Anyone else got a modern BMW?

[Nervous]

I remember back a few years ago when I had my Mazda, it was a normal car and it was kind of just like everyone elses. However this BMW is so completely different.

Few things I noticed about mine is:

You can shift into reverse while moving forward if you wanted to, Couldn't do it in my Mazda

You can start the car without pushing the clutch in, actually did this one and I lurched forward almost hitting my dads car.

There actually is no power lock button, it either opens all the doors when I open my door with the key, and closes all the doors when I close my door with the key. This includes the Trunk and the Fuel Door. There is actually no Fuel door release lever, it HAS to be done with the key! So that means I have to open my window/door and unlock my door to open the fuel door at the gas station.

Sometimes, depending on the day it is...the Revs stay at the point when I clutch in and holds it for like half a second. It actually doesn't matter what temperature the engine is that, sometimes it holds the revs, sometimes it doesn't.

What is with the radio code!? It took me 2 days to figure out how to unlock the radio, do any other modern cars have a radio specific radio code to unlock the radio? This was such a pain! I had to literally drive to a BMW dealer and they wanted proof the car was mine.

Keys cost 60-70 dollars to replicated! ARGH.

Love the car though, did BMW fix this on any of their modern cars, they're not really problems to me, just a new way of doing things.

[watkins]

You can shift into reverse while moving forward if you wanted to, Couldn't do it in my Mazda
Cars with synchronized reverse (rare) can do this

You can start the car without pushing the clutch in, actually did this one and I lurched forward almost hitting my dads car.
This isnt technology, its a lack thereof. There are many cars without a clutch interlock. Saabs, for example.

Sometimes, depending on the day it is...the Revs stay at the point when I clutch in and holds it for like half a second. It actually doesn't matter what temperature the engine is that, sometimes it holds the revs, sometimes it doesn't.
Standard, everyday revhang

What is with the radio code!? It took me 2 days to figure out how to unlock the radio, do any other modern cars have a radio specific radio code to unlock the radio?
Try 20+ year old technology that nearly every entry luxury or higher end car has. Again, Saabs. Except Saab radios are also keyed in to the main car computers and can not be swapped between vehicles.

Keys cost 60-70 dollars to replicated! ARGH.
Thats cheap. Mine is $100+ for the crap key, $200+ for the all-in-one

[theholycow]

There actually is no power lock button, it either opens all the doors when I open my door with the key, and closes all the doors when I close my door with the key. This includes the Trunk and the Fuel Door. There is actually no Fuel door release lever, it HAS to be done with the key! So that means I have to open my window/door and unlock my door to open the fuel door at the gas station.

My VW locks/unlocks all doors with the key in the drivers door, which is the only one with a keyhole.

My dad's Toyota has a physical lock on the gas door and the only way to open it is with the key. They want to make sure you've shut off the engine before you fuel up. Well, it had that, now it has a gaping hole instead of a gas door.

Sometimes, depending on the day it is...the Revs stay at the point when I clutch in and holds it for like half a second. It actually doesn't matter what temperature the engine is that, sometimes it holds the revs, sometimes it doesn't.

Rev hang sucks. People like to tell me that my grocery getter shouldn't be good enough to avoid rev hang, but a BMW damn well should. Damned Germans...good suspension, pleasant engines, bad electronics.

What is with the radio code!? It took me 2 days to figure out how to unlock the radio, do any other modern cars have a radio specific radio code to unlock the radio? This was such a pain! I had to literally drive to a BMW dealer and they wanted proof the car was mine.

My 2002 GMC Sierra, not a luxury car, has a similar feature (but it's not enabled by default).

Keys cost 60-70 dollars to replicated! ARGH.

A bargain by today's standards.

[theholycow]

Neutral interlock on a manual transmission? Go post that to the12volt.com where they insist that it's not possible (and therefore a remote starter can never be safely installed in a manual transmission vehicle)...

[Nervous]

Haha, wow, I had no idea car keys could be so expensive! I made 3 copies of my old car keys for like 2 bucks a piece, I thought that was the norm.

I did my car again, there is indeed no button for power locks anywhere, for the most part other than the onboard computer, the only buttons I have are 4 seperate buttons for the windows and then another button to control all the windows at once. Plus the Hazard Lights button. I signed up on the bimmerforums to see if I can learn more.

[VTECaddict]

What year/model do you have? I have an 06 330i and have none of your issues. Well the reverse thing I've never tried, and my key fob costs I think $300+ to replace because my car is keyless.

[Nervous]

I got a 1995 325iC, I think I probably worded the topic wrong, I don't have a MODERN BMW or anything, Just wanted to know if BMW changed it in their modern cars.

