[MR2] New Car "do-dads"

[William Brandt]

I think unless one is a top-tier professional driver ABS will almost always 
out-perform a foot modulating the brake - you guys on the list who say you 
can beat it - fine if you can but I would say it would be very difficult.

There used to be a roving driving class that would actually teach people how 
to use ABS - straight, in turns, it is always working - but you have to 
stomp on the brake.

I think, too, that different cars have different feel with ABS used - on my 
old Mercedes you feel just a very moderate pulsing; other cars the pulsing 
is so evident that it "scares" some people into releasing the brake.

"in general" I support technology that helps in driving the car - most 
people don't know how to correct severe oversteer into a corner and the 
yaw-dampening software - that modulates each brake - almost cures that 
except for the fact it feels like it is "wallowing".

For "slushboxes" manufacturers have gone to the "lifetime sealed" unit - 
personally I think that is a step backwards as the clutch still wears and 
then it just sits in the fluid and filter. They substitute synthetic ATF.

Mercedes first started these circa 1998 and they found that at 100K miles 
the thing was shot.

I have a conventional automatic  in the 300E that with my 30K fluid and 
filter changes lasted 250K miles and even then it was the pump that went - 
not affecting the shifting (when the pump worked) -

Stuff like bladders in the seats, heat and cooling ducts in the seats, heck, 
even 152 way power seats leave me a bit cold - similar "creature" 
comforts...

One small example going back to my 24 year old MB - it has a switch that 
automatically raises/lowers the headrest.

Which is fine until the plastic collar holding the mechanism together breaks 
and you have to disassemble the seat back.

I'd just as soon have a manually operated headrest and not worry about it.

Ditto for seat controls...and so on...

Bill
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris" <chrissul at comporium.net>
To: "William Brandt" <wbrandt1 at sbcglobal.net>; "MR2 List" <mr2 at mr2.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 4:19 AM
Subject: Re: [MR2] New Car "do-dads"


> Personally LOVE abs and it has helped me avoid at least 3 accidents that I 
> can remember, 1 in the rain, 1 in snow and 1 at night on dry pavement. 
> It's nice to just be able to stab the brakes, hold it and swerve.  I admit 
> I thought it sucked when I first got the car...call it 'I can do it better 
> than the machine' thinking of my youth, but time and again, I've come to 
> rely on it simply bc it takes at least 1 thing off my mind when I'm about 
> to meet my maker :)
>
> I hate driving cars w/out it now.
>
> As for the whole 'technology in the car" ...I like the purist cars as much 
> as the 'shove everything possible in the car'..just a different 
> experience. I don't recall anything that simply barred me from owning a 
> car other than the typical slushbox transmission...those just annoy me for 
> the most part.
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "William Brandt" <wbrandt1 at sbcglobal.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 1:29 AM
> To: "MR2 List" <mr2 at mr2.com>
> Subject: [MR2] New Car "do-dads"
>
>> ABS saved me from at least 1 serious accident in the old Mercedes. This 
>> is an offspring from aircraft technology - where having ABS on a rain 
>> filled or snowy runway - coming in at 150....
>>
>> When it first became available in cars the insurance companies thought it 
>> would be a godsend, but found over time that the accident rates hadn't 
>> changed.
>>
>> People are afraid to use it as it should be used - afraid to "lock up" 
>> the wheels...
>>
>> Bill
>>
>> To: mr2 On this topic, I'd be interested in hearing what you guys think 
>> about ABS.
>> I'm inclined to include it on the "do-dad" list, my impression being that
>> ABS is for those who don't know how to modulate brake pedal pressure. 
>> I'd
>> prefer to back off on my brake pedal when I feel the wheels locking up or
>> start losing steering control, instead of feeling the pedal chattering 
>> under
>> my foot.
>>
>> James
>>
>>
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>
>