Boneheaded design elements

[Variance]

This is a Land Rover Freelander:



Want to take a guess on where the main brake lights are?

That's right. The brake lights are the two little red portions of the rectangles on the bottom of the rear bumper. The two circular lights were you would expect the brake lights to be are (as far as I know) just there for show. I was behind one of these in traffic the other night and following it was just as bad as if it had no brake lights at all (slight exaggeration but it was still disconcerting having to look at the bumper of a car to see if it was braking). The fact that the third brake light was out and the brake lights barely lit up any brighter when braking didn't help either.

Any other car design elements that have you question what the designer was thinking?

[mightymouse]

This is a Land Rover Freelander:



Want to take a guess on where the main brake lights are?

That's right. The brake lights are the two little red portions of the rectangles on the bottom of the rear bumper. The two circular lights were you would expect the brake lights to be are (as far as I know) just there for show. I was behind one of these in traffic the other night and following it was just as bad as if it had no brake lights at all (slight exaggeration but it was still disconcerting having to look at the bumper of a car to see if it was braking). The fact that the third brake light was out and the brake lights barely lit up any brighter when braking didn't help either.

Any other car design elements that have you question what the designer was thinking?

[post="59818"][/post]

Yeah on the above, are those super duper extreme luggage racks or handles for uprighting the pseudo-truck when it's rolled over?
fruity truck. Edited December 16, 2005 by mightymouse

[z28luvr01]

I got your boneheaded design elements right here:

[76ChevyTrucker]

what in the hell is that yellow thing? And I have been behind a LR before and it is a little hard to tell when its braking since well, you have the two low, very low mounted brake lights that don't cast a big shadow at all, and if the third light is out, you might as well just stare at the bumper.

[Variance]

The yellow thing is an Isuzu VehiCROSS. This is basically what caused Isuzu's poor sales now. When it was sold, whenever anyone stepped in the showroom and caught sight of it, they would scream and vomit in terror and flee from the dealership...vowing never to return again.

[Cory Wolfe]

What?!?!? The Vehicross is like the coolest vehicle ever! How can you diss it? :P

[balthazar]

'cause it blows chunks. More than 1 land rover uses exhaust-level brake lights. Another boneheaded element is volvo's taillights: on the wagon the lenses are like 3 feet tall, yet the portion lit while braking is a tiny 1.5" x 1.5" square. I don't get it- volvo's entire claim to fame is safety; what gives here?

[Cory Wolfe]

Here ya go... Need I say more? :P

[Enzora]

A boneheaded Element, you say?

[Nick]

The Vehicross was actually a very cool vehicle...While some may not dig the design, it is a very capable vehicle and came well equipped with performance to match. Pretty neat vehicle over all...You don't see too many because they were very limited production...I've seen a few around.

[Cory Wolfe]

Yeah... I have a soft spot for the Vehicross (don't we all? :lol: )



I mean, it's weird, but so cool at the same time. It really is the coolest vehicle ever... Okay, I'm still kidding. :D

[Variance]

Why??? Why is this truck so mad??? Was it all the automotive journalists whining about the previous generation being boring? What has humanity done to invoke the wrath of this angry truck? What goofball at GM really thought to horrendous mopnstrosity would make people want to run into Chevrolet dealers with arm fulls of cash and purchase this cartoonish excuse for a truck? Ugh! My eyes burn just looking at this blemish in Chevrolet history!

[post="59947"][/post]

I actually like the "angry" Silverado front end. The previous one was kind of plain to look at and I have a thing for most mean-looking cars.

[Variance]

I complained about this a couple of months ago in another thread and to this day I still don't like it: the "Pontiac" under the right headlight of the Grand Prix.



It's not like it's overly large and ostentatious but I just don't think it looks right. The "Pontiac" on the rear bumper looks cheesy to me as well.

[Sixty8panther]

'cause it blows chunks.

More than 1 land rover uses exhaust-level brake lights.

