Favorite option you’ll have to have

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Dec 24, 2014
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Location
Huntington WV
When it comes to options, what would you have to have in a new vehicle or wish you had on a current vehicle?
For me it’s memory seats/mirrors. My wife maxes out the seat up and in towards the steering wheel and if I don’t look I end up cramming myself into a ball trying to get into the car.
 
I'm pretty simple. For me, it's not what I want or need in newer vehicles, it's what I don't like or even hate about new vehicles. I already know that I can get what I want in a vehicle but there are just too many features that I dislike.

OTOH, I do like cameras around the car. Mainly because the vehicles are so hard to see out of the back more than ever before. And I am finding it harder to maneuver(turn around to see) while backing up. I do want Rear Backup Alert, Lane Keep Assist and a few other safety features. However, most safety features that I find less important for me will just get turned off. I don't want annoying intervention while I am driving.
 
Cruise control. AC is very, very nice, but I have done many kilometres without it and survived, so I would not call this essential. (But this was in old car with steeper windows that heat up less, and with 99% of my driving out of town. Driving a modern glasshouse without working AC sucks. Driving in town or being stuck in a traffic jam, that is when you do not have a constant air flow through the open windows, is an ordeal.)
 
Rear view camera, maybe blind spot monitoring, although my auxiliary mirrors do a darned good job.
 
Cruise control: adaptive with Eyesight is nice, but not necessary

Adequate heat/AC: the Legacy is fine, but the Forester struggles.

PHYSICAL BUTTONS: One of the draws for Subaru for me was the buttons to control things. I don’t want some weird joystick, knob or touchscreen only. The new Outback screen used a large touchscreen for infotainment and some controls. It hides things like the seat warmers on a separate screen. I want a quick switch or button, like I have in each of my Subies now.

Easy maintenance: Another draw to the Subarus was the oil filter being on top. Some items, like drive belts, are easy, whereas other items, like spark plugs and valve cover gaskets, are more difficult than inline 4s.

Comfortable seats: cloth seats in the Legacy are good, but the Forester‘s are sub-par.

Apple CarPlay: the nav in the Forester still gets used, but we always have the copilot use something like Waze for things like traffic alerts and construction. I don‘t have nav in the Legacy, and usually use my work phone in a vent holder.

I don’t ever use remote start, don‘t want a sunroof, would be annoyed by stop/start that had to be turned off at every start.
 
Rear view camera, maybe blind spot monitoring, although my auxiliary mirrors do a darned good job.

I'm not positive but I believe that is a mandatory item on a vehicle sold in the US as of sometime around 2014?? Ever want to feel dependent on tech? Hop in a car without a rear view camera. y driveway is a little twisty (we had to blast during construction) and my sons 2012 RAV4 does not have one...you notice that visual aid instantly. I'm with you ShelB on that!

I feel like a spoiled B with my list but here goes:

Heated front & rear
Cooled front
Adaptive cruise

I'm content with EyeSite cameras but don't need them and would take a reduced price over paying for it.

Big one I want on my next vehicle is HUD! I want a HUD!!!
 
I hate to admit it, but heated seats.

A premium stereo is also necessary.

I also wish we could get real buttons. Trying to operate an iPad mounted on the dash while driving is unsafe. Muscle memory and physical buttons is much better.

There is too much tech in my newest car. I’ll be bumping down trim levels in the future, as long as I can get a premium stereo and heated seats!
 
I'm not positive but I believe that is a mandatory item on a vehicle sold in the US as of sometime around 2014?? Ever want to feel dependent on tech? Hop in a car without a rear view camera. y driveway is a little twisty (we had to blast during construction) and my sons 2012 RAV4 does not have one...you notice that visual aid instantly. I'm with you ShelB on that!

I feel like a spoiled B with my list but here goes:

Heated front & rear
Cooled front
Adaptive cruise

I'm content with EyeSite cameras but don't need them and would take a reduced price over paying for it.

Big one I want on my next vehicle is HUD! I want a HUD!!!

I think you’re right about the backup camera. I also want that, but mostly for parking in congested areas or during inclement weather, where the mirrors aren’t ideal. I like being able to see exactly how far I can backup to something, just in case I need that extra bit of room to extricate myself from a tight spot, for instance. I have bad the camera blur up with water, salt and snow, but it does stay clear the majority of the time.

I also have a U-shaped driveway. My family is averse to street-side parking and like to park at the edge of the outlet of my driveway, forcing me to have to back all the way out from the garage, through the front half of the U. There are trees and bushes along the perimeter. It‘s pretty easy for me with the backup camera, but the wife had to take it niiice and slow. Not having the camera would be harder.

I also really like the blind spot warning light on the side view mirror. I have in my low trim Legacy but it wasn‘t an option at the time for my top-trim Forester. In practice, I don’t even look over my shoulder if the light is on, unless I need to get over quickly and I find myself dealing with a blind-spot camper.

The blind spot warning has saved me a couple of times that I recall. Once was when I was entering the highway via a short on-ramp on a curve. It‘s sometimes a pain to merge, because most people do 15+ over the posted limit. It‘s common for people to bunch up and refuse to make room. Well, even worse than that one time someone decided to change to the right lane at the exact moment I was merging! I was keeping track of the car ahead and the one making room for me, but never thought to check the double blind, super secret spot. I noticed the yellow light come on a split second before I saw the car moving into my lane. I had to slam on my brakes and was almost forced off the road. Luckily the guy behind me reacted well and was still able to let me in.

The other time was when I was getting over to let someone pass and some numb nut decided to use the on/off-ramp as a passing lane. He must have been doing 20+ over and I was halfway into the lane when I saw the yellow light. I aborted the lane change, but he just continued on past me using the shoulder to complete the pass.

Anyway, I’ve learned to deal with some of these nannies and see their usefulness now.
 
I'm not positive but I believe that is a mandatory item on a vehicle sold in the US as of sometime around 2014
Blind spot monitor is still an option on the RAV4 LE base model still, along with many others I presume. Although I would guess very few hit the lot without it. Rear view camera not sure - I would guess they all have that now - mandatory or not.
 
I was skeptical at purchase, but I really like the Toyota softex / faux leather. It cleans easily but doesn't get blistering hot in the summer like leather. I would certainly look for it again.
 
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