Dozens of annoying things about...

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amac
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Post by amac »

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.

Alfanut
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Post by Alfanut »

Quite a list.
I assume that there are some positives also if you’ve kept the car for 4 years?
Point 11 concerns me. Stopping the car in these situations is the drivers job, not some semi automated system. Stay alert.
2022 Macan GTS & 718 GT4.
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johnd
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Post by johnd »

One thing I'd add to this list of annoyances is the sensitivity of the auto headlight sensor (plus the fact that you cannot control the sensitivity at all). This is especially noticeable later in the afternoon when eg around 4 or 5pm in midsummer the sensor decides that it's dark enough that headlights are needed. You end up being the only car on the road driving around with full headlights in bright daylight.
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PaulR
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Post by PaulR »

Some list! I can address point 7 on the rear fog light. This is to meet regulations. Only one fog light is factory wired depending on whether the car is left or right hand drive. By only having one lit up, it helps avoid following vehicles mistakingly thinking you're braking.
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SAC1
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Post by SAC1 »

Regarding the original poster's

"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."

On many other VAG vehicles with auto / PDK you just tug the gear lever back once and SPORT is engaged. It's Ideal for for overtaking / pulling out of junctions rapidly etc. Tug it back and you're NORMAL again. = simples, intuitive and no eyes off the road to find a button on the LHD designed centre consul.

Also why is the rear wiper controlled by a twist toggle switch, when with other VAG products, and virtually all others, you just push the stalk back to engage it.

Handbrake automatically on, as a user choice, should be available, rather than a hefty push on the brake pedal to engage HOLD when you come to a stop.

Sometimes cross brands part sharing of best practise can be a bonus, in a vehicle group, Still the Macan does come from a 6 year old original design era.

HOWEVER they take nothing away from the overall wonderful Porsche experience though. Especially in terms of engineering, build quality, comfort, handling, ride quality and performance etc, So I can live with these Macan idiosyncrasies. :)
Steve

2020 GTS in Sapphire Blue
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Taz
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Post by Taz »

Completely agree regarding the fog lights - a really stupid bit of design.

Regarding power outlets for cameras, etc., my new Cayenne has a power socket tucked in the corner of the passenger footwell, which I have used for my dash cam.
So when is this ‘old enough to know better’ supposed to kick in ?

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Paul
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Post by Paul »

One rear fog lamp is all that is required...

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/11/made
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Guy
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Post by Guy »

SAC1 wrote: Sun Aug 11, 2019 12:42 pm
Handbrake automatically on, as a user choice, should be available, rather than a hefty push on the brake pedal to engage HOLD when you come to a stop.
It's often quoted as a 'hefty' or 'firm' push, when actually a 'quick but gentle' push/blip on the pedal works very well, at least for me!

I find the hold system excellent, but then I came from an 18-year-old VW Golf Mk4 :D
Chilgrove
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Post by Chilgrove »

Thanks for posting. I agree with many of the points here, in particular about very noisy air con fans, false alarms from proximity sensors. However the point I most agree with is the one about the headlight switch. To me it is dangerous that in order to turn on the front or rear fog lights you have to move the switch briefly (one hopes) through the "off" position. That is ludicrous. It's not difficult to imagine the scenario when driving at night and in the process of turning the switch to activate the fog lights, that something happens on the road that necessitates both hands urgently back on the steering wheel and guess what, no headlights on at all. What on earth is Porsche thinking about with that design freak?
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PaulR
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Post by PaulR »

Chilgrove wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 11:20 am Thanks for posting. I agree with many of the points here, in particular about very noisy air con fans, false alarms from proximity sensors. However the point I most agree with is the one about the headlight switch. To me it is dangerous that in order to turn on the front or rear fog lights you have to move the switch briefly (one hopes) through the "off" position. That is ludicrous. It's not difficult to imagine the scenario when driving at night and in the process of turning the switch to activate the fog lights, that something happens on the road that necessitates both hands urgently back on the steering wheel and guess what, no headlights on at all. What on earth is Porsche thinking about with that design freak?
I cannot see the issue with the headlamps. It's a quick turn of the knob from 'auto' to 'dipped' via 'side lights'. The lights have a built-in delay when moving to 'side lights', so there's no loss in lighting. I've just tested for you!

Other than the most recent cars, just about every VAG car over the last dozen years has worked the same way. It's actually the newer ones that are confusing. On some Audis for example you have a push button switch which cycles between 'off', 'auto', 'side lights' and 'dipped'. You need to keep your eyes on the instrument binnacle for the popup message that tells you what light mode is activated, as you cycle through them.
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