epnfrn

i drove my friend's 2003 Saab 9-3 the other day ... and hated the feel of it's drive by wire system (though i don't honestly know how many systems are wired - i do know that throttle IS). to keep turbo lag down, the saab sends more initial signal to the engine when you get on the accelerator. this is nice.... but what is not nice is the fact that the system is tweaked to make everything smooth.... ex. when i was downshifting, and rev matching (and not doing a very good job of it) the cpu automatically changed the amount of throttle to closer match the rpm desired by the next gear. same on up-shifts. add to that that the shifter was mushy, the clutch engaged about an inch off the floor, with no feel what-so-ever, and it was just NOT engaging to drive. it was the polar opposite of the engagement you get with the S.

while i haven't driven one of the newer mercedes, i get the impression from the mag testers that many of their systems have this same type of feel. so .... once again, take the driver out of the equation .... make a smoother ride, and more dangerous car! (i'm referring to the studies that show that the safer and smoother a car is, the more likely the owner will crash it).

i love my hard-riding, jerky at times, fully responsive S2000. thank you honda.

epi

yells2k

I've driven the VW Jetta 1.8t with drive by wire throttle and I hate it. Its fine for normal driving and I cant tell the difference, however when your driving a manual and want to modulate to control rpm's the "brain" is to slow to keep up with my feet so I feel less in control and the engine doesn't do what I want.

I'm curious how other cars feel, but on the jetta if I stab the throttle and come off immediately the engine doesn't even respond.

Trev

dlq04

I drove a friend's Cadillac XLR today. I'm not sure what all it has in the way of electronics but for $76.2k it has a lot. I understand it's essentially a Vette platform with a Vette engine, that's been made to accommodate the Cadillac owner. My drive was short but I can say my first impression was one of total detachment surrounded by lots of electronic gizmos. Just storing the top involved so many automatic maneuvers it was weird. All I know is it's not a car for me.

paS2K

PA shares the DEL VAL (DE River) w/NJ & DE; friends in high places in HI, NC, UK; helped "write the book" in Vinty

WhiteS2k

Since most of us are driving enthusiasts, are we doom for extinction like the dinosaurs when all cars are "drive-by-wire," or worse ("drive-by-itself"?)

The Professor

And we're all eagerly awaiting, I'm sure, for the Orwellian on-board radar which will keep every car gov.-approved distances away from every other. Or, even more paradise, an extension of the GM airbag module that records your speed & rpm's and reports them to the police.

Ah yes. I can hear computer geeks telling me how the computer will liberate us all!

dlq04

One of my car buddy's truly believes the Govt is already spying on us via Onstar. Several of us drove the new XLR and afterwards he said to me, and was serious, "I had to watch what I said while I was drivng." I thought, damn, if I'd I have know "they" were listening I would of had a lot more to say!

ralper

[QUOTE]Originally posted by dlq04
One of my car buddy's truly believes the Govt is already spying on us via Onstar.

dlq04

Rob, Yes. Yes. Yes. Real life is nothing like the movies when it comes to the government.

The Professor

I, for one, am greatful the gov. IS so inefficient. Heaven help us if it ever does become efficient, then maybe the conspiracy kooks will be proven right. For now, anyway, I, glad the joke about gov. inefficiency ( it's feeding the birds through the horses) is more truth than humor.
But, air bag modules (GM) DO record speed for 5sec. prior to a crash.