[Horrorgeek]

First post!!!

Just got an M235i last week (2016, Mineral Grey) after trading in my 2012 128i. All in all, I love it.

The one thing I do dislike (hate seems like a strong word...) is the HK premium audio. $875 bucks for a stereo who's only equalizing options are a bass and treble slider? Really? The thing does okay on the low end (I'm an old school and underground hip hop guy -- so I appreciate the boom bap), but the mid and highs are so disappointing. The car's a lease (I wanted an M2, didn't get on the list in time, so figured I'd grab this for a few years), but I'm seriously tempted to rip out the audio equipment and replace.

Other than that, the car's a lot of fun. I'm still getting used to the steering (which feels rather...light compared to the 128i. If I were more of a gearhead I could maybe explain that better...)

Oh, and eco-mode. Tried that the other night for S&Gs and man...never again. I'll pay for the extra gas consumption gladly. I'm not counting that, though -- since I don't ever have to use it.

Nice to meet you all -- I've been a lurker here for awhile and enjoy your posts.

[KNS]

Originally Posted by Beartato

Considering modern engineering a temperature gauge functions more of as a feel good gauge than anything functional with daily driving. Would knowing your approximate water temperature really improve anything? The engine will correct any cooling discrepancies before you'd even notice it, and if there is some catastrophic failure that temperature gauge isn't gonna become a fortune teller and let you know beforehand.

Same thing with oil temperature and oil pressure, what can the gauges tell you that the ECU isn't already adjusting for? I can kind of see the argument for oil temp so you know when it's warmed up, though even then I dunno. Maybe I'm putting a lot of faith in BMW properly engineering good engine management, but I can understand the elimination of those gauges from the dash.

For track use, look no further than the Focus ST. It's fully spec'd out with water and oil temp along with oil pressure and a "boost" gauge, and how many people actually use those gauges on the track? I used to be part of that world, back when the ST had just come out (until I realized that much power to the front wheels was balls). Let me tell you, literally no one I knew used them. The water temp wouldn't move even if you were running hot, the oil temp gauge was fake and its reading was derived from the water reading, the oil pressure gauge and the boost gauge were too non-descriptive (only three marks on the face for each, so it was a guessing game) to be useful. You needed ECU accurate reading? Hook up your tuner and let'er rip.

Look, this has been a long cynical post but my bottom line is I'm glad BMW didn't stuff a bunch of useless info on the dash (efficiently gauge notwithstanding). For daily driving it's a nice clean set up, and for hard track use people are gonna use Torque Pro or equivalent to get all their readings.

Now if you're so autistic you can't wrap your head around trusting the ECU to actually control the engine temperature I don't know what to say. You'd probably have a heart attack if I told you there isn't a dipstick.

They've been eliminated as a cost saving measure (among other reasons). And guys who track their cars (and even those that don't) want the gauges to tell them what's going on. I want information - I installed a P3 vent gauge in my 1 series. There wouldn't be such a healthy aftermarket for these gauge kits otherwise...

If you removed any of the gauges from a Porsche 911 (even though they are glorified idiot lights these days), there would be a huge cry of foul towards Porsche.

[Beartato]

Originally Posted by KNS

They've been eliminated as a cost saving measure (among other reasons). And guys who track their cars (and even those that don't) want the gauges to tell them what's going on. I want information - I installed a P3 vent gauge in my 1 series. There wouldn't be such a healthy aftermarket for these gauge kits otherwise...

If you removed any of the gauges from a Porsche 911 (even though they are glorified idiot lights these days), there would be a huge cry of foul towards Porsche.

There's a healthy aftermarket for gauges with just about every performance or performance-ordinated car, regardless of gauge inclusion.

You're right--gauges nowadays are glorified idiot lights, and I think BMW knew that. Which, I argue, is the inclusion of water temperature on the dash really so important? That was the original complaint.

Even if they spec'd out the car like my example, the Focus ST, would track guys and those who really need that peace of mind seeing all their readings even trust those OEM gauges? The P3 and Awron vent gauges would certainty still exist, and we'd have threads on this forum denouncing the factory gauges. BMW would have wasted their time and money including them and we'd have wasted space on our dashes.

[BentZero]

Brake dust

[AlpsRider]

Originally Posted by BentZero

Brake dust

Yep, brake dust is terrible. I have the Orbit Grey wheels so it is not as noticeable but it gets all over the whole car as well.

