Gotta Love BMW

[CivicFan]

Comparing a 5 series BMW with a Corolla is a very silly proposition. Calling the higher end cars 'beta testers' is quite an unreasonable mindset. yes, they may be the hot bed of automotive innovation, it doesn't mean that these are beta testers for a Corolla. For example, my A6 has its own fiber optic network for its internal data communications. Audi did not put it there to test it on me so that they can then deploy it in Golf. If in 10 years they do start putting it in a Golf, it will be for trying to squeeze more life out of their R&D Euros. But in the original post what we have is a big failure on BMW-s part and a little bit of a surprising behavior on the driver's part.

 

[Vizzy]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ

] Yep, that's right, what you fail to understand is the fact that all these electronic gizmos are made to the same standards as in a cheap econobox, just because the BMW costs 60k doesn't mean the electronics are any better, but you are buying more "toys" and other fluff for 60k, that's it. The perfect example of "getting what you pay for" is the 80's Mercedes cars, especially W123 chassis. It is one of the best engineered cars in the world, it was expensive when new, but you got what you paid for it in excellent engineering, great ride quality, ease of maintenance, unsurpassed durability and reliability, but from options point of view it was the same as other cars. These days it’s a totally different story, people want their comforts and toys. People want hands free Bluetooth, mp3s, iPod integration, seat warmers etc. etc. Most econoboxes come with these features these days, so what luxury manufacturers have to do to make their customers "feel" like their money is well spent? Squeeze in as many electronic gadgets as they possibly can, even if it means putting stuff in that was not properly tested. Money no longer goes to better engineering, it is spent on coming up with new features and toys and then marketing them.

WOW you "GET IT"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought I was almost totally alone in understanding this FACT!!!!!! I am so sick of "amount of stuff" or gadgets being equated with actual QUALITY!!!! I'd rather have a spartan 80's Mercedes or SAAB, VW Jetta, Scirocco, or the like than ANYTHING out there today no matter what the price.... The hard parts and durability of todays cars sucks in general.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan

Comparing a 5 series BMW with a Corolla is a very silly proposition. Calling the higher end cars 'beta testers' is quite an unreasonable mindset. yes, they may be the hot bed of automotive innovation, it doesn't mean that these are beta testers for a Corolla. For example, my A6 has its own fiber optic network for its internal data communications. Audi did not put it there to test it on me so that they can then deploy it in Golf. If in 10 years they do start putting it in a Golf, it will be for trying to squeeze more life out of their R&D Euros. But in the original post what we have is a big failure on BMW-s part and a little bit of a surprising behavior on the driver's part.

Well, in practice the expensive cars are like beta testers for the lower end cars, to introduce a new technology usually the engineers can't do it cheaply AND reliably, so they go for reliable at a greater cost until they figure out how to do it cheaply. Also they get a chance to try stuff like a fiber optic networks in a car... I can't imagine there is any real benefit? Sounds quite stupid to me, but I'm no german engineer...

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:

Also they get a chance to try stuff like a fiber optic networks in a car... I can't imagine there is any real benefit? Sounds quite stupid to me, but I'm no german engineer...

Every automotive engineer is caught in a "top this" trap of innovation. Eventually you're left with coming out with the flux capacitor (which you don't have the money for), or increased complexity for existing technologies to yield results. The Germans just started out at a relatively sophisticated level a long time ago ..so it's getting to the point where you're going to need an R2 unit to talk to the thing.

 

[Win]

There is nothing new about high speed fiber optic networks in cars - Jaguar has used it for at least a decade. Presumably all the other medium / high end car makers have as well. It's a mature, trouble free, technology, afaik. My G8 uses a two wire twisted pair for its high speed data bus, and a single wire for the low speed data bus. Presumably the Sol and Torrent are the same. This is not beta testing for a Corolla - it's mainstream stuff. You guys should get out more often.

 

[ItsuMitsubishi]

Drove a 335xi for a couple days, good drivetrain, nice handling, REALLY IRRITATING ELECTRONICS. Even the chime is so elaborate it gets annoying. Throw in poor actual value, iDrive and not being able to check oil manually, or ATF at all and I'm pretty certain I won't be driving BMW in the future.

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan

Quote:

Also they get a chance to try stuff like a fiber optic networks in a car... I can't imagine there is any real benefit? Sounds quite stupid to me, but I'm no german engineer...

Every automotive engineer is caught in a "top this" trap of innovation. Eventually you're left with coming out with the flux capacitor (which you don't have the money for), or increased complexity for existing technologies to yield results. The Germans just started out at a relatively sophisticated level a long time ago ..so it's getting to the point where you're going to need an R2 unit to talk to the thing.

Exactly right about the "top this" attitude of most automakers. The Germans are by far the worst offenders IMO. It's to the point of just fiddling for selling points and selling needs that otherwise never existed.

 

[CBR.worm]

That chime really is annoying... I like most of the BMW's, but was thinking the other day about how sick BMW salesmen must be of the chime. I'm not so worried about not being able to check the oil as I am about the lack of a temp gauge (5 series), electric coolant pumps and variable displacement (or something) oil pump. I do like the fact that the throttle butterfly stays wide open the whole time and air flow is metered by intake valve lift. I like the massive brakes and the amount of engineering that went into making the cars light like the magnesium / aluminum engine assembly. Clearly they missed the boat with the high pressure fuel pumps on the x35 engines.