Another boneheaded element is volvo's taillights: on the wagon the lenses are like 3 feet tall, yet the portion lit while braking is a tiny 1.5" x 1.5" square. I don't get it- volvo's entire claim to fame is safety; what gives here?

[post="59891"][/post]

Marcia once told me to "shut the F up cause no one cares" about thisEXACT point one day in traffic. It's so god-danged backwards it makes my brain beeld just at the thought of it.


WMJ:

I love the angry Silverado. I actaully love it. But then again here's my 1st and 5th choice for my next classic car:

[ocnblu]

Is the Dodge really mad? The Buick is a tad miffed, yes, but the Dodge, to me, looks kinda... skeletal. Emaciated. You know, when you see a photo of a person who has been starved for some ungodly reason, their brows are exaggerated because their eyes are sunken. I know, it's a horrible visual.

Wait, maybe the Dodge is a Dr. Seuss character. Yes, I retract my "skeletal" comment and replace it with "Dr. Seuss". Verrry interesting. :AH-HA_wink:

[Croc]

You're right, the Dodge does look like Mischa Barton.

[Sixty8panther]

Dr. Seuss character? I'll buy that. I think I'll buy a green one & geet a GRINCH vanity plate. :)

[Flybrian]

Acura TL taillamps:

The LED taillamps are sizable, yet the actual part the blinks when the turn signal is activated is miniscule in comparison. Cadillac did it right by making it extrodinarly obvious when a DeVille is turning.

1961 Plymouth


Exactly how much crystal meth must you snort to pen a car that looks that overdone and squinty-eyes in the front yet so boring and snooze-inducing in the back? This is the year that was said to be the beginning of Plymouth's downfall; with cars like that, its no wonder.

1958-61 Lincoln

Here's what happens when Lincoln tries to be stylish. Cross-eyed podded headlamps, pointless looooooong wheel scallop, inset front wheels, misplaced dagmars, weird rocketesque protrusions on the front corners, chrome molding to nowhere, blocky fuselage buldging on the sides...what a nightmare. Perhaps the definition of overwrought.

1997-2005 Lexus GS

Seriously, guys...what's the point of those extra taillamps? Why not make a longer decklid to make the car look less awkward?

2006 Kia Rio

Dear Kia,
That chintzy plastic molding doesn't make it look European; it makes it look like shit.
Kthxbye.

2004 Nissan Maxima

Stop wrapping bumpers around the decklid!

1995 Olds Aurora

See that gap between the headlamps and front clip? The headlamps are actually inset about a quarter inch and I have no idea why. It makes the entire front end appear misaligned for no reason.

[Satty]

The LED taillamps are sizable, yet the actual part the blinks when the turn signal is activated is miniscule in comparison. Cadillac did it right by making it extrodinarly obvious when a DeVille is turning.

[post="60063"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Yeah, having that Metro as a tugboat really helps. :P :P

Nobody has really mentioned interior designs, one of the biggest annoyances I've ever had was my '87 Dakota that had a pull-out cupholder (strike one) in front of the passenger (strike two) that wouldn't hold a 20 oz. bottle. Strike three, you suck.

Any car with a single exhaust, but the bumper is cut for dual exhaust tips bugs the hell out of me.

[Enzora]

Dear Kia,
That chintzy plastic molding doesn't make it look European; it makes it look like crap.
Kthxbye.

[post="60063"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

You make it sound as if the two are mutually exclusive.

And yeah, cupholders are a pain in the ass. My Mustang only has one, and it's too small to use most of the time. They tried to fix that, but left them too shallow, so when you turn, it tips over easily. I think they finally remedied it on the third or fourth try.

But the worst case of cupholder idiocy is in my brother's Toyota Tacoma. The front cupholders pull out, but are located above the radio controls, so if you're storing drinks, you can't change the channel. And the back ones pull out from under the seat and are located under your feet, so you can't actually sit in a seat and use its cupholder at the same time. Really, it makes me wonder if any of those engineers actually tried driving the truck when they were designing it.

