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Visibility Charts - Something we never see anymore - READ ONLY

27 messages,  Last post on Feb 02, 2007 at 2:14 PM

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Messages Page 3 of 3

#18 of 27 Re: Something we never see anymore [xrunner2] by texases

Jan 19, 2007 (2:48 pm)

Replying to: xrunner2 (Jan 19, 2007 2:18 pm)
That's my problem with the new CR-V (well, besides the eye-watering front end) - the 'fashionable' curved side window opening (sorry Honda, one curved window does not an FX-35 make). We end up with poorer visibility and reduced rear seat access. Hope they don't botch the new Pilot in a similar way, but the last spy shot I saw looked like it...

#19 of 27 Re: Something we never see anymore [xrunner2] by fintail

Jan 19, 2007 (2:57 pm)

Replying to: xrunner2 (Jan 19, 2007 2:18 pm)
I remember the Accords and Civics of those days also had that kind of drop down dash design, that gave the car an even more airy feel inside. I agree, that 1990 Accord design is timeless.

#20 of 27 Re: Something we never see anymore [andre1969] by fintail

Jan 19, 2007 (2:59 pm)

Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 19, 2007 12:15 pm)
I never understood that dash mounted mirror. Seems to be against any logical idea of visibility.
 
I think they were common on Citroens, and probably other French cars too.

#21 of 27 Re: Something we never see anymore [andre1969] by w9cw

Jan 19, 2007 (5:43 pm)

Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 19, 2007 11:20 am)
I rented a 2007 Camry SE for a week trip last summer, and the visibility was very poor, especially out the side windows. I know the high beltline design is the rage now - look at the Saturn Aura - and that it's perhaps dictated by side impact crash testing requirements, but I really dislike it. Give me a car with a large greenhouse any day, like my old 1970 Volvo 144S has, or even my 1985 SAAB 900.

#22 of 27 Re: Something we never see anymore [fintail] by andre1969

Jan 19, 2007 (6:46 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Jan 19, 2007 2:57 pm)
I remember the Accords and Civics of those days also had that kind of drop down dash design, that gave the car an even more airy feel inside. I agree, that 1990 Accord design is timeless.
 
I think that was because they had double-wishbone suspensions or something to that effect, which did away with strut towers, allowing for a lower hoodline. And Honda just took that one step further and worked in a lower cowl design as well.

#23 of 27 Re: Something we never see anymore [fintail] by andre1969

Jan 19, 2007 (6:58 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Jan 19, 2007 2:59 pm)
I never understood that dash mounted mirror. Seems to be against any logical idea of visibility.
 
Believe it or not, it actually works out pretty well for visibility. For one thing, with the mirror mounted lower, you can see further behind you, as it seems to be more of a straight shot back. A lot of cars back then also didn't have very large rear windows, so a mirror mounted too high wasn't all the effective, anyway.
 
As for the view out the front, the only thing the dash mounted mirror blocks for me is the view of the passenger side fender. Otherwise, it really frees up the view of the road. But then I'm tall; it might bother a shorter driver more.

#24 of 27 Re: Something we never see anymore [andre1969] by british_rover

Jan 19, 2007 (7:31 pm)

Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 19, 2007 6:58 pm)
Didn't they also sometimes have mirrors mounted down on the dash so you could see the stop light on cars with low roof lines?

#25 of 27 Re: Something we never see anymore [fintail] by jrdwyer

Jan 21, 2007 (1:29 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Jan 19, 2007 10:41 am)
I agree about the Accord. In fact, I'm trying to find a high mileage one owner for my son's first car.
 
I guess style wins out over function, but give me more headroom and lots of glass any day of the week. I like the boxy old Volvos, upright Jeeps, and even our square Olds Silo minivan. With the tinted glass, the interior stays acceptable even in the summer.
 
What's even more crazy is SUVs like the the FJ Cruiser or Hummer having small window openings. Urban assault vehicles?

#26 of 27 Re: Something we never see anymore [fintail] by andys120

Jan 21, 2007 (4:33 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Jan 19, 2007 2:59 pm)
think they were common on Citroens, and probably other French cars too.
 
Big Healeys had those too, course they seldom had back seat passengers.

#27 of 27 Re: Something we never see anymore [jrdwyer] by 210delray

Feb 02, 2007 (2:14 pm)

Replying to: jrdwyer (Jan 21, 2007 1:29 pm)
I had one of those boxy Volvos -- an '80 240 2-door, and visibility was superb.
 
Also good were two 1961 cars in my family: my mother's Chevy Bel-Air 2 door sedan (sold before I was old enough to drive) and my aunt's Olds 88 2-door hardtop (or "bubble top") as it was called. I did get to drive that one: very thin C-pillars, and a back window so huge that if you sat in the back seat and looked straight up, you'd see the sky!

Messages Page 3 of 3

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