[redontheline]

After two weeks:

1. Seat belt takes so much effort to reach I may look into designing something to hold it forward. It's 6-8 inches behind my shoulder.
2. Seats. I haven't found a perfect seating position yet. I wish I could be much lower but I'm bottomed out. The base bolsters don't feel like they are holding me at all. There's no way I could sit to get use of the knee pad. I guess I was spoiled with my FA5 Civic Si seats, which had stiffer and deeper bolstering, more comfortable padding and were alcantara.
3. I have to say I am a little disappointed with the body roll and soft suspension. I never got a great test drive to feel it at speed, and I wish Sport stiffness was the softer and Sport upped it to a little more backbreaking. I don't know the spring rates but again, maybe spoiled by the Si. Jury is still out on this one - maybe I'm not used to the different dynamics.
4. I can't figure out how to switch between audio sources via USB or BT on iDrive. From an iPhone, I run Pandora at work and the gym, but Music on the road. I have to manually kill Pandora every time?
5. Nav voice search has directed me to Florida, Colorado, California, etc when I'm looking to go a few miles away. Again, still need to mess with it but this isn't as out-of-the-box-working as I envisioned.

For 1 and 2, I'm a mongoloid with a very long torso so that may be to blame.

I also have the typical annoyances, like no roof handles, no temp sync, no HUD, no good place for my phone (going to look into removing that lid to nowhere).

All in all, I'm still in love with the car and find myself stopping to look back at it at least twice after parking at work every day and peeking into the garage constantly.

[Kolyan2k]

Originally Posted by BentZero

Kolyan2k Figured it out. You pull the coin tray and it goes in there to replace it. I'm gonna do it and put my spare phone down there. That way I can run a USB cable to the phone from inside of the arm rest getting rid of the dangling cable that I have now.

Thanks kdog26372

Thanks. Will order that part as well.

Now have to figure out how to have my AC off and possibly Sport mode on every time I start the car

[BentZero]

Originally Posted by Kolyan2k

Thanks. Will order that part as well.

Now have to figure out how to have my AC off and possibly Sport mode on every time I start the car

Haven't figured out the sport mode one. the ac thing is weird. mine is always off. :/

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by Beartato

There's a healthy aftermarket for gauges with just about every performance or performance-ordinated car, regardless of gauge inclusion.

You're right--gauges nowadays are glorified idiot lights, and I think BMW knew that. Which, I argue, is the inclusion of water temperature on the dash really so important? That was the original complaint.

Even if they spec'd out the car like my example, the Focus ST, would track guys and those who really need that peace of mind seeing all their readings even trust those OEM gauges? The P3 and Awron vent gauges would certainty still exist, and we'd have threads on this forum denouncing the factory gauges. BMW would have wasted their time and money including them and we'd have wasted space on our dashes.

I agree with this 100%. All the car needs is what I believe some Subarus have, a little blue light that goes off once the car is warmed up enough to romp. Or the cool changing redline that the M cars usually get. Temperature gauges in modern cars are purely decorative. If you aren't getting a warning on the screen in the dash, everything is just fine. The computer is paying WAY closer attention than you are.

But people have to find something to bitch about.

[babysarah]

Originally Posted by Beartato

Considering modern engineering a temperature gauge functions more of as a feel good gauge than anything functional with daily driving. Would knowing your approximate water temperature really improve anything? The engine will correct any cooling discrepancies before you'd even notice it, and if there is some catastrophic failure that temperature gauge isn't gonna become a fortune teller and let you know beforehand.

Same thing with oil temperature and oil pressure, what can the gauges tell you that the ECU isn't already adjusting for? I can kind of see the argument for oil temp so you know when it's warmed up, though even then I dunno. Maybe I'm putting a lot of faith in BMW properly engineering good engine management, but I can understand the elimination of those gauges from the dash.

For track use, look no further than the Focus ST. It's fully spec'd out with water and oil temp along with oil pressure and a "boost" gauge, and how many people actually use those gauges on the track? I used to be part of that world, back when the ST had just come out (until I realized that much power to the front wheels was balls). Let me tell you, literally no one I knew used them. The water temp wouldn't move even if you were running hot, the oil temp gauge was fake and its reading was derived from the water reading, the oil pressure gauge and the boost gauge were too non-descriptive (only three marks on the face for each, so it was a guessing game) to be useful. You needed ECU accurate reading? Hook up your tuner and let'er rip.

Look, this has been a long cynical post but my bottom line is I'm glad BMW didn't stuff a bunch of useless info on the dash (efficiently gauge notwithstanding). For daily driving it's a nice clean set up, and for hard track use people are gonna use Torque Pro or equivalent to get all their readings.

