The BMW Thread

[Herdfan]

Whoo-hoo! In production, and got my VIN number.

myBMW app won’t accept it yet, though.

Not sure how BMW works, but with Ford even if you have the VIN, you have to be in the car with it running and acknowledge the pairing on the touchscreen. This keeps other people from putting your vehicle on their app.
And don't know if any of you have seen pics of the new 2025 Expedition/Navigator's interior. It's going to be a love/hate thing. Here is a pic:

Now look at the steering wheel controls. They have no lettering and that is because a diagram of them comes up on the screen and they change functions depending on what you are seeing on the screen. Not very user friendly, at least not the 2 I have delivered. I spent an hour learning/playing with this and a customer asked a question I didn't have an answer too and couldn't find out during the delivery. Had to go back our and show them AFTER it took myself and 2 sales guys 30 minutes figuring it out. Also, the shape of the wheel is odd. I have a "D" wheel in my SXS, but this it too much. This is the Expedition. The Navigator screen goes all the way across.

Also, the vehicle has a built in Karaoke system.

 

[Cmaier]

Not sure how BMW works, but with Ford even if you have the VIN, you have to be in the car with it running and acknowledge the pairing on the touchscreen. This keeps other people from putting your vehicle on their app.

The BMW app asks you if you have the keys yet (and, if so, you have to do stuff on the touchscreen…. If not, you can enter your VIN and it gives you SOME functionality, but nothing that would cause trouble if a bad guy added it to their app. (Mostly, I am told, it lets you track the build progress, which I can already do from their website). It might also let you view the manual.

 

[Cmaier]

And…now it let me add it to the app. Let’s me do stuff like watch a video of what the car will look like, prompts me to do profile stuff like sync my contacts and calendar, set up my home and work addresses (weirdly those don’t “stick,” but setting other favorite locations does. Bug?), track production status, and play around with some app features like maps/charger overlay, etc.

The app is very cluttered and confusing, at least compared to the Tesla app. Of course I knew that already, since I’ve been using it for years with ICE BMWs - weirdly, each BMW has had a completely different set of screens in the app, with the same thing being found in different places depending on the car.

 

[Eric]

The more I use the driver assist package the more I love it, far more intuitive and easier to use than the Tesla. On known highways it also enables Driver Assist Plus where you don't have to touch the wheel at all, I've had hands free periods of 5 minutes or more and have never felt the need to cheat it. It also watches you from a cam in the dash but is really hassle free.

 

[DT]

I just recently learned that the switches on the steering wheel (in the iX) while physical, tactile buttons (that click!), they're also capacitive! i.e., if you use a pencil to click them, they do nothing.

 

[Cmaier]

I just recently learned that the switches on the steering wheel (in the iX) while physical, tactile buttons (that click!), they're also capacitive! i.e., if you use a pencil to click them, they do nothing.

Really? So if you wear gloves they don’t work?

 

[Eric]

I just recently learned that the switches on the steering wheel (in the iX) while physical, tactile buttons (that click!), they're also capacitive! i.e., if you use a pencil to click them, they do nothing.

And this is why you won't trick their steering wheels with counter-weights. The upside is when taking your hands off the wheel and getting the "take control" message all you have to do is touch it to re-engage, not add force. It's a far more elegant solution.

Really? So if you wear gloves they don’t work?

That is correct when it comes to engaging with touch sensitive activities, though the buttons are also tactile so that'll work either way.

 

[Cmaier]

And this is why you won't trick their steering wheels with counter-weights. The upside is when taking your hands off the wheel and getting the "take control" message all you have to do is touch it to re-engage, not add force. It's a far more elegant solution.


That is correct when it comes to engaging with touch sensitive activities, though the buttons are also tactile so that'll work either way.

Can’t wait to test it out when my car arrives. The thing where you look at a mirror to confirm lane changes seems cool. And I trust BMW not to crash me into a tree.