[the_yellow_dart]

Here's a boneheaded design element for you, courtesy of Ford in the early 90s.

Sable:


Note the turn signals in the headlight enclosure which are lit up, and the turn signals in the grille, which are not. The ones in the headlight enclosure do not actually blink when you turn on the signals - they are DRLs. So 2/3 of the orange lights on the front/side of the car would blink when turning, and it looked ridiculous.

It would also happen on the Windstar, notice the section of headlight in the front with the orange bulb (DRL) and the orange section of turnsignal on the corner (actual turnsignal).



I agree with you guys on the Volvo wagon / LR taillights.

Edited December 17, 2005 by the_yellow_dart

[Flybrian]

Here's another...

1998-whatever Chrysler LHS

Why are the exhaust tips not only staggered but stick out like two inches from one side of the car?

Niss...er, Infiniti QX56

Let's make it super obvious you badge-engineered this orca by using an old Nissan Pathfinder styling trait with the rear door handles. Ugh.

[pow]

I can't find a pic, but the previous-gen DeVilles have tacked-on rear pipes, too. From the side, it looks like the tips aren't connected to anything. As far as interior, I've never understood why GM cars until the '04 Malibu had such saggy and low rear seat cushions.

[Croc]

I actually like the ovoid Sable... and GM cars had the low saggy rear seats to give the illusion of adequate rear headroom--on paper.

[Variance]

The E24 BMW 6-Series had a centered exhaust that was skewed ever so slightly to the right. It makes it look misaligned.

[Sixty8panther]

Nice fu*ked up Windstar! :alcoholic: I'm surprised BV has not commented on the Fiero in the background. :D Edited December 17, 2005 by Sixty8panther

[ocnblu]

I honestly like that red '58 Lincoln, and the new '06 Rio, although I prefer the hatchback. That '61 Plymouth is whacked out, however. Too many lights on the front. I guess that's for the Max Wedge to light up the Autobahn... what country was that photo taken in?

[balthazar]

The E24 BMW 6-Series had a centered exhaust that was skewed ever so slightly to the right. It makes it look misaligned.

Ahh God; they did that for years and years, used to drive me batsh!t, tho I never see that old of a BMW on the road anymore. I would hear 'german engineering' in radio spots, then stare at that madeningly off-center pipe in front of me on the road and just snicker. So stupid.

[the_yellow_dart]

Nice fu*ked up Windstar! :alcoholic:

I'm surprised BV has not commented on the Fiero in the background. :D

[post="60150"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

'twas the only one I could find with the headlight components clearly visible. Plus, the irony of it being all smashed up is nice... :rolleyes:

[Nick]

The E24 BMW 6-Series had a centered exhaust that was skewed ever so slightly to the right. It makes it look misaligned.

[post="60145"][/post]

MMmmm...e24's...I love E24's...especially the M6...I almost got one too...They are one of my favorite Bimmers.

[tmp]

Another boneheaded element is volvo's taillights: on the wagon the lenses are like 3 feet tall, yet the portion lit while braking is a tiny 1.5" x 1.5" square. I don't get it- volvo's entire claim to fame is safety; what gives here?

[post="59891"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Oddly enough, I saw one in action just this evening on the Hollywood freeway. Not only are the brake lights tiny and not very bright, but they are totally eclipsed by the giganto turn signals that are bright enough to see from space. It's nice to know that you're planning a lane change, but I think it's slightly more important to know that you're stopping.

My mom's '70 Ninety-Eight had a feature that could be construed as a design flaw until you were used to it- the horn. It wasn't on the center of the wheel, it was a pressure strip on the inside rim of the wheel. I think the idea was A} that you don't take your hands off the wheel to use the horn, and B} that it's more natural to grip the wheel tighter in an emergency than to go for the hub. But every time my mom took it in for any service, the mechanics would forget about the horn and set it off by using the inside rim to turn the wheel (ahh, the days of massively over-boosted power steering!).

