WHY CAN'T I BUY THE VEHICLE I NEED?

Manufacturers embed features too deeply into the design of the vehicle.
So they can't be added later.

The real problem is that most people do not have the money to buy a specially ordered vehicle with all of the features they need. They have to buy used cars and take what they can find.

Why can't they make vehicles so that all that must be done is add the control needed to add the feature?

MY CASE IS A REAL TOUGHIE.

I need a vehicle that can solve all of these problems:

1. It must be able to load and carry a person in a wheelchair.
2. This person cannot get out of the wheelchair to get into or out of the car.
3. Only certain vehicles can be converted to have wheelchair ramps or lifts.
4. It must be able to be driven in most winter conditions.
5. The city we live in does not allow tire chains or studded tires.
6. The eco-libs running the city will not treat the roads for winter weather.
7. Many think traction control works for winter driving. IT DOES NOT!
8. I can't afford a new vehicle made to specs.

One idea is to slip the torque converter in the transmission instead of the road wheels.
This reduces torque to the drive wheels to prevent wheel spin.
It is necessary to start the car moving in a gear higher than the lowest gear.

There are several ways to achieve this control for winter driving:

• The old 2-speed automatics had the low gear in just the right ratio. But they are gone.
• Older cars had a D2 position that left out first gear. They are gone too.
• For a while, Ford and Kia had transmissions with a position for nothing but second gear.
• In the 1990s, GM had a "Second Gear Start" position to leave out first gear for this reason.
• Dual gate (manumatic) cars have a separate gearshift slot for manual shifting. This works except for these problems:
  1. The computer thinks the selection is "unsafe" for the transmission and shifts to a lower gear.
  2. Many cars have a "sport" function that automatically shifts to gears lower than the selection.
  Both mess up the winter driving.
• A few cars have a WINTER or SNOW mode button to do this.
• In cars without electric motors, the ECO button often can do this.

Other solutions are 4-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and sanders.

I am running into these obstacles:

• There is not room in a 4-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicle to install ramps or lifts. Drive machinery is in the way.
• Sanders drop sand by your wheels. They work only in one spot on the road at a time, and require refilling.
• Only certain vehicles have enough room to install wheelchair facilities.
• Many idiots think the standard traction control works on ice.
  Usually they get stuck somewhere with traction control locking all of the wheels. Then they can't move.
  (Why don't traction controls pulse the brakes or shift to a higher gear?)
• Many auto manufacturers provide "safety limits" to keep drivers from using manumatics for racing.
  1. In a racing situation, the driver is going to stomp the accelerator and cause transmission damage.
  2. In winter driving, the driver barely touches the gas, so there is no danger of damage.
  But the computer can't tell which is happening, so it messes up winter driving to prevent racing damage.
  - The sport function essentially does the same thing.
  - The snow function limits throttle output too, removing the threat.
• Too many engineers and drivers think more power is the way to overcome slippery conditions. They end up sliding off the road.
• Too many auto companies dislike the idea of a device that reduces the power of their product.
• Not enough people will pay extra for winter driving devices in their new cars. So few used cars have it.
• Many cars are sold where winter driving is not a problem.

TWO QUESTIONS:

1. WHY DON'T MANUFACTURERS CARE ENOUGH TO WANT CARS TO BE SAFER IN WINTER DRIVING?

   It can be done, but they won't.

2. WHY DON'T THEY MAKE IT EASY TO ADD WINTER DRIVING TO A USED CAR?

   It can be done, but they won't.

The page author modified a 4-speed automatic 2002 Pontiac Bonneville to add second gear start.
But this was before totally integrated computer control of all car functions.