The BMW Thread

[Herdfan]

It recognizes when you're at your home and will not automatically lock the car, as to where anywhere else it will. It's always been problematic for me though so I turned off on both of our cars.

Ok, my wife's has what they call "Walk Away" and in theory it's great. But if I am loading the car, I don't want it locking every time I walk back in the house to get something else.

Sounds like they have a good fix for that.

 

[diamond.g]

Ok, my wife's has what they call "Walk Away" and in theory it's great. But if I am loading the car, I don't want it locking every time I walk back in the house to get something else.

Sounds like they have a good fix for that.

Leaving the key in the car should also get it to not lock.

 

[Yoused]

Leaving the key in the car should also get it to not lock.

My key hangs in my pocket on a short chain on a leash-clip on my belt loop, alongside the garage door key. It never leaves my person (it is at the right height for the garage door lock). My car has taken to telling me "key battery low", even though I replaced very recently, but apparently it is not horribly low, because it keeps working. I have several C2032s in my glove box, just for back-up.

 

[diamond.g]

My key hangs in my pocket on a short chain on a leash-clip on my belt loop, alongside the garage door key. It never leaves my person (it is at the right height for the garage door lock). My car has taken to telling me "key battery low", even though I replaced very recently, but apparently it is not horribly low, because it keeps working. I have several C2032s in my glove box, just for back-up.

I tend to leave my house keys in my car. Usually I keep my car key on my person, but if I don't want the car to lock I leave the car key in the car.

 

[DT]

Umm, if I'm loading the car like for a trip I leave it open and it doesn't lock ...

 

[diamond.g]

So with the SAFE Exit Act (assuming it passes) does that mean BMW would have to redesign the iX doors?

 

[Cmaier]

So with the SAFE Exit Act (assuming it passes) does that mean BMW would have to redesign the iX doors?

I haven’t seen final text, but I don’t think so. The iX has manual releases right on the door itself. But I’m not sure if they would satisfy the “access by first responders” part of the proposal.

 

[DT]

The initial reviews of the iX3 are basically, "BMW crushed it ..." Comfy, roomy, quick, 800v tech, 400 mile EPA, killer tech, native NACS.

Can't wait to see the other specs, so far this has been the xDrive50, they're also going to offer an sDrive40/xDrive40 (smaller battery, less standard options, 2WD / 4WD, sDrive is supposed to be ~$50K), and an M60 and then on the horizon, a full on "real" M-car as some 4-motor beast (that will share the upcoming i3 M platform).

 

[DT]

Nice. BMW continuing to kill it!

Will the All-New 2027 BMW i3 Electric 3 Series Beat the ICE One?

BMW’s next 3 Series gas and electric models ride on different architectures, and the deck seems stacked in favor of the electric one.

www.motortrend.com

 

[Eric]

Nice. BMW continuing to kill it!

Will the All-New 2027 BMW i3 Electric 3 Series Beat the ICE One?

BMW’s next 3 Series gas and electric models ride on different architectures, and the deck seems stacked in favor of the electric one.

www.motortrend.com

I've been driving the X5 for all of my business trips but now that gas is skyrocketing I've been driving the i4 again and had forgotten just how much more power and responsiveness it has.

 

[DT]

I've been driving the X5 for all of my business trips but now that gas is skyrocketing I've been driving the i4 again and had forgotten just how much more power and responsiveness it has.

Yeah, I occasionally go back to wanting another gas vehicle, like I've been having slightly unclean thoughts about a another Wrangler, specifically a Moab 392 (which has the glorious Mopar 6.4L V8 ). Quick, Jeep-Powers, etc., but it's still hard to beat that electric responsiveness you mentioned, and then all the additional perks.

 

[Cmaier]

Yeah, I occasionally go back to wanting another gas vehicle, like I've been having slightly unclean thoughts about an another Wrangler, specifically a Moab 392 (which has the glorious Mopar 6.4L V8 ). Quick, Jeep-Powers, etc., but it's still hard to beat that electric responsiveness you mentioned, and then all the additional perks.

EV with a range extender would be perfect for me.

 

[Herdfan]

Yeah, I occasionally go back to wanting another gas vehicle, like I've been having slightly unclean thoughts about a another Wrangler, specifically a Moab 392 (which has the glorious Mopar 6.4L V8 ). Quick, Jeep-Powers, etc., but it's still hard to beat that electric responsiveness you mentioned, and then all the additional perks.

And they sound so good. My old neighbor bought a 392 and until I saw it, I thought he had bought a Hellcat.

 

[diamond.g]

positive results!

 

[Cmaier]

BMW's New iX3 Gets Up to 434 Miles on a Charge, Will Retail for $63,000

The German auto giant aims to dominate the mid-sized upscale SUV in the fall.

gizmodo.com

Value seems good. But the ergonomics seem stupid. There’s a reason to keep information in front of the driver - what’s the point in putting stuff all the way over in front of the passenger? HUD disappears with polarized sunglasses, so can’t rely on that to compensate. And taking away the iDrive knob is not a win. The AI glob that sits in the center is useless unless they improved it mightily vs. what’s in my 2026 iX.

 

[Yoused]

HUD disappears with polarized sunglasses

I had not thought of that. That is hilarious. Presumably if the HUD was generated by OLED, that would not happen.

(I find the HUD on my car pretty useless and annoying. Crap floating behind the car in front of me ultimately would force me to learn to ignore it, which kind of goes against the idea in the first place. I have enough to ignore already while I am driving, which is why a large number of other drivers are still alive.)

 

[Cmaier]

I had not thought of that. That is hilarious. Presumably if the HUD was generated by OLED, that would not happen.

(I find the HUD on my car pretty useless and annoying. Crap floating behind the car in front of me ultimately would force me to learn to ignore it, which kind of goes against the idea in the first place. I have enough to ignore already while I am driving, which is why a large number of other drivers are still alive.)

The BMW HUD is very useful (things like driving direction indicators, warnings that self-driving needs me to put my hands on the wheel for some issue, etc.), but when I wear my maui jim’s I have to tilt my head to see it through the polarization. That’s what happens when you use VCSEL’s to project, I suppose. They could have rotated the polarization 90 degrees, of course, which would resolve the glasses issue (glasses almost always polarize in the same plane since glare off of metal will come in at that polarization angle), but I don’t know if BMW’s designers had some other reason to use that polarization angle.

 

[Yoused]

The BMW HUD is very useful

I do not doubt it, but the HUD on my car does not make me happy. I would prefer it to be not directly in my line of sight – up high, down low, off to the side would be much better, and it gives me a speed number when I would much prefer a gauge-like indicator. And the most annoying thing is that the frame for the display has flat tan surfaces that reflect in the windshield in direct sunlight (I put black felt over them to reduce that issue). HUD has potential if designed well, but this is not well-designed – fortunately, I am just fine without it.