[Krisms]

since the 2 series doesn't have an oil/engine temperature gauge, how do you know when it's safe/ideal to drive the car hard?

[ska///235i]

IMO

On a hot summer day...4-5 minutes

Cold winter..10min

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by ska325xi

IMO

On a hot summer day...4-5 minutes

Cold winter..10min

+1 I follow the same general rule, with the addition to never drive it hard before you finish your break-in and the oil has been changed. I am not enough of an engineer to tell you 100% if that shit really matters or not, but what's the harm in being careful for a few weeks? Nothing to lose, potentially something to gain.

[Ritz42]

Originally Posted by ska325xi

IMO

On a hot summer day...4-5 minutes

Cold winter..10min

If the car is cold, ie sitting for longer than 4 hours, it will take a minimum of 15 minutes before oil temps are anywhere near operating temperatures.

[overcoil]

I do believe on a lot of cars particularly Asian cars, engine temp GAUGES are actually switches where they will always go to the same position just below the half-way point. Only when coolant sensors in the engine sense a problem two things will happen: in the first less severe case the temp gauge goes to HOT, more severe event the engine will not turn back once stopped until it cools.
So usually a three to five mile sedate drive will get enough heat into engine oil and gear oil to start getting on it. You can also add in a few more miles before hitting red-line and extended top speed. Just my opinion and not some BMW suggestion.

[Uridian]

Use the hidden menu in the gauge cluster for water/oil temp. It takes me almost all of my trip to work to be close enough to be operating temperature. That's 15-20 minutes, depending.

That's lucky for me because the last few miles of my drive are 4 lane twisties with little traffic!

[Krisms]

another question that comes to mind also is that how would we know when to stop pushing the car hard. meaning we can't also tell whether the car is at the brink of overheating until we get a warning on the dash.

[Krisms]

Originally Posted by Uridian

Use the hidden menu in the gauge cluster for water/oil temp. It takes me almost all of my trip to work to be close enough to be operating temperature. That's 15-20 minutes, depending.

That's lucky for me because the last few miles of my drive are 4 lane twisties with little traffic!

"hidden menu in the gauge cluster"? how do i get there?

[Red Bread]

Yep, five minutes will barely get your coolant warm and the oil will still be well under 200 degrees for a few more minutes. 10-15 is a better guideline.

[Pray for Mojo]

Originally Posted by Krisms

"hidden menu in the gauge cluster"? how do i get there?

Hold the trip odometer button for 5 seconds until it comes up, using the trip unlock button to scroll down to unlock, put it the sum of the last 5 digits of your vin, hold the trip unlock button, it will unlock a bunch of options including temp display.

[Uridian]

Originally Posted by Pray for Mojo

Hold the trip odometer button for 5 seconds until it comes up, using the trip unlock button to scroll down to unlock, put it the sum of the last 5 digits of your vin, hold the trip unlock button, it will unlock a bunch of options including temp display.

Right. To select a menu item, hold the trip odometer button for a few seconds. And then to enter the code, press the trip odometer button as many times as the sum (mine is 36), then hold the button for a few seconds to enter. Then you will have more menu options to choose from, such as temperature.

Unfortunately (or not, I guess), this mode ends as soon as you turn off the car.

[ska///235i]

Ok lets take a step back.
Unless you're at a track where u need to push the car to its limits...u dont have to warm up 15min for some street spirited driving, sure its the safe way but oils today are made to protect the engine at all levels. If you need to redline all the way to your destination, by all means warm her up

The temp sensors are indirect sensors so i doubt it really takes 15min

[kerm1t]

can someone post the safe operating temp?

[bitcore]

Originally Posted by notime

I do believe on a lot of cars particularly Asian cars, engine temp GAUGES are actually switches where they will always go to the same position just below the half-way point.

This is not the case in my 135 - it reports actual temperature. This model is supposedly the successor to the 135, hence why so many are upset that it is missing from the 2.

[Canaletto]

Originally Posted by Krisms

since the 2 series doesn't have an oil/engine temperature gauge, how do you know when it's safe/ideal to drive the car hard?

You buy the M Performance Electronic Steering wheel and get an oil/engine temp readout.

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by Pray for Mojo

Hold the trip odometer button for 5 seconds until it comes up, using the trip unlock button to scroll down to unlock, put it the sum of the last 5 digits of your vin, hold the trip unlock button, it will unlock a bunch of options including temp display.

Originally Posted by Uridian

Right. To select a menu item, hold the trip odometer button for a few seconds. And then to enter the code, press the trip odometer button as many times as the sum (mine is 36), then hold the button for a few seconds to enter. Then you will have more menu options to choose from, such as temperature.

Unfortunately (or not, I guess), this mode ends as soon as you turn off the car.

Is this available on the extended display only?

[Uridian]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

Is this available on the extended display only?

Nope. Base model, non-tech as well.

[Krisms]

thanks for sharing the trick! i wasn't aware of that.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by bitcore

This is not the case in my 135 - it reports actual temperature. This model is supposedly the successor to the 135, hence why so many are upset that it is missing from the 2.

Yes, and my Mercedes C classes both had actual temp gauges and they were useful or at least fun.
My 240sx had the switch style temp gauge. Once you know it's not a real gauge it's useless except for a problem - There may have actually been three settings on the Nissan gauge. Normal. Hot and 3/4 position - but not certain.

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by Uridian

Nope. Base model, non-tech as well.

Shazaam! Thanks my man...

[lichenlt]

Originally Posted by notime

Yes, and my Mercedes C classes both had actual temp gauges and they were useful or at least fun.
My 240sx had the switch style temp gauge. Once you know it's not a real gauge it's useless except for a problem - There may have actually been three settings on the Nissan gauge. Normal. Hot and 3/4 position - but not certain.

I had a Merc C300 too, loved the temp gauge and digital speedo. Can't believe how difficult it is to get these basic feature on a BMW.

[M.barnes]

I posted my temp recordings from my performance wheel a while back but I don't know what "ideal temp" is.