We have Wheel, Tire and HPFP Stickies. Judging from the rash of basic questions being posted ***8211; perhaps we need a ***8220;******** How to use the ***8216;Search***8217; function***8221;?
Getting a new or new to you BMW is exciting and fun. As ***8220;enthusiasts***8221; we are compelled to learn everything we can about our cars. But with great cars, comes a great responsibility; and that responsibility is to become intimately familiar with the power of the SEARCH THIS FORUM function.
I***8217;ll take one step backward. The first responsibility is to RTFM!
***8220;But my car didn***8217;t come with an owner***8217;s manual.***8221;
So, here is a link to the BMWUSA Owner***8217;s manual download site. If you are even contemplating owning an E9X, spend some time and learn about the model you are interested in. What***8217;s more: This is where the answer to that pesky, ***8220;Triangle with Snow Flake Sign ***8211; What***8217;s This?***8221; plus many other mysteries resides.
http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/owner/dgh.aspx
You are here on the internet. I presume that means you know how to use a browser? Therefore, you should know how to search. That IS how you made it to Bimmerfest.com, right? My point being, nearly any condition you might encounter with your beloved E9X, the likelihood that it has already been discussed here is pretty good. You don***8217;t need to be a ***8220;Google-fu***8221; master ***8211; just use some basic tricks and tools.
Here is how it works:
See that Search this Forum button on the far right?
Click it and you get some options.
What is on your mind? Type it in.
It does help if you use Standard American English because for some unknown reason the forum administrators set it up to operate that way, but worst case scenario, type in something like ***8220;Pwnd***8221; and yo wil get wat ur looking 4.
Wow Results in 0.07 seconds. It is guaranteed that you cannot post a new thread and have someone repond to it in less time.
Searching is so much faster than typing a whole new thread***8230; Search for something like 91 Octane. Then get back to us in a year or so when you are finished reading all the posts. j/k
Sometimes you will do a search and it really doesn***8217;t address your question. It helps if you make that clear in your initial post when you start a thread.
***8220;I did a search, but***8230;***8230;***8221; FWIW: In my experience, making the effort of doing a search makes veteran members a lot more willing to answer your question, that is ***8211; respond to your post. Many of the established members of the E9X forum are extremely knowledgable, well read, well educated folks. If you make an effort, (meaning a semblance of good grammar and good spelling), they will too ***8211; and you will gain.
What***8217;s more, if you have enough memory cells functioning, you can do a search based on Threads or Posts by a contributing member. How cool is that?
Do you need visuals?
Using the Google Images search function is a great place to start. 9 of 10 times it points me to a Bimmerfest site. Point in fact. Today, I did a search for Space Gray with Saddle Brown Leather and it pulled up 3 photographs I***8217;ve posted on the first page! If it doesn***8217;t point you to Bimmerfest, it will point you to ***8220;the other site***8221; where there are a lot of really good images. Use the resource!
If you see a paper clip listed in a thread it means there are pictures attached. Sometimes, this is a quick way to triage your search and save time.
Now, on to some real life examples:
***8220;I love my car. It***8217;s so clean and shiny, but OMG, I just discovered swirls and my leather has butt prints from my jeans and what do I do about the infernal brake dust and can I use 87 octane gasoline?***8221;
SEARCH : Leather Cleaner or Brake Dust or Paint Swirls
Did you know that Bimmerfest has a whole subforum dedicated to detailing? And guess what? You can search this forum too! In fact you can use the basic search functions with the general search button and it will give you a chance to see what folks who have other models BMWs might have to say.
***8220;I just heard a horrendous crunch when my car hit a pothole the size of the Grand Canyon and I can***8217;t believe I just bent my wheel. WTH?***8221;
SEARCH: Pothole Explosions
Finally,
If you lack imagination or are just plain lazy, here is a list of search terms to plug into the handy search function graciously provided by Bimmerfest.
Please feel free to add to the list of search terms***8230;..
Leather Cleaner
Pothole Explosions
RFT
Set TPMS
Snowflake
Rebadged Toyota
Oil Change Interval
Check Engine Light
HPFP
M-Sport
Comfort Access
IDrive
USB
Air Filter
Enjoy your 3er and may the Search Function be with you.
