Things that Surprise First Time BMW Owners
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Tax season is upon us once again, and for those of us lucky enough to get a refund from Uncle Sam (not me 😞), that might mean car shopping! If a shiny new BMW is high on your list, here are a few tips to help you get familiar with your car.
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00:00 intro
00:15 climate control dial
01:01 OE vs Genuine parts
02:04 battery
03:21 electronic dipstick
04:28 turn signals
05:13 runflat tires
06:00 final advice
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Thank Justine for your videos especially about OE parts being original parts without BMW logo or high licensing costs .
@@georgevavoulis4758fr d
Hi Justin sound posts pal look I own a 330d here in the UK my wheel size are 19 inch alloys but I don't like the run flats on the car to noisy any recommendations that you can help with appreciate it Justin...
I didn’t even know my BMW had turn signals until I saw this video.. Thanks Justin😎👍🏽
Just kidding everyone, relax🤣🤣🤣
underrated comment
Now I know why my dash blinks every time I try and use my wipers ! Thanks for the tip. 😂 P.s lol you had me in stitches reading your comment
What are these turn signals everyone keeps talking about? 😉
@@scott651 haha😛
To cancel the turn signals, don’t press opposite way as normal, press same way again. So if your right signal is on, press right full a second time and it will stop.
makes sense, but it did happen to me first time, I tried pressing other way around xd
Or, don’t push the stalk in opposite direction all the way but to the ”3 blink” position. That’ll cancel the blinker as well.
@@acp404 nope it makes car blink 3 times in opposite direction
@@Rijads Really? Now I’m getting a Mandela effect vibe here. I could swear I’ve canceled the blinker that way but I can’t go and check right now either since the car is in the shop for next couple of days.
@@Rijads Just tested on my 335i to make sure I wasn't going insane - did a full right blinker followed by a left "3 blink" maneuver and it canceled out.
The double door pull to get out of a locked BMW was my biggest learning curve. Taking people for a ride to this day still requires a reminder to the passenger to pull twice to get out. 😅
Our '17 Volvo XC60 also has the noble door pull function...I like it too.
That can be turned off in settings.
That’s a safety option means if you accidentally pull the door out it won’t open
My car has a feature where if you have the key fob outside the locked car, you can either pull the door handle twice to open it or hold your finger on the handle to unlock the whole car. And holding the unlock button will open all the windows, lock will close them all (even if the car is off)
My 2013 Ford C-Max Energi also had the double door pull. First pull unlocks the door, Second pull opens the door. Guess it's a Euro thing since the C-Max came from Germany
Regarding the turn signals: the way you cancel them is by pushing them back in the way you're indicating. If you've done a full press to the right you push it right to cancel both half and full press works. It was a bit weird to get used to but it's very logical once you do. BMW should communicate this better since a lot of seasoned bmw owners doesn't know this.
That's me, owned a few, never knew! Thanks man
damn, thanks for the info! no more goofy signal swapping for me
You’re the Man!
"That why we've given up on turn signals altogether" that made me laugh out loud. Well played! And yeah, it took me a while to get used to them, and I still do the left right dance at least twice a week.
^ this, but in sexual way
To cancel the turn signals, don’t press opposite way as normal, press same way again. So if your right signal is on, press right full a second time and it will stop.
Spun rod bearing….surprise!
If you turn it full right, just push it again to the right and it will stop. U don't have to push it on left to stop it. Same for both sides.
@@546amko I've noticed the turn singles are much more weight-y than what I'm used to (dad drives a BMW, I drive a Ford hatchback). Meaning I have to give it more force for the turn single to fully engage, and half force for that 3 blinks. It really is not that difficult to get used to, after 5 turn singles then I'm golden.
One of my favorite features is that the orange backlight for the gauge cluster and the HVAC controls is measured at 615nm (wavelength) which is the perfect color to reduce eye strain and fatigue on long rides at night!
Yeah I thought they probably had a reason to use that exact color.. well they used to produce airplanes in the past too so it makes sense.
Actually, BMW on several models has used more standard “white/green” back lighting.
@@JohnLnyc which models are these?
@@lyubomirgeorgiev1465 my 2020 230xi for one. Hard to get specific info. From BMWblog: More modern BMWs have tinkered with white lighting, as white is the easiest light to distinguish and clearest to see. BMW uses white lighting in its instruments during the day, as the high contrast of white makes them easier to see in daylight. In many of the brand’s cars, those white gauges switch to red at night because white light provides such a high contrast at night that it can hurt your eyes and make going back and forth from looking at the instrument cluster to the road difficult. So BMW has been working on adjusting the brightness and illumination to make it easier to see at night.
@@JohnLnyc oh wow I just saw it has light-colored instrument cluster... damn that's weird
Another feature I love is that you can program the 1-8 buttons in the center to any menu you want. Just hold the number button for a few seconds while in the menu you want it bound to and it will bind the key. I have my most used adresses for the navigation on their and tire pressure menu and the sports menu for example, but you can program any sub menu on there.
you can also use those buttons for speed dial, my dad has his entire family tree on there lol
And they are touch sensitive!!! Slide your finger over the row of the buttons and it shows what every one does without triggering!
