auto start/stop

Horizon81

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Cars are full of "more to go wrong" these days. If we all discount all the cars with "more to go wrong", nobody would buy any new cars at all.

Some 'more to go wrong things' are of course worth it, like various stability aids but stop/start, electic handbrake, automatic wipers, automatic headlights, automatic parking etc are firmly in my 'more to go wrong' list and things that should be left to the driver.
As for stop start, it isn't really going to save any polar bears.

pitkin2020

Horizon81 wrote: »

Some 'more to go wrong things' are of course worth it, like various stability aids but stop/start, electic handbrake, automatic wipers, automatic headlights, automatic parking etc are firmly in my 'more to go wrong' list and things that should be left to the driver.
As for stop start, it isn't really going to save any polar bears.

why not add electric windows, central locking, remote locking, air con, cd changer, sat nav, electric seats, airbags. None of them are needed but they all add to the comfort of driving.

You do have a choice, buy an older car without all the gadgets.

pitkin2020

neilmcl wrote: »

No, cars with auto start/stop have a high capacity battery.

clearly not every car.......

daveyjp wrote: »

....
While the engine is off all electrical items including power steering still work. If the output of the battery drops below a certain level the stop/start system disenages until the battery is charged again, but this happens very rarely - generally it is at this time of year when it is cold and dark in heavy traffic when stop/start is being used extensively....

dibuzz

Not sure I'd be keen but I still remember the days of parking on a hill in case I had to roll the car to start and cold mornings when ex had to take whichever car started (2 Ford Cortinas)
I know modern cars are more reliable but I'd be terrified it wouldn't start again and I'd be stuck in a queue of traffic.

Gloomendoom

pitkin2020 wrote: »

clearly not every car.......

Even a high capacity battery will gradually discharge under those conditions. It will just take longer to charge up again.

The Sportage doesn't have a high capacity battery, it has an AGM battery that copes better with repeated start/stops, apparently.

pitkin2020

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Even a high capacity battery will gradually discharge under those conditions. It will just take longer to charge up again.

The Sportage doesn't have a high capacity battery, it has an AGM battery that copes better with repeated start/stops, apparently.

Aware, but the person I quoted replied to a post "Would it not just run down the battery?" to which they replied NO, when clearly another OP has stated from their experience it can.

Gloomendoom

But why is running down the battery a problem? It just gets charged up again. If the battery drops below a certain level, the stop/go is disengaged.

missile

I have driven a few cars with stop start and I hate it. I guess one could get used to it after a while and it may save fuel for those who sit in traffic jams.

Gloomendoom

The first question I asked the salesman when he pointed out the ISG was "How do you turn it off?" However, in use it has proved virtually transparent. It doesn't alter or inhibit the way you drive at all.

From a driving point of view, there really isn't anything to be afraid of.

neilmcl

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Even a high capacity battery will gradually discharge under those conditions. It will just take longer to charge up again.

The Sportage doesn't have a high capacity battery, it has an AGM battery that copes better with repeated start/stops, apparently.

That's actually what I meant, I'm not sure why I thought they were high capacity, they're AGM batteries and of course they do discharge but as you say its gradual and the auto start/stop wont completely run down the battery.