TOYOTA What Were You THINKING !!!!!

csv8 · 20-03-2009, 10:56 PM

I recently hired an AURION AT-X. Th car is noisy and c pillar blind spot and high boot make reversing hard. No reverse sensors.
BUT the foot operated hand brake !!!! You apply the normal brake THEN push down on the little pedal where a clutch normally is. This applies the handbrake.
TOYOTA what were you thinking !!!!!

Apart from that, the fuel consumption was acceptable, power, handling, steering not too bad. AURION didn't excite me.

Jack91 · 20-03-2009, 11:14 PM

I agree, at-x's are rubbish. Uncomfortable, tyre roar, headlights are weird how they cut off (if you drive one at night you'll know what I mean). 500 highway k's to a tank doesnt really cut it for me, I get that for town city driving in the 2001 model hilux work ute, which I really flog the guts out of. Although they are very bloody reliable, like most toyotas.

InfernoSR · 20-03-2009, 11:19 PM

My ex-fleet car has a foot operated hand brake... and its dangerous and crap!..

bigdude1011 · 20-03-2009, 11:22 PM

After a few years of ownership you'll get used to a foot-operated "Park Brake" I knew it on day 1

**Professor Farnsworth** · 20-03-2009, 11:28 PM

so many threads have been posted where someone who's loyal to ford rents a non-ford then posts a thread about how they think it's crap in comparison. I don't really see the point personally..

csv8 · 20-03-2009, 11:35 PM

I didn't post to crap on Toyota or compare with my GHIA. Just what were they thinking with using a foot/handbrake.????????????????????????????????????????

ieatsports_cars · 20-03-2009, 11:37 PM

every car has their good and bad points, ford has their faults as well ! we are on here to talk about out fords not to rubbish other car makes, yes we like to crack a joke every now and then and iam with crackers on this one

yeah mate iam with you about the foot brakes i think it is a america thing

**Peuty** · 20-03-2009, 11:52 PM

What's wrong with a foot park brake? You only use it when parking, right?

csv8 · 21-03-2009, 12:03 AM

Whats wrong with a foot park brake ? A hand lever is much easier to use. Just wrench up. No apply right foot to normal brake then push on left side pedal to engage foot/hand brake. Its like dancing !! you put your right foot in , put your left foot in and do se do your partner!!!!!!!!

SM1DY · 21-03-2009, 12:06 AM

Is this foot-brake similar to whats in golf buggies?

InfernoSR · 21-03-2009, 12:11 AM

Problem with foot brake is the ratchet design... you need to re-engage it to release it... not good if you hit that peddle instead of the brake if you arent familiar with the car...

ieatsports_cars · 21-03-2009, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

put your left foot in and do se do your partner!!!!!!!!

What the that is so funny and akward

mustang70 · 21-03-2009, 12:22 AM

yeah ford would never do something like having a foot park brake , oh hang on,whats that in my Mustang....

**Professor Farnsworth** · 21-03-2009, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mustang70

yeah ford would never do something like that, oh hang on,whats that in my Mustang....

heh i was going to make reference to something like that. Heaps of cars have had foot park brakes over the decades, i think the prius does too from memory, might be wrong.

mustang70 · 21-03-2009, 12:28 AM

yeah i think it's an american kind of design thing. I must say i dont like it though, and the Mustang has a hand release lever. try using the Toyota foot brake in a manual for a steep hill start, anyone got 3 feet?

schnoods · 21-03-2009, 12:53 AM

My old F100 had a foot operated hand brake...

Was in a manual too.

One thing i didnt like about the aurion was the dash, really fustrated me trying to look at the bloody thing.

bigdude1011 · 21-03-2009, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mustang70

try using the Toyota foot brake in a manual for a steep hill start, anyone got 3 feet?

Does Toyota have a foot park brake on their stickshifts too? I take my previous post back

Unco · 21-03-2009, 08:37 AM

My LTD and my F100 both have foot operated park brakes. Never had any issues with them. Don't know what the big deal is.

satria · 21-03-2009, 09:24 AM

my old man's 300C has the foot handbrake (same as my grandmas e-class merc). I drive them on occasions and don't mind it. What's the big deal? It's just like the left handed indicator, just get use to it. derrrrr

ltd · 21-03-2009, 09:45 AM

Lincolns in the states have foot brakes on them too. I never have an issue, you just put it in drive and the brake disengages automatically. Also, lincolns have a lever that you can pull that disengages the footbrake too. My only problem with the Aurion is that the TRD guys think they can blow everyone away with them; fords, holdens etc.

Gabbs · 21-03-2009, 09:54 AM

I remember getting into my sisters merc and moving it wondering where the damn handbrake was. Had to ring her to find out is abit wierd at first but you get used to it.

xr6turboford · 21-03-2009, 10:00 AM

OK slightly of topic but who remembers the good old days when the high beam switch was on the floor. Made for quicker reaction to flick off your high beam as you always had your foot resting in it.

OK back on topic. As for the foot brake you get use to it just like when you drive a European car with the wipers and indicators on the opposite sides. When I drove a Renault van at work, at the end of the week I would get into the Falcon drive of and turn the wipers on instead every time.

:

NudgyNR · 21-03-2009, 10:00 AM

The 78 LTD I had as my first car had the pedal park brake, i rather liked it.

Pinch · 21-03-2009, 10:02 AM

Prius's have them too (or should I not own up to having driven one here!!!).

Did rent an Aurion Prodigy, wasn't too bad. Wouldn't buy one, but as a weekend or week long affair not too bad. But then again when I rent cars I am usually on holidays so in a good mood anyway.

Nappa · 21-03-2009, 10:18 AM

the foot park brake is in many cars. i dont really see how its a big issue. just because it is different doesnt make it bad. There is no chance of engaging the toyota park brakes by accident as when they are released they sit very high up in the foot well.

Toyota only uses the foot park brake in the aurion and prius both are auto only. A camry comes in manual but has the regular hand brake.

One benefit of the foot park brake is that is free's up a bit of space for extra storage of cup holders.

Wretched · 21-03-2009, 10:41 AM

Never been a fan of the foot operated handbrake.
For me it is very agricultural and dated.

Daymoe · 21-03-2009, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLUEPRINT

My ex-fleet car has a foot operated hand brake... and its dangerous and crap!..

My Boss's Lexus RX350 has a foot operated handbrake, many a time we see him looking around for the handbrake to push down, or driving off with the foot handbrake on and making an almighty screech haha.

mr smith · 21-03-2009, 10:47 AM

My wifes car has a foot handbrake, love it. There should be more foot operated functions, especially the high beam switch.

**Peuty** · 21-03-2009, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLUEPRINT

Problem with foot brake is the ratchet design... you need to re-engage it to release it... not good if you hit that peddle instead of the brake if you arent familiar with the car...

Well I'd say that you would be unfamiliar with driving in general if you made that kind of mistake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr smith

especially the high beam switch.

Better get yourself into a HJ Kingswood then....

mr smith · 21-03-2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peuty

Better get yourself into a HJ Kingswood then....

Had one and a Torana too.