picked up a hire car last week. Fcking thing kept stalling on me. I was gonna get out and batter the fcking thing.
Then I realised it was an 'economy device' for when vehicle was stationary.
Firstly the start-up is gonna use a lot of petrol. Secondly, the wear on the starter motor is approx. 5-10 times what it should be.

Radar/camera for reversing ? FFS

Auto headlights and windscreen wipers ? WTF

Electric windows, etc,..and it still does 40mph.

I disengage, I turn the page.

I hope you were wearing a flat cap and driving gloves.

1) doesnt use more fuel as the ignition system stays 'primed'

2) it has an uprated starter to deal with the added strain.

3) camera/sensors are pretty much standard on all cars now and auto wipers and lights too. you'd obviously be amazed at the amount of people who forget to put their lights on during a change of light conditions and even such things as tunnels etc are easily dealt with.

Clinton is Clinton. I have known him for a long time, I know his mother... Simon Jordan

It's even worse when abroad as even if there is a handbook it won't be written in English.

A few years ago I hired a Citroen Picasso in Spain. I was asked if automatic was Ok and said "yes" as I had been driving autos for years but I had never come across anything like this before. It also had an electronic parking brake which I hadn't come across before and it took me ages to fathom out how it worked.

We hire cars abroad three or four times a year and never once has the hire company explained the controls which are normally fairly obvious but occasionally there are quirks

My missus had a puncture yesterday and, being a game lass, just pulled over to change the wheel. No jack, no wheel brace, no spare!

Apparently this is the way they are going, if it's a minor puncture, there's a can of goo you squirt in, then re-inflate using the compressor installed, and you should get to the garage, at which point they need to replace the tyre as the goo makes a repair impossible apparently. If it's a major failure (blowout, or any hole bigger than a nail) of course the goo won't work. In that case you, err, call a breakdown truck?

What sort of f**king progress is that?

1) no spare/jack etc lowers the weight of the car = increased overall economy

2) small 'normal nail in tyre puncture' just use the electric pump to pump up the tyre and get to tyre shop, alternatively use the foam to seal the puncture

3) the foam CAN be cleaned out, just that kwik fit et al are too lazy to do that and its easier/more profitable to sell you a new one. - that said, any more than half a mile or so on a semi deflated tyre can knacker the strength of the sidewalls.

4) major malfunction/distress of the tyre usually happens at speed/motorway. in which case a spare would be no good as you shouldt be changing it on the motorway and should call the AA/RAC etc, at which point they either send a tyre with the recovery unit or get you to a tyre place.

Clinton is Clinton. I have known him for a long time, I know his mother... Simon Jordan