I think the new ipad 8 interface (IOS) makes one have to rely on only the giant ipads unfortunately. Almost no physical buttons in the newer models. Which is very lame.
I program button 1 to turn off the CID for night driving in my F15, press button 1 and nice dark cabin!
Not ALL functions can be set to these number button, though😢
The first thing that surprises is that the seat is so uncomfortable that you can't drive for more than 20 minutes. The rest is no surprise at all
Jo a quick tip: You can cancel the turn signal by pushing in the SAME direction as it's on in the moment. So if your signaling right (full press) you can push right (half press) once more and it's off :)
That function is actually removed from the F30 gen in 2018! Tho it stayed for the X-line till the following model year and it's removed as well
@@justanotherfluteguy i hope its something that is just locked and not completely removed because its very useful
@@chamillionairevg oh I meant the signal stalk is back to the "traditional" way where it stays down or up depending if you're turning left or right. My friend's 2017 340i has the self correcting stalk but my 2018 M240i doesn't
I’m wondering if it’s an option in the coding.
@@alexsouthpb55....it's a completely different signal stalk, not in the programming lol
Definitely the gong sound. I nearly have a heart-attack every time I hear it while driving. Also the indicators. I do the right and left indicator dance a lot and that is quite annoying. But I wouldn't swap my BMW for another car it is awesome and I love it.
The blinker dance 🤣
same here, my coolant level sensor doesnt work properly for some reason so everytime it notifies me I get scared...
During winter here in sweden I get that sound every single time I pull out of the garage wich is held at 15 C :P
I ditto the dreaded "gong" sound. My car has been having random errors on/off with nothing actually being wrong (drivetrain error, rear brake light/tail light malfunction). It's insane.
@@SLone3251 my car needs constant taking care of and it's a 2011 😐 I guess I'm just ocd most people wouldn't fix every single issue with the car
Buying a bmw was probably the best purchase I’ve ever had, so much fun to drive even with the lesser engines, my fave part has to be the fact that it really teaches you how to drive
Just got my first bmw 2 weeks ago. Honestly the fastest, and most practical car I’ve ever owned. It was weird getting used to the turn signals/wiper switches but it’s very convenient.
About OE, for those not aware, as long as you have the OE number, you're well set. You certainly don't have to go to the dealer. Kudos to FCP Euro
I wouldn't even think of buying OE parts anywhere else. 👍
It's what m539 restoration does, unless it's something that has to be bought from bmw
I wish we had FCP Euro in EU. Great stuff.
FCP is the GOAT
Lets not forget FCP's warranty!
My first bmw was an e90 328i, its a great car, the first few things that caught my eye were the automatic windshield wipers, having to press the inside door handle twice to open it, and how well it handles at 70+ mph
Best BMW ever made! Inline 6, naturally aspirated, just so smooth.
I own one now and love it
Just bought one and it's one of the best cars I've ever driven
My E91 gave me the same surprise with the door handle. Like coming from a Chevy Malibu I thought that just putting it in park would be enough to unlock the doors and it doesn’t, not even on the new models
@@Dashi18n on my N30 all the doors unlock when I switch the engine off. Sometimes the settings can be configured if this doesn't happen on your car.
I recently purchased a 2016 428i and I am very happy. I luckily came across this video and it makes me feel comfortable knowing that you did such a great job of concerns for first time buyers of BMW
I totally agree on the runflat tires. I have replaced all of my tires and I actually bought a full spare. I just feel this is more secure just in case I’m in a place that my tire goes flat and my phone cannot connect or doesn’t have service.
The turn stalk definitely caught me off guard, but now I can’t go back to the traditional version. I actually really like the tap for 3 blinks, and it doesn’t make that horrid CHONK sound like you’re breaking it when clicking it over. And to cancel, just press once in the same direction instead of opposite! Once you retrain yourself for that, it’s a breeze!
What are you saying? No way! I am really into it and i spent a lot of time figuring out all the features that my car has but I didn't know that you can cancel it with pressing in the same direction again :D
@@manuelkrebs8959 yep! Just the half press in the same (or opposite) direction will cancel it if you’ve clicked it all the way over!
In the same direction - never thought of that. Thank you!
What cars are different in just a tap for three blinks? 🤔 The main difference is the full move, however both GM and BMW already ditched these levers, and use the standard ones.
Once I figured out that you can press in the same direction to cancel the blinker it was a game changer. It's super useful
This is the first guy I've seen who can correctly explain the hot/cold dial on the dashboard. Not even Doug DeMuro and his ilk have gotten this correct. It's not that hard of a concept to grasp. Thanks for the great video!
Doug Demuro isn't a good example. He regularly explains features wrongly or has no clue at all what something is for. He should read the manuals of the cars he reviews.
I get the idea, but it's still something I don't like, because it basically overrides the fine temperature control. If I set the temperature to 22.5 I want it 22.5, and if I have that dial on top it can blow air with any temperature. It's one of the things I *really* dislike in my car. My old Alfa 147 had a dual-zone climate control and when I set the temperature to 22.5 that's what I would get. If I want the temperature a bit colder - let's say 22.0 I'd change the dial and I'd get that only for me - the driver, and the passenger would have 22.5 a originally set. With the BMW when I change the dial it changes the temperature roughly for everyone, which destroys the whole idea of "zones".
