Little features you love

[PurdueGuy]

What are those features about a car that you just love? I'm not talking so much about "I love a car with a ton of horsepower" or "a car that gets a billion mpg", but the little things that just make you smile.

The first one that comes to my mind is the gas cap door with a release inside the car.

I also like map lights that are semi-shaded - the light does not have a direct path to your eyes, but more down at the seats, making them much nicer at night.

So, what are your favorite features?

[Justin Bimmer]

It's all about the AUX jack. It makes life so much easier when I am attaching my IPOD or my external XM radio.

[Cadillacfan]

My fog lamps, on/off switch for traction control, the stealth nob that can dim the gauges to where you can barely see them at night.

[trinacriabob]

Numerous:

A separate wiper stalk as on Grand Prix

A coin tray to the left of the steering wheel

Coin holder in the center console

A sunglass area and garage door opener area in the overhead console

A clip for parking passes, etc. as on Malibu

Expanding cup holders that can hold jumbo cups

A telescoping steering wheel

Ignition key in the dashboard

Battery under the rear seat as on Bonneville

Blue illumination at night

Switchable reading lamps in the rear compartment

I am sure I can come up with more.

[Intrepidation]

AUX port on my stereo, and the stereo itself

Huge center cosole

My driver's door unlocks when I pull the door release...my friend's 93 Corolla doesn't do that

[Sixty8panther]

IN regards to the Q45:

- RWD

- IRS

- Traction off button just left of the steering wheel

- walnut trim on the dash & center console

- super cumfy seats

- ignition in the dash (not on steering column)

- cushy ride that reminds me of my old Fleetwoods

- ergonomic & intuitive buttons for the sunroof

- Single key for all locks/ignition

---------------------------

As far as the Datsun Maxima:

- RWD

- Inline Six

- IRS

- Talking Datsun lady, still waiting to hear "Me love you long time" :wink:

- "tap to turn on" domelight. Just tap anywhere on the light for off/on.

- Factory 8-speaker "Super Sound System"

- Good ergonomics: dead pedal, seats, stalks etc.

- Single key for all locks/ignition w/out any B.S. chips or resistors

- 4 wheel disk brakes

- completely flat trunk flooor

- swiveling map light

As far as the Camaro:

- 377 horsepower pushrod SBC V8 with aluminum heads

- 10 bolt rear end that takes a LOT of abuse

- Spartan interior that lacks things like radio, carpet or even any form of HVAC

- Super Scoop hood that vibrates at 3000+ RPM & shakes violently at 7000.

[VenSeattle]

Features I appreciate on my Park Avenue:

• Passenger-side exterior mirror tilts down when in reverse
• Reverse parking sensor system when reversing
• Auto-windshield wipers
• Auto-headlights
• Memory seats
• As common as it is, remote keyless entry is still one of the greatest convenience features ever.
• Rear seat adjustable air-vents
• Cup holders in the rear center armrest
• OnStar
• HUD (damn it GM... put it in more vehicles!)
• Built-in coin holder & tissue holder in center armrest
• Heated seats
• Lighted visor mirrors
• Rearview mirror compass
• Radio/HVAC controls on steering wheel
• Individual controls for passenger temperature
• load-leveling suspension
• Cornering lights at night
• Turn signals built into side mirrors
• Seatbelts built into front seats
• Programmable door locks
• Soothing color of Sea-foam Green for controls and instrumentation

They are all simple things that make a significant difference when you need them, and are invisible (for the most part) when you don't.

That's the way I prefer all my car's features to be. It's not always about what it can do. It's about how it's accomplished/executed.

[AAS]

The auto-adjusting volume, automatic headlights, factory "alarm"

[Croc]

Grab handles, rear cupholders, console space for a cell phone, glove box that fits more than a manual, little thoughtful details throughout interior that indicate the manufacturer was intent on designing a quality interior space.

[capriceman]

when they start

A working brake pedal

A gas pedal that doesnt stick.

Thats all i need.

[z28luvr01]

The little rubber pad underneath the key cylinder, so that you don't hear the keys jingle against the column, or ruin the finish on the column.

The little storage bin right near my left knee, containing the trunk release.

Trunk-mounted rear-seat release buttons.

the little pen tray undereath the HVAC controls

the pen/pressure gage holder inside the console/armrest

the DIC

The battery rundown protection

The retained accessory power

[CSpec]

Other than power locks, automatic headlights are probably my favorite convenience feature. Whenever I drive a car without them, I usually almost forget to switch the headlights off.

[CaddyXLR-V]

Auto headlights, for the same reason CSpec said.

