- Joined
- Feb 19, 2019
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 681
- Reaction score
- 1,167
- Location
- Upper Norwegia
- Vehicle(s)
- '71 Bronco, '02 Excursion
- Your Bronco Model
- Undecided
While it directly followed your post, please understand that I wasn't replying to anyone in particular; simply voicing frustration with a certain breed of technophobe. I'm with you 100% on technology simply for technology's sake. Touchscreens are a pet peeve of mine as well, both for audio and climate. Knobs work exceedingly well, and as a safety element, don't require one to take eyes off the road to operate. Similarly, I'm only in favor of "advancements" if it is technology that works and is an improvement in terms of performance, weight/volume conservation, cost, or safety/usability. Where it goes off the rails for me is when I encounter naysayers who don't want these things even available optionally - effectively lobbying to deprive others of things they eschew.
When I referenced "locking hubs", I meant auto locking hubs. Not having to get out and lock or unlock them isn't a major curveball in anyone's day, but it IS an incremental improvement. Some models (the ones I prefer) retain the manual capability - there is no loss of functionality. I have also heard of e-shift xfer cases failing to shift, though I've never experienced or seen one in person. I have, however, experienced worn/bent linkages on manual shifts that made selecting a range an exercise similar to a deaf man trying to find a black cat in a dark warehouse. It's mechanical - it can (and eventually will) fail. Regardless of analog or digital, knowing how to fix it while in extremis is the key. With more of our mechanicals being controlled digitally, the greater concern for remote or rough-duty operation is critical systems that require a laptop to diagnose or "reset".
Part of the problem with a great deal of our discussions here is that many of us don't represent the "average" car buyer - we're enthusiasts, some who use our machines beyond the point of breakage, regardless of how well they're built; it's just our nature to find limits. And then improve the parts that failed. As such, we are willing to make certain sacrifices in comfort and convenience that other more mainstream buyers wouldn't even consider. That said, it will be a tough job for Ford to fulfill the dreams of the small percentage of enthusiast buyers while still offering a threshold of convenience and comfort that more mainstream buyers have come to expect. Based on the percentages, my guess is that enthusiasts will be mildly disappointed in favor of the overwhelming majority of users. The enthusiasts will make it work, improve weaknesses and remove or ignore the parts and features they interpret as "fluff". The mall crawlers will have little to complain about except having difficulty retweeting a post from their infotainment system, and life will otherwise be good.
When I referenced "locking hubs", I meant auto locking hubs. Not having to get out and lock or unlock them isn't a major curveball in anyone's day, but it IS an incremental improvement. Some models (the ones I prefer) retain the manual capability - there is no loss of functionality. I have also heard of e-shift xfer cases failing to shift, though I've never experienced or seen one in person. I have, however, experienced worn/bent linkages on manual shifts that made selecting a range an exercise similar to a deaf man trying to find a black cat in a dark warehouse. It's mechanical - it can (and eventually will) fail. Regardless of analog or digital, knowing how to fix it while in extremis is the key. With more of our mechanicals being controlled digitally, the greater concern for remote or rough-duty operation is critical systems that require a laptop to diagnose or "reset".
Part of the problem with a great deal of our discussions here is that many of us don't represent the "average" car buyer - we're enthusiasts, some who use our machines beyond the point of breakage, regardless of how well they're built; it's just our nature to find limits. And then improve the parts that failed. As such, we are willing to make certain sacrifices in comfort and convenience that other more mainstream buyers wouldn't even consider. That said, it will be a tough job for Ford to fulfill the dreams of the small percentage of enthusiast buyers while still offering a threshold of convenience and comfort that more mainstream buyers have come to expect. Based on the percentages, my guess is that enthusiasts will be mildly disappointed in favor of the overwhelming majority of users. The enthusiasts will make it work, improve weaknesses and remove or ignore the parts and features they interpret as "fluff". The mall crawlers will have little to complain about except having difficulty retweeting a post from their infotainment system, and life will otherwise be good.
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