@@TodorKatsarski it's actually relative to the dialed in temperature, so if you keep it in the middle it acts like a normal automatic A/C. If you put it a little bit to the cold side and set your A/C to 21c, you'll get 20c from the top and 21c everywehere else, and if you set your A/C to 19c and don't touch the dial, you get 18c from the top and 19c elsewhere. So if you don't like the feature and would rather keep your zones seperate, just leave it in the middle. On my e70 there's hot/cold dials for both the driver and the passenger (in the infotainment system, unfortunately), so both can have their zones fully customized. It's like having 2 zone A/C for yourself, and your passenger seperately, you can get warm feet and cool face if you want.
@@MrMats0n I have only one dial and that's my main problem - having two separate dials - for driver and passenger would be so much nicer
@@TodorKatsarski yeah I can see how it messes with your zones if you regularly ride with a passenger. I think 5 and 7 series cars in general have the two dials.
As someone who grew up with both parents owning BMWs, I found it normal for the lock/unlock to be in the middle, and now I find myself accidently turning on hazards when I go to lock/unlock, or even in the newer BMWs where it is on the door handle.
Rich people problems
you just poor 😭😭@@maliamarsh02
One thing I love is that when you turn off the engine, the radio still plays. It’s timed and when the car shuts down. You can still hit the radio power button to still listen to the radio. Plus the interior lighting is awesome. This color orange. Wow.
Love this feature, love getting out the car music blaring walking away then hitting lock on the keys its all off
The thing that confuses most passengers is that you need to pull the lever twice to open the passenger door. Definitely worth telling passengers the first time they get in!
but just if the car locks itself automatically while driving?
Yes, you can turn if the automatic locks if you want. Personally I like it but it has happened more than once that I’m picking a person up and forget to unlock the doors when they try to get in
instructions unclear my mom still nearly breaks my lever every time.
my 6 year old takes forever to get out the car
@@chrisCKDE my mother and father in law can't figure it out either. 🤷♀️
One really cool feature on my 2010 328i is when you tip the sunroof open it draws the sunshade back a crack to remind you that it’s open. Every other car the shade doesn’t move unless the sunroof slides back, and to me that was such a nice feature to remind you to close it when you get out.
oh, I always thought it's done to allow the air to actually to come in
@@bernds6587 yeah, I'm not convinced it's _primarily_ a reminder.
Hi Justin, I watched some of your videos about 7 years ago, when I was looking to by a bmw and now I'm after one again I've come this video. Glad to see your still creating content and keep up the good work g!!
Great video!!! I just bought a 2013 328i to my daughter, it was a private seller, first time having the BMW experience. I showed up and start asking all the question about the Oil stick, spare tire, etc... The guy just looked at me like "Hmmm" and said: "Asere, have you ever drive a BMW before?" and I say "NO". So he started to explain all the difference between other cars and a BMW, same as your video. I will subscribe to start my journey with my daughter about how is to keep, drive and maintain a BMW. Thank you.
The thing that caught me out the most was the wing mirrors automatically pointing down when you throw it in reverse so you don't mess your alloys up lol.
My 04 Silverado does this it ain’t special
I wish my old civic did this, i always press the button myself to do this it's a very handy feature although most people i know turn it off if their car has it.
My name 320i 2016 doesn't do this 😮
@@paulmahon9775 The mirror selection slider has to be on the "driver" side for the passenger mirror to dip.
My Chevy Avalanche did this ... nothing special
The double pull of the door handle tripped me out for a while on my 340 lol
Thsi feature drives me nuts!! I always think he locked me in the car 🤣
Tell me about it - I bought bimmercode basically just to code that option out lol! My actuator was failing (and could never replicate at the dealer or shop) so I just coded out the auto lock and double pull and have never looked back... I should probably replace that actuator at some point though
I know!!! That one was weird!
It always makes my parents mad "why is it locked, I just pulled the handle?"
I disabled auto door lock because it's honestly what wears out door lock actuators. Unless you have a child in the car idk why you'd want them to lock automatically anyway. And - it eliminates the awkwardness when a friend rides and says "uhh can you unlock the door"
Had two, I got used to them pretty quickly, and I love em. Never had a problem with reverse gear. It doesn't seem hard to me. Just a right amount of resistance so you don't engage the wrong gear,
Just picked up my first BMW 2020 M340i. So glad I found this channel. Great content! Subbed!!!
The turn signal part part happens to me every time 😅. I know ppl behind me on the freeway be like “what the hell this guy doing” 😂
to cancel, move the stalk to the same direction one more time.
I love BMW turn signal system, it’s great when you are used to it.
I've had my E90 2011 for 5 years, still happens to me to this day :D (Recently bought an M3 F80 though)
😂😂😂 Me toooooooo
2005 E46 M3 ZCP w/ SMG. The transmission quirks definitely took a minute to learn, but dailying a manual Subaru definitely helped. Most people don’t like the driving experience of the SMG bc they don’t understand it, but I find it really rewarding. I also find it’s a whole world smoother after using the ECUWorx binary tuning to update to the CSL SMG software.
