That app looks pretty awesome. I do wish I could use it on my E 350.
But I do see some problems. How is the app going to find which car is yours? Download the app when you plugin your phone to the car and have a access long code that changes every X minutes? Or a screen name and password for your car?
I could see someone trying to find a way to steal cars with this. Install it on their phone and try to unlock other Mercedes-Benz cars and steal whats inside, or the car itself.
This application is completely frivolous. NOBODY with a Mercedes ever parks more than 5 feet from a door. Or they just ring up Jeeves to bring the car around.
You know what rocks? Being on the ball enough to remember where I parked my car. That's cool. Takes next to no time at all. Look where the lane is, look where my entrance is, see what store's next to it. Even at the Mall of America, it gets the job done.
You know what else works great? Feeling the keys in your hand. Feel the keys, shut the door. Step 1, step 2. Easy to do, even in the rain, even with hands full. Number of times I've locked myself out in 25 years: 0.
You know what sucks? Crutches. Being so messed up you can't walk right and have to hold yourself up with something. They complicate stuff, get in the way. Boy they're great when you need them, but the doctors will tell you, after you've been on them for a while, okay, time to walk again. That's enough crutches. Your legs work, so no more crutches for you.
Your brain works, so no more iPhone app for you. Remember your keys. Take note of where you are. If you can hold down a hot enough job that you can afford a Benz, you can keep track of your car and its keys.
@Elhigh: Those door locking key fob things make you lazy. I have one car with them (that I actually use the fob on, I don't bother locking the Taurus) and I find myself trying to lock and unlock the house door with the thing occasionally.
@mytdawg: The Taurus is a dare. "C'mon punk. Steal it. I dare you. I won't even chase you. You make it go, you can have it.
But she'll hurt you. She'll make you wish you'd left her the hell alone. For the rest of your punk life. She'll suck the air out of your lungs and the light out of your sky. You'll never forget the day you first set foot in it. You'll wish you could, but you never will."
Is that why you don't lock it? I have a house like that.
@Elhigh: Hey, hey, that's unnecessary... I moved up from a Geo man, the Taurus is luxury I tell you. I don't lock most of my cars. I lock the van because it's full of tools. The Vette and the S-10 are both open too. Don't break my glass, just open the door and take what you want. You want the 1990 tape deck, it's yours.
@mytdawg: I really thought that this methodology would work with a '95 Outback in Chicago, but then last December someone broke the passenger window and rifled through everything in the car. Total take: 75 cents in nickels and dimes.
@mytdawg:
Somebody tried to steal my truck a few months ago. I didn't even realize it had happened until I picked up a piece of plastic off the floor, wondering, what the hell...? Flagged a cop on my way to work, he said "yeah, you weren't the only one, and we got the guy." It's a small town.
Didn't fix my column shroud, but at least the punk is making new friends in the showers. That makes me feel a little better.
Turn the damage in on the insurance? Are you nuts? They'd total it out for sure. Yeah, it's that close. I keep it locked now. It probably wouldn't make much difference, but if the bastard breaking in gets all cut up, serves him right.
@Peugeot 504 - the Car for Nigeria: Another entry in the Criminals are Idiots file. Maybe you should put a sign on the window that reads, "try the door."
You might need to put on an arrow to indicate where the door handle is.
@Elhigh: Given some of the people in that neighborhood, I'm assuming that the default method of opening car doors is via the freshly-smashed window. Probably my fault for parking anything other than a donked '84 Caprice there in the first place.
Neat idea, but an odd mix of aesthetics. I can't quite wrap my head around it. I like the aesthetic of the past-its-prime symbol of luxury, but the bondage themed strap loses me. I'm also a bit of a watch snob, so the cheap quartz movement turns me off, but that could be easily upgraded to a mechanical, or at least a better quartz movement pretty easily.
Lose the strap, use a higher quality movement, and it would make a bitchin' pocket watch.
I'd get it one piece at a time
And it wouldn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round.
Out of the entire list I only have cruse control. I guess I could count GPS but I only use it twice a year for the traffic information when I drive up to New York or down to North Carolina. Also it's only in my car when I plan to use it. In any case I am proud to have so little in common with this list.
I'm surprised remote door locks aren't on the list. I haven't seen anyone without one that isn't driving a rental car in years. #cartech
Gee, I always thought automatic transmission was an American thing, and that people who drive stick were euro-trash cheese-eating surrender monkeys. #cartech
So people would take a trailer hitch before air conditioning (which doesn't even appear to be on the list)? I live on the 49th parallel and I wouldn't buy a car without air conditioning. #cartech
@Yakadee: Yep. Funny how AC becomes a necessity on the one or two hot summer days we get in the Northeast. I would insist upon it because I would like to be able to sell the damn thing one day, and everybody else sees AC as a necessity. A busted one in a car so equipped is more of a deal breaker than visible rust. #cartech
@Yakadee:
Air conditioning is only necessary since they stop making those triangle vent wings. With those wings, you don't need A/C even in the tropics.
