Try driving a Saab with the ignition switch in the center console. Replacing said switches that have had pop or coffee spilled in them is a VERY lucrative business!

Redonaman

Safety interlocks are not such a bad idea. Let's fade in to a summer evening in 1971 - young PaulC is cleaning the interior of a relative's 1969 Ford LTD hardtop, which was parked on a hill alongside his house. PaulC concludes cleaning and goes inside the house to catch a re-run of Hawaii Five-O. Soon DaddyC calls PaulC to the window: "Where's the Ford?" "I dunno." "Were you in the Ford today?" "Uh-huh, I was cleaning it". "Did you move the car at all?" (A fair question, as I had been driving cars on private property for about 4 years at this time.) "Nope" "Where's the car?" (Now my father pictured himself as the real-life iteration of Perry Mason, and a deft cross-examiner. My vision of him was that of a nascent Hamilton Burger, and even at 11, I usually batted .500 during these inquiries, but I digress.).

Anyway, we went outside whereupon I discovered that the LTD, even with the parking brake on, had drifted down the hill, through an intersection and tried to eat a U.S. mailbox with the rear bumper. I can only theorize that I had bumped the shift lever slightly while cleaning the car, and closing the driver's door as I alit the vehicle helped it into Reverse. The parking brake apparently delayed movement and immediate discovery and limited top speed to a crawl.

Now, if this car had even a rudimentary ignition switch/shifter interlock (alas, not featured on Fords until 1970), a U.S. mailbox would still be alive today, and I would have found out if Jack Lord got the bad guy.

Paul- that was great. Somewhere a sitcom awaits you....p.s. I backed over a birdbath with my 82' Honda once.

I had a Chevy K5 that didn't need a key, the tumblers were so worn that I just turned the switch and drove off with a puff of leaded exaust.

It couldn't have been a 460. I have driven up to '06 S500s and there is sadly no comparison.

We went for a drive in my friends dads LS600h. Great interior, dislike the front end and lights.... Its a nice car, but still lacks that feeling you get when your driving a german car....



It is weird and hard to explain, but it just doesnt feel the same... I drove the new S550, and man, that car just feels perfect. :)

Hattie, a friends mom has a farily new Jag S-Type. That car has died sooo many times as a result of spilling stuff down the center console...

I like the seatbelt warning. It sounds like a stall warning horn in a small plane.
Then there's the trim-wheel climate control.
Lastly, there's that little cool 3 bladed propeller on the hood:P

My 66 Beetle didn't have a key - it was replaced by a toggle switch and a honking big push button for the starter.

Did you see the center console on the new one? Its got a button that pops up and controls everything. Very cool. Spill soda on it and they are into you for a few grand!:eek: I didn't think to look where the cup holders were, probably right above it!:D

http://images.paultan.org/images/New_Jaguar_XF_26.jpg

It's an LS something. I didn't say it wasn't nice, just no character whatsoever...on the interior. I do like the body on it...

Nothing was more annoying than this.
 

I had an '82 Datsun 280ZX many years ago and it had an "vocalized" warning system. A female voice with a Japanese accent would say, "lights are on" or "door is ajar" among others.
AFAIK a door is a door and not a jar.:P

A coworker I knew years ago had a Maxima that was inadvertently fitted with the Japanese voice chip instead of the English one...we all though it was pretty cool that the various voice prompts were in Japanese!

Maybe the accent was so bad that it sounded like Japanese?