 

[Eric]

Just started out with a few shots today but I'm gong to be making my own BMW commercial type thing, combining my love of the car and filmmaking. I'll be hitting the redwoods and the golden gate bridge as backdrops as well as highlighting features on the interior and computer. Will be a fun little project.

 

[DT]

Really? So if you wear gloves they don’t work?

Yeah, when I saw someone post this, I was like, what, no, that can't be right, so I tested it and sure enough.

And this is why you won't trick their steering wheels with counter-weights. The upside is when taking your hands off the wheel and getting the "take control" message all you have to do is touch it to re-engage, not add force. It's a far more elegant solution.

That is correct when it comes to engaging with touch sensitive activities, though the buttons are also tactile so that'll work either way.

To clarify, I'm not talking about just the capacitive surface of the wheel for confirming contact, that's awesome, I love it, you can just lay a finger on it (pretty much anywhere) if you need to make contact for ADAS (mostly I only use it when I get the "all clear" for full hands off).

I'm talking about the physical buttons like the hud/display settings or steering wheel volume rocker those do NOT work without also triggering the capacitive part, so gloves (I'd assume, didn't test) won't work, pencil, click volume, does not work, press with finger, does work.

 

[Eric]

Yeah, when I saw someone post this, I was like, what, no, that can't be right, so I tested it and sure enough.




To clarify, I'm not talking about just the capacitive surface of the wheel for confirming contact, that's awesome, I love it, you can just lay a finger on it (pretty much anywhere) if you need to make contact for ADAS (mostly I only use it when I get the "all clear" for full hands off).

I'm talking about the physical buttons like the hud/display settings or steering wheel volume rocker those do NOT work without also triggering the capacitive part, so gloves (I'd assume, didn't test) won't work, pencil, click volume, does not work, press with finger, does work.

Oh really? Interesting, I guess I spoke too soon as I have never tried without gloves but seems logical all considering.

 

[DT]

Oh really? Interesting, I guess I spoke too soon as I have never tried without gloves but seems logical all considering.

Yeah, it's a little odd! I think to your point, it's like without touching the wheel, any functionality related to the wheel, buttons, ADAS confirmation, etc., are disabled, so consistent.

 

[Cmaier]

Yeah, it's a little odd! I think to your point, it's like without touching the wheel, any functional related to the wheel, buttons, ADAS confirmation, etc., are disabled, so consistent.

sure, but lots of people wear gloves while driving, especially in cold climates. I guess since BMW is also dropping buttons and going to the touch screen, they’ve already given up on purely tactile behavior.

 

[Cmaier]

Just started out with a few shots today but I'm gong to be making my own BMW commercial type thing, combining my love of the car and filmmaking. I'll be hitting the redwoods and the golden gate bridge as backdrops as well as highlighting features on the interior and computer. Will be a fun little project.

careful, or they’ll hire you

 

[Cmaier]

Now my car is “in the paint shop,” which apparently occurs before “entering assembly line,” so progress, I guess.

 

[Eric]

One thing I noticed is that in order to use the AC/heat functions you must first tap the fan button, then make your change (or on and off), and then go back home to get back to where you were. All in all it's a minimum of 3 steps. Prior to this you could simply tap the tactile button a single time to turn it on or off.

Make it make sense.

 

[Herdfan]

One thing I noticed is that in order to use the AC/heat functions you must first tap the fan button, then make your change (or on and off), and then go back home to get back to where you were. All in all it's a minimum of 3 steps. Prior to this you could simply tap the tactile button a single time to turn it on or off.

Make it make sense.

One of the sales guys just bought a 1988 BMW 325i. It has the old-fashioned sliders for upper, middle and lower air flow. I loved this on my old 535i and would take it back in a second.

On a side note, new Ford's are taking away all hard-buttons for HVAC (except the Max Defrost), but they do have a 3-speed AUTO fan setting. So you can set the temp you like and then choose Low, Med or High for the fan speed. It actually works really well.