Power windows/door locks

sunroof/targa

heated/cooled seats

bucket seats w/console

floor shifter

ignition on dash

remote keyless entry

Radio controls on steering wheel

HUD (cant remember the last time I looked at the actual speedometer, but I wish the tach were incuded in the HUD)

Rear windows that go all the way down (sedans)

No frame around the window

[scharmer05]

in the suburban

-power folding, heated mirrors with turn signals

-automatic climate control for both driver, passenger, and rear

-6 disc CD changer and Bose speakers

-memory function for 2 different drivers, which returns the seat, mirrors, and radio to where that driver had it depending on what key is inserted into the ignition

-radio control on steering wheel

-curb view assist mirrors

-auto dimming mirrors

-compass and temp in rear view

-heated seats

-XM radio

-2nd row buckets...so much easier for adults to get in and out of 3rd row

-homelink garage door opener

as for the impala...

still thinking....its a base model....nothing luxurious about it

[Nick]

There are a lot of features on my car that I love...a lot I have still yet to discover as well...I really like the automatic windows. Just one touch of the switch and it goes down, on all 4 points, not just driver's side which is convenient when rolling up and down all the windows or for passengers as well. The sun/moon roof is automatic as well...I dig it.

My memory sport seats with the electric leg extensions and heaters are also nice. Then of course there is the auto-climate control,and the auto dimming mirrors which help a lot (in conjunction with my limo tint all around).

When I stick the car in reverse, the right mirror can be switched so that it tilts downward for checking curb proximity and parallel parking I assume...I don't know what I would do without my steering wheel controls either. The 6 disk changer and speed sensing volume is also a nice touch.

All the OBC functions are helpful and some other features that are pretty cool are the auto vent/rest features where you can set the car to have the vent turn on during the summer to have cool air circulate throughout the cabin for a set amount of time, or you can have warm air circulate during the winter after the car is turned off.

Oh, when the car is shut off the steering wheel moves all the way back up to allow for easy exit/entry which is kinda nice (though, when first learning how to drive a stick in my dad's manual 5er it was kind of annoying whenever I stalled).

The auto leveling xenon lgihts (with angel eyes! bling bling!) are also pretty cool. This a LSD and better cup holders...e39 cup holders blow!

[capriceman]

makes me think of the days when i sat on milk crates to drive an old ford truck since the bench mounts rusted out. Now people wont buy a car if it it doesnt have heated leather seats.

[Cory Wolfe]

Foglights

Red backlighting

Great speakers

Quality looking radio

Frameless doors

Moonroofs

Bolstered bucket seats

Rear bucket seats

Flowing, continuous center stack/console

Dash ignition

LED taillights

Bumper reverse lights

Blacked out headlight housing

Projector/HID headlights

Honeycone grills

High mounted brake light

Fuel filler door release

You know... I could come up with alot more if I wanted too.

[AmericanMuscle]

The little switch to the left of the steering wheel that turns on reading lamps and dims the lights, a red interior light up as in some Pontiacs, leather bucket seats, but most important of all: the fact that I'm driving an American car.

[Drew Dowdell]

On my 1985 Toronado:

The turnsignal/headlight/highbeam fiberoptic indicators on the front fenders and in the center of the rear window.

Load leveling suspension

On my 1985 Lincoln Continental:

Load leveling suspension

A fuel gauge that read in gallons instead of E, F or somewhere in between.

Automatic highbeams

On my 1994 Cutlass Convertible:

If you pushed both the rear window down controls simultaniously, it would auto down ALL the windows. Something I wish more cars offered.

On my 2004 Cadillac CTS:

XM Radio... love it love it love it

Best automatic climate control EVAR.... all my other cars have had auto CC, but none were as good at keeping me comfortable as the CTS's

The little iPod style, click wheel volume control on the steering wheel. Another feature that should be on more cars.

Programable buttons on the wheel and DIC. The Traction Control button is in the glove box, but Cadillac lets me assign a button on the dash <or steering wheel> to act as a TC button also.

Snow Mode Transmission.... I wouldn't be able to get out of my driveway in the winter without it.

On my 2003 Avalanche:

The midgate. Probably the most ingenious thing GM has done in years and they hardly get any credit for it. It makes the truck so incredibly versitle. In my business I use it constantly.

[Flybrian]

Pretty much anything that cannot be found on any Korean car, like decent ergonomics and non-annoying chimes.

[Drew Dowdell]

non-annoying chimes.

You don't like that high pitched synthesized rat squeal? I'm shocked... shocked I say!

[Ravenfreak13]

I love that little button on the radio that switches between the time and the music display! and I love the shift knob in my breeze

[Croc]

I love that little button on the radio that switches between the time and the music display! and I love the shift knob in my breeze

I love the radios where you can have BOTH time AND music display simultaneously.

