Cars in MA (Boston: rent, license plate, rich) - Massachusetts - Page 22 - City-Data Forum

newenglandgal123 · 08-17-2023, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

I got my first taste of some of these high-tech features that are now creeping into standard equipment options for new cars these days. I've never been one to use cruise control because of how much it constantly needs to be adjusted on MA highways....but adaptive cruise control. Wow. I'm sold on it. The whole auto braking, brake hold, hill assist, lane assist, LED headlights with auto high beams, etc etc is just amazing to actually drive with. I've never needed those features but I can get use to this. Haven't tested out the auto braking yet...hopefully never will.

After a week or car reshuffling, my new daily transportation is 20 years old, has manual AC controls, a non-bluetooth radio, and a manual transmission and nothing else. No mirror defrosters or even auto dimming mirrows. It's a crazy juxtaposition when i drive that to/from work, and then takes my wife's new CRV out for a few errands.

All the high tech is a blessing and a curse. I had one where everything, including heat was controlled thru a center touch screen. If stuff starts to go wrong the car is basically un driveable. This wasn't a tesla or EV either...a mild hybrid luxury brand. I ended up trading it and got a model year older that didn't have all the tech! The kicker for me was that the tech was so new, you needed to often bring it in to the dealer for software /computer module upgrades that couldn't be done over the air. The last thing I wanted to do was spend more time at the dealer when I just bought a new car.

BostonMike7 · 08-17-2023, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

The kicker for me was that the tech was so new, you needed to often bring it in to the dealer for software /computer module upgrades that couldn't be done over the air. The last thing I wanted to do was spend more time at the dealer when I just bought a new car.

That's exactly what my parents are going through They bought a new Volvo XC60 and are having issues with the infotainment/touchscreen. It's had a few over-the-air updatesand is unusable and has been to the dealer 2 times already for the same problem. They are at the point now where they are frustrated with their new vehicle purchase.

matrix5k · 08-17-2023, 10:46 AM

More tech more problems.

newenglandgal123 · 08-17-2023, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

That's exactly what my parents are going through They bought a new Volvo XC60 and are having issues with the infotainment/touchscreen. It's had a few over-the-air updatesand is unusable and has been to the dealer 2 times already for the same problem. They are at the point now where they are frustrated with their new vehicle purchase.

The XC60 is rated at like a 69% as far as reliability by JD Power. I'm guessing a lot of it has to do with the new Google touchscreen interface that just came out in the last couple model years. The good news is they only have to go back one more time to qualify for lemon law buyback (if they live in MA).

matrix5k · 08-17-2023, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

The XC60 is rated at like a 69% as far as reliability by JD Power. I'm guessing a lot of it has to do with the new Google touchscreen interface that just came out in the last couple model years. The good news is they only have to go back one more time to qualify for lemon law buyback (if they live in MA).

They weren't even reliable before all these touchscreens came.

newenglandgal123 · 08-17-2023, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matrix5k

They weren't even reliable before all these touchscreens came.

Oh, I thought the pre Google infotainment/touch screen models were pretty good. Never had a xc60 but had a xc90 before and ran that to around 100K miles with few issues.

newenglandgal123 · 08-23-2023, 04:37 AM

Maybe if they were going the speed limit they wouldn't have to worry about their cars getting damaged!

https://www.necn.com/news/local/driv...-cars/3035892/

lrfox · 08-23-2023, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

I got my first taste of some of these high-tech features that are now creeping into standard equipment options for new cars these days. I've never been one to use cruise control because of how much it constantly needs to be adjusted on MA highways....but adaptive cruise control. Wow. I'm sold on it. The whole auto braking, brake hold, hill assist, lane assist, LED headlights with auto high beams, etc etc is just amazing to actually drive with. I've never needed those features but I can get use to this. Haven't tested out the auto braking yet...hopefully never will.

My new car has the adaptive cruise control, steering assist, auto braking, etc. and it's a total game changer. The steering assist is the biggest surprise. I had a few Kia rental cars in the past several years which had the feature and it was garbage. But on my new car, it's much more useful and accurate.

The adaptive cruise is a blessing and a curse. It's definitely enabled me to us cruise in more places than I have before. But at the same time, I frequently find myself with cruise set to 75 doing 62 behind a car in the middle lane for a bit before realizing how slow I'm going and changing lanes. So I guess it's turned me into a "better" driver in some respects.

My auto-brake has been touchy with city driving. It's mostly fine. But sometimes it engages on crowded streets, in heavy traffic, but in situations when I am definitely aware and have plenty of time/room to stop. The worst experience I have had was backing into a parking space in a surface lot downtown. The space abuts the sidewalk and there's a chain link fence separating it from the sidewalk behind it. A pedestrian on the sidewalk (on the opposite side of the fence) triggered my auto brake even though I was backing up at <1 mph and a good 10-15 feet from the person (with a fence in between). It's not awful stuff, but it's jarring when that brake engages - all sorts of beeps an flashing lights, and the stopping is abrupt.

newenglandgal123 · 08-23-2023, 06:11 PM

Today on 495 there was plenty of traffic but still moving at a 60-65 mph pace then I heard what sounded like a horrific crash/gunshot noise. Like WTF was that I look to my right and guy in car next to me is looking around too like WTF. I think a vehicle behind us had one of those modified exhausts but this is like none I've heard before....Then of course I see who I think is the one who had it zoom ahead, abruptly cut across two lanes and take a Lawrence exit! These exhausts that sound like gunshots could cause an accident they're a such a distracting, startling sound for someone to take focus off driving and feel like you have to duck for cover.

matrix5k · 08-23-2023, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

Today on 495 there was plenty of traffic but still moving at a 60-65 mph pace then I heard what sounded like a horrific crash/gunshot noise. Like WTF was that I look to my right and guy in car next to me is looking around too like WTF. I think a vehicle behind us had one of those modified exhausts but this is like none I've heard before....Then of course I see who I think is the one who had it zoom ahead, abruptly cut across two lanes and take a Lawrence exit! These exhausts that sound like gunshots could cause an accident they're a such a distracting, startling sound for someone to take focus off driving and feel like you have to duck for cover.

Imagine that car driving through a neighborhood and people think there's a drive by going on! Then some gangbangers shoot back!