The Car Thread.

[Jasonovich]

None of my cars' headlights have ever dazzled anyone.
Not much of a claim to fame - but I wish everyone could make the same claim.

BBC News - Car headlights to be reviewed after drivers complain of being 'blinded' at night - BBC News

Car headlights to be reviewed after drivers complain of being 'blinded' at night

Concern over the glare from brighter headlamps is prompting the government to review vehicle design.

www.bbc.co.uk

I do wear glasses for driving and I suspect at night time, I'm more susceptible to intense light, others may not have the same issue as me. Old fashion incandescent head beams, full on, not half as bad as LEDs. Maybe the manufacturers can dim those LEDs a bit.

I do think, LED headlights are a nuisance and potentially dangerous. Particularly; on unlighted minor roads, many a times I have been dazed by on coming vehicles, those with LED headlights especially.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I do think, LED headlights are a nuisance and potentially dangerous. Particularly; on unlighted minor roads, many a times I have been dazed by on coming vehicles, those with LED headlights especially.

Doesn't help that they are mounted so high - on pointlessly tall vehicles that almost no-one actually needs.

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

I do wear glasses for driving and I suspect at night time, I'm more susceptible to intense light, others may not have the same issue as me. Old fashion incandescent head beams, full on, not half as bad as LEDs. Maybe the manufacturers can dim those LEDs a bit.

I do think, LED headlights are a nuisance and potentially dangerous. Particularly; on unlighted minor roads, many a times I have been dazed by on coming vehicles, those with LED headlights especially.

I wear glasses all the time, for hypermetropia and, astigmatism caused by keratoconus, which itself causes greater sensitivity to bright light. I try to avoid driving at night because oncoming bright, led headlights, mean I just can’t see where I’m going.

​

 

[Jasonovich]

Doesn't help that they are mounted so high - on pointlessly tall vehicles that almost no-one actually needs.

So true!

 

[Gray]

I'm more susceptible to intense light, others may not have the same issue as me.

They most certainly do have the same issue as you when it comes to bright headlights...which is why there's yet another review.
Sort of a bit late now. How it could have been allowed to get to the current situation is beyond me.

'Expert' advice is to look away - and stop to recover if you have to.
(After you've hit the person that stepped into the road while you were dazzled).

 

[plastic penguin]

My daughter picked up a replacement car today. Her Mini Cooper was sold a couple of months ago.... it was rank. That 'thing' cost her a fortune in repairs.

We had a look at a few Fiestas from small dealers but they were either driven into the ground or been to the moon and back -- nothing worthwhile in her budget.

Alas, I looked at a Alfa Mito a few days ago. Today she purchased it. It was MOT'd Saturday, service history with 78k miles for a 2013. She's more than happy. It's a 1.4 Sprint. They came in 3 flavours: basic 1.4, 1.4 Sprint & the Cloverleaf or Quadrifoglio version. It's a very solid example for the year.

We are now an Alfa family \o/

 

[jjbomber]

Alas, I looked at a Alfa Mito a few days ago. Today she purchased it.

Please pass on our commiserations at this sad time!

 

[plastic penguin]

Please pass on our commiserations at this sad time!

Too many people have hang ups with Alfas. They are not beelzebub of the car world. Most of these people have never sat in one, much less owned one.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

The Mito was never that well thought-of, though. Don't get me wrong, I hope that she enjoys it, and it sounds like it couldn't be less aggro than the mini was!

 

[Dave_]

The Mito was never that well thought-of, though. Don't get me wrong, I hope that she enjoys it, and it sounds like it couldn't be less aggro than the mini was!

Not an Alfa incidentally.... Built on the Fiat Small platform, same as the Grande Punto and Corsa/Adam and with a Fiat Fire engine

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Not an Alfa incidently.... Bilt on the Fiat Small platform, same as the Grande Punto and Corsa/Adam and with a Fiat Fire engine

Indeed.

 

[plastic penguin]

The Mito was never that well thought-of, though. Don't get me wrong, I hope that she enjoys it, and it sounds like it couldn't be less aggro than the mini was!

Indeed. Most Alfas of a certain generation received poor reviews. Most were build quality related, electrics and suspension. The engines on the Mito are quite basic, as long as the oil and cam belt is changed according to the manufacturer it shouldn't cause too many headaches.

The build quality is no worse than my 156. Most of these negative reviews are puzzling, especially from someone who's owned Alfas since 2007.