CAMYE STRANGE ROAD OPTIONS

The dealer offers to install your new car cup holders in the rear armrest or some more unnecessary crap?It's flowers: the producers from time to time offer even more useless equipment. "Motor" chose the 12 countries of the options, without which it can easily do without any driver.

Vacuum cleaner

Where: Honda Odyssey

The difference between the updated versions and dorestaylingovoy Honda Odyssey minivan notice unless big fans of trucks, which can carry a team floorball. Changes in design is so insignificant that talk about them almost indecent. But in the list of equipment "Odyssey" item appeared, the presence of which deserves a separate news - vacuum cleaner!

Of course, someone will dozen arguments in favor of the existence of a vacuum cleaner in the car: you can quickly clean the trunk after transport dirty dog, collect onion peel on arrival from the country or just to say: "What, in your" Merce "this is not?". In fact, this "extremely useful" option will have to use only twice: the first time, to satisfy their own curiosity, in the second - to justify the purchase of a minivan in front of friends from the gym.

And then surely come repentance: the difference in price between the Odyssey with a vacuum cleaner and a vacuum cleaner is no more than two and a half thousand dollars! Imagine how much dry-cleaning salon can do for the money?

In front of the refrigerator

Where: Dodge Avenger

Refrigerator in the car - a great idea. Always nice to drink something cool. Especially in summer, in a traffic jam on the Third. And, apparently, Dodge Avenger with a compartment to cool cans of soda in the front (in front of the passenger seat) - this is the perfect car. But there it was.

In the repository, called Chill Zone, placed all four banks of 0.33 liters. Moreover, to the nearest to the passenger door dotyanet banks except basketball. Anyway, it would be better placed in the refrigerator bottle - at least half a liter. Or even 0.7. But then sit better on the back of the couch. And here is important - it should not be Dodge Avenger.

At Dodge Caliber compartment under the bottle has a special molding ...

... And Dodge Ram under the refrigerator compartment can be used in the floor!

Set for dogs

Where: Honda Element

Crossover Honda Element - model is not very popular even in the US. In its best year - 2003-th - unusual poluvnedorozhnik sold in the US circulation of nearly 67.5 thousand copies. For comparison, Chevrolet Tahoe selected about the same person only for the first nine months of this year. And this is the last year of sales model! But marketers "Honda" did not give up, and at some point decided to turn its attention to the model of dog breeders, resulting in a crossover got an optional package for pets.

Package of additional equipment of dubious value includes a special, resistant claws back sofa cover, special floor mats with a pattern in the form of seeds, as well as ... booth in the trunk, which by its size from the trunk did not differ. Moreover, under it, in the only place where one could put at least a dozen toothpicks placed dog ladder! Excuse me, but what kind of dog that can not jump and jump to a height of 40 centimeters? Prague Ratter? So it can be in the glove compartment to carry.

In general, the "Honda" asked with customers thousand dollars for something to take away the car trunk! An original way to boost sales. Which did not work.

Buttons shift gears

Where: Ford Focus

There was a time when the automatic and robotic gearbox began to work no worse than the "mechanics", and even better - in terms of dynamics, and in terms of efficiency. Nevertheless, the desire to change the manual steps to discourage motorists not yet obtained. And to compensate for the skill being lost now invented a lot of ways: you can just roll the lever can be pulled over the paddle "petals" or press the button on the "donut" - as, for example, in the sports car Porsche. But Ford went even further.

On the side of the selector box located a little button that can easily be taken for the key unlocks the lever. But that's not it. Firstly, there are two buttons, and, secondly, they thereby controlled manual mode "automatic". It is clear that the wheel "Focus" and so overloaded with buttons and space for "petals" there simply was not, but the decision, let's be honest, unsuccessfully. Aim at these buttons while driving - that still challenge, and keep your finger on selector lever while driving - just not safe. In general, the engineers "Ford", sit down - "unsatisfactory".

Openometr

Where: MINI Convertible

MINI cars are strange people for strange people. Hence kinks: then they speedometer sized dish for turkey on Thanksgiving Day in the center of the dashboard, the incomprehensible "openometr" next to the tachometer. Yes, it openometr! And it's safe to say that this, I may say, the instrument is included in the "Top 5" most useless car options in history!

As you might guess from the name, openometr serves the driver can see how much time he drove with the roof down. That is to get the data, do not burdened with a load of meaning! Moreover, information from analog device can be duplicated in the display under the tachometer. In the latter case, the motorist, in addition to time spent without a roof, and get more information about the distance, overcoming without a roof.

In addition, data can be shared with others on the web site and even participate in the race for the most "turretless" owner MINI.

It seems that this option came up especially for those who doubt the correctness of their purchase. And so - look how much you drove without a roof over the dusty and polluted city, and the soul rejoices. Or crying - that's who as.

Vacuum aspirator butts out of the ashtray

Where: Chevrolet Bel Air

Due to the rampant anti-smoking worldwide, ashtray is gradually turning into perhaps the most seldom-used device in the car. Therefore, many automakers have long been deduced from the list of standard equipment. But in the mid-1950s - early 1960s in the Chevrolet believed that the ashtray can be one of the elements create a premium image. Or rather not so much ashtray as system cleaning.

Tank butts models Chevrolet, for example, the legendary Bel Air, was equipped with a vacuum aspirator debris. The cost was not prohibitive option - about $ 13 (or about 150 dollars today). Nevertheless, she put it mildly, did not take.

Gobies after exhaustion of accumulated ash trays in a special container under the dashboard. It turns out that there was virtually no difference - or had to clean ashtray times a day, or a reservoir - once a week. Therefore, the Americans preferred to throw cigarette butts on the road, so as not to collide with any inconvenient mechanism, nor with the need to clean the ashtray by hand. Now these motorists in the United States punished with a fine - from 500 to 1000 dollars, depending on the state.

