Dozens of annoying things about...
Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2019 1:40 am
Prompted by scp I thought I would add my rather longer list of things that are wrong with the car.
It has always been a source of annoyance that after every service one is bombarded with questionnaires and surveys asking one to rate the so called "dealer experience" and whether one enjoyed the coffee or tea but never once, until now, has anyone ever asked what I thought of the car.
Finally, after my four year service last month there was a question asking what if anything would improve ones driving experience. The following is an extract from my list. I hasten to say that it is 2015 Macan S so some things may have changed but most of the points should never have been there in the first place.
1. All the switches surrounding the gear lever need to be re-positioned to suit a right-hand drive vehicle. In particular, the “sport” button is impossible to locate and use without a high level of driver distraction. It should be adjacent to the driver not the passenger and should also be controllable from the steering wheel.
2. The overhead switch/lighting binnacle is an ergonomic disaster - with most of the switches being unusable while driving or even while parked. It is also unsightly.
3. The parking sensors give constant false alarms when driving in slow traffic.
4. The air-conditioning fans are unnecessarily and unpleasantly noisy.
5. The radio volume control setting should be memorised between journeys or memorised as part of the seat settings. It is intensely irritating to have the radio turn on automatically every time one starts the car.
6. The reversing lights are completely inadequate, as is the quality of the rear camera.
7. It is a dangerously false economy to provide only one high intensity rear fog light. it makes it impossible for a car following in thick fog to judge what type of vehicle is in front or how wide it is.
8. The headlight control switch is badly designed. To turn on the front or rear fog lights one has to rotate the switch from Auto through “sidelights” to “headlights” thereby turning off the headlights momentarily. It is impossible to see the illuminated rear fog indicator light as it is obscured by the handle of the switch. Why can't one just pull the switch out in the Auto position.
9. There should be USB power supplies on or near the dashboard and centre roof binnacle to allow for accessories such as dash cams. It is ludicrous that in order to pass the 111 point inspection one has disconnect or remove any hard wired device.
10. If one touches the brakes while Automatic Cruise Control is turned on the braking is dangerously severe.
11. The automatic cruise control works admirably with moving traffic but fails to respond to a stationery object or vehicle such as parked car or tailback blocking the carriageway. This is massively dangerous.
12. The car phone preparation / integration is almost unusable and is reminiscent of a 1980’s cell phone. The address list files all entries by “First name” or “Title and then First Name”. So it is impossible to search for someone by surname. If a person has three or four phone numbers (e.g. Home, Business or Mobile etc.) the address list shows the name three or four times without any indication as to which number is associated with each entry. Each entry has to be opened in turn until one finds the number one is looking for. Not something one can do while driving.
If one has filled in the title field (e.g. Mr, Mrs or Ms) in the phones address book the car then lists these contacts under Mr or Mrs ! So those without a title appear under their first name while others appear under their Title. Completely useless.
13. Finally, I would like the option to be able to turn off the so obviously artificial noise the car makes when it is started from cold. It is not a five litre V8 so why try and pretend it is. OK it is fun once in while but for the most part, particularly when starting up at night or early in the morning it is inconsiderate, embarrassing and dare I say childish.
It has always been a source of annoyance that after every service one is bombarded with questionnaires and surveys asking one to rate the so called "dealer experience" and whether one enjoyed the coffee or tea but never once, until now, has anyone ever asked what I thought of the car.
Finally, after my four year service last month there was a question asking what if anything would improve ones driving experience. The following is an extract from my list. I hasten to say that it is 2015 Macan S so some things may have changed but most of the points should never have been there in the first place.
1. All the switches surrounding the gear lever need to be re-positioned to suit a right-hand drive vehicle. In particular, the “sport” button is impossible to locate and use without a high level of driver distraction. It should be adjacent to the driver not the passenger and should also be controllable from the steering wheel.
2. The overhead switch/lighting binnacle is an ergonomic disaster - with most of the switches being unusable while driving or even while parked. It is also unsightly.
3. The parking sensors give constant false alarms when driving in slow traffic.
4. The air-conditioning fans are unnecessarily and unpleasantly noisy.
5. The radio volume control setting should be memorised between journeys or memorised as part of the seat settings. It is intensely irritating to have the radio turn on automatically every time one starts the car.
6. The reversing lights are completely inadequate, as is the quality of the rear camera.
7. It is a dangerously false economy to provide only one high intensity rear fog light. it makes it impossible for a car following in thick fog to judge what type of vehicle is in front or how wide it is.
8. The headlight control switch is badly designed. To turn on the front or rear fog lights one has to rotate the switch from Auto through “sidelights” to “headlights” thereby turning off the headlights momentarily. It is impossible to see the illuminated rear fog indicator light as it is obscured by the handle of the switch. Why can't one just pull the switch out in the Auto position.
9. There should be USB power supplies on or near the dashboard and centre roof binnacle to allow for accessories such as dash cams. It is ludicrous that in order to pass the 111 point inspection one has disconnect or remove any hard wired device.
10. If one touches the brakes while Automatic Cruise Control is turned on the braking is dangerously severe.
11. The automatic cruise control works admirably with moving traffic but fails to respond to a stationery object or vehicle such as parked car or tailback blocking the carriageway. This is massively dangerous.
12. The car phone preparation / integration is almost unusable and is reminiscent of a 1980’s cell phone. The address list files all entries by “First name” or “Title and then First Name”. So it is impossible to search for someone by surname. If a person has three or four phone numbers (e.g. Home, Business or Mobile etc.) the address list shows the name three or four times without any indication as to which number is associated with each entry. Each entry has to be opened in turn until one finds the number one is looking for. Not something one can do while driving.
If one has filled in the title field (e.g. Mr, Mrs or Ms) in the phones address book the car then lists these contacts under Mr or Mrs ! So those without a title appear under their first name while others appear under their Title. Completely useless.
13. Finally, I would like the option to be able to turn off the so obviously artificial noise the car makes when it is started from cold. It is not a five litre V8 so why try and pretend it is. OK it is fun once in while but for the most part, particularly when starting up at night or early in the morning it is inconsiderate, embarrassing and dare I say childish.