Features you wish your car had?
 

What features do you wish your car had?

1) Auto-tinting Rear and Side View Mirrors.

So many things wrong...but nothing's so broken I can't drive it.

-More head room (no solution without killing my legs)
-A rear-view mirror that doesn't point at the headliner. If you're over 4'6" it's useless.
-A new heater core and blend door.
-An explanation for the knocking and stuttering.
-Locks that work without sticking.
-Just knowing what that rattling is. Knowing would make me happy, even if I can't stop it.
-More than 21MPG from 2.5L of squirrels
-Seat belts that release (better to stick than slip I guess)
-More leg room (soon...I will redrill the seat brackets)
-An amp & better speakers

I wanted that too... so I added it (well the interior mirror at least).

I wanted HID lights on the Passat too, so I got a set of the factory HIDs w/ steering motors. Need to get the suspension level sensors and control module yet.

One thing I wish the MB had was variable delay wipers. One of these days I'll have to hook up a VW wiper relay to add this feature :)

-J

Is this in the 123 or 126? I dont have any problems with the rear view mirror my 124 or 126 from what I can remember.


Hrm, where did the interior mirror come from? Is it as wide as the original mirror?

I remember seeing a website where a guy build/designed a variable delay wiper relay. It was not expensive either.

auxiliary fuel tank
hydraulic lifters
I will go with the more leg room too

a SD or SDL with a limo type partition so i don't have to hear the kids all the time

I go the mirror from a Cadillac STS in the junkyard. Took apart both mirrors to make one that fit in the MB.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6.../P11674201.jpg

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/3237253-post45.html

It's a hair narrower than the original mirror... not a big deal.

The retrofit relays are for the Gen1 cars, Gen2 cars combine the turn signal flasher, rear defroster relay, and wiper relay into one unit.

-J

Better window seals.
Locks that don't stick in the cold.
Better window regulators.
5 speed manual gearbox.

And now for the James Bond stuff:
-User-actuated smokescreen (as opposed to the throttle actuated smokescreen)
-Tire flattener (like sharp jacks that spill out of a compartment to flatten the tires of the villains in pursuit)
-Passenger-side ejection seat
-Rocket launchers
-Mine launcher (rear mounted)
-Forward mounted machine gun
-Bullet-proof glass
-Enough horsepower and torque to move this monstrosity around.

Phil Forrest

More smoke. You know, for tailgaters.

a) Slightly smaller steering wheel.

b) More power steering assist at low speed.

c) Heated air from center vents.

d) Manual ACC blower speed control.

b through d are available in the W140.

Sixto
87 300D

pull up rear windshield shade screen
heated and orthopedic seats
reclining back seat
roof rack like a td
cup holders!
velour upholstery in black
rear head rests
working ac
15" alloy rims

Working AC.
Flatbed.
Winch.
Heated seats would make the lil lady real happy.
Decent stereo - got NOTHING right now.

Heated/cooled seats sound nice.

Heated steering wheel. My hands are always cold. Cup holder would be second on the list. My 300te would be perfect with those two additions

The $75 dorman kit on amazon is totally worth it. I put one in the lady's Jeep a year ago and it's still going strong

Cruise control. My 240 didn't come with it, and it's broke-dick in the 300cd.

Limited-slip
6-speed
Heated cloth seats
Three rear headrests
No vacuum pump of death -- conversion to electric pump, maybe?
A chute system that dispenses sand under the rear wheels* (for when they slip despite the LSD :cool:) -- this could be actuated by what is now the parking brake pedal if the parking brake were converted to a...
...pistol-style parking brake. It basically goes where the release pull for the foot parking brake goes and allows you to operate it more like a handbrake.
Tow hitch
Clutched PS pump and alternator
Battery voltage meter to show me when to turn the alternator on/off
30/20/30 folding rear seat
Folding wings and twin jet engines
Invisibility cloak

*I'm having trouble seeing how this would fit, so it may be a pie in the sky...

When I got my 300D in 2004 I wanted:

1. Better lighting - got Bosch/Hella H4's, then went with Bosch Euros
2. Better wheels - lucked out on 15" bundts - 'nuff said
3. Factory looking garage opener - installed 2Phast's autodim/Homelink/compass mirror
4. Better, louder more Benz-like horn - installed Bosch supertones
5. Better car mats that don't get dirty easily - got Cocomats
6. Better front seat bottom cushions - got the foams from an older model, and retrofitted to current seats
7. Some form of shade in the back seat - got a manual OEM factory rear sunshade
8. Better brake lighting - did the brake light mod
9. Better trunk lighting - added trunk lights
10. Better oil pan protection - installed the factory skid plate
11. Better rear seat comfort - added rear headrests

Maybe a smaller steering wheel would also help, but I'd like to get one with the leather grip like from a W124 or W126, but with a non-airbag horn pad for a period look.

