Vehicles with interesting features!

solfly said:

Tri 5 Chevys have the fuel filler hidden behind the left tail light and a lot of 60s-70s cars had them behind the license plate.

Not 1955, though. :)

Blew my mind when my dad showed me that on a '56. (His first car was a '56 Chevy.)

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

crotch vents on Yotas.

The crotch vent isn't a Toyota thing.  All of my father's '60s and '70s full size Pontiacs had them.

David S. Wallens said:

Subaru parking lot switch.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/kNt3VnV9Yrs?rel=0

 

My Mercedes had that, LH and RH specific, and also had a rear fog.  Very euro.  My gray market 220D had the switch for rear fogs but it illuminated the backup lights since they were US spec lenses.  

My WRX - great way to come out to a dead battery.  

Duke said:

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

crotch vents on Yotas.

The crotch vent isn't a Toyota thing.  All of my father's '60s and '70s full size Pontiacs had them.

 

I think my mom had a Ford minivan with it as well?  I may be misremembering that.

Duke said:

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

crotch vents on Yotas.

The crotch vent isn't a Toyota thing.  All of my father's '60s and '70s full size Pontiacs had them.

 

And while it isn't dead center under the column, the NC Miata's have a "crotch-level" vent on the center stack.

Prop open your shorts a bit and you get a nice cooling breeze all the way up your leg.

keithedwards said:

Triumph TR2s, TR3s, and TR4s came with a small vertical screw jack and a ratchet handle. You used it to raise either side of the car. Just pull back the footwell carpet (or floormat), remove the 3" rubber jack hole plug, and engage the hook of the jack in a notch in the frame. You could even use it without getting out of the car.

This describes the tool roll, including the jack and ratchet. http://www.tr3a.info/Tools.htm

Don't ask me how I know this, but if one forgets to replace the large rubber bung in the jacking hole located just in front of the seat in an early TR, and drives through frozen slush in the winter, the ensuing shot of high velocity freezing water directed right t ones private parts can be most...invigorating (and also evokes loud profanity I am told).

Tactical Penguin said:

I know a lot of cars these days have that odd "hill hold" mode that has always seemed kind of inconsistent to engage for me, but the Elantra GT has an auto hold button that just keeps the brake engaged at a stop once you push it down so far.  Kind of a novelty feature, but it's helpful for acceleration comparisons leaving stop lights.  

The hill hold on some BMWs is actually useful when starting up on a steep hill in a manual trans car.  Another thing I like is that when you close the door, the window waits a fraction of a second before going up slightly more to ensure a weather-tight seal.

I'm 2500 miles away from my E36 M3 at the moment so I can't snap pics; however, I do enjoy the mini flashlight that has a cozy spot in the glove box. The tool kit in the trunk lid is awesome as well. Also don't forget the four individual "jacks" on E36s in case you get a flat. All very cool features. 

In reply to DirtyBird222 :

Also on a low spec e36, like my Compact, without central locking there is a tiny flashlight built into the key. It's "almost" useless.

Saturn used to give you a card for your wallet that had a plastic key that could unlock your doors.

1st generation honda ridgeline had 3 molded wheel chocks in the front of the box for motorcycles which lined up with the channels in the bed/tailgate.

You could get a Leg Kit to go with your Honda Element, allowing you to turn the floor cover in the back into a table.

They are fairly sought after these days.

twowheeled said:

1st generation honda ridgeline had 3 molded wheel chocks in the front of the box for motorcycles which lined up with the channels in the bed/tailgate.

 

I love the Ridgeline despite all the hate it gets. Unless you're towing a lot they are perfect everyday trucks. 

I know this isn't exclusive to ridgelines but the bed cooler is an excellent idea. The "Black Edition" Ridgelines also have audio speakers in the bed as well. 

914Driver said:

'88-95 C-1500s had a cool under the hood mag base light on a reel.  Pop the hood in a junk yard and it's the first thing missing.

Pontiacs had an option for a reel-out underhood lamp as well as a trunk lamp starting in the 1940s and going throughout the 1960s.

Trunk light:  

Engine compartment light: 

In reply to DirtyBird222 :

I love all the built-in bed compartments that most modern trucks come with.  Modern versions started with the Nissan Titan, I think?  But I know Internationals did it as well.

DirtyBird222 said:

Also don't forget the four individual "jacks" on E36s in case you get a flat. All very cool features. 

Not familiar with this?

DirtyBird222 said:

twowheeled said:

1st generation honda ridgeline had 3 molded wheel chocks in the front of the box for motorcycles which lined up with the channels in the bed/tailgate.

 

I love the Ridgeline despite all the hate it gets. Unless you're towing a lot they are perfect everyday trucks. 

I know this isn't exclusive to ridgelines but the bed cooler is an excellent idea. The "Black Edition" Ridgelines also have audio speakers in the bed as well. 

Is that an official Honda picture? That'd be amazing if they actually showed beer in their promo stuff.

I think Honda wins btw

My G70 has a switch under the steering column that allows you to put it in 'storage mode'. This allows the car to be parked for long periods without draining the battery. I thought that was kinda smart.

glueguy (Forum Supporter) said:

DirtyBird222 said:

Also don't forget the four individual "jacks" on E36s in case you get a flat. All very cool features. 

Not familiar with this?

 

sorry i phrased that incorrectly in my early morning hours without caffeine. 

The rocker jack points are cool. If you look at the rocker panel of e36s you'll see circular cutouts. That's what those are. 

98-04 LH's had the option to do the 'Key Dance' to pull the codes with out a code reader. 

On, off, on, off, and on and they should display in the odometer readout. 

The Datsun 240-280z had an engine compartment lamp as well. The bulb assembly detached from the body, which stored several feet of coiled-up wire, thereby allowing you to move the light to where you needed it.

Some Honda Odysseys have a built in vacuum to clean up after your demon spawn. 

In reply to wspohn :

My MINI does all that too.  Actually the hill holder was first introduced by Studebaker in 1936 as an option for the President model.  Several others offered it in 1937 including Hudson, Nash and others 

On my 2001 Passat, you can open and close all the windows with the key.  If use use the key to unlock the driver's door and hold the key after it unlocks, all the windows will roll down.  If you hold the key in the locked position after locking, any open windows will roll up.