Originally Posted By: BMWTurboDzl
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: weasley
Originally Posted By: edyvw
I will never understand why BMW's as "ultimate Driving Machines" stop using coolant gauge and oil dipstick?
Because 99% of the people that buy them don't know or care about these things. Over the years we have seen the disappearance of voltmeters, oil pressure gauges, oil temperature gauges, ammeters and so on. This is stuff you really don't need to know about in order to drive the car. It doesn't mean these things are ignored - the ECU is constantly monitoring them and if any parameter becomes an issue it will warn you via the dashboard display. The same goes for coolant temperature gauges.
You may or may not know that for many years, temperature gauges have been mostly decorative. They don't tell you a temperature, they are an "everything is OK" gauge, that shows a steady, mid-range value regardless of the real temperature. Only if the temp is above or below certain values will the gauge do anything different. This is the same as having a warning light or message on the dashboard, so simply remove the gauge, save some money, reduce the data input load on the driver and let the ECU deal with it.
I had a 2007 BMW 130i for 3 years. At first I noticed the missing coolant gauge and dipstick. Then I forgot about it and it never once caused any problem. The ECU limits revs when cold, plus I am somewhat mechanically-sympathetic, so no issue there. The engine never overheated, so no issue there. The oil level can be interrogated through the dashboard so you can top up as required. You rely on a sender and gauge for the fuel - do you miss dipping for level on that? And if you take the "I never rely on gauges and sensors" approach, then never get on a passenger aircraft.
You see for me oildipstick is important bcs. i do not want to drive 20min before iDrive tells me everything is OK. As far as I heard BMW did not built sensor that cannot break? Tell me if I am wrong. Last time I checked oildipstick does not have electrical sensor.
Also, coolant gauge does not tell you exact temp of every part of the engine, but IT WILL TELL YOU IF water pump goes away, or thermostat gets stuck (and water pump is something that BMW had issues with for years).
Do I need to know oil temp? Yes, actually I do. Kudos to BMW for installing oil temp gauge, now they need to figure out coolant gauge they forgot in E46 as well as oil dipstick.
In the end, what is next? Driverless ultimate driving machine?
The coolant gauge in the E46 was buffered as well. Since about '06 BMW'S go into limp mode if the water pump goes out and will give you a warning prior to actual failure.
At least the turbo cars have an oil temp gauge.
Yeah, but my point is I do not want to drive Play Station, but a car. You know, I wake up every Sunday, open the hood, check oil, lick oil dipstick
check washer fluid, pressure in tires. Now, if I did not what to do it, I would buy f...... Lexus.
That is why I will buy Audi, since it seems it is more driving car now than BMW.