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The obsession with car interiors

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peasant
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The obsession with car interiors

#1

Post by peasant »

My guess is that every motor journo these days is on a discount with their nail studio.
Because whenever they are reviewing any car's interior, the standard procedure is to paw everything until they find THAT area where they can knock on the surface with their fingernails, scrape them across producing an annoying noise and exclaim in a disgusted voice ...ooooh..only hard plastics here.

Apparently the measure of interior quality is how low they have to reach to find that area...the lower the better.

Well, in my car they don't have to reach far, because everything is hard plastic (apart from leather on the steering wheel and some touchy-feely rubbery material on the gear knob).

And you know what ... I don't mind at all. It looks ok, it doesn't rattle or squeak and most importantly...whenever it needs cleaning, one wipe with Lidl's finest dashboard wipes has it looking like new.

No complicated material mix where you need five different products to get it clean and cared for (and woe to you if you get the wrong product on the wrong surface), a quick hoover and a wipe and you're done.

Now, don't get me wrong, if I dropped several hundred k on a Roller or such, I would also insist on shiny metals, supple leather, gleaming woods and deep pile carpets. But for a daily A-B machine that gets used and abused, gimme hard plastic any day.

Doesn't hurt if it looks semi-cheerful though

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Hairy-Joe
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#2

Post by Hairy-Joe »

Oh don't get me started on interiors.

For me, the piano black shiny trim is an instant turn-off. I've knocked cars off the shopping list because of it. It's a DOSE for showing every bloody thumb print. Another turn off is the current fad of burying stuff like HVAC, drive modes, assistance systems 4 touches deep in the touchscreen. Trying to do that on the move I find impossible (and a potential safety hazard).

I don't see the fad with soft touch plastic either. I don't spend that much time fondling the dash and interior plastics. I much rather the contact points (steering wheel, gear lever, pedals) were decent and the rest screwed together properly to avoid rattles after 200k km
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Frank
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#3

Post by Frank »

So long as it has carplay, a few good pockets, and 2 cup holders I don’t care if it’s made out of galvanised tin.
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Wibbs
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#4

Post by Wibbs »

Hairy-Joe wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:46 pmI don't see the fad with soft touch plastic either. I don't spend that much time fondling the dash and interior plastics. I much rather the contact points (steering wheel, gear lever, pedals) were decent and the rest screwed together properly to avoid rattles after 200k km
This. Now granted I drive an old 90's Honda so not a lot of soft touch anything, mostly the same placcy found in school chairs :) rattles were present when new, but the lack of sound proofing means you don't hear them much, so there's that and mod cons are decidely(and wonderfully*) absent. That said the contact points of seat, pedals, wheel and gear knob are 100% spot on in position and feel. Makes a huge difference for me.






*when I'm driving I'm driving and put all my concentration in that. I love the lack of distractions which modern life is so full of.
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Uncle Frank
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#5

Post by Uncle Frank »

Fabric seats are a pain. Spill anything on them or get them wet enough times and you get those nasty looking water stains. They tend to get frayed and ripped over time too.
They feel fine though it is just the look of them.
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Frank
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#6

Post by Frank »

I’d only do fabric personally, which was always a pain because it’s very hard to find a well specced car with a cloth interior.
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#7

Post by Uncle Frank »

I'm on the opposite end of the scale: any model in my price range atm will definitely have fabric seats and probably some water stains and rips too :P
GrowlerG
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#8

Post by GrowlerG »

I confess I like a decent interior, and dislike very cheap plastics.
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dawg
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#9

Post by dawg »

Wibbs wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 8:08 pm ... rattles were present when new, but the lack of sound proofing means you don't hear them much, so there's that and mod cons are decidely(and wonderfully*) absent. That said the contact points of seat, pedals, wheel and gear knob are 100% spot on in position and feel. Makes a huge difference for me.....
The lack of soundproofing gives a much better chance of sensing when the car is developing a problem.

I use mine as a van as much as a car. Forget leather seats, I'd have then ruined in a couple of months.