Well its a bad design thats why people dont like it. Unreliable, bad fuel economy, choppy shifting, and gets outperformed by a regular manual. Sounds like a bit of cope from your end.
all of this was so valid. i got my first bmw last year and even though it’s 15 years old a lot of this is true, minus having the menu screens. i def get frustrated with the signals at times and the no dipstick blew me away. but i’m still getting surprised at some of the amazing things within the car-dimming mirrors, the lights that move when i make turns. it’s so worth it to have some of those accommodations. my biggest complaint is no vents in the cabin and it gets HOT in the back (florida, X3).
I bought my first BMW 640D coupe month ago and still learning everything. Everything digital and great. I am enjoying especially app control when I need vent my baby :-) so awesome.
Great tips! Not a fan of that sensor lol
🤣
Same here
A dip stick don't lie or fail. A sensor does. That is the dumbest thing any manufacturer could do is eliminate the dip stick. One thing out of many that my e36 and e46 has over the e90, e70 and the f30. Dam just had a realization, my wife is right...I got a problem. Lol
On the newest cars there is usually no dipstick. But most cars produced before the G-Series should have both a manual dip Stick and a sensor. (At least here in europe)
@@SlemSukkerMor69 Here, too, on some models. My E88 had a mini, cheapo stick on the back of the cap.
Love the video, I definitely agree with your points and choice of features. I've owned multiple e chassis now and currently have an e36 M3, e90 330i, and an e70 X5. One of the most annoying features with the X5 is PDC sensors. Everytime you get close to something and you're going backward, it beeps. But it also keeps beeping for about 30 seconds even after you put the car in park or drive, meaning, once you park and still have the car on, the car is constantly still beeping until you turn it off. Super annoying. Also, windsheild wipers. I've found that if you buy anything other than OE or OEM or RainX, the clip mechanism of other brands doesn't stay on well. There have been multiple times when I've bought Michellin wipers and they've almost fallen off when I turn on the wipers. If they fell off, that would have lead to the metal wiper hanger scratching your glass. Yikes. With the turn signals, F31 MSport is right but also, it won't take long to become accustomed to just barely tapping the stalk to cancel the turn signal. Cool feature about Carly and BimmerCode, you can code the temporary turn signal to flash 5 times which I think is long enough for anything anyways. You'll never have to fully turn the turn signals on again lol.
Been driving BMWs since 1999 and this video finally taught to me what the deal with the hot/cold wheel is! First BMW was a 91 318is I bought in 1999. I learned how to drive stick on it and never looked back. I do feel like BMW has lost its way. The other day at the dealer the only cars I was interested in were the CPO and used models.
One thing that surprised me when I first got my 320i was the amount of options for seat positioning as well as the mirrors that dip down when you reverse
My first, and only BMW is E65 745i , and it’s still giving me good emotions when I’m driving it. It’s 21 years old almost, and I’m still impressed about how many features it had back in the past.
Solid video dude! I agree with everything you said especially the 5k oil changes 🤘
Just drive across country in my 2008 328i. Was getting 34 mpg and had zero issues. Absolute unit
Hahahaha the chaotic highway blinker is definitely me. I knew that half press is for changing lanes, but sometimes you press up/down to hard and then it goes the opposite direction. I never put much thought into the fact that the blinker stalk automatically goes to center. Thanks, now I understand why I keep fumbling and never had that problem in cars before 😅
One that is not common but not extremely useful either is the shortcut buttons 1-9. You can configure them to whatever you want by press and holding it (obviously) But they are also touch sensitive so you DON'T need to actually press them you can just swipe your fingers across the buttons 👍
Having had a 2014 5 series in the family since 2015 (and it’s still running fine), I’ve learned quite a lot about about fixing it myself and about OE parts. Seems like that same CTEK battery charger/tender is marketed as several brands, BMW, Alfa and Mercedes seem to use that unit! On my Alfa, I switched to non-run flat tires and enjoying the better ride. Nice video Justin, hope are doing well!
Just pick up my first BMW. As a senior in high school back in 1984, I had the pleasure of working on them for a year thanks to a neighbor that owned a shop. I feel in love with them. Well I finally bough one. Bucket list check box!
My first BMW was 1988 535is. I discovered the dash vent flexibility with the 3 levers that controlled windshield, dash and floor air. The infinite flexibility of the system was wonderful. On a recent 2024 330e, I saw the same flexibility, but now digitally controlled via settings on the IVI screen. Still a cool feature.
I'm a F11 owner and the thing it surprised me the most is that the buttons of radio stations (1, 2, 3, etc) are touch sensitive, you can slide your finger across them and it will display you what radio station each one is directed to.
You can also program them to most things in the idrive
I figured this out right as I was selling my m3😂
I’m on my 3rd BMW now and I didn’t even know some of this stuff… lol. Great video as always!
Thank you!
hahahaha am on my first, I kinda figured most of the staff by myself.
Not really something that took getting used to but I have an f82 m4 and the automatic mirror button is just such a nice feature especially with the M side mirrors. Great vid!!
I have a BMW X3 2012. It's the door handles for me. The double pull, everyone that gets out of my car thinks the door is locked lol I love that the manual is preinstalled and you can look it up in the Dash! Never loved driving until I got this!
