off hand, but they work like this

_ _

Those are the two cupholders

{ } { }

Then they pop up like that and it's a PITA.

Nobi > ly2v8-Brian 04/03/2015 at 08:51

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The trick on the 3.6 (as long as its a FWD configuration) is to get it from the top. It makes an ungodly mess, but it'll save your skin, literally.

twochevrons > Boxer_4 04/03/2015 at 09:35

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Heh, the front doors on the Pontiac Trans Sport that my parents briefly owned were similarly likely to catch your head if you weren't careful. They even had stickers on the window frames warning you to keep your head clear!

Aside from that, though, the Volvo 850's centre console is guilty of multiple counts of boneheaded design thinking. Not only are the cupholders (obviously added as an afterthought to satisfy the US market) small, flimsy and right in the way of the power window switches when extended, they are also perfectly positioned to bump with your elbow while driving, sending your drink flying into the switches. I don't think I've ever found an 850 window switch pack that doesn't feel gross and sticky. I am one of those anal-retentive types that doesn't allow eating or drinking in the car, so it doesn't bother me all that much, but in a car that is otherwise very thoughtfully-designed, small flaws such as that stick out like a sore thumb.

Now that I'm on a roll, the window switch cluster itself is somewhat annoying, too. I have no beef with its position between the seats, but the power mirror controls (those two square things ahead of the switches in the photo) are perfectly located to get bumped while closing the front windows. Also, I have no idea why they went for two separate joysticks instead of one with a left/right/locked control, like everybody else does.

Image source: https://volvo850wagon.wordpress.com/category/cup-h…

ly2v8-Brian > Nobi 04/03/2015 at 10:11

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Oh yeah I figured that quickly, but the worst were the earlier Lambda bodies (Acadia, Enclave, etc for those unaware). There is alost no space to maneuver in those.

Nobi > ly2v8-Brian 04/03/2015 at 10:46

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Best way I've found to deal with those is cut an access hole in the under tray. If you do it right, the hole will be small enough that it won't be visible, and far enough back to not interfere with engine cooling.

ly2v8-Brian > Nobi 04/03/2015 at 10:48

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Interesting. At least I don't have to deal with it now.

DarrenMR > Boxer_4 04/04/2015 at 18:58

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The fold down arm rests on my wifes 9 CRV, they are covered in the roughest fabric known to man. Its honestly like resting my elbow in gravel.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU 04/05/2015 at 02:53

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My wife drives a 2001 Sable. I can get the filter on and off with some ease, but not without covering myself in scalding hot oil.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 04/05/2015 at 11:45

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Which engine does your wife's car have? My dad's had the Duratec DOHC motor, which I would guess takes up a fair bit more engine bay than the old pushrod Vulcan.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU 04/05/2015 at 12:34

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Same. 3.0 Duratec DOHC. Never liked that car but that engine is as strong as day one.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 04/05/2015 at 13:32

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Odd. My dad lost an engine at 125,00, but it doedoesa pull like a freight train.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU 04/05/2015 at 13:36

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We're up to 215k, original motor and trans.

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 04/05/2015 at 13:45

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Here's to 100k more!