[LHOswald]

i know it wouldn't be too hard to get a remote starter for my truck, it has a neutral switch in the OBD I computer. i had to look this up because when the engine starts cold and the clutch is in when i shift into any gear the revs jump up about 500 rpms. when i put it back to neutral (with the clutch still in the whole time) the revs drop back to normal. smart little 18 year old truck!

my truck also has a key opened gas door. damn good thing cause im sure i'd leave the damn thing running without it >.<

[Tups]

The Focus has a keyhole in the gas door as well. The Escort used to have a lockable (aftermarket) cover, but dad couldn't find the key one day so he drilled it open. Now it has the original one that has no lock :<

Both cars can also be started without pressing the clutch. An useful feature in case your care breaks down in the middle of a level crossing and a train is coming :>

As for shifting, cars and gearboxes are different. I can downshift to 1st in the Focus without double clutching at nearly any reasonable speed. In the Escort I can't do it without going slower than walking speed.

So that means I have to open my window/door and unlock my door to open the fuel door at the gas station.

Does this mean that in other cars you would remain fortified inside the vehicle when someone else fills it up? Nervous, aren't cha...

[vedran]

i remember reading a thread on another forum a while back about someone's toddler opening the gas door/cap and pouring kool-aid into the tank

[noob5,000,000]

Heh, my dad's Jeep has the gas door that you just flip open from the outside, the first time I had to put gas in it, I stood around like an idiot for like 5 minutes looking for the latch to pop it open. I'm all reaching under the seat and stuff, then I was like, 'wait a minute...' and just flipped it open. I put on my cool face and acted like nothing happened. Jeez, even my FC has a latch inside the car to pop it open... I prefer that to the keyed lock, for purely aesthetic purposes.

[theholycow]

it has to be possible.

It is. I can even prove how it would be designed in a slightly expensive but totally functional way using technology that is currently installed in every manual transmission car, but I suspect the technology in LHOSwald's truck is more simple and cheap.

If a switch couldn't be created that detects neutral, you could at least detect every gear and if it's not in one of the gears then you know it's in neutral. We already have a reverse switch that turns on the backup lights; put one on each gear and voila. Of course, there's no reason a neutral switch couldn't be created; look at all the other stuff the engineers designing these cars can come up with - it should be a piece of cake for those geniuses.

I did my car again, there is indeed no button for power locks anywhere

Do you at least have manual lock controls? My VW does not have a way to physically manually unlock the doors. If my battery dies, as far as I can tell the only way out of the car is with a hammer.

At least it is better than those cars that have NO security whatsoever over their gas filler caps. You can just flip it open from the outside... never understood the logic there. There should always be at least a basic locking mechanism, even if its just a latch you have to pull from the inside of the car.

The idea is as follows:
- Most people never need a locking gas cap/door (me!)
- Those who do are better off getting $50 worth of gas stolen than having their gas door torn off and the body near it messed up, or having drill shavings go down the filler hose into the gas tank.

[theholycow]

edit: Oops, double post.

[LHOswald]

D-D-D-D-D-DOUBLE POST

[terraphantm]

I remember back a few years ago when I had my Mazda, it was a normal car and it was kind of just like everyone elses. However this BMW is so completely different.

Few things I noticed about mine is:

You can shift into reverse while moving forward if you wanted to, Couldn't do it in my Mazda

You can start the car without pushing the clutch in, actually did this one and I lurched forward almost hitting my dads car.

There actually is no power lock button, it either opens all the doors when I open my door with the key, and closes all the doors when I close my door with the key. This includes the Trunk and the Fuel Door. There is actually no Fuel door release lever, it HAS to be done with the key! So that means I have to open my window/door and unlock my door to open the fuel door at the gas station.

Sometimes, depending on the day it is...the Revs stay at the point when I clutch in and holds it for like half a second. It actually doesn't matter what temperature the engine is that, sometimes it holds the revs, sometimes it doesn't.

What is with the radio code!? It took me 2 days to figure out how to unlock the radio, do any other modern cars have a radio specific radio code to unlock the radio? This was such a pain! I had to literally drive to a BMW dealer and they wanted proof the car was mine.

Keys cost 60-70 dollars to replicated! ARGH.

Love the car though, did BMW fix this on any of their modern cars, they're not really problems to me, just a new way of doing things.

I drive an 03 330i

I can shift into reverse while moving forward. That's because pretty much every BMW comes w/ a synchronized reverse gear. The reverse is also helically cut, so it won't whine unlike most manual cars.

My car definitely does have a clutch interlock... it's possible to defeat it; perhaps the previous owner did so?

Lock button is behind the shifter for me. Gas door locks w/ the central locking

I usually get rev hang when the car is cold.

W/ the E46 (what I have) BMW did away w/ the radio code afaik

I'd be happy if my key replacement was only $60-70 lol... I'm looking at $250+ for a new key if I ever needed one.