"Neat tricks" thread!
10-08-2007, 09:43 AM
#11
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My Ride: 2008 550i ZSP with Style 167 wheels
This "trick" isn't a driving one, rather it's a cleaning one that's so simple I thought "why didn't I think of that" when I first heard it.
When you clean your windows, wipe the outside of the glass horizontally and the inside of the glass vertically (or vice-versa; doesn't matter as long as you're consistent). If you see streaking or film, you'll know by its orientation whether it's inside or outside the glass.
Lou
When you clean your windows, wipe the outside of the glass horizontally and the inside of the glass vertically (or vice-versa; doesn't matter as long as you're consistent). If you see streaking or film, you'll know by its orientation whether it's inside or outside the glass.
Lou
10-08-2007, 01:28 PM
#12
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I think I had the car 6 months before I realized there is a power outlet in the passenger footwell.
Also, holding down the unlock button on remote will lower all windows and open sunroof.
And there is a hand grab area inside the trunk which lets you close the trunk without touching the paint. You need to turn your hand upside down and pull it towards you.
Also, holding down the unlock button on remote will lower all windows and open sunroof.
And there is a hand grab area inside the trunk which lets you close the trunk without touching the paint. You need to turn your hand upside down and pull it towards you.
10-08-2007, 01:46 PM
#13
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My Ride: 2008 Carbon Black 550i w/Sport Package, Sport Automatic Transmission, Natural Brown Leather, NAV, Active Steering, Cold-Weather Package, Logic 7, iPod/USB Adapter. Build completed Sep , 2007.
Turning off tilt alarm and interior motion sensor
This is almost verbatim from the manual, still I found this fairly useful (when I lived in LA and parked in a "secured" lot I used to leave the windows open somewhat for ventilation, sometimes sudden gusts of wind would trigger the alarm - I wish I had read the manual sooner):
"Press the LOCK button on the remote control again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp light up briefly (solid) and then flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor are now switched off until the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subsequently locked again."
P.S. it would be nice if BMW had an option (like Mazda, Lexus and Audi) or better yet standard feature to have a "solar sunroof" using similar photovoltaic technology that could charge the battery and let one use the A/C while the car is parked (especially long term), that timed A/C feature is not nearly as useful.
This is almost verbatim from the manual, still I found this fairly useful (when I lived in LA and parked in a "secured" lot I used to leave the windows open somewhat for ventilation, sometimes sudden gusts of wind would trigger the alarm - I wish I had read the manual sooner):
"Press the LOCK button on the remote control again as soon as the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp light up briefly (solid) and then flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor are now switched off until the next time the vehicle is unlocked and subsequently locked again."
P.S. it would be nice if BMW had an option (like Mazda, Lexus and Audi) or better yet standard feature to have a "solar sunroof" using similar photovoltaic technology that could charge the battery and let one use the A/C while the car is parked (especially long term), that timed A/C feature is not nearly as useful.
10-08-2007, 04:01 PM
#14
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My Ride: 530i
Here is another useless trick that I just stumbled onto... If you have your automatic transmission in "D", the transmission will prevent you from drifting backwards on a hill. If you switch over to Manual - i.e., Gear 1 or 2, you can drift backwards ...
10-08-2007, 04:28 PM
#15
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My Ride: 2008 535i w/ Sports & Permium Pkg. Silv/Blk
2008 VW R32 w/Nav.
1992 VW Corrado Silv/Blk-retired
2001 530i Sports/Premium-retired
Originally Posted by elmbeck' post='479219' date='Oct 8 2007, 01:07 PM
Try holding the lock button on the remote as well - seems to be press once to lock, then press and hold - windows up.
10-09-2007, 04:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Russ1974' post='478777' date='Oct 7 2007, 10:00 AM
Hi all, I've come across a couple of very useful tricks recently buried within certain threads on this forum. I thought it might be a good idea to put them altogether in one place? These are the two I've picked up over the last few days. It's the kind of thing that if you've read the manual you probably know about it already. But if like me you got bored after page 473 and stopped reading, things like this make a huge difference to how I use the car!
So, here are two to start us off...
1) Pressing "Stop/Start" without foot on the brake. Doing this allows you to cycle through the different stages of ignition on your car, in the same way you used to be able when you had a key (which had multiple positions). This is especially useful if you have items powered by the cigarette lighters which don't usually come on until you start the engine. Hit the "start" button without your foot on a pedal and the electronics will power up, without starting the engine.
2) Holding "iDrive knob" in a direction for 1 second. Doing this allows you to jump straight to another menu without having to navigate back to the main screen. E.g., if you are in "entertainment" (down) and want to go to "Navigation", just hold the knob to the right for one second. When you've finished, pull it towards you for one seond, and you're back in entertainment. This one has saved me so much time...
... so, any more?
So, here are two to start us off...
1) Pressing "Stop/Start" without foot on the brake. Doing this allows you to cycle through the different stages of ignition on your car, in the same way you used to be able when you had a key (which had multiple positions). This is especially useful if you have items powered by the cigarette lighters which don't usually come on until you start the engine. Hit the "start" button without your foot on a pedal and the electronics will power up, without starting the engine.
2) Holding "iDrive knob" in a direction for 1 second. Doing this allows you to jump straight to another menu without having to navigate back to the main screen. E.g., if you are in "entertainment" (down) and want to go to "Navigation", just hold the knob to the right for one second. When you've finished, pull it towards you for one seond, and you're back in entertainment. This one has saved me so much time...
... so, any more?
Also toggled through the vent setttings.
This sort of stuff is really helpful. With my last car I found out after nearly 5 years of ownership that I could remotely open and close the windows from the key fob - durrr!
Keep 'um coming!
10-09-2007, 08:58 AM
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I'm embarrassed to post this... I was putting groceries in the trunk last night and finally opened the covered door on the left side of the trunk, below the storage tray. It was a storage compartment! 
10-09-2007, 12:28 PM
#19
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My Ride: 2008 Carbon Black 550i w/Sport Package, Sport Automatic Transmission, Natural Brown Leather, NAV, Active Steering, Cold-Weather Package, Logic 7, iPod/USB Adapter. Build completed Sep , 2007.
Originally Posted by jaxen112' post='479621' date='Oct 9 2007, 03:22 PM
where is the power outlet you speak of in the passenger footwell? is this a standard plug?
10-09-2007, 12:52 PM
#20
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Model Year: 2018
Originally Posted by ctsang1234' post='479559' date='Oct 9 2007, 12:58 PM
I'm embarrassed to post this... I was putting groceries in the trunk last night and finally opened the covered door on the left side of the trunk, below the storage tray. It was a storage compartment!
My 2004 car had the "compartment" there but my 2008 car does not...