2018 NDs MY17 - what the what?

[d4m0]

I'm new to this mx5 thing, although I've been obsessed with them for a fair while and the RF has pushed me over the edge.

The Mazda site is a bit lacking, but it does talk about the mx5 having some bells & whistles that I gather weren't in the 2017 model - lane departure warning and some other gizmos, along with better sound insulation and adjusted suspension. My question is fairly simple then - how do I know I'm getting one with the bells & whistles if they're all "MY17"? Or are the MY18 ones just not labelled as such?

While I'm on that topic - is it worth getting a "runout" deal on a 2017 model (how much is it worth), or should I really go with the 2018?

I know the 2019 one is supposed to have more power etc., but I can't wait forever... can I?

[rascal]

I'm new to this mx5 thing, although I've been obsessed with them for a fair while and the RF has pushed me over the edge.

The Mazda site is a bit lacking, but it does talk about the mx5 having some bells & whistles that I gather weren't in the 2017 model - lane departure warning and some other gizmos, along with better sound insulation and adjusted suspension. My question is fairly simple then - how do I know I'm getting one with the bells & whistles if they're all "MY17"? Or are the MY18 ones just not labelled as such?

Check the build date on the compliance plate...
And tell the dealer you want a 2018 build....

[Rocky]

I wouldn't be obsessing too much about the "bells and whistles" - just colored beads for the natives.
The more important issue is what you pay for the 2017 build as opposed to a 2018 build.
That's what will count when you eventually sell it.
The other stuff - sound insulation and suspension tweaks are small beer - the average driver will never notice.

[Mr Morlock]

A mate really likes bells and whistles- he has a tug boat, a Stanley steamer, and a NSW fire engine but none of them are suitable for going down the street and parking at Woolies to buy the wheetbix. So that proves bells and whistles are not all what they are cracked up to be.

[StanTheMan]

I like the lane depature thing on the Mazda 3 2017 build.
Its great on the freeway when youre not paying attention.

It kind of makes the steering wheel shake eletronically when you come close to the edge of the lane as well as making a sound to startle you into ...."fucken pay attention will you"...

But on an Mx5....when you are doing 8/10 - 10/10 along your favourite mountain road. That twitching in the steering would be of major concern. You may come close to the edge of the lane. Hou are payimg 100% attention but the steering would the become light and would do some other stuff when you would want 100% consitancy.
While on a family car this sort of thing makes sense to me. It can all be switched off. All these electrial safety bits have thier place.
I have to admit....im looking forward to driving Patchy again without any of those safety assistance bits.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[ManiacLachy]

Its great on the freeway when youre not paying attention.

This kind of thing gives me the proverbials! (maybe this should be in the other thread, but it's relevant here)

We shouldn't be making it easier for muppets to drive without paying attention! Driving is dangerous, you should be alert, focused and aware of your surroundings. Or you shouldn't be on the road.

Radar guided cruise control, lane assist, automated breaking - It's all just letting people take their hands and feet off the controls and their eyes off the road while they play with their phones, read a book or take a nap, while driving a 2 ton hunk of metal at 100kph+, surrounded by others with the same lack of care. These people should just call an Uber or Taxi.

[Mr Morlock]

I believe the latest for lane departure it is bell and when you go over a cliff it's a whistle. All this makes me think that a modern car is going over the top- don't we depart from lanes for good reason apart from falling asleep ... it must be very annoying for alarms going off just because you drive a car. I think a light in the mirror for a blind spot could be useful but nudge nudge ring ring or shake shake is a good reason not to buy a new piece of kit. Never going to buy an ND anyway and a Mazda guy I know says the sales are falling off- that would be no surprise but maybe someone can look up the sales figures.