This reminds me of some of your older videos for some reason, but I still do enjoy this video because it can be very helpful for those who are like me that are going to buy or are interesting into picking up a BMW. A great video as always coming from Justin!!
Glad I can help!
Great video. While I’ve driven bmw since the early 90s back in Germany, many of these items still hold truth today. A few things I’ve learned over the years from bmw engineers is that… 1. The door lock button is in the center for security reasons as it is much harder to get an object via “break in” to push it there rather than on the driver’s side as with many cars these days. (Used to have the window controls there too, in center console where armrest is now) 2. The manual reverse gear used to work by pushing the shifter knob downward and to the direction of the gear, at least in a 1992 525 TDS I had. Doubt it changed much from back then, but that was many moons ago. Now since living here, the automatic shifting is so great, no need for manuals any more. 3. Instead of using the signal stock to cancel the signal by pushing the opposite, the cancel feature is to push in same direction as when you activated it. 4. Bonus info - the orange backlight was engineered with the fact that it is a great color with frequency to reduce fatigue to the maximum, and keep your eyes focused at night without reduction of night vision.
e30 owner here, its a hard pull just like my e90. probably differs between trans producers, although the e30 is a getrag and the e90 is ZF
@@arandomperson2050 hard pull left? That sounds good to me too :-)
@@arandomperson2050 yea same in my e46
with no1, even if you break window, you can't unlock it by pushing the button, you need first to put key in ignition
@@ikacbmw669 never tried that. Nice one.
My first car is a 2003 BMW 330XI, literally got it from a family friend. Engine, Transmission, AC and Heat worked well. Car was kept in good condition. Needed some work but minor; crank sensor, cam sensor, new spark plugs, coils, oil change. But otherwise I’m very happy with it. I notice minor issues come up with the older models especially not knowing much but it just being a BMW and my first car in general. I have been driving it since Friday.
And how is it doing nowadays?
Just picked-up the 320IX, w/ twin turbo, and really like it. Video was very informative, and useful. Cheers
Great video, I’ve had BMWs for years and love them. The weird thing compared to other cars is that they are really well thought out so reading then manual is actually worth doing. I’d advise finding a BMW specialist near you for service and repairs. You’ll save a ton of money but still get the car looked after by someone who understands them.
I learned this the hard way. Took to a general mechanic for a coolant leak. Four days later still had the leak and the guy was telling me I had a blown engine. Found a specialist 4 hours later problem fixed engine purring like new.
When I bought my first BMW in 1991 (318is e30) I was astonished by the overall quality of the car, especially the build and materials used. The turn signal quirk was one of the first things I noticed. All the driver controls were oriented towards the driver. This was a first for a non exotic and was a big deal at the time. The battery was in the back as well, which was something you found mostly in Italian cars. The tool kit attached to the trunk lid was another feature that distinguished BMW from other cars. It was an extraordinary car and I have owned two others since.
The e30 had a regular turn signal lever 🤦♂️
True but the Mazda RX-7 was very driver oriented before then.. that big orange tach right in the middle. I wish BMW would have added that touch as well. Hell the 89 Ford SHO had a bad ass Yamaha engine but did Fisher Price design the instrument panel? You could be doing practically 60 going into 2nd screaming revs at 8k, they were insane for that time! And still today lol
Since 2017 I've been driving BMWs (E46, E39, and an honorary L322 Range Rover) and, thanks to you, only just figured out the true purpose of the red-blue AC dial… That functionality is actually genius, can't wait to use it properly after all these years! 😂 PS: These older BMWs don't have the neutral turn signal 'problem'. And I love the design of the turn signal lights on the Rover, so I make sure to show those off. :)
I own both an e36 and e46. The things that always suprises me is exactly how well they drive and how comfortable they are.
I absolutely love the red/blue hot/cold air feature on F BMWs, it works so well. I have trouble finding a comfortable temp setting for longer drives in other cars especially during winter time but this just works everytime. I do not think I saw it on the G models though.
You can find the control for this in the settings for climate control
Funny enough, my Dad's old '90's Nissan Altima, hardly a luxury car, had a dial like that which allowed cool outside air to blow right in your face even if you had max heat on all around you. It kept you awake and alert even on long night drives. I loved that feature and could never figure out why it never became more widespread.
Same. Owned BMW for 20 years. Great cars. The dial at the center setting will output air at same temp as the climate control setting. When moved full to red it increases 2C and full to blue it decreases 2C from the main setting.
When I had my 2010 E92 330d Coupé one of the first things I did was to ditch the run-flat tyres and put in a compressor and bottle of Tyreweld. It improved both the way the car handled and the ride quality became sublime.
I changed my tyres to and wanted to put a space saver in the boot, but there’s no space under the carpet for one.
The width adjuster on the seat and the leg rest for driver and front seat passenger were trippy, I absolutely love them on my 335i M
Got a 2007 E60 530i. Love the N52 3 litre n/a engine. One thing that took me ages to come to terms with is how (unless the car has only been shut off for a very short amount of time), the air always comes on as standard, even if I had it switched off before stopping the engine. At first I thought it was broken until I looked around online and had people telling me that was normal. Every other car I had previously would leave the air on or off depending on how it was when shutting the engine off.