'Soft' plastics ? guess thats an easy car talking point for non-mech people. ( I mean, when did you last hear a motorcyclists lament the lack of soft plastics on bikes ? :lol: )
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Wibbs
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#10

Post by Wibbs »

I've had leather and cloth and half leather and half cloth, half alcantara, I'd say half leather is the best of both worlds in my humble. I don't see it too often these days, was much more a 70's and 80's thing I think? I find leather too slippy, too hot in summer, too cold in winter. Easier to clean mind you, though modern leather has more plastic coating in it. Climb into a classic retrimmed in the original hide stuff and it's chalk and cheese. And better imho. Alcantra is an odd one. I thought it didn't take the years well and it does go off alright, but a few years ago I got an originally US market only brand spanking new old stock rocking horse droppings centre armrest for mine covered in the stuff and yep it stood out initially, but within a few weeks looked perfectly at home with the rest of the twenty year old alcantara. Pure muck on steering wheels though.
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Wibbs
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#11

Post by Wibbs »

dawg wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:02 pm The lack of soundproofing gives a much better chance of sensing when the car is developing a problem.
True enough. Though when I give lifts to newbies the look of WTF on their faces... For me it's normal. Like working in a bell factory, after a while you can't hear the bells. :) It's also protected my licence. You're very much more aware of speed. If I had one of my mate's Beemers or Audis I'd be in prison in a week. 100 mph in old money feels like nothing in those. Allegedly. Your honour.
I use mine as a van as much as a car.
Pretty much ditto tbh. Did a run to the local dump last week, rear seats down, filled to the brim, windows down there and back to clear the funk. :D
Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.
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dawg
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#12

Post by dawg »

Wibbs wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:18 pm...I'd say half leather is the best of both worlds ...
Dunno Wibbs, whenever I see a reference to half leather I see
Image
Very 1970s, its true :D
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dawg
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#13

Post by dawg »

Wibbs wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:28 pm... It's also protected my licence. You're very much more aware of speed. ...
Very true.
Wibbs wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:28 pm...If I had one of my mate's Beemers or Audis I'd be in prison in a week. 100 mph in old money feels like nothing in those. Allegedly. Your honour..
I dont like it either, like driving around in a padded cell. Disconnected from the surroundings. Suppose you started out as a biker too ? :lol:
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Wibbs
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#14

Post by Wibbs »

dawg wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:39 pm I dont like it either, like driving around in a padded cell. Disconnected from the surroundings. Suppose you started out as a biker too ? :lol:
Oh God no D. In my teens a mate got a scrambler type yoke and I had a go thinking oh yep defo for me. Until off it took and I lost the run of myself and it. Let's just say since that event I'm physiologically uncapable of suffering from constipation. :shock: :D Then a few years later hired a scooter on holliers with an image of me convincing some local capri panted exotic beauty to go pillion while we whispered oh la la at each other. Until I promptly ran into a ditch. An ex of mine many moons ago was into her bikes and tried to encourage similar in me. To no avail. I walked over to my car put my hands on the edge of the roof and leaned into it and pointed out what would be the difference if I did the same to her bike... Yeah, I don't quite trust any vehicle that needs support to stay upright. :D Any time a biker passes me at some ungodly speed on the road I admire the balls they have that I'm lacking, but wince a little inside with it.
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#15

Post by dawg »

W, thats exactly what happened me when one day I was put up on a horse.
Never again !
GrowlerG
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#16

Post by GrowlerG »

dawg wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:02 pm The lack of soundproofing gives a much better chance of sensing when the car is developing a problem.
...
I've never found the noise of the rattle trim and dash a good indicator of what's wrong with a car.
Generally its the absence of squeaks and rattles that makes mechanical noises stand out.
Its not like we are all driving around in Rolls Royce's with thick pile carpet and double glazing. (at least I'm not).

I take the point about a utilitarian vehicles. Land Rover Chic.
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Wibbs
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#17

Post by Wibbs »

GrowlerG wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 5:42 pm I've never found the noise of the rattle trim and dash a good indicator of what's wrong with a car.
Generally its the absence of squeaks and rattles that makes mechanical noises stand out.
Oh very true. One thing that impressed me with the Teslas I've driven was how rattle and squeak free they are. And they don't have petrol exploding up front to cover any such noises.
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#18

Post by Cyclepath »

Must admit I'm puzzled at this plastics obsession - That chap Matt from CarWow on YT is particularly obsessed!

