you know what I hate?
Car alarms that beep the horn when someone sets it....no light ding like most cars, but BEEP! Twice today I've walked by a car in a parking lot and heard BEEP! because someone was walking away and just hit the button to lock the doors/activate the alarm/whatever.
I think this is mostly an american car thing, but someone can tell me if I'm wrong.
A gentle beep is okay. Ours beeps to prevent the passengers from escaping. Nothing worse than escaped passengers. And then if I catch it, it's almost worse, because it sounds one and a bit loud BEEP, and isn't obviously a runaway false alarm.
I like the way Subaru (and probably others that have the same supplier for the parts) does it.
First time you hit lock, it does the ding sound. Second time it does the ding (and turns off the lights, which normally stay on for a bit after locking if on). Third time beeps. Great to for loud areas when you can't see you car, and can't remember if you locked it. Can also be used when looking for your car in a parking garage or something (though seriously, I've never not known exactly where my car is. What is that?)
New ones you can even customize some of these things (ie, ding, blinkers, or both for locks).
I think the American thing is right. I know GM still does it. They even beep the horn quickly a few times when you close the door on a running car with keyless start. Not sure if Ford hasn't moved on to a chime. No idea about Chrysler, but I'm guessing they've moved on.
Last edited by Freude am Fahren; July 25th, 2018 at 03:58 PM.
Nup, they do it over here in NZ too. Think i've seen Camry's, Falcons and other Japanese etc cars do it.
It is annoying a bit.
My TSX will just flash the parking lights with one button push, but if you push it again, it emits the faintest beep that is hard to hear if you're any distance away from the car. Not very useful for someone who is constantly wondering if they locked the car. The CR-V is just the opposite, one button push does the parking lights but the second button push gives you a short, full-volume horn blast which is like an ice pick to the ear. My old Silverado had it right - it sounded like a 1/4-power horn peep, loud enough to hear but not so loud that it needled your brain.
Your license plates. GIVE THEM TO ME
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All those beeps and honks and train whistle blasts are an ice pick to my ear.
Remote controls to lock car doors arrived at about the same time I realized I was a retro-grouch. I have no patience with unnecessary frivolities like remote controls that perform duplicate functions, and especially at additional cost.
People, you have to use your hand to open your car door, right?
(please don't tell me self-opening doors are now another "new normal" that I haven't even heard of yet)
After you open your door with your hand, use that very same hand to push down on the door lock button, or on the button that locks all doors at once if your car is that new and fancy. Close the door and walk away.
It's really easy. Try it and see!
When you return, just put the key in the lock on the door (that you have to touch with your hand anyway) and turn it. The door will unlock and you can open it and already have the key in hand for easy insertion in to the ignition for a fast getaway.
Bonus: no huge remote control to jam into the front pocket of your trousers and annoy you all day long, unless you enjoy having a suspicious bulge in that area.
Signed,
One of the last holdouts against remote control horn-honker devices, apparently
I wouldn't mind having proximity key again.
And remote door poppers are on the list of DMC upgrades for next year...
Proximity keys are one of the greatest things ever.
My keys basically never come out of my pocket, except for getting my mail.
It's funny to hear that. When proximity keys came out in 92 for the Corvette, people HATED it.
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