Hi Justin, you put out great videos. Thanks for sharing. I have a 2014 550i xdrive and one thing that took me by surprise, was that one day I started the car and I wanted to back up while the door was open. It started to back a slightly and then it shifted into park and that scared the crap out of me until I figured out the safety feature. Lol
How has it treated you? Thinking about the same vehicle. A few good priced ones around 90k miles with thorough service history.
Bought a F32 435i a week ago. Turn signals are a challenge at first, didn’t know where to unlock the doors, no dipstick, and didn’t know what that climate control adjuster near door lock button did. Great video!
Really helpful video - well done. The part the drives me crazy is the a gong sound
Im going to mention this because this may help someone. Whenever you put the BMW in reverse and you dont want the mirror pointing down, use the side mirror selector and select the moving mirror. It will disable it, ive used this to help reverse back into spaces (e46 no backup camera) and use the switch if I am looking for a curb. Should work with newer BMWs too.
Couple of things I learned after owning my X3 for awhile. Adaptive headlights: Putting headlights in auto mode will operate fog lights and turn headlight lenses when turning. This does not work in manual mode. Lock/unlock sunroof and windows: A neat feature I learned about when looking into coding my BMW. Long press to disable traction control: Traction control button will switch between normal and "Ultimate"/Tank mode traction. Useful when you get your car somewhere it wasn't supposed to be. To turn off Traction control, hold the button.
You can press the ECT button to turn traction control on/off. I think you’re referring to the stability control when holding the button. Which is what many people don’t know about. This is in my 335 so, maybe not an option in the X3?
@@valentine--vincent4590 yeah, I don't think that the X3- at least my year has an ECT button. I just have a traction control button that switches for stability or traction, and a long press will disable.
The turn signals caught me so off guard, but now I actually prefer them and feel like the other „normal“ ones are weird.
Same af
Same bruh but after a few months im still not completely use to it so my indicators just go left right left right etc until i get it right
Frr
Im too poor to get it
You can change their behaviour in the menu though
I love the ability to have cooler air in the face vents. Nice and warm for the passengers but the cooler air keeps you alert. I do sometimes freeze my face but that’s user error.
Had my 328i a year now and didn't know about the door unlock until you said it! I've been leaning over to open for my lady the whole time lol.. thanks!
The turn signal in my E90 caught me off guard for sure. The relatively heavy steering at low speed was a bit of a surprise too.
Honestly I love the rlly heavy steering
I love heavy steering, it is not so heavy like in old times, but not Mercedes smooth. You need to try Mercedes, for many people it has best steering and I like it, but for sport people BMW has better.
G20 actually solved some of the "issues": turn signal, door locking and so on. The dipstick still gone, but as you said, no dealbreaker. Now there's an individual control of front vents and even a "vitalize" program that opens the shade of the moonroof, blows shots of cool air in the driver area and plays some wake-up music
You can check the oil level by going into "Settings".
As shown in the video, I love it when putting the car in reverse and the passenger side mirror goes down so you don't curb your wheels.
The cool head/warm feet feature in BMW is down right amazing. Its a shame now on the g20 3 series you have to go through the entertainment system to adjust it though. I sorely missed that feature when I didnt own a BMW
You have to pull the door handle twice to open the door. My friends kept trying to get out on the first pull. It was great lol
You brought up a good one. I thought my door was broken when I first got my BMW🤣.
@@slimman74 it was annoying at first but after owning my e92 for a year I got used to it! My passengers always get confused why the door never opens on the first pull 😂
Too annoying for me to keep that feature. Turn off the ignition and door locks automatically open with a little bimmercode magic.
Only from the inside but if you open with remote no need to double open
Still driving my 2008 BMW E90 318D daily, 233,000 miles on the clock (374,977km) and runs perfect! A well maintained BMW is practically unstoppable!
What do you need to change besides engine oil and when? Did you ever change things like transmission oil, fuel filter break fluid etc?
@@ilya4759 Your BMW is no different from any other cars. Preventive maintenance is the key. All fluids need to be changed at one point (transmission, rear and front diff, coolant, brake fluid). Don’t overlook the serpentine belt, spark plugs, air filter and cabin filter. Keep an eye on coolant and oil leaks. Misfires are usually a faulty coil. All of those are easy to do if you are mechanically inclined, with the right tools and some patience (plenty of tutorials on KZhead). Brake pads and rotors are also relatively easy to do. The harder stuff is transfer case fluid (because it’s difficult to access) or replacing a wheel bearing.
@@mountainousterrain1704 thanks for the details. I'll definitely save your comment. My 2014 428 xdrive only has 65k of city driving with no computer warnings. I get this annoying light vibration at idle (seem to go away in neutral) and i can swear that it stutters a bit, especially with light acceleration. Should i replace the spark plugs? Should I go to a mechanic and ask to connect it to a computer?
