[Alex Baumann]

Do you think the new generation cars (not only BMW but in general) are stuffed too much with electronics ?

 

[geomax]

DSC has saved my ass at least twice already. So I think it's a good system. I HATE the electronic throttle. So, some are good, some bad, IMHO.

 

[JPinTO]

They are a great idea and I'm just as much of an electronics nut as the next guy. But, I actually like to keep my car as simple as possible.

Problem #1: Car Manufacturers charging far more than the general market for their (generally) inferior products. Look at the price of car Nav systems for instance. I can buy a top of the line Garmin with everything for half the money and I get to move it from car to car.

Problem #2: What happens when this stuff breaks? Worse, what happens when it breaks out of warranty? Yikes! A lot of the problems people encounter with the cars are the electronic stuff acting up.

 

[geomax]

They are a great idea and I'm just as much of an electronics nut as the next guy. But, I actually like to keep my car as simple as possible.

Problem #1: Car Manufacturers charging far more than the general market for their (generally) inferior products. Look at the price of car Nav systems for instance. I can buy a top of the line Garmin with everything for half the money and I get to move it from car to car.

Problem #2: What happens when this stuff breaks? Worse, what happens when it breaks out of warranty? Yikes! A lot of the problems people encounter with the cars are the electronic stuff acting up.

There's another twist. Some month ago, when I was at a car show in Boston, I sat in the S-Class Benz. Beautiful car - but man, I've never seen so many buttons and electronics. If you're technically minded, then those can be seen as "toys". But to the technically challenged - all that crap is overwhelming.

Example: my father bought an E430 a few years back. The car came with a hardcover BOOK on all the features. For the first 3 weeks he owned it, I had to go to his house at least once a week to reset the seats, mirrors, radio and climate control. after that, he slowly got the hang of it.