But it was better than her friend's Peugeot 504. The horn was on the turn signal stalk on the right hand side. Yes, the right hand side. If I remember correctly, you pushed it away from you. How contrary, how French. Edited December 18, 2005 by tmp

[Croc]

That Peugot must not have sold well in LA at all. Los Angelonians sure love their horns!

[balthazar]

...the horn.  It wasn't on the center of the wheel, it was a pressure strip on the inside rim of the wheel.

Ahhh, one of the truely fun facts about automobiles: in at least one vehicle ('69 Mustang), this was called "Rim-Blow DeLuxe". :D Edited December 18, 2005 by balthazar

[Satty]

I'm surprised BV has not commented on the Fiero in the background. :D

[post="60150"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Speaking of boneheaded designs..... :P Just kidding, the only thing about the looks of the Fiero I dislike are the pop-up headlights. I hate those. They're dumb. On any car.

Ahhh, one of the truely fun facts about automobiles: in at least one vehicle ('69 Mustang), this was called "Rim-Blow DeLuxe". :D

[post="60264"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I had some chick on a street corner offer me a "Rim-Blow DeLuxe" for $10 the other night. If I had known she was talking about a'69 Mustang I probably wouldn't have driven off.

[tmp]

"Rim-Blow DeLuxe"

[post="60264"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

There's sooooo much I could do with that, but it the interest of keeping gorges down, I won't.

Croc, I don't know how well Peugeot went down in LA, I grew up in Massachusetts. I did notice that my parents were one of the few who drove American cars, much agrainst the grain in our college town. I also noticed that our friends foreign cars took a lot more servicing than our cars, but, as I remember, our dealerships were more ripoff artists. As a matter of fact, my mom affixed a sign "serviced by Labbee Chevrolet" after a bad muffler service and drove all around town until it was corrected.

I have to say that the 504 was great to drive. I learned how to handle a car in that 504 in the same way I learned to handle gobs of tourque and sloppy steering in my mom's 98. The 504 seemed like a revelation at the time, like going from boots to running shoes. But having said that, one year coming back from the shore, my friend followed me back home in our new 77 Olds. Apperently, there was a transmission switch (from an earlier, less robust unit) to a new one and the speedometer wasn't recalibrated. I thought I was doing 60 (I was 18 at the time) but I was told later by my friend I was doing about 80.

[Cory Wolfe]

I complained about this a couple of months ago in another thread and to this day I still don't like it: the "Pontiac" under the right headlight of the Grand Prix.

It's not like it's overly large and ostentatious but I just don't think it looks right. The "Pontiac" on the rear bumper looks cheesy to me as well.

I agree on the front one... but I always liked Pontiacs having "Pontiac" inscribed to the rear bumper.

Note the turn signals in the headlight enclosure which are lit up, and the turn signals in the grille, which are not. The ones in the headlight enclosure do not actually blink when you turn on the signals - they are DRLs. So 2/3 of the orange lights on the front/side of the car would blink when turning, and it looked ridiculous.

It would also happen on the Windstar, notice the section of headlight in the front with the orange bulb (DRL) and the orange section of turnsignal on the corner (actual turnsignal).



I agree with you guys on the Volvo wagon / LR taillights.

[post="60095"][/post]

Hmmm... See below...

BTW, nice Fiero! :D

I had some chick on a street corner offer me a "Rim-Blow DeLuxe" for $10 the other night.  If I had known she was talking about  a'69 Mustang I probably wouldn't have driven off.

[post="60267"][/post]

:rotflmao: Haha... wow...

Anyways, speaking of too many lights...



I never understood why two amber bulbs were needed... but I must say, it looks cool at night! :P



Same here... why two reverse lights? I guess it made it easy to back up at night! :lol: Edited December 18, 2005 by blackviper8891

[ocnblu]

My uncle had a red metallic '69 Mach 1 with white vinyl interior. I thought it was cool, with the horn location and the little turn indicators on the back of the hood scoop.