I wish my car came with...
 

A trunk filled with $100 dollar bills.

Hmm.. for the 87, the ability to move itself under it's own power would be nice...

But, the lists are fairly the same for both my 85 and my 87

-Cup holders.
-More 12v outlets that actually fit US cig plugs...
-the Climate controls moved to the bottom of the console. (So I can fit double din in middle)

Stuff thats was actually an option in my car
 

Stuff I wish it had....
1. Fully functioning sunroof
2.Working A/C
3.94-95 Leather interior with the expensive looking wood grain and door panel speakers
4.Rear fog lamp. (have all the correct parts to add it, just need to find the time to install it)
5.Wagon rear door panels which would add even 2 more speakers to make 8 total

Stuff I wish it had, but would probably rarely if ever use...
6.Heated Orthopedic seats
7.Rear window shade

Now for the stuff I wish for but wasn't an option on Diesels.... as far as I know LOL
8. 400 rear wheel H.P.
9. Intercooler
10.Limited slip rear diff
11.500E body

I wish the PO hadn't neglected maintenance for 13 years then had a blind man do the safety before selling it to his own son.

Caveat emptor and all that but ****, I shouldn't have to apply it to family

ill settle for working parking brakes on all cars, none of which are functioning at this time. I just hate fixing them.

Thank you! I'll definitely look into it. Not quite wife yet, but the saying of happy wife - happy life definitely applies.

In my w123 and my Ranger the rear view mirror angle is all wrong for me. I'm either looking at the back edge of the ceiling, or the tailgate/ trunk lid. I just use my side mirrors mostly, if I look in the rear view I get angry because the stock location is terrible.

Don't get me started on the seats...every car I've ever driven was designed for little people. Even an old F350 dumptruck-you can slide until there's 3" between the wheel and seat, but oh no we can't have to go back more than 8"

You've gotta have tunes, otherwise any kind of traffic jam becomes hellish in about 3 seconds.

I spent $0 on my truck's parking brake. Will stop it under any condition (YEAH DRUMS!!)

Blew $120 & 4 hours on the Wifey's Jeep to get the parking brake fixed. She never uses it, every time I park I'm saying to myself :I'm getting my $$ out of this one grr"

1) Inspector gadget instant lift kit - so I can drive over traffic jams
2) James Bond rocket launchers on the front - for when I'm not feeling so friendly
3) Oil slick maker on the back and a smoke screen maker - so I can make a quick escape
4) A back to the future time travel button - so I can change all those embarrassing posts!
5) A Fast 'n' Loud beer server call button - just to see something pretty
6) A Boney M disco button - because...

This is easy. A cup holder. It's got wiper blades on the headlights, 3 ash trays, 7 way position power seats, retracting rear head rests with a touch of a button but no cup holder. WTF!

Cup holders.
Tinted windows.
Stronger transmission setup.
More HP.
Better head lighting system.
Wider rims and larger tires.
Bigger rotors and calipers and brake pads.
Better air filter system.
Overdrive
Some of the things that were engineered crazy, made to be more mechanic friendly and easier to work on.

And while I'm dreamin.
A million mile ,unlimited years warranty bumper to bumper, transferable to each new owner.

I liked the steering wheel in the C300 I drove. I liked the fact that it was not round and instead of completing the circle at the bottom it went straight across.

I modded my 300D to have heated air at the center vents. I did this with a vacuum line bypass. Now my right side does not get cold! I just close the vents off when I dont want it.

Manual ACC blower speed control should be attainable, you just need to put a 7VDC regulator and potentiometer. Feed the output from the pot to the blower motor regulator. Biggest problem is where to mount the knob.

I know a guy. ;) Send me an email or PM.

I hate working on them too. My 190E doesn't have any. I got pissed off at them because somehow they broke and bits ended up grinding inside the drum so I just gutted them. 300SD doesn't have one on the passenger side. Had to replace the control arm never hooked up the cable.

Hmm. And you'd still run out of money fixing it.

Mine has this already - easy storage too. There are stations that convert $100s into liquid form. My MB seems to take a lot of them in - it takes two swipes on my debit card to fill the tank these days! :eek:

-J

Definitely a cup holder. (Seems to be a common complaint) Driving it while holding my coffee was fine when it was an automatic, but with a stick, things can get a little awkward.

Variable intermittent wipers. I know it's another common complaint, and I know I can probably still get the upgraded module from a forum member, but more important things seem to keep making use of my adjustable intermittent wiper upgrade funds.

A place to mount speakers that doesn't suck. As an audiophile, the sound system options in a W123 are just intolerable. Seriously... They had a team of engineers for everything on the W123, and somehow neglected to consider putting a sound system in that could even hold a candle to the craptastic single speaker AM/FM Delco tuners that they were putting in GMC work trucks of the same era. I have a little 8" low-profile JBL subwoofer from a Honda CRV that I'm going to attempt installing in the med kit hole at some point to add a modest amount of bottom end to the sound system, but the staging will always suck terribly for as long as I am trying to use 4" dash speakers that point at the freaking windshield. It's just a horrible car for anyone that cares about audio quality.

