[MindChanger]

I think the lack of a temp guage and inclusion of the MPG gauge is silly [non nav 330]. Many folks may disagree, but this is REALLY not a smart move. To me having an analog read on the water is almost as important as fuel and RMP.

What am I going to do- look at the fuel economy needle and say "whooa...I'm not getting a lot of miles, better control my driving habits".

Dumb gauges are for cheap cars, not bimmers.

So, I was wondering, is there a way to get BMW to changed this for the 07 model? You figure the marketing folks have to troll these websites now and then. If a change is comming, I'm willing to wait or as I expect my cries will fall on deaf ears and I may have to get an aftermarket dash mod.

-MC

 

[psychrunner]

I'm sure if you call Mr. Bangle he will immediately respond with a desired answer. That is unless people buy the e90 regardless of whether it has the temp guage or not, which may happen.
psyran

 

[Pock]

I may have to get an aftermarket dash mod.

One thing I can say about the MPG guage is that it isn't an idiot light. Most temperature guages I've seen stock in cars are, functionally, idiot lights. Aftermarket is the way to go if you want accuracy.

 

[BahnBaum]

Dumb gauges are for cheap cars, not bimmers.

Expensive bimmers have had that dumb mpg gauge for many years now.

Alex

 

[Armen52]

I have to agree with you. The mpg gauge seems to serve no purpose to me. MPG is not really an effective thing to measure in real time. Knowing how many mpg you've averaged on this last tank of gas? Now that can be useful.

And the lack of a temperature gauge sort of worries me as well.

But I don't know how effective any online petition or something would be in getting their attention. Your best bet is to call BMWNA customer service to voice your opinion politely or do the same with your dealer.

 

[nickXi]

not exactly a temp gauge, but they made the red line electronically controlled based on temperature :dunno:

 

[johnf]

I think the lack of a temp guage and inclusion of the MPG gauge is silly [non nav 330]. Many folks may disagree, but this is REALLY not a smart move. To me having an analog read on the water is almost as important as fuel and RMP.

What am I going to do- look at the fuel economy needle and say "whooa...I'm not getting a lot of miles, better control my driving habits".

Should the price you pay for fuel double again, to $5+ a gallon, the answer might be yes.

In the past, BMW NA has specified their own instrument clusters to get exactly what they want. You might suggest they substitute an oil temperature gauge as part of the sports package, or failing that, that they get VDO to (finally) modify the cluster's firmware to linearize the MPG gauge so people can actually read it. Heck, if they would open-source the cluster firmware, I would do it for them, but we'll probably have to wait for hell to first freeze over.

 

[xspeedy]

They could put many of those readings into the trip computer, and then have an option to page through the different screens so you can see everything without having to hit a button. I'd prefer to have oil and water temp in the trip computer than nowhere at all.

 

[LDV330i]

They could put many of those readings into the trip computer, and then have an option to page through the different screens so you can see everything without having to hit a button. I'd prefer to have oil and water temp in the trip computer than nowhere at all.

That is another gripe I have about BMW's. The OBC does not even have half the functionality of the ones in VW's. VW offers things like oil temp. dual set of mpg (trip/to date), distance traveled (trip/to date), motor running time (trip/to date).

 

[beauport]

Temperature guage or Oil Dip Stick

Thoughts on petitioning for an oil dip stick too instead of the electronic guage?

 

[alpinewhite325i]

You'd be better off trying to solve world hunger.

 

[LarryN]

Thoughts on petitioning for an oil dip stick too instead of the electronic guage?

Now, I'm all for this idea! I'm bummed at the thought of retiring my MityVac. Also, the oil filter cover doesn't have the hex top on it. So, in order to change the poil myself, I'll have to drive up on ramps, jack up the rear (to level the car), do the drain plug, get the special oil filter cover removal took, and loosen it, as the car is jacked up, likely on a milk crate of step stool.

As for the gas efficiency guage. I've used it many times on the highway, trying to get the best milage possible so that I do not have to make that one last gas station stop before getting home. I don't find it useless, and I've used it for the same purpose on my e30, e36, both e46's, and will use it for the same purpose on the e90 too. :thumbup:

 

[hades281]

What I would like BMW to do is (as someone mentioned) add the temperature gauge electonically -- it can look just like the oil dipstick indicator, with a range for cold, normal, the ever crucial "starting to get hot zone", and finally the HOT (which I'm sure there's an idiot light / warning for). Ideally, it could be programmable so when you start the car, it is the default display in the cluster and always available for a quick glance. And if there are sensors already for both engine temp and oil temp, both could be added quite easily!

While not knowing whether or not the engine is warmed sufficiently for higher revs is crappy, what bothers me most is not being able to watch the engine temperature so if there is a problem, I will know about it before the engine gets TOO HOT.

Unless perhaps there is a safety factor involved - say the engine can safely heat to 300 degrees without warping and other problems, and the light comes on at 250 degrees.

I drew this up in paintbrush -- pretty lousy I know, but this is what I had in mind...

- Stephen

 

[bmwaustin]

What I would like BMW to do is (as someone mentioned) add the temperature gauge electonically -- it can look just like the oil dipstick indicator, with a range for cold, normal, the ever crucial "starting to get hot zone", and finally the HOT (which I'm sure there's an idiot light / warning for). Ideally, it could be programmable so when you start the car, it is the default display in the cluster and always available for a quick glance.

While not knowing whether or not the engine is warmed sufficiently for higher revs is crappy, what bothers me most is not being able to watch the engine temperature so if there is a problem, I will know about it before the engine gets TOO HOT.

Unless perhaps there is a safety factor involved - say the engine can safely heat to 300 degrees without warping and other problems, and the light comes on at 250 degrees.

I drew this up in paintbrush -- pretty lousy I know, but this is what I had in mind...

- Stephen

It looks pretty good, but sucks to get there