I needed to charge my cell phone today while driving and i used the 12v outlet next to the cig lighter. I was driving with the cruise set and just chilling when i looked down and noticed the little cig picture on the lighter and it got me thinking. I am sure there are more non-smokers than smokers yet the auto industry as a whole decided at some point to make the cig lighters a standard feature of the automobile. That to me seems a little odd. Why would the auto industry cater to smokers? Is it that necessary to provide a smoker with the means to light his death sticks? I understand smoking wasnt viewed in a negative fashion back then as it is now, but still??? Also, how many smokers do you know that carry cigarettes and DONT carry a lighter? I dont smoke but wouldnt that be a little distracting while driving? I'd also tend to think that about 99% of cigarettes smoked in a car end up getting thrown out the window, so why support that. Anyway, its just crazy to me to think a cigarette lighter was deemed more necessary than a cassette player (yes, i'm that old) or cd player or bluetooth or a number of other "options". Just a thought.
Anyone ever give car cigarette lighters a thought?
- Thread starter Fla02LS
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It can really come in handy for example lets say you are camping and want to start a fire but you forgot a lighter.
You can pile up some wood, grab some brush and throw it on top and with the cigarette lighter you can start up a fire.
Ive used it a couple times to light cigars but i dont smoke in my personal vehicles only rentals.
You can pile up some wood, grab some brush and throw it on top and with the cigarette lighter you can start up a fire.
Ive used it a couple times to light cigars but i dont smoke in my personal vehicles only rentals.
Not even just for the heat aspect either, you can get countless accessories that plug into it aswell
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
I see how you are.. :lol:
I always carry my lighter and I'm not an avid smoker.. Just a few cigars once and awhile..
chris2523
93 Mark VIII
yeah, the plug, hugely helpful.
the lighter, i've never even used the 2 they put in my mark.. i just use them to keep stuff out of the hole, cuz when i got the car there was a staple in the plug and shorted everything out a few times.
I see how you are.. :lol:
I always carry my lighter and I'm not an avid smoker.. Just a few cigars once and awhile..
If ima pay to use a car ima have fun with it while im at it.
Camping? A shotgun could come in handy too while camping but they didnt install gun racks in all cars. I understand its use now, but waaay back then there wasnt too many things that would "plug" into the lighter (radar, CB, etc.) and i'm sure whatever year they were first put in the cars there probably werent any items that were made to plug in.
I'm just thinking of the decision process the auto engineers must have had to think.... "Hey, we need to create some type of electronic means to light a cigarette while driving" and actually implement it. Wiki states the modern lighter was developed in 1956, but it became standard equipment in 1925. Just crazy.
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
That's why you 'put it to use'.. :shifty:
Ever see Mad Men? They smoke constantly.
fastmark1993
Dedicated LVC Member
I use mine in my mark, I always forget my lighter at work, I dont smoke in it though I park and get out.
Frogman
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To all of you smokers that don't smoke in your cars.... have you heard of smoke odor removing deodorizers? :lol:
Available at just about any auto parts store. Most detailers have the good stuff, though.
Available at just about any auto parts store. Most detailers have the good stuff, though.
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
Imho, you can never get the smell out.. Or the burn marks in the leather.. 
Frogman
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Eh. Never had an issue with either.
I smoke with the window(s) rolled down most of the time and I'm careful to not put the ciggy on the leather.
I say "most of the time", because when it's 30 below zero, you can kiss my hairy white ass, for I am NOT even cracking the damned window. :lol:
I smoke with the window(s) rolled down most of the time and I'm careful to not put the ciggy on the leather.
I say "most of the time", because when it's 30 below zero, you can kiss my hairy white ass, for I am NOT even cracking the damned window. :lol:
I dont need to smoke that bad that i cant wait untill i get outdoors or out of the vehicle.
And you can cover up the smell but it will be there somewhere. I think the interior of a vehicle says a lot about a person.
Even if you have a junker at least make an effort to have it look halfway decent inside.
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
lol.. I was talking more about flicking the ash out of the window and it coming back at you
Jim Henderson
Dedicated LVC Member
Anyone growing up in the 50s and 60s knew "good" cars came with cigarette lighters. Many people smoked back then so it was an obvious option.
Later, say the 80s and 90s people started using the lighters to power accessories like radar detectors, electric coolers and even electric pizza ovens. Now we use them to charge our cell phones, run our computers etc.
This is why even now, most cars still have a lighter and the "good" cars come with another one called a powerpoint.
I have been a non smoker all my life but I always have something plugged into my car lighter socket. And, occasionally I even carry a butane lighter with me, for things like camping, bbqs, etc. So having a lighter doesn't necessarilly mean you have to smoke.
Just my experience,
Jim Henderson
Later, say the 80s and 90s people started using the lighters to power accessories like radar detectors, electric coolers and even electric pizza ovens. Now we use them to charge our cell phones, run our computers etc.
This is why even now, most cars still have a lighter and the "good" cars come with another one called a powerpoint.
I have been a non smoker all my life but I always have something plugged into my car lighter socket. And, occasionally I even carry a butane lighter with me, for things like camping, bbqs, etc. So having a lighter doesn't necessarilly mean you have to smoke.
Just my experience,
Jim Henderson
AHHH I dont know how many times ive been driving and thought, damn I could really use a pizza oven in here.
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
Sh!t.. We do that all the time.. :lol:
At some point every car will have one. Instead of a passenger airbag the pizza oven will be there. PERFECT!!! :lol:
Whats Childhood Obesity?
FASTLLS
Dedicated LVC Member
A myth.. :lol:
Jim Henderson
Dedicated LVC Member
AHHH I dont know how many times ive been driving and thought, damn I could really use a pizza oven in here.
Just go down to your local trucker fuel stop. The convenience store has amazing things that will run off the cigarette lighter plug. They have microwaves, fry pans, blenders and of course the pizza over. Amazing.
I always wonder how fast any of these things work since you can only get maybe 120 to just maybe 300 watts out of most of these plugs. Maybe the trucks have more power capacity.
Sometimes I do wish I had the pizza oven, specially when my boy does the drive home with me giving driving lessons. By the time we got home I could have me a couple pizzas eaten.
Jim Henderson