Think about your routine as you enter the car and get ready to start it and drive. What do you go through? Think carefully! I don't use my cell phone in the car so I don't do anything with it. Those with different trannys will have different steps (so to speak). Lets assume it is just you entering the car alone...no wifey, gf, so, kids, buddies, etc.

My order on a 2005 545i/SMG:

(1) Insert key and turn to position 2.
(2) Step on brake
(3) Shift SMG into N from either R or D (I always turn off the car in R or D)
(4) Start car
(5) Release emergency brake (still have foot on brake)
(6) Punch I-Drive to accept lawyerise
(7) Punch off PDC (most of the time)
(8) Put SMG into gear 1 and hit the gas and get ready to shift into 2 pretty darn quick
(9) Dink with I-Drive for NAV or tunes

For lights, I always leave it in auto-mode so I don't normally have to fiddle with that.

Gee, lottsa crap to go through just to get started!

 

Same car, slightly different routine.

My order on a 2005 545i/SMG:

(1) Plug cell phone into charger
(2) Step on brake
(3) Insert Key
(4) Start car (already in N)
(5) Release emergency brake (still have foot on brake)
(6) Punch I-Drive to accept lawyerise
(7) Set Nav (even if I know where I'm going, I like the estimated time)
(8) Into gear and off I go!

Same with you on the lights...auto mode all the way!

 

1)step on brake and disengage parking brake
2)foot on clutch and start the car
3)lift foot off clutch and go (i always leave my car in first when parking)
4) press I-drive knob to accept.....
5)off i go! (yeah i haev my lights on auto too

 

Not to get off topic, but Jeffs...did you really rebadge to a 525 and if so, just curious as to why?

 

I don't have SMG, so I normally turn it all the way I can, step on brake, car interior proceeds to shift into proper place, I then click 'accept' on the idrive, If I'm in a parking garage I look around at all the people that aren't getting into BMWs, chuckle, then go.

 

1) Get into car
2) Put key in ignition
3) Step on Brake
4) Turn key
5) Realized forgot to feed my dog
6) Get off car
7) Look and admire my car for 10 sec
8) Back in the house and feed my dog
9) Get back into my car
10) Look at Engine Temp/Rev & make sure I'm ok to go
11) Release Handbrake
12) Put on sunglasses
13) Shift to R
14) Annoyed by PDC coz my car is only 1/2 inch to the wall
15) Back out of garage
16) PDC now beeps on my left (Snow tires on the left)
17) Keep backing out
18) PDC beeps continously (Garage door frame to right & left)
19) ...

 

Mine's pretty simple with Steptronic.

1. Look to see that nothing is behind me after opening garage door.
2. Start car.
3. Turn off the noise to the parking distance control (PDC) (left on to make me think about whether I looked behind the car).
4. Turn off DSC and then DTC--unless I am going to be on a freeway or the road.
5. Click my joystick to get rid of the "Accept" screen.
6. Pull back and hold the joystick briefly so my last-chosen entertainment screen and the "On Board Info" screen appear in split screen once the "Accept" screen goes away.
7. Stick Valentine 1 to the windshield.
7. Put car in reverse and back out.
8. Put car in DS, and I'm on my way.
10. Forgotten before--put on seatbelt at some point.

Lights and windshield wipers (which I expect never to use ~{;^)) on auto. Phone no problem--Bluetooth.

My wasted motions are dispensing with the "Accept" screen and pulling back/briefly holding the joystick to return to where I left my split screen. It would be nice to not have to fool with the "Accept" screen. I vote for a one-time click for "Accept" and a one-time click for "Don't show me this message again." It also would be nice if the split screen would automatically return to where I left it. I prefer to have to turn DSC off manually because the worst possible case is that its on when I don't want if--and not off when I need it (hopefullly never).

 

I'd have to go review my exact order of events but one item that's missing from the one's I've read so far is:

<- release parking brake>
- slide armrest forward with elbow

 

Non winter season:

1) break
2) insert key - start
3) seat bealt
4) check emergency break
5) Drive away
6) -- accept -- Idrive info
7) play the radio
8) -- look left look right to see if chicks are looking at me (joke joke)


Winter:

winter season:

1) break
2) insert key - start
3) heatup my steering wheel, seats, and then central heater
4) seat bealt
5) check emergency break
6) Drive away
7) -- accept -- Idrive info
8) play the radio
9) -- look left look right to see if chick are looking at me (joke joke)

 

Rudy, you actually use the sliding armrest? I'd have to