[pow]

[Toyoguy]I'm with you! How dare he show disrespect to the all-mighty imports by making fun of the ear splitting chimes??? Doesn't he know that foriegn car companies have an exclusive contract with God to use the singing of angels for use in door chimes? Honestly, sometimes I wonder why I'm a member of a GM forum.[/Toyoguy]

Pointlessness hasn't stopped anyone on this board from discussing/pissing/moaning/spewing about anything. Why start now? :AH-HA_wink:

Please people, if you feel the need to force feed your incoherent and ill-concieved positions as well as your half baked theories down the throat of the general public, don't do it on an internet forum where the whole world can bear witness to and suffer through your ass-clowning. Do as all the other great blowhards do and get a talk show on AM radio. 

[Ravenfreak13]

I love the radios where you can have BOTH time AND music display simultaneously.

Well excuse me for driving a saturn!

My breezes aftermarket stereo has both.

[balthazar]

Oak floorboards, crank-out split windshields and a 2-fuse fuseblock.

[ToniCipriani]

G6:

- Fully automatic door locks, engages when out of gear, unlocks when park.

- Express open windows and sunroof, too bad there's no express close.

- DIC. Fuel consumption and OLS.

- Fold down seat release is in the trunk. It would be nice though if it can be released on the inside of the car as well. Loved it when I forgot something in the trunk in the Cavalier, I just tug the seats down and grab it.

- Electric power steering. Yes, it's numb and non-performance related, but I love how light the steering is. Good thing I have it now, because 2007 it's gone for V6. So my car is special

[Drew Dowdell]

Oh... one I forgot on my '85 Continental:

The little "smokers window" vent in the front doors. Press the power window button and that small window would drop first... once it was down, the main window would lower. Great for getting just the right amount of ventilation.

[bobo]

A decent dead pedal.

[trinacriabob]

Extendable sun visors, typically found on Buicks - mine has them. I used it today.

[Cory Wolfe]

Alright... here's more...

Animated/digital gauge displays

Rear passenger dome lights

Door safety lights

Performance oriented displays

Real metal interior accents

Leather wrapped quality &#036;h&#33; knobs

Sport 3 spoke steering wheels

Beefy exhaust tips

Felt glove boxes

Flush, closable HVAC vents

In dash CD changer

Clear turn signals

[Drew Dowdell]

Leather wrapped quality &#036;h&#33; knobs

Yes, I like me some high quality, leather wrapped &#036;h&#33; knobs in my car too....

[XP715]

'96 Buick Riviera:

-Radio/climate controls on the steering wheel

-Passenger AND driver "oh &#036;h&#33;" handles

-Door panels that come out on the top to meet the edges of the dashboard that complete the look and feel of sitting in a cockpit

'79 Cadillac Coupe DeVille (even though it's gone now)

-High beam switch on the floor (last year for it)

-Light to indicate high beams being on is a tiny Cadillac shield

-Light indicators at the tips of the front fenders

-Little Cadillac shields here, there, and everywhere!

-Old "V" style emblems used on the quarter roof and trunk

-Floor-mounted gas pedal as opposed to the stupid hanging ones we have today

-Cadillac 425 (last year) as opposed to some piece of garbage V8-6-4 sequential shutoff motor or the HT4100 or converted Oldsmobile 350 diesel or Oldsmobile 307 boat anchors that the 80's saw

'77 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme

-High beam switch on the floor (why was this ever done away with?)

-Ornamental pattern embossed into the leather on the bottom of the armrest that can only be seen when it's in the up position

-Extra Oldsmobile emblem in the passenger's side of the dashboard where a clock should be

-Oldsmobile rockets in the taillights

-Oldsmobile rockets on the hubcaps

-Neat grilles that roll up onto the top of the header panel

-Middle of the panel under the trunk lid flips up to put fuel in as opposed to the flip-down license plate that most cars had around this time

[Cory Wolfe]

Yes, I like me some high quality, leather wrapped &#036;h&#33; knobs in my car too....

Fuck...

[Satty]

I drive a Toyota, so I really love that $3,638 check I get on the 15th of every month for telling people how great my Toyota is.

[jlgolden]

Little things I appreciate:

-Automatic headlamps

-Auto-dimming inside rearview mirror

-Keyless remote entry

-Keyless entry "combination keypad" on my new Mariner

-A well-placed, wide center armrest

-A high quality sound system with subwoofer, tweeters

-Satisfying turn signal and wiper stalk engagements

(much unlike an Equinox or VUE which feel like junk)

-Satifying, solid door "thunk" when latching into closed position.

[Robert Hall]

Little things I appreciate about my daily driver ('00 Grand Cherokee):

-Automatic headlamps

-Auto-dimming inside rearview mirror

-Full gauges

-Keyless remote entry

-A well-placed, wide center armrest

-Good cupholders (I'd like to have heated/chilled/lighted ones)

-stereo / CD changer controls on the steering wheel

-well done stalk controls (lights/wipers/etc)

-heated seats

-heated outside mirrors

-homelink