Also, manufacture save a few dollars by not putting insulation in the firewall. You get warm air coming thru the vent.
All this makes A/C a must have in modern cars. #cartech
@Powerlurker: My girlfriends mom has an 06 corolla. That thing has absolutely NO features, AC included. I didn't even realize they came that bare bones. #cartech
@Straight6er: Not anymore. Our base '09 Corolla has AC. In fact, the only reason anyone should go for the LE trim level is to get power windows.
FWIW, the hand-cranked windows in our Corolla go completely down in three and a half cranks. It's not like you're depriving yourself of anything by going with the base car. #cartech
@HurtsSoGood:
Insulating blanket on the firewall make a big difference.
Grand Pa's 80's Cadillac with tons of insulation and broken AC even after 2 fixing. You can drive that in summer time because air coming out of the vent is actually cool and not warm.
12/03/09
/damnit, neither does uploading a picture from this PC, either.
(insert picture of 20-year-old key here)
12/03/09
But I do see some problems. How is the app going to find which car is yours? Download the app when you plugin your phone to the car and have a access long code that changes every X minutes? Or a screen name and password for your car?
I could see someone trying to find a way to steal cars with this. Install it on their phone and try to unlock other Mercedes-Benz cars and steal whats inside, or the car itself.
12/03/09
12/03/09
12/03/09
You know what else works great? Feeling the keys in your hand. Feel the keys, shut the door. Step 1, step 2. Easy to do, even in the rain, even with hands full. Number of times I've locked myself out in 25 years: 0.
You know what sucks? Crutches. Being so messed up you can't walk right and have to hold yourself up with something. They complicate stuff, get in the way. Boy they're great when you need them, but the doctors will tell you, after you've been on them for a while, okay, time to walk again. That's enough crutches. Your legs work, so no more crutches for you.
Your brain works, so no more iPhone app for you. Remember your keys. Take note of where you are. If you can hold down a hot enough job that you can afford a Benz, you can keep track of your car and its keys.
12/03/09
/rolleyes
12/03/09
"Get off my lawn!"
12/03/09
So yeah, get off my lawn too.
12/03/09
But she'll hurt you. She'll make you wish you'd left her the hell alone. For the rest of your punk life. She'll suck the air out of your lungs and the light out of your sky. You'll never forget the day you first set foot in it. You'll wish you could, but you never will."
Is that why you don't lock it? I have a house like that.
12/03/09
So far, nobody has.
12/03/09
12/03/09
Somebody tried to steal my truck a few months ago. I didn't even realize it had happened until I picked up a piece of plastic off the floor, wondering, what the hell...? Flagged a cop on my way to work, he said "yeah, you weren't the only one, and we got the guy." It's a small town.
Didn't fix my column shroud, but at least the punk is making new friends in the showers. That makes me feel a little better.
Turn the damage in on the insurance? Are you nuts? They'd total it out for sure. Yeah, it's that close. I keep it locked now. It probably wouldn't make much difference, but if the bastard breaking in gets all cut up, serves him right.
12/03/09
12/03/09
You might need to put on an arrow to indicate where the door handle is.
12/03/09
12/03/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
No problem...I got plenty of Cimarrons....jus' waitin for for the market to shoot up!
11/19/09
Lose the strap, use a higher quality movement, and it would make a bitchin' pocket watch.
11/19/09
/indefinite face-palm
11/19/09
And it wouldn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round.
11/19/09
@Pessimippopotamus: beat me to it. BTY, That car was built.
11/16/09
I'm surprised remote door locks aren't on the list. I haven't seen anyone without one that isn't driving a rental car in years. #cartech
11/14/09
11/14/09
1) tires (two)
2) engine: V4, 12k redline, oodles of torque, gear driven cams
3) transmission: manual 6-speed, sequential shift
4) chassis: aluminum, bombproof
5) brakes: unassisted, independent front/rear control
6) suspension: tried and true, with single sided swingarm in rear for the hell of it
7) custom leather saddle that fits la derrière parfaitement
8) removable lockable luggage for trips
9) helmet
10) leathers and/or Aerostitch
You don't need anything else, and probably could be happy with even less. #cartech
11/14/09
11/24/09
11/14/09
11/14/09
11/14/09
There are still cars on which AC is optional nowadays? #cartech
11/15/09
Air conditioning is only necessary since they stop making those triangle vent wings. With those wings, you don't need A/C even in the tropics.
Also, manufacture save a few dollars by not putting insulation in the firewall. You get warm air coming thru the vent.
All this makes A/C a must have in modern cars. #cartech
11/15/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
FWIW, the hand-cranked windows in our Corolla go completely down in three and a half cranks. It's not like you're depriving yourself of anything by going with the base car. #cartech
11/16/09
11/19/09
Insulating blanket on the firewall make a big difference.
Grand Pa's 80's Cadillac with tons of insulation and broken AC even after 2 fixing. You can drive that in summer time because air coming out of the vent is actually cool and not warm.