Joined by Gabe yet again for a rousing rendition of The World Famous White Roof Radio. We cover news of the week from MotoringFile as usual,including small wheels and the state of in car infotainment systems. Should we keep apologizing for auto makers or is it time for them to realize that they can’t do tech? Sound off in the comments below!
Did you catch the new sponsor [MotoringStripes](http://www.motoringstripes.com)? Todd will know sell you his world famous stripes that you can install on your MINI, no need for a graphics party! Be sure to check out the Countyman Boot Protector, a must have for you R60 owners. More designs coming very soon, so keep an eye on the site!
Best episode title ever.
Thanks!
As always, Gabe’s comments are “interesting” and at times amusing. His thoughts and comments on “must have options/cant live without” in a car illustrate this.
Gabe’s take on why wouldn’t you get NAV and Comfort Access is IMO, kind of narrow vision. Many people never use or don’t have a need for NAV. I have a Garmin and in the 8 years I’ve had it, I’ve only used it 5 times.
On top of that, to get real time traffic (RTT) in the MINI F56 NAV system, you have to purchase the XL system which is $1,250. RTT doesn’t come with the base NAV ($750) which makes no sense. XL wasn’t in my budget.
Comfort Access, for me I place that option about as high as Chrome mirror caps or the additional spoiler, i.e. very low. Maybe in Chicago or other cold winter places a person wants it, but on the west coast or other parts without snow/cold winter, nah. What’s so hard about pressing a button on a fob to open the door? (Today’s young folks – haha). I guess to each his own.
For me the “gotta have, won’t buy a car without” options are: Auto Dim rearview mirror and car alarm.
With all those car that have HID headlights which blind and flood the car cabin(from behind), I vowed to never again get a car that didn’t have ADM.
For us that live in Metro/City areas, Car Alarms a must.
Self-Driving cars – More of Gabe’s humor.
1 – that by 2025 a % of cars will be. I’m guess Gabe is in his early to mid 30’s. A little past history info, back in the 40’s and 50’s before TV was main stream, many publications and “experts” and written papers said that in the “future” TV signals from coast to coast would be carried by cables hooked to dirigibles. None of these experts had even thought about limitless.
Experts in the 50’s & 60’s talked about flying cars (think the Jetsons) in use by the year 2000. (didn’t happen).
Dick Tracy watch communicators with video screen would be the norm by the 1990’s (or even the 1980’s) (Yeah I know the new apple watch, but you still need to have the phone on your person).
Throughout the last 50 plus years, “experts” and papers written by those in the know, have made numerous claims that “this or that” will be in the future. A lot of it didn’t happen. It was the things nobody thought of or talked about that did happen.
2 On the comment about Taxis .50 per mile cost, Gabe you’re too funny. Uber and similar ride share services will go away and be replaced by something else. Cab fares will not drop to. 50 cents per mile. The same was thought about Airline deregulation or breaking up the Bells (wired phone service) and numerous other “it will be cheaper” in the future.
Business will be business and they’ll always find a way to keep making money and not drop cost. If cost of item goes down, then something will be added onto it, to make money from product (fees, limit use, etc. example: Data/steaming,if over data limit, slowing steaming down ).
Gotta love you X-Gens and Millenniums. So naive at times. LOL. Cheers.
“None of these experts had even thought about limitless.” Opps, typo (blame it on tech – haha).
Should have read “satellites” not limitless. What was I thinking.
One add, while I too believe “self driving” cars will happen, it won’t be mainstream or norm by 2025