Heated side mirrors - Going to install some from a gen 2 W126 and wire them to the defroster switch.

Bundts that don't collect every micron of brake dust.

A PBU that does not spit buttons at me.

A PBU and Becker with real working lights.

A front and rear light that comes on when the front door is opened so I don't get raped by the guy hiding in the back seat.

Better speakers with a small bass speaker.

Longer chassis with fold down rear tables like in a Rolls, etc.

Seat switches that have wires NOT soldered to the damn switch.

Euro adjustable head lights with wipers.

Limited slip / locking diff

2.88 gearing

Over drive

GOTO walmart or pepboys. They make an adjustable dual cup holder for 5 bucks that fits perfectly into the center column. I use them in all my MBs and they will adjust out to fit a litter sized bottle or even a monster coffee mug... at least it's a cheap option. unlike my 99 safari van.. with molded cup holders in the center engine cover that dump any drink put into them onto your leg when you turn any corner....

I'm generally pretty happy with the car, but it could use a few things to make it even better:

Third brake light. I got rearended a few months ago and I might not have if I had an extra brake light.

Sunroof delete. I never use the thing, it's a failure point, and it adds unnecessary weight.

Manual windows. More reliable and saves weight.

Manual climate control. ACC sucks even when it works right, and mine doesn't even do that.

W126 front brakes. Will be doing this mod whenever the current front brakes finally wear out.

Louder exhaust. I'm thinking about a straight pipe.

Close ratio six speed instead of the wide ratio four speed.

More power.

I feel pretty fortunate that my car has many of the things listed here.

I would like:

Manual transmission
Working AC
Heated seats
A real limited slip rear end, not the computer/brake activated version.

Oy, that sounds like a good idea. I should try that.

Thanks for the tip. I can probably chuck one of those things in there screwed down to a piece of plywood to weight the base a bit and give it some stability. (I loath the idea of screwing anything in to the console itself.)

I hear you on the factory domestic cupholders. My Chrysler has the cup holders under the bloody dash right below the disc changer, for some reason. They hold a 16 ounce paper coffee cup well enough, but forget anything else, or they tip over on turns. As a result, I only drink 16 ounce hot coffees, because that's all that works in them.

try filling my E350 when it's sitting on empty in both tanks fuel right now where i am is 4 bucks a gallon i just put over 250 in it the other day, that will melt your credit card if you have to drive it everyday.

I might cry myself to sleep tonight out of sorrow for you. Holy freakin' cow, man!

Not my picture, but the exact same cup holders I have in my cars.

http://imageshack.us/a/img402/853/imageikyz.jpg

Sweet! It even has a little cubby where I can pile my spare fuses! (And where hair bands will also mysteriously accumulate.) :D

Cup holders =>

A cultural gap I'll never bridge - really I don't get it - what's all the fuss about?

I'd like to have 240 volts thru the car's skin when parked and driving thru car jacking areas

Holding your cup.

Americans like to drink their coffee or other beverages while driving their car.
I have the same cultural gap in the opposite direction, I can't understand why Europeans don't understand the utility of having a place to stash a beverage. :D

I don't even drink coffee or tea, but even just on a long road trip, if I have a bottle of water, I like to put it in a cup holder so its not rolling around and I have to fish for it next time I want to take a sip

I'm 15 miles from my job, that means 0:25-1:30 drive one-way depending on how fussy the squirrels are that day. It's much more convenient to keep your coffee in the holder on the floor than balance it on one knee.

I'm ~500 miles from home, so when I go back to visit it's around 9-10hrs on the road, again-a place to sit a drink without having to fuss with it constantly.

I don't have cupholders on the motorcycle however

Plus, it's a great place to store screws while I take 6 months to replace a bulb behind the heater controls, etc.:P

I can kind of envisage the practicality of a cup holder if you needed to drink and drive - but why drink and drive? You're only gonna have to stop to take a leak!

I take it you guys dont have diapers built into the seats, or trap doors in the floor pans either?

get with the times, taking a leak while driving is all the rage, we have that all worked out over here. No longer do we have to aim at a used beer bottle while doing 70mph

70 mph?

The rear bumper police will push you off the road if you dare to travel as slow as 70 mph over here even if it is obvious from the erratic swerving that you happen to have your bits in the neck of a bottle at the time...

that might be it. You guys travel faster to go shorter distances. My one time driving in Italy taught me that cobbled 3 foot wide streets full of people are totally irrelevant to the goal of going as fast as humanly possible in the shortest possible time. :D

we travel slower over longer distances with our bits out for various reasons, sometimes in bottles, so we have to take care