Conference terri::cars_uk

    ...Headlamp levelling from the dashboard.
    
    This saves money every year, the car won't fail the MOT on good-old 
    headlamp alignment. Its also  useful as well !
    
    
    	Tony.

    Map reading lamp fixed to the roof of my 205... adjusts for both driver
    and front passenger.
    
    Headlamp wash/wipe... I used to think this feature was just a gimmick
    until I drove a car with the system fitted... a real boon for night
    time driving in #!@tty weather.
    
    

    
    Bum warmers
    

    
    	On my Astra i've headlight washers,but no wipers.
    
    		But no Bum warmers.
    
    
    		Andy
    

    Radar detector
    RS 3 spoke leather steering wheel
    Fuel computer
    
    Considering a boost gauge, but Ford should have given me one to start
    with. Also though about mutiple car phones for simultaneous phone
    conversations, a sandwich/cigarette/apple/beer can holder and microwave
    oven wired to a "lights left on" bleeper which would then double as a
    "microwave left on" bleeper. First of all I'd have to sell my car and
    but an estate though :-)
    
    Gary.

    Having spent many stops to clean my headlights in sh*tty weather I wish
    all manufactures fitted headlamp washing kits. It's amazing how litle
    light headlamps give out when they are caked with dried on road dirt!
    
    Greg

Re: .5

>    Radar detector


What kind?

mb

    Got myself a Uniden RD-4XL Martin. Detects X, K and the new KA bands.
    
    Gary.

Gary,

	nice one (er, i guess, er, Officer!)

	I reckon that they are the best model around (er, i expect!)

	They are a pain when you pass cell-phone relay stations though (er,
	i suppose!).

	But you gotta get it permanently plumbed in!

	mb

    
    Ignition key illumination that lights when you open the car door.
    
    A nice little feature on my MX3.
    
    Robin
    

    How about a hidden switch in series with the electric fuel-pump relay.  
    Leave it switched out when you leave your 2.0 ?i car outside earshot.
    
    Practical Application:
    When a certain type of pimpled youth tries to start the car, no fuel 
    is fed.  It will turn over, but just won't start.
    
    Result:
    Flat battery after 5 minutes.  Car is still where you parked it.  
    They probably just remove stereo and leave it at that (sob, sob).
    
    Robert.

    Seriously bad news are two now-getting-to-be-standard items:
    
    electric windows, and
    remote locking without override
    
    If the battery goes flat, or you get an electrical fault, you're
    stuffed.  Either (as happened to a friend's work-mate recently) you're
    outside the car and can't even get in to retrieve your brolly for the
    walk home; or (as happened to a work-mate of my wife) you're inside but
    can't secure the car, so that by the time you've gone for help and
    returned, the local lads have nicked radio, tapes, etc etc.  
    
    When my electrically controlled mirrors packed up, the cost of fixing
    them was just not on for the benefit they offered.  Since then,
    however, I've been stuck with mirrors that are
    adjustable only to fixed positions.  I'm not impressed.
    
    A friend from Australia told me that car-thieves there  have worked out
    that remote locking also enables them to pin-point which car the
    owner is just walking away from; and also gives them a valuable extra few
    seconds warning of the owner's return!  Another unexpected bonus for
    paying those extra dollars.
    
    Of course, if you think it's worth a few hundred pounds extra on the
    cost of the car, to save the unbearable effort of turning a key or a 
    handle ... ?

    � A friend from Australia told me that car-thieves there  have worked out
    � that remote locking also enables them to pin-point which car the
    � owner is just walking away from; and also gives them a valuable extra few
    � seconds warning of the owner's return!  Another unexpected bonus for
    � paying those extra dollars.
    
    This is only a problem with those flash alarms. Renault's remote
    locking doesn't give any indication that you've armed it and has a
    pretty short range, so even if it did you'd be too close to give any
    advanced warning. Why have it then? Well picture yourself carrying two
    heavy boxes on a day when it's pouring with rain. Remote locking is a 
    godsend then! :^)
    
    Mark

    The trip computer thingy offered on the BMW 3 Series (can only speak
    for the old shape) utilised just the sort of switch that answer 11 is
    talking about. Before turning the ignition to the "engine off and pull
    out key" position, the driver can key in a 4 digit code. The idea being
    that unless the same 4 digit code is keyed in the engine management
    system is non operable... ie the car won't start.
    
    Great, you might think. Well it ain't that good, 'cos should the
    battery be disconnected (for whatever reason), the afore-mentioned 4
    digit code is reset to all-zeroes and car will start quite happily...
    At the same time the car-radio manages to remember 15 pre-set FM
    stations so the thief doesn't have to bother re-tuning the radio once
    he's stolen the car.

