|
Just bought a new Honda Accord Tourer. It wasn't until I got it home and looked at the rear indicators that I realised how pathetically dim they are. The lenses are very small and consist of yelow filters hiding behind the now fashionable all red plastic. In bright sunlight the rear indicators are almost invisible. The dealer is 'aware of the problem' but can do nothing. I presume that these indicators must have passed some sort of safety regulations. Moral, before buying a car check that the lighting has not been compromised by styling demands.
|
Sorry? did they sneak these indicators in after you had looked at the car prior to buying?
|
|
How good is the headroom in the back seats? It is very poor in the saloon. Is this not styling at the expense of safety too?
|
|
I'm 6ft and have about 3" headroom when sitting in the back seat. Apart from my comments about the indicators the car seems excellent.
|
|
On the basis that a red filter(ideally) only lets red light through, it does not seem to be a smart design feature for yellow light.
|
|
|
|
|
As well as giving better headroom, I thought the seats in the Tourer better angled/positioned than the saloon. The Avensis h/b also has poor headroom (again, Estate much better).
|
|
|
|
Sorry? did they sneak these indicators in after you had looked at the car prior to buying?
So did Nicole stand behind the 'goona demonstrator and give you a thumbs up if they were bright enough?
Our Berlingo has the rear indicators behind smoked grey glass. No reason except fashion/appearance and they're less visible than on the old BX.
|
>> Sorry? did they sneak these indicators in after you had looked >> at the car prior to buying? So did Nicole stand behind the 'goona demonstrator and give you a thumbs up if they were bright enough?
Nooo but when I was considering one I certainly took notice of them when I was following one down the road.
|
|
|
|
|
I agree, the majority of new cars have pathetically poor indicators. Half the time, you have to look twice just to make sure that you have seen them, making progress at junctions and roundabouts hesitant. With older cars, you seem to notice them far sooner.
Also, general visibility is somewhat reduced with the newer, more 'fashionably' styled cars (IMO). Actually, appalling would be more accurate.
|
Bert-j
The Accord is on my list for a potential next car. Should be grateful for some more feedback on what are your first impressions of the car, what made you choose that car and what others you considered and rejected. Also, did you go to a main dealer or elsewhere? What sort of discount did you get?
|
Primera man
I'd be glad to give you my comments but I'd prefer to do it on a personal message basis. I'm not sure whether this forum has PM capability. Otherwise, if you wish to publish your e mail address, I'll contact you via e mail.
Bert
|
|
The moderators are more than happy to forward e-mails. So if you wish to e-mail someone, simply e-mail one of use and we will forward your note and e-mail address to them. Whether or not they reply is up to them, and we're not into chasing them for you.
|
|
|
|
|
I agree too. In the US they don't even bother with amber lights and have no separated lights. One car I saw was braking at the same time as indercating which made things very confusing!
|
I'm sure I remember my Morris Minor, and my MK VII Jag having just red tail/brake/indicator lights. There's a relay so that the brakes and indicators don't get confused. This dates from 1956, so the Americans should be up to speed by now. Mind you, they insisted that XJ Jaguars had headlights all the same size, so the outer ones are the 5 and a quarter size, rather than the seven inch ones. They look horrible. The law's been changed now, but what were they thinking?
I've said before that the fashion for sparkly clear tail/brake/indicator lights is all very well for night time, but on a sunny late afternoon with the sun from the rear, they can be very hard to spot. I remember certain Vauxhalls were some of the worst offenders.
|
Done 40k in mine in the last 15 months with no-one that I remember being even close to running into the back of me so they must be OK!
Primera man - am quite happy to give you feedback if you forward your e-mail address.
|
Sorry but I can't help myself after reading this. Am I the only one that thinks the rear clusters in shiny silver look like something out of a bubbly machine (chavy/tacky in the extreme)?
Steve.
|
Sorry but I can't help myself after reading this. Am I the only one that thinks the rear clusters in shiny silver look like something out of a bubbly machine (chavy/tacky in the extreme)? Steve.
Agree!
|
The problem with many of these aftermarket 'silvered/Lexus IS200' style rear lights is that they are very poorly designed - I see so many of these which have very dim lighting due to poor reflector design. Many are not e-marked !
|
|
|
|
So often the stylist wins at the expense of safety - and practicality too. Just think how much more baggage the Accord Tourer could hold if it didn't slope down at the back so much.
I have banged on in other threads about bad rear visibility and the awful possibility of missing a child behind a car with a blind spot, so I won't repeat myself. But the trouble is that styling sells cars. There are plenty of people, including some Backroomers, who like the look of, say, the Megane and Laguna and buy them in droves.
Fair enough - we can be thankful for a free country where we can buy what we like: but I still hope for safety's sake that blind spots, faint indicators etc. are a passing fashion. I'll stick with my A4 - but even that has a smaller glass area than the previous version. Mine is an 04: compare one to, say a T- or V-reg Avant and you'll see the difference. I can't see that the newer one looks any better.
|
|
|
