Got me a new COW

[mrsswordfisherman]

14 hours ago, big Neil said:

Hi Rob81. The owner of the dealership where I got the new COW took great delight in showing me the "secret key" and also how to expose the "hidden door lock". I was impressed so I asked him about the Android App to connect the phone for navigation. "No idea" he proudly announced and got the office girl to come out and show me how to connect the phone to the COW. All good, except when I got home, I tried it and naturally it didn't connect. Not the COWs fault, I'm as thick as a plank.   bn

its great isnt it.

Make sure that you keep new batteries in the glove box for the fob! We were out in the middle of nowhere on our lap and the warning message came onto the dash - battery low.

Luckily we made it to the next servo who had the correct battery. We always have a spare set of button batteries. 

[mrsswordfisherman]

13 hours ago, big Neil said:

How I envy your knowledge of Technology Donna. No doubt there are many benefits to gain from it. It changes so rapidly that one has to question whether one needs to keep up with it. I do what is absolutely necessary and no more. Hi to Stewy, bn

That is all you need to do Neil - master what you need to. 

[big Neil]

1 hour ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

its great isnt it.

Make sure that you keep new batteries in the glove box for the fob! We were out in the middle of nowhere on our lap and the warning message came onto the dash - battery low.

Luckily we made it to the next servo who had the correct battery. We always have a spare set of button batteries. 

Thanks, I had better check what batteries they are.

In all honesty, I don't think that relying on batteries for the fob and a mobile phone for nearly everything else is progress. I suppose one big benefit is CURRENT GPS through your phone app. My old car had 7 year old sat nav. It was very sus when driving in the cities. I could have upgraded it for $500 but didn't cos I seldom went to the cities.

bn

[zmk1962]

Very entertaining read BN and lots of sage advice already given !! 

My only advice is to do what I have done, stick an old copy of a UBD or Gregory's under the drivers seat. Mine is from 2006 - but I reckon it's better than nothing. You never know. In the meantime, enjoy the COW and how it mooooo-ves you. 🤣

Cheers Zoran

[JustJames]

On 10/27/2023 at 7:43 PM, big Neil said:

Here's the question: I am somewhere unfamiliar and I lose my phone or it becomes inactive following a swim. They don't like swimming as I have found out several times before. HOW DO I GET HOME? Serious question!

 

The same way you would have done in the days before all of this great technology.  Use any or all of:

 

Road signs

Landmarks

Stop and ask a person (just kidding...no self respecting bloke has EVER done this)

[noelm]

20 minutes ago, JustJames said:

 

The same way you would have done in the days before all of this great technology.  Use any or all of:

 

Road signs

Landmarks

Stop and ask a person (just kidding...no self respecting bloke has EVER done this)

That reminds me of a funny incident many years ago, pre GPS/Mobile phones, when you could call into any garage and they had a map to help “lost” people! Anyway, I was heading out towards Penrith and took a wrong turn somewhere and got hopelessly lost, I called into a garage and asked how to get to where I wanted to go! The guy looked astounded and said you want to go to xxxx….from here? I kind of thought, well yeah, of course from here, that’s where I am……but thought better if it, in case he decided not to help. He indicated which direction I needed to go and what turn to take. 

[JustJames]

Well if you want to get to there, I wouldn't start from here if I was you!

[Pickles]

Your new car is a beauty Neil - very comfortable, even though a few challenges with the beeps. The technowizardry I like the most in my Hilux is the hands free phone capability that lets me use it without taking my eyes off the road. It pulled the boat like it wasn’t there, I was very impressed.

[noelm]

It’s kind of funny how much “stuff” is in a new car these days, but, it’s just expected. Way back, even a radio, a heater, all sorts of equipment was extra cost “accessories” these days it would be near impossible to find even the most basic model without power windows, power steering, air cond, touch screen entertainment multi speaker unit, electric outside mirrors and the list just goes on, good or bad, it’s just how it is these days. Gone are the days of sweltering on a vinyl bench seat, opening the little quarter window trying to get some air in before you die from heat stroke, or using your hand or a hanky to wipe the fog off the inside of the windscreen in wet weather so you could see, drive through a bit of water and your drum brakes didn’t work for 5 minutes, if you made it through at all! Starting the car in winter was a lucky dip, pump the accelerator twice, pull out the choke just the right amount, turn the key and prey! and even further back, vacuum operated windscreen wipers, as you accelerated the wipers would stop, so going uphill was a guessing game at best in the rain. Mum and dad having all the windows up, both smoking, gassing all the kids sliding around on the back seat with no seatbelts. Trying to park without power steering near dislocated both shoulders try to turn the wheel, all the while having a stab in the dark as to how close you were to the car behind…….

[Blackfish]

Ahhhhhhh, Those were days hey Noel.  Also if you owned a station wagon you left the rear top half up (it was split) and it would suck in all the exhaust fumes.
My first car, XR 67 Falcon never had a heater.

Tell the kids these days and they wouldn’t believe you. But we happy in those days. 😀

 

[big Neil]

On 10/27/2023 at 9:23 AM, JustJames said:

Interesting topics raised.

 

My parents are both heading towards 80.  My dad is across all the tech, always wants the latest phone and enjoys the gadgetry.  My mum regards it all with distrust and trepidation.  I keep telling her that it's just a machine, like a toaster.  Keep prodding it and pushing it to make it do what you want it to do...you can't break it!

 

Modern cars pack an incredible amount of tech, but I really wonder what will become of them when so much that they have is un-repairable when it goes t!ts up.  Good luck getting a replacement touch screen for a car that is more than 10 years old.  On the other hand, in my garage I have a car that I have a good chance of living to see reach its hundredth birthday (not my daily driver).  Very little on it that can't be fixed with a pair of pliers and some baling wire!

Hi Just James. A bit of a rarity having your nearly 80 yr old Dad VERY Techno savvy. How I envy that capability. Having said that progress is moving faster and faster, much of it way too fast. However, I embrace the things I can do and try to steer clear of what I struggle with. There are many wonderful mod cons that I use regularly. Internet, emails, Facebook, Fishraider, Instagram, YouTube, to mention but a few. I look at the COW as a challenge and make it my goal to attempt to master something every time I drive it.

Cheers, bn

[big Neil]

On 10/28/2023 at 9:44 AM, mrsswordfisherman said:

its great isnt it.

Make sure that you keep new batteries in the glove box for the fob! We were out in the middle of nowhere on our lap and the warning message came onto the dash - battery low.

Luckily we made it to the next servo who had the correct battery. We always have a spare set of button batteries. 

Thanks for that advice Donna. I took it apart after reading that different models have different batteries. It takes the CR 2032 so I shall get a pack of 3 next time I'm in the supermarket and put them in the glove box. Cheers for the heads up, bn

[BaitDropper]

I'm hoping my old Ranger see's me out in all honesty,,, Which I know is wishful thinking 😁

For the life of me, I can not get used to keyless entry and a button to start and stop my wife's car...

Again today, after we went out for a few hours, I drove, I got out of her car, locked it up, she again, had to go back to the car and turn it off.

It's so Dam quiet I don't hear it running, I forget to push the off button because the dam keys are in my pocket, The beeps that happen when I open the door, don't register and I just lock it and walk off..   I did say earlier that I was Neanderthalic with regard to technology, but you would have thought after 2 years it would have sunk in by now..

Give me an ignition key, any day of the week !!