    Martin I do have the radar detector permanently plumbed in. Couldn't
    stand having that coiled lead going into the cigarette lighter all the
    time. Also the ciggie lighter is live all the time, so that would mean
    unplugging the detector every time you want to leave the car.
    
    Lots of nice flashing leds don't you think ? :-)
    
    Gary.

Gary,

there _are_ lots of flashing lights (so i have heard), but you really want
to use it in "lights out" mode, especially at night. You don't want to attract
unwanted attention from the boys in blue. You can always flick it back into
normal mode to check the source when you receive a signal

Sundays paper confirmed that although it is still not illegal to own a radar
detector, the Police now have the power to confiscate equipment if they have
the slightest suspicion that it has been used, and fine you up to �2000! The
NetworX guarantee is only if you get nicked for speeding, not receiving
illegal radio bands.

... of course, they have to catch you first!!!!

mb

p.s.

Back to topic, my "extra" is one of those throw-away cameras, just in case you
witness or are involved in an incident where taking a picture could prevent any
ambiguities at a later date!!

Ahhh Gi'day...�

    You should  always  have a camera present in Germany.  I got my picture
    taken  by  a  fascist  from  Rosenheim  in  the big Merc after a little
    argument  when  he  pushed  into  the queue in front of me on the Czech
    border.   We  luckily had a camera to take a photo of him, his car, his
    registrations, his passengers etc etc - To be used for intimidation.

    My headlamp washer is an option.  I found I really needed it in winter,
    getting out of the car to wash the headlights with cold snow isn't fun.
    The  only  problem  was  that  Audi fitted the passengers side headlamp
    washer the wrong way, and it sprays the car in front.

    
    Re : a few back
    
    I don't quite see why a car is more likely to be knicked if the
    owner is seen/heard operating the remote locking. If the thief is
    in earshot/sight of the car he/she would also see the owner 
    locking the car and walking away!
    
    Richard.

    A special seat. I use it now for more than 6 years.
    
    Sjaak.

    Air con.  There's nothing quite like it on a hot summer's day (either
    of them).  And a radar detector.
    
    Dave.
    
    P.S. A copper friend of mine told me that it is not illegal to buy or
    own a radar detector.  However, it is illegal to use it.  And as
    traffic offences put the onus on the driver to prove innocence, having
    a detector in a car - switched on or not! - is illegal.  So keep it
    hidden! (I use a Snooper SRD-500, which has a small head unit that can
    be put out sight and still be effective.

    re .20
    
    I dont think operating a radar detector would be a traffic offence.
    It would be operating an unlicensed radio receiver, or unauthorised
    reception of radio signals or something.
    
    It would be illegal to operate one in your house just as much as in
    your car.
    
    Andrew

... but the Police have the power to CONFISCATE radar detectors if they
believe that that have been used, and the consequential fine is up to �2000!

mb

    Re .21.  You have a point.  Re .22 - that's what my friendly bobby told
    me too.
    
    
    Dave.

Seen advertised in Personal Computer World (yes, this is the right conference!),
the ultimate extra:


.. a gadget which I have always wanted, now it seems somebody has finally done
it:

A display (presumably a dot-matrix type) which you mount in the back window
of the car.   You use your home PC to load up 100 messages of your choice.
These can then be selected from a dashboard control and broadcast to the guy
behind...........

"Help other drivers with information..." it says.

"Thank other drivers for their courtesy...." it says.

"Ask the driver behind to lower his lights..." it says.

Oh, the possibilities!!!!!
*Grin*......

Ian

    
    What's the price?
    
    I saw these advertised a couple of years ago, but they were about 
    �250+VAT!!!!
    
    For that price, I'll stick to hand signals! :^)
    
    Mark

Re: 1729.20

I agree wholeheartedly about the Air Con, it seems to make all motoring much 
more pleasurable in the summer.  I find the power drain a bit of a drag,
however a 3 litre six cylinder copes quite well ;-)

As for the radar detector,  I have had one fitted for a while and took the
trouble to research the legality,  I found the following :-

The Wireless and Telegraphy act 1949 states that reception of Police broadcasts
etc... is not illegal,  (Radar is a police broadcast,  they pay approx #10.00 
per year per detector for a license) however to act upon or pass info to a third
party is an offence!  This translates to the offence being committed when you 
press the brake pedal having been warned of impending trouble....

This seems fine,  however I wouldn't like to argue that I ignored the warning
and didn't press the brake pedal with a belligerant traffic cop  ;-(

_Richard