[StanTheMan]

I believe the latest for lane departure it is bell and when you go over a cliff it's a whistle. All this makes me think that a modern car is going over the top- don't we depart from lanes for good reason apart from falling asleep ... it must be very annoying for alarms going off just because you drive a car. I think a light in the mirror for a blind spot could be useful but nudge nudge ring ring or shake shake is a good reason not to buy a new piece of kit. Never going to buy an ND anyway and a Mazda guy I know says the sales are falling off- that would be no surprise but maybe someone can look up the sales figures.

when say overtaking and changing lanes....it doesn't do anything.

It seems to have a knack to know when your not paying attention.

on the other hand I had a bus next to me. ( little behind) with a big enough gap to take in peak hr traffic. alarms were going off to tell me something is in the way.....but it wasnt.
for sure I belong to the cranky old bastard grupe here but I really don't mind all that safety stuff.

it doe have some annoying parts to it.....like there is an alarm that goes off every 2 hrs to have a break. LOL.

[apsilon]

when say overtaking and changing lanes....it doesn't do anything.

I assume but haven't tested it that it's linked to the blinker. If you're not indicating a lane change it'll alert.

My Ranger has all these features, I've turned most of them off as they were too annoying. Collision detect was set to high sensitivity when I picked it up. Hadn't experienced it before so first time a car changed into my lane in front of me alarm starts going off and row of red flashing across the windscreen. Startled me so much it almost caused an accident.

[StanTheMan]

sems like i'm the only one liking all the fancy alert things. LOL

probably because its the first car ive ever owned with all the fruit....

ohh well.

[lucmor444]

I like the fact these gizmo's are being provided - particularly if it is being provided on the fools driving on the road with me.

AEB, for example, has shown to reduce repair costs (in addition to potentially saving lives), even if it is simply because many people don't brake quickly or hard enough in most emergency braking situations.

I drove an ND in Italy with the lane departure warning - it was the earlier version that only made a noise through the speakers to warn you and I admit it was generally annoying when I forgot to turn it off.

However this is 'progress' - let's embrace it because it ain't going away and if you can turn them off that's great. However I do expect it will reach a point where some will be non-defeatable.

[Rocky]

It might "go away" if enough people complained to the Dealer and then walked away.
That is my plan with my next car for anything that has stop/go.
All this rubbish does not make the incompetents safer - they will stuff it up no matter what you do because they are, well, incompetent.
All it does is encourage the rest of the non-enthusiasts to become slack about their driving.
I drove a mate's new CX5 and I hated it. There was some sort of warning going off every few minutes, and the unwanted steering input is distracting and dangerous. A thoroughly nasty vehicle to drive.

[Mr Morlock]

I think some of these features are on trial- some of it is not progress. Drivers may kick up a fuss about being harassed by electronic caterwaul. In theory it might even cause more stress to a drivers task. My neighbour has a Ranger and I was shocked at the cost of a windscreen which has a collision warning feature- expect maybe higher insurance costs and a wait time to get some things replaced. One thing I am convinced about is that the reducing road toll is about safety features in cars ( as STM acknowledges) - the big ticket ones- multiple air bags, much better braking, skid control and probably almost nothing to do with lower speed limits. The Govt and Police can thank the car maker for safer cars. I drifted into another lane here- sorry guys the alarm did not go off.

[StuwieP]

I think it's been touched on but most of us here are used to driving a small little car most people wouldn't notice as they ran over us changing lanes without looking.

The "bells and whistles" are a safety net for the lowest common denominator. It's probably fair to say few people who pick a car like the mx5 fit that boat. It's "A-B with minimal fuss and minimal attention" drivers. The fact they might be an irritant to us doesn't mean they don't save lives for other drivers.

If we were all pro drivers who paid attention 100% of the time, there'd be few/no "accidents" - or rather, there'd only be accidents, and no "accidents"!

[wleung]

Even in an MX5, I give the rear cross-traffic alert a thumbs up!

Our cars are so low, and too many times I've parked next to a Van/Suv/Wall that blocks my view entirely when reversing out.

So you kinda just have to back out slowly and trust the gods and *hope* a pedestrian or driver is paying attention (getting rare now-days)

At least rear cross-traffic alert is there to beep at me when it senses something out of my sight.