Getting a new or new to you BMW is exciting and fun. As ***8220;enthusiasts***8221; we are compelled to learn everything we can about our cars. But with great cars, comes a great responsibility; and that responsibility is to become intimately familiar with the power of the SEARCH THIS FORUM function.
I***8217;ll take one step backward. The first responsibility is to RTFM!
***8220;But my car didn***8217;t come with an owner***8217;s manual.***8221;
So, here is a link to the BMWUSA Owner***8217;s manual download site. If you are even contemplating owning an E9X, spend some time and learn about the model you are interested in. What***8217;s more: This is where the answer to that pesky, ***8220;Triangle with Snow Flake Sign ***8211; What***8217;s This?***8221; plus many other mysteries resides.
http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/owner/dgh.aspx
You are here on the internet. I presume that means you know how to use a browser? Therefore, you should know how to search. That IS how you made it to Bimmerfest.com, right? My point being, nearly any condition you might encounter with your beloved E9X, the likelihood that it has already been discussed here is pretty good. You don***8217;t need to be a ***8220;Google-fu***8221; master ***8211; just use some basic tricks and tools.
Here is how it works:
See that Search this Forum button on the far right?
Click it and you get some options.
What is on your mind? Type it in.
It does help if you use Standard American English because for some unknown reason the forum administrators set it up to operate that way, but worst case scenario, type in something like ***8220;Pwnd***8221; and yo wil get wat ur looking 4.
Wow Results in 0.07 seconds. It is guaranteed that you cannot post a new thread and have someone repond to it in less time.
Searching is so much faster than typing a whole new thread***8230; Search for something like 91 Octane. Then get back to us in a year or so when you are finished reading all the posts. j/k
Sometimes you will do a search and it really doesn***8217;t address your question. It helps if you make that clear in your initial post when you start a thread.
***8220;I did a search, but***8230;***8230;***8221; FWIW: In my experience, making the effort of doing a search makes veteran members a lot more willing to answer your question, that is ***8211; respond to your post. Many of the established members of the E9X forum are extremely knowledgable, well read, well educated folks. If you make an effort, (meaning a semblance of good grammar and good spelling), they will too ***8211; and you will gain.
What***8217;s more, if you have enough memory cells functioning, you can do a search based on Threads or Posts by a contributing member. How cool is that?
Do you need visuals?
Using the Google Images search function is a great place to start. 9 of 10 times it points me to a Bimmerfest site. Point in fact. Today, I did a search for Space Gray with Saddle Brown Leather and it pulled up 3 photographs I***8217;ve posted on the first page! If it doesn***8217;t point you to Bimmerfest, it will point you to ***8220;the other site***8221; where there are a lot of really good images. Use the resource!
If you see a paper clip listed in a thread it means there are pictures attached. Sometimes, this is a quick way to triage your search and save time.
Now, on to some real life examples:
***8220;I love my car. It***8217;s so clean and shiny, but OMG, I just discovered swirls and my leather has butt prints from my jeans and what do I do about the infernal brake dust and can I use 87 octane gasoline?***8221;
SEARCH : Leather Cleaner or Brake Dust or Paint Swirls
Did you know that Bimmerfest has a whole subforum dedicated to detailing? And guess what? You can search this forum too! In fact you can use the basic search functions with the general search button and it will give you a chance to see what folks who have other models BMWs might have to say.
***8220;I just heard a horrendous crunch when my car hit a pothole the size of the Grand Canyon and I can***8217;t believe I just bent my wheel. WTH?***8221;
SEARCH: Pothole Explosions
Finally,
If you lack imagination or are just plain lazy, here is a list of search terms to plug into the handy search function graciously provided by Bimmerfest.
Please feel free to add to the list of search terms***8230;..
Leather Cleaner
Pothole Explosions
RFT
Set TPMS
Snowflake
Rebadged Toyota
Oil Change Interval
Check Engine Light
HPFP
M-Sport
Comfort Access
IDrive
USB
Air Filter
Enjoy your 3er and may the Search Function be with you.