I got myself in trouble because I sprayed "OFF!" bug repellant on his taillight lenses and permanently dulled the plastic. What did I know, I was only 5. <eg>

[Drew Dowdell]

Same here... why two reverse lights? I guess it made it easy to back up at night! :lol:

[post="60314"][/post]

The ones on the back of the CTS are so large and so bright they end up being rear mounted headlights. It's really great when you're backing up in a dark place.

[Satty]

Am I the only one who saw "ANAL" when first seeing the license plate on that CTS-V?

[Satty]

I agree on the front one... but I always liked Pontiacs having "Pontiac" inscribed to the rear bumper.
Hmmm... See below...

[post="60314"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

What about the Sunfires with "Pontiac" lit up on the trunk lid, right above the plate. I always thought that was pretty dumb, then again, it was on a car that was, at best, ribbed for her pleasure, so whatever.

[z28luvr01]

They could have at least tried to light up the whole word evenly. I can't tell you how many times I followed a PO TI C Sunfire at night.

[Croc]

They could have at least tried to light up the whole word evenly. I can't tell you how many times I followed a PO TI C Sunfire at night.

[post="60368"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Agreed. I liked the idea of the light-up Pontiac, but the execution, like the rest of the J-bodies, was shockingly less-than-stellar.

[Drew Dowdell]

Am I the only one who saw "ANAL" when first seeing the license plate on that CTS-V?

[post="60363"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

You just have sodomy on the brain.

[Cory Wolfe]

What about the Sunfires with "Pontiac" lit up on the trunk lid, right above the plate.  I always thought that was pretty dumb, then again, it was on a car that was, at best, ribbed for her pleasure, so whatever.

[post="60364"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I always liked that too... Well...

They could have at least tried to light up the whole word evenly. I can't tell you how many times I followed a PO TI C Sunfire at night.

[post="60368"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Agreed. I liked the idea of the light-up Pontiac, but the execution, like the rest of the J-bodies, was shockingly less-than-stellar.

[post="60371"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

...The idea of it. I, too, can't stand how badly executed it was.

Also, some Fieros have it. I think it is just custom, but I, surprisingly, don't know. Brookville isn't a Fiero attracter...

[funkypunnk]

Agreed.  I liked the idea of the light-up Pontiac, but the execution, like the rest of the J-bodies, was shockingly less-than-stellar.

[post="60371"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Still better than the Lincoln Mark VIII with the full glow lenses on the back of the trunk lid. They always looked like they were sourced from two different suppliers. The left side had noticeable bright and dark spots showing bulb locations while the right side glowed evenly throughout! Always bugged me!

[ShadowDog]

On to Pontaic, the front end of the Sunfire was original and clean at first...then, at the end, they did this crap...damn what a stupid look.

Before:


After:


Let's make it even more ugly, shall we?

Edited December 18, 2005 by ShadowDog

[Cory Wolfe]

On to Pontaic, the front end of the Sunfire was original and clean at first...then, at the end, they did this crap...damn what a stupid look.

Before:


After:

[post="60450"][/post]

I'm sorry... but you can keep your original Sunfire then. I never liked them until the '03 update. Way too... feminine before. After they looked rather sporty. Especially once you remove those stupid turn signals...

[ShadowDog]

That's just it...you would have to remove the turn signals and replace the air dam just to make it better. The one in red just makes my head shake. I always ask myself what brings someone to buying such an ugly car? I mean, sure, if the price is right...but I still don't know if I could buy it new like many do. I'd buy a nicer looking (more reliable) used car over that thing.

[Cory Wolfe]

That's just it...you would have to remove the turn signals and replace the air dam just to make it better.

Well... no car is exempt from this. There are always things that could be done to make it look better for personal taste. Fieros, Solstices, Toyotas, Ferraris, Porshes, Chevies... even the most beautiful designs.

[nyscene911]

Before:

That is my exact Sunfire!
And yes, I know its a chick car, but I don't car. I didn't pay anything for it(my aunt got a new car, and gave me it), and it gets good gas milage. But a 3 spd automatic... <_<