@@ilya4759 As Justin mentioned in his video, get the Carly app. You will be able to scan your car, do service reset and much more. Some shops will charge you $50-75 just to run a scan, so the app will pay for itself in no time. A scan will tell you if you have a misfire or something. The spark plugs service interval on 328i and 428i is 55,000km. Changing plugs and ignition coils on your 2L turbo is super easy, make sure you have the right thin wall plug socket (FCP Euro or Amazon)… and don’t over torque otherwise it’s going to be a very bad day (get a torque wrench to be on the safe side).
@@mountainousterrain1704 thanks again
Got an M4 (2018 Automatic) and what was a big adjustment was the DCT. Still getting the hang of it but I love this car so much!
Purchased my first 2015 535i. Love this car even though it's 8 years old, it runs great . I bought the car with 74,000 miles. No issues whatsoever. I just figured out how to automatically let the rear window shade down, which is a plus
Good video. I have a 328i with an inline six, and love it. Can cruise at 90 to 100 mph all day. Got rid of the run flats after about six months. Great improvement in the ride. Will be getting a 540i in a week.
that inline six is so sweet. They've actually brought it back.
After driving two F20 1 series (standard and facelift, both 116d) as company cars, I bought my own E89 28i and will probably drive this one for a while, especially after having preventive maintenance on the timing chain and the valve cover. I can relate to the run flat tyres. On the company cars I had no choice but once the run flats were worn out on my E89 I replaced them with normal tyres (Michelin Pilot Sport 4S). My god, what a difference. These tyres make the car really come to life...
I had eurofed place the same under my rear tires.
First off I want to thank you for the video you posted because I've gone on BMW forums for the last six months my battery died and I replaced it and I register the battery it was opening and closing but I had to hold the button. With this one video I fixed my moon roof to close and open automatically without holding the button I have a 2014 BMW 528i f10. Thank you so much
I love the air conditioned cooling cup holder in the arm rest of the E92 M3. Actually works after leaving a water bottle in the car!
It's actually a heater too.
Ive owned my BMW for 4 years and haven't looked back. In terms of maintenance, its been very good to me thankfully because ive kept it well maintenaned and drive it like a normal person The thing that took me a little getting used to is definitely the seat adjustments!!!! Especially because i haven't got electronic ones,!
Deadass i had a girl in my car and I moved the seat back and it took forever we were just like wtf
Anyone who maintains their BMWs properly doesn't complain about the reliability. Performance comes at the cost and usually that cost is engine parts' lifespan.
Manual seats are the best. Less weight, less to break. Easier and quicker to adjust.
Your engine will last longer if you drive it hard and to redline daily, just not when cold.
Nice video. I have been driving my E46 320d manual now for almost 21 years and I have done just under 520 000 km (~323 000 miles). Still going strong. Some of what you listed is relevant on myne, but it is old enough that many of your list would be new to me as well.
Half a million km, that's impressive!
Keeping a car that long is absolutely amazing well done that man
E46 the last of the analog BMW's with a dipstick. 👍
@@chrislim7976 I have e90 325d (M57) and it has dip stick too. And my farther ovn x3 F25 2.0 diesel and it surprisingly has dipstick too 😃
@@mr-garagechannel8294 Where are you located, Europe?
I purchased mine used from marketplace and it needed a tune up. One of the first things i noticed was the lack of an oil dipstip to check the oil level. This was the newest cars ive owned so far and the first where you check the oil on the instrument cluster.
I have a 1 series e87 and the putting it into reverse got me and took me about 10 minutes to figure out. Even the guy who sold it to me struggled to show me how it worked. Also the indicators on the car takes a while to get use to. I have the manual dipstick on the car as well which is really handy and I prefer it.
My first 3 bmws were all 80’s bmw e30s surprisingly enough much of the technology included in the car from that time period was way ahead of its time and suprises many people. auto windows, auto sunroof, fuel economy gauge, impressive all wheel drive, dimmable interior lighting, premium Harmon Kardon sound, heated seats, mirror map lights, oil check/ service light, overhead indicator check lamps for trouble codes it was shockingly impressive, so impressive I decided to invest in a newer model so I can do more fun projects and be able to down my other cars for maintenance. I bought a 2011 128i and it was a n51 sulev which actually is insanely expensive to deal with because of the sulev components. word of advice for anyone looking at buying a sulev n51 Powerplant bmw do not buy it unless you live in an emissions/ smog state then there is a 15 year 150k mile warranty applied to sulev components. To my dismay I have had a lot of trouble with my 1 series and spent a lot of time and money troubleshooting and fixing these problems, one thing I will say impressed me is that I had no idea about DTC (Dynamic Traction Control). In my car during the winter I was driving a rear wheel drive car and it was challenging until I learned more about the car and used DTC in combination with siped and studded Firestone winter force tires. DTC made all the difference in the characteristics and performance of driving in challenging winter snow and ice. My vehicle had only aux and CD options for music but I had no idea about being able to program my phone in Bluetooth for hands free calls which was amazing. I also learned about how to use the key fob to roll all my windows down and back up which was a super cool! But hidden feature. Great video with lots of good info thank you!
You are right on with all the points. I'm on my 4th BMW and they were all new to me at first. I totally agree with you about the run-flats. I currently have a 2020 G05 and as soon as the tires wear, I'm replacing them.
