XC70: Engine Do you annoy the start / stop function?

[JonnyA]

"being able to drop the rear seat headrests from the dashboard" - to my mind one of the most pointless functions - except for slapping the kids (now 19 &22, so not often with us) on the head - Ive never had problems with visibility caused by the head rests in the '70.
Auto wipe winds me up - never correct speed for me.
...........

[Tatsfield]

I have to take issue with JonnyA. When reversing into my driveway, because I believe that's the correct thing to do to avoid reversing out onto a roadway, I find that the headrests block vision on either side of the rear screen just where a hedge and a wall have to be negotiated to avoid scraping the side of the car as I make a turn into the driveway which is angled to the roadway. Dropping the headrests is invaluable for me in this situation where I don't have the time to get out, open the rear doors and lean in to drop them manually as I would otherwise have to do. I'm sure that JonnyA is thinking of rear visibility when driving forward but the feature is there for all eventualities and it is of great benefit to me!

"Auto wipe winds me up - never correct speed for me." But it works fine for me most of the time and is adjustable if it really fails to meet the required speed. Again, it suits me but if it needs tuning to meet the needs of others, there is the capacity for someone to produce a modification kit to change the way it works.

[apersson850]

Even if you have the automatic wiper function, you still have the manual one as well.
I don't agree that such automation takes away the joy of driving. I can't find any pleasure in having to push the stick each time you have to pass a lorry, just because spray is picked up from the road and deposited on my windscreen. The auto wiper does that by itself, so I can enjoy more pleasureable parts of driving.

I tow trailers frequently. On the average once a week. The rear corners of my flatbed trailer disappears behind the rear headrests, if they are upright. I find my fiance's XC70, which doesn't have the remote folding option, very annoying when reversing with that trailer hooked on to the car. Usually I remember to fold the headrests already when attaching the trailer, but not always.

I agree that engine braking is a bit slow to engage, but I've also noticed that I've never used that feature as much as when I was driving in Britain for holidays two years ago. It's not needed much where I live, so I'm not too annoyed by how it works.

The seat heating does remember the last setting (they didn't a while ago, and then everybody complained about that), unless it's very cold, in which case it can return to full throttle automatically, after next engine start.

My 850 from 1994 did have three memory positions for the passenger seat too, if it was electric. But since then, they took that feature away from the passenger seat at some instance.

The adaptive cruise control is just some god's answer to prayers. Makes driving in dense trafiic a breeze. And when I don't want it, I simply don't enable it.

[pierremcalpine]

Ok so maybe not directly related to Evgeny’s original question but certainly related to the topic here’s a John Cadigan YouTube segment that’s good for a laugh.

https://youtu.be/k159M8QhCIE

[Tatsfield]

Originally Posted by apersson850

The seat heating does remember the last setting (they didn't a while ago, and then everybody complained about that), unless it's very cold, in which case it can return to full throttle automatically, after next engine start.

Don't understand what they all had to complain about. I far preferred the system on my last car where the seat heater turned itself off with the ignition and left you to reset it to whatever you wanted the next time you started the car. Now it heats your backside when you start the car merely because it was cold the last time you drove the car. I don't really like that creeping warm feeling that seat heaters provide and certainly not as a surprise when I didn't ask for it! Knowing that, my children used to surreptitiously switch on the driver's seat heaters without my knowing until the awful creeping heat sensation would upset me and amuse them! Now the car does that to me itself!!!

[JonnyA]

hi Tatsfield...
no, i meant going backwards and maneuvering in general.
reversing into my driveway, because I believe that's the correct thing to do to avoid reversing out onto a roadway -definitely -
headrest thing wouldn't bug me so much if another press put them up again (yes i know it releases a sprung mechanism and would need a motor or similar to right itself .. just one of those things....maybe one day i'll find that awkward spot where i need it and will appreciate it, meanwhile ....

regards

[noscralc]

Originally Posted by Evgeny

Large load on the battery and starter.
Do not long they will work ((((
"Savings" on harmful emissions will eventually affect our wallet

yes I wonder how many starter motors will need replacing during its life ????

[green van man]

Never drop rear headrests to reverse, use the door mirrors. 30 odd years of driving works vans with solid bulkhead and no rear windows and towing caravan has taught me the advantage of properly adjusted door mirrors, wether going forward or backwards.

Paul.

[apersson850]

Whatever I drive, I use all available methods to see where I'm going. When what I want to see isn't visible in the mirrors, then windows are handy.

[Tatsfield]

There are moments when reversing and turning at the same time it is necessary to see directly out of the rear part of the rear quarter lights when passing between obstructions at an angle and it is this area that the head rests obscure. I also use the external rear mirrors, the reversing proximity sensors and the internal rear view mirror while monitoring the swing of the car and the position of the front wings as they clear the obstructions through the windscreen and front windows. I do it seamlessly. I reverse into my driveway at least two or three times a day and with more driving experience than the age of most of the contributors to this forum, I really do feel that if I say that the head rest dropping function is useful, I'm pretty sure that is because I've learned that for me it is.

Rant over.