leungwingkei

I agree with the door lock switch thing. The position is very comfortable to reach. Should have just put them where the window lock switch is, or better yet on the center console, so both the driver and front passenger can lock the door using the same button.

bizsnatch

along the same lines as unlock button placement... is where the lock popups are on the door itself - right where you put your arm. i could see this as an advantage if you lived in an area with lots of carjackings but i don't like being locked in my car all the time! actually, i've got used to it but passengers are always struggling to open the door, it seems.

carguycw

Just a few thoughts...

1) Tripmeter location: moving it sounds great in theory, but tripmeter reset buttons have been located next to the gauges longer than most people can remember; move it someplace else, and some buyers will NEVER figure out where the button is- or even figure out that the car HAS a tripmeter. Keep in mind that many new car buyers never even open their owner's manual- some of these people inhabit this list.

Changing time-honored carbuilding conventions really bugs some people. I'm reminded of the cars Chrysler built in the early 60's with automatic transmissions that were controlled by buttons located on the dash to the left of the steering wheel. It was a pretty nifty ergonomic idea IMHO, and there's no reason why it wouldn't work- but it baffled and annoyed people who were used to traditional floor or column-mounted shifters, and within a few years, Chrysler discontinued the shift buttons because they were hurting sales.

8) Steering wheel spoke placement: I used to have a Toyota Camry with a semi-one-spoke steering wheel- there were actually two small spokes, but they were mounted at ~6:30 and ~7:30 (Some other 80's Toyotas had the same wheel design). It ALWAYS bugged me on long trips because I couldn't hang my thumbs on the wheel spokes when my arms got tired. The only place to hang your hands was right on top of the wheel, or hanging on the bottom. This always annoyed me. I like the Protege's wheel much better, even if the finish is wearing off.

Just my $0.02

Matt H

I know on my VW there was a way of bridging the relay for the fog lights that allows you to run them with the high beams, and also let you run high, low and fogs all at the same time. Illegeal, but hella bright. I know that the fogs do a pretty good job filling in some of the darkness closer to the car though. I haven't had the chance to check out the fogs on my wife's protege though.

dr_sarcasm

Hmmmm...

My only complaint about my Mazda is the fact that many of the buttons/switches do not light up at night e.g. cruise controls, passenger windows, etc.


dr_sarcasm.

P.S. On a side note, I thought that what we have on our cars are called driving lights and not fog lights (fog lights have an amber colouration as this is the most effective colour in fog)? Is there a difference (tangible) between driving and fogs or are they one and the same beast?

mp3wannabe

I have one more VERY annoying thing. There is no trunk release button on the keyless entry! What the hell? There is a switch on the floor, one IN the trunk, but they cant put one on my keychain??

ES2.0GT

I was thinking about that myself! There's just one thing though, I think the trunk is cable driven, and not electric. Both the floor switch and inside switch pull on the trunk release. I want to get a command start/alarm with a trunk button on it, but I think I have to buy a kit to change the trunk to an electric actuator.

90210brandon

I love my P5 but, how bout illuminating all the window switches all the way around the car and have an on/off light on the fog light switch or on the dash, saying they are on. Am I alone on this? How HEATED SIDE VIEW MIRRORS?

carguycw

Fog lights can be any color. The only reason they're usually yellow is that many people think white fog lights cause too much blinding glare when you're driving in thick fog.

What distinguishes a fog light from a driving light is power and the spread of the light beam. Fog lights are typically low power, and are designed to be mounted low on the vehicle and to throw a wide, dispersed beam down towards the pavement, becuase the fog typically isn't as thick 1-2 feet off the ground. This is also the reason why most cars' stock foglights aren't very bright and won't operate when the high beams are turned on- turning on a bright light in thick fog will just cause blinding glare. In short, fog lights are designed to let you see the edges of the road while driving slowly in thick fog.

Driving lights are higher powered than fogs, and are designed to throw a focused beam far down the road. They are meant to be like a second set of high beams (or a third or fourth set, if you've got a rally car). The idea is to illuminate the dark holes in the light pattern of the high beams while driving at night on dark roads at high speeds. A common practice is to aim them slightly sideways and downwards to illuminate the shoulders of the road; I've done this with driving lights before, and it works really well.

IMHO most stock fog lights are useless unless you live someplace like Halifax, Nova Scotia or Seattle, Washington- somewhere where they frequently have REAL fog. If you live someplace like north Texas, they are basically cosmetic and IMHO don't provide any useful illumination. In terms of usefullness, they are NO substitute for a bona-fide set of REAL driving lights.

kc5zom

A carbon fiber steering wheel? In a 13-23k dollar car? While they are designing the steering wheel maybe they can replace the body panels too? Use some more aluminum and CF on the chassis.

90210brandon

They are very useful here! (Vancouver)

Grimace

Cost isn't the reason you'll never see CF as a steering-wheel material. Steering wheels need to deform under impact (by your head, for example). CF shatters, splinters, and generally breaks into shards. You wouldn't want a few of those pieces sticking through your eye, for example.

kc5zom

You should call Porsche. They are probably killing people right and left. I can't imagine how many people have been injured by their horrible ($6k) carbon fiber package with carbon fiber/leather steering wheel. Obviously with your blinding insight into the situation you would be a millionaire overnight.

Carbon Fiber = Expensive to Manufacture

Therefore we have cheap fake carbon fiber trim on our cars.

redrims

I was thinking the about the same thing. It is truly necessary in cold places. 2 days ago I washed my car when it was like 19 degrees outside and my side view mirrors became frozen. I had to scrape it off.

Grimace

Yes, but in that case, the CF trim is trim, and doesn't need any structural rigidity as an all-CF steering wheel would.
I'm just surmising, but an all-CF steering wheel would have to be several layers thick. The trim on Porsche's steering wheel is probably one or two layers at the most, and since it is applied overtop of other materials, it wouldn't shatter if something hit it since the materials behind it would give a little and act as a supporting cushion.