Hello, I'm (female ) in the United Kingdom. I have just bought my first BMW (series 1), and I can't thank you enough for EVERYTHING you have just said about the BMWs. From not being able to find the reverse and having to ''really force it' into reverse. I though I was doing something wrong. Also having the battery in the boot. I was looking for the spare tyre when i came across the battery there instead (lol). Thank you for explaining about the OM parts, as I thought I could only go to BMW service stations now lol. Even the 'run flat' tyres you mentioned, these are all things new to me. And what did you say? There is NO DIPSTICK to check the oil level?!! . I've only had my car 11 days, (I purchased in on Mon 12 June 2023), and I have learned so much from your 8.20sec video. I have learned so much - so thank you. And YES, I think I need to read the thick and thin manuals that came with it. Many thanks once again - Eileen.
I had a 2004 Jetta but just purchased a 2015 328i Luxury model. I really love it for the few months I have had it.
Ahhh. My first BMW was a 1998 E39 5-series (manual) which I still have. I have a dipstick, indicators where the stalk stays in the position you push it to (no 3 flashes for lane changes), no battery coding, a harsh buzzing as the warning sound and a full sized spare in the boot/trunk. It's a fabulous car to own since I've had it for 19 years but I wouldn't want to buy a car as old as that now. I also have a newer 1-series with everything you describe. The gong sound is truly awful and Chinese-like. I would recommend BMWs all day long as mine have always been very reliable but they do get serviced every 2000 miles since I don't do the milage any more, I still do them yearly. Regular oil changes are absolutely essential, not only for BMWs but for any car and is the single most important thing you can do to keep your car reliable. Regularly change the oil and warn the engine with gentle driving and they will go on forever, providing there isn't an existing issue. Great interesting and informative video though, thanks.
Gentle driving? They were not made for that. I have 3 with high miles and no major issues and they see full throttle every drive ☝🏻
@@indecent0079 You're probably right. I drive it gently most of the time and when it counts e.g., cold starting. It does get an occasion brisk outing but it never gets caned. 😄
Love the adjustment for front air vent temps regardless of what your cabin temps are set at! Also agree with going with non run flat tires… just sign up for AAA. Hate the gong sound and low tire warning, usually means a nail in the tire( but not always)
The only reason I keep driving with runflats is the extra safety it gives me if I pop a tire while I'm driving with 160 km/h with full car (when I say full car I mean it).
the adjustment for front air seems not to be working for me (X5 F15 2016). Don't know the reason for that, after refilling of AC this is no more that useful suddenly
What took me by surprise when I bought an old BMW the most was the amount of warning lights I got that (when I checked them with my scantool) were just completely benign stuff that most other cars wouldn't even blink at, like too much humidity in the air, or the passenger seat weight sensor freaking out whenever I put my bag there.
I appreciate the gauge display is still visible in a different color when washed out by sunlight coming in low through driver door window
Well my first bmw was a Z3, so everything was pretty typical. BUT I had to get use to the window buttons being in the middle of the car. That was weird for a little. After that I got an 08 X3, and I think the weirdest thing besides the temperature dial like you mentioned, was the lack of cup holders. Previously I had a suburban and that thing had cup holders big enough to hold a jug of milk.
a jug of milk 🤣
One thing that I really liked was if your vehicle is equipped with Lane assist, even doing a lane change will cancel the turn signal because the cameras can tell you changed lanes
I just had a new Camry that did that too, and other useless features. It’s amazing my 07 335xi was and still is better then that new $30k Toyota in every way. I even prefer the old Nav using the dvd. I hated that loaner. The doors are like 400 lbs and 5 ft long. Put paddle shifters on that! Omg 🤦🏻♂️
My mid-trim ford does that. BMW is over-priced trash 👍
My e46 and taking all my traction control off. Pressing the dsc button for 10 seconds and then really feeling the car. So much fun with a stick.
On the f30’s if you click the lock button on the key twice when locking the car it turns off the interior motion sensors and the tilt sensors. Also if you lock the car with the physical metal key it turns off the alarms fully.
I've loved all six of my BMWs, they're great reliable cars if your stay up on the maintenance and replace common failure items early. High depreciation make them a great used car buy - really can't beat the handling, usability, and fun factor for the money (used).
Yeah, been driving a used E46 for a year now, I'm actually surprised how cheap it was, especially for a late 20's like myself, i drive it daily with regular maintenance, and changing minor parts (spark plug etc.) So far this baby never let me down and I'm glad I'm buying it (and yes the driving experience is unrivaled, before this the only car i drove is my mom's Datsun LCGC, the differences are massive lol)
I love the F82 M4, and they’ve depreciated to a point where I can almost afford one so I really appreciate this video. I’ve been driving 90’s JDM cars for the last 5 years, this will be my first BMW so videos like these are really good to watch. Love the background music too ❤
That M4 series are beautiful cars and crazy fast. Hope you get one. I test drove a 2020 at my dealer. It had more miles than I wanted but was a blast. Ended up getting a 2022 M5 Comp in Alvite Grey.
Shame they dont have the M5 V10 tho...
The temperature control is actually convenient. I have it in my 14 X3 and 2023 m340i. It allows me to fine tune each temperature setting. I use it all the time