Now if you're so autistic you can't wrap your head around trusting the ECU to actually control the engine temperature I don't know what to say. You'd probably have a heart attack if I told you there isn't a dipstick.

+ 28273646324324

[Silver6spd]

Originally Posted by redontheline

After two weeks: [LIST=1][*]Seat belt takes so much effort to reach I may look into designing something to hold it forward. It's 6-8 inches behind my shoulder.

I am guessing you are reaching with your right hand like I was at first which is made more difficult since the belt does not have a height adjustment.

I started to reach with my left (underhand style) and then pulling forward. You do have to switch hands to buckle but it seems more comfortable than having to contort yourself to reach with your right.

Hope this helps

[bartginger]

The arm rest slides forward if you lean on it when you look between the seats while backing up. Visibility is severely impaired by the thick A pillars and the rear view mirrors. I am coming from an E36 M3 and the "bathtub" nature (much higher belt lines and much less glass) of this and pretty much all new cars makes it almost impossible to tell where the edges and corners of the car are.

[redontheline]

Originally Posted by Silver6spd

I am guessing you are reaching with your right hand like I was at first which is made more difficult since the belt does not have a height adjustment.

I started to reach with my left (underhand style) and then pulling forward. You do have to switch hands to buckle but it seems more comfortable than having to contort yourself to reach with your right.

Hope this helps

I had tried this but I wear a watch on my left wrist 90% of the time, so it's a little bit like playing operation to avoid catching the pillar or seat.

[tehlopez]

things i've noticed since i took delivery of my 2016 m235i last month: rear view mirror is too small, seating position is a little too high for me, the fact you can get better speakers aftermarket for cheaper than the harmon kardon speakers offered by bmw, annoying fuel light, break dust with msport breaks is too much, and my trunk likes to open randomly for some reason (getting it checked out later this week). I can't really blame anyone considering I bought it sight unseen, just some nit picky things i found annoying. On the bright side the locking differential works ridiculously well when shredding tires in walmart parking lots.

[Xi-Xi]

Originally Posted by redontheline

After two weeks: [LIST=1][*]Seat belt takes so much effort to reach I may look into designing something to hold it forward. It's 6-8 inches behind my shoulder.

52302208036 - Seat belt holder. Considered getting this myself, but appears it might be in the way of the manual seat latch.

[BentZero]

Originally Posted by redontheline

After two weeks:

1. Seat belt takes so much effort to reach I may look into designing something to hold it forward. It's 6-8 inches behind my shoulder.

In my LHD car I lower my left hand by my hip and pull the belt forward. Then put the buckle into my right hand to buckle it. It's much easier that way.

[Anthony235]

For people complaining about the fuel light...It kicks on at ~50 miles to empty. Remember we only have a 13.7 gal tank.

Also you can turn it "off" with your BC button. Then when you get down to like ~20miles (?) it forces itself onto the BC screen.

My seat bolster is already showing wear/scratches on the leather at 8k miles. Going to have the leather dyed then figure out a way to protect it from future wear.

[Kolyan2k]

Originally Posted by kdog26372

Just go to Turner and get console storage box for sunglasses. This replaces ashtray, take the cover off and you have this rubber bin. $8, done.

Originally Posted by BentZero

Sadly I use my cup holder to hold my shaker cup. Here's a link for those that are curious. So you pull the whole cup holder out and put this mat in the bottom?

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-1...uine-bmw-part/

Yeah, that took care of my storage issue. Might try http://www.mycarly.com/ for my coding needs to fix some other annoying issues. They said Android version coming in a few weeks with coding support

[Beartato]

The aluminum dead pedal is kind of annoying when your shoes are wet. I usually push off that to center my butt on the seat and when my shoes are wet it slips. Not a big deal overall just something of note.

[craig john]

Originally Posted by BentZero

In my LHD car I lower my left hand by my hip and pull the belt forward. Then put the buckle into my right hand to buckle it. It's much easier that way.

I've gotten in the habit of putting my seat belt on before I close the door. Its easy to reach with the door open.

[amw896]

I think someone already mentioned it on here but I don't like the button setup on the steering wheel. I think audio should be on the left and cruise on the right.

[griz31]

1. Shutting the door - the door handle is like way too far forward and there's no divet in the panel to grab onto. So strange.

2. The silver rearview mirror covers. Really dont understand the design decisions here. Easily fixed - but still.

Such minor things though, totally love the car.