Automatic watch

Where: Oldsmobile

Mechanical clock in the car - it is rich, and the mechanical movement with automatic winding - all Rolls-Royce! And it was such at the beginning of 1950 was set at US "Oldsmobile". However, the chronometer is not located at the traditional location on the front of the console, but right on the steering wheel!

And the place for hours was chosen, perhaps, not the best. Yes, so watch the best factories - by rotating the wheel. However, if the driver directly in turn suddenly wanted to know how much time, to figure out it was almost impossible. In addition, they are located very low (in the lower section of the steering wheel), so use them even in the parking lot was uncomfortable.

Interestingly, the creators of this miracle could bring at least three reasons to justify such an arrangement chronograph?

Turntable

Where: Chrysler

Once, when there was no MP3-files, CD-ROM drive, and even eight-inch diskettes in cars could only listen to the radio. But in the mid-1950s at Chrysler decided that it is impossible to live on, and presented a portable player ... vinyls for cars - Highway Hi-Fi! It seemed that the engineers have provided everything plate machine phonograph spinning slower "home" counterparts, which allows for longer listening to music (there was talk about 45 minutes), and the lever, which was attached needle, equipped with the system balances, whereby even hummocky road music continued to play as if nothing had happened!

But this seemingly wonderful invention has been some very significant shortcomings. First, the player is required special plates, which had to be ordered from the record companies. That is, to enjoy the same performer on the same media both at home and in the car was not possible. Second, the player was placed only on new cars, and it was impossible to install on used cars.

Finally, thirdly, the player often break that entailed high costs for warranty service. It quickly tired of the company, and before the start of the 1960s "Chrysler" has ceased to offer its customers in the car listening to the plate, leaving only the radio.

Selecting buttons in the center of the steering wheel

Where: Edsel

Pristine steering wheel for a long time haunted American automakers. That company Edsel, which lasted only three years, had time something to be noted in this field. "Edsel" shared a chassis with the "Ford" of the same era, but were positioned as premium cars. To justify this status, the machine has a very bizarre Edsel equipment. For example, instead of the traditional ribbon round speedometer was used, but not the one whose hand is twisted in the vertical plane, as we used to, and rotating entirely under glass: as a compass.

Another innovation was the Edsel optional gear selector for 231 dollar. Instead of the traditional "poker" on the steering column, these cars have received a set of buttons installed in the steering wheel hub.The system was named Teletouch and, according to its creators, was to allow the driver to change the mode of the PPC, without taking your hands off the wheel. But, firstly, the "steering wheel" still had to let go - and how different hands resting on the steering wheel rim, would have been on its hub? And secondly, a separate servo, shift gears in response to pressing a button located next to the road surface and because of the dirt and dust often break.

Finally, the drivers themselves often forget that they have such an advanced car and beaten on the steering wheel hub in the hope of finding the horn. This naturally led to the failure of the keys and drive (well, not fingers). In general, the system did not take Teletouch.

Bay fishing rods

Where: Powell Sport Wagon

In 1940 the brothers Hayward and Channing Powell engaged in the production of scooters, but in the post-war years have reflected the release of inexpensive and utilitarian vehicle that could be used for business purposes as well as for outdoor activities. For example, for fishing and hunting. Thus was born the brand built on a platform of Plymouth and its the same motors wagon and pickup Powell Sport Wagon.

The beauty of "Powell" was hidden in his feed. It was there, on the lanterns were Drawer for transportation and long-length rods. The very idea of ​​a hidden compartment for items with a large overall length is not bad - especially for compact cars like the Volkswagen Golf. But when you've got behind the body that can accommodate more than one hundred rods ... Nevertheless, "Powell" in demand, albeit limited (less than 10 years of production was sold about 1,200 copies). At the time of termination of production of the brothers had a few dozen orders. Why did they stop the release? You'll laugh, but they just ran out of materials to build the machines.

Voice warning

Where: Datsun 280ZX

Sound reminders seat belt generated a series of "brilliant" solutions to drive without it and do not suffer from a squeak "reminders". Here and belt stretched over a chair, and inserted into the locks to electronics thought that wearing a seat belt. It is terrible to imagine what tricks would have to go to our craftsmen, if they were driving a Datsun 280ZX. After all, the Japanese system installed in a compartment voice memos!

Electronic lady pleasant voice warns the driver of an open door, on the headlamps, forgotten in the ignition key, a raised "hammer" and low fuel consumption. Fortunately, the Japanese made soulless Reminder switchable, so that at the touch of a button you can deprive yourself of a lot of information.Over time, manufacturers have guessed that an ordinary buzzer attracts the attention of a much better and much less annoying talkative "electronics". Although a pleasant voice, reminiscent of powershift headlights ... This is definitely something there.

Tents

Where: MINI, Chevrolet, Suzuki

In 1973, Chevrolet has offered for its Vega hatchback option - tent, which he put on the trunk lid, where she was raised. And if you add up the back of the sofa back, the trunk turned double. Perfect car for traveling? Not really. To lie down in the trunk, would pull out all the things on that could take a while.Which is quite possible to spend an assembly ordinary tent: much more spacious and not requiring rake any debris from the trunk.

But, despite the apparent strangeness ideas such tents accustomed. For example, in the MINI built crossover Countryman ALL4 Camp with sleeping on the roof. Moreover, the embodiments have not disappeared, and similar "Vega". One of them - a concept car Suzuki Hustler - debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show home.

Looks scary, but this tent certainly goes to the square the Japanese more than the Americans from the seventies. However, the usefulness of this option causes us great doubts. Especially, if it is not complemented by a compartment for rods.