I drive a 12 year old diesel merc which has hard plastics everywhere in the cabin and leather seats. Tbf it doesn't rattle or squeak but the engine is agricultural at best and even the merc level soundproofing can't hide it. But I got it cheap and that's the most important bit for me. I'll replace it when it becomes too much of a problem to push through an NCT.

And tbh, it's the NCT hassles that make me wish I'd kept my one of my old Hondas - back in the 90s I had a Civic followed by an Accord and they were indestructible.
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Wibbs
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#19

Post by Wibbs »

Cyclepath wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 11:07 am
And tbh, it's the NCT hassles that make me wish I'd kept my one of my old Hondas - back in the 90s I had a Civic followed by an Accord and they were indestructible.
Mechanically they were alright. Damn near bulletproof, but they also rust like it's a designed in feature. They can make 80's Lancias and Fiats look solid. They need rustproofing like a fish needs water.
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#20

Post by Cyclepath »

Wibbs wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 11:22 am Mechanically they were alright. Damn near bulletproof, but they also rust like it's a designed in feature. They can make 80's Lancias and Fiats look solid. They need rustproofing like a fish needs water.
Interesting... Did you not find the 90's models better than previous though? The missus kept the 95 Civic (the four door one that was identical to the Rover version) when I bought the Accord and she kept it til '07 without any rust issues. I actually sold the 94 Accord in '00 with not a mark on her!
490808
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#21

Post by 490808 »

The only obsession I have with car interiors is why do the make the carpets out of material that is almost impossible to clean properly?

A good vacuum removes a lot of the mess but never gets everything.
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Wibbs
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#22

Post by Wibbs »

Cyclepath wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 3:37 pm Interesting... Did you not find the 90's models better than previous though? The missus kept the 95 Civic (the four door one that was identical to the Rover version) when I bought the Accord and she kept it til '07 without any rust issues. I actually sold the 94 Accord in '00 with not a mark on her!
That was good going for a Civic of that era CP. Very good going. One of the bigger problems with Hondas in particular but Japanese cars in general in that era was the rust tended to start from inside the superstructure, so a car could look near mint but go digging and the tinworm would be munching away through sills and inner wings. MX5's could be horrors for hidden car cancer, ditto for MR2s.

A couple of years ago I had a look at a 99 Integra for a lad, as he knew I have a fair knowledge of the model. This was a beaut. Pristine paint, just a few blow ins on bumpers. Interior was very very nice too, even under the bonnet area looked pretty good with little evidence of corrosion beyond the plated bolts had gone a bit dusty(though had the usual aftermarket "upgrades"). He had looked under the body as much as he could and it looked bloody good. I had a look too and yep, solid. Then I took my fibre optic camera phone attachement jobbie and went looking in areas where I'd have concern. The rear of both sills were red rotten, the fronts not much better and two of the drain holes had gone from a couple of mill to a few centimeters across. Of course these areas are covered by placcy oversills. The inner wings were bad with it, but on the inside, the petrol filler pipe area was held together with prayer. Minter on the outside, requiring thousands of yoyos to sort properly on the inside. Like a hollow tooth. You'd never have guessed from the outside.

Another time I looked at a 99 Civic and similar was found, though not as rough. Ditto for my mechanic's 00 Accord.

Now there can be differences between local EU/Irish market cars compared to imports. The latter usually have less rust protection, but even then you had problems. Honda and others often fitted plastic wheelarch protectors, which actually increased rust because they trapped moisture. I have a copy of a follow up instruction manual for US Honda dealers from the late 90's on how to apply wax rust proofing, because of so many issues.
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Re: The obsession with car interiors

#23

Post by Kaiser »

Have to admit, I put a lot of value on the interior. It's where you're spending your time after all, and even more important if you do a lot of mileage.

Leather is a must for ease of cleaning/maintenance, controls that are logically laid out and easily reached from the driving position, a well designed media/settings interface, and spacious with a quality feel.

Love my audis for all of the above reasons. My A6 had 410000km and 11 years on it when I changed it earlier this year, but everything inside still worked and I regularly got comments on the condition. The A7 I now have is a step up interior wise as well.

Contrast that to the E60 5 series I had as a loaner. Cramped driving position with an odd offset to the dash. Badly laid out controls, clunky media interface and did not at all feel like the competitor to my A6 (same era/generation) that it was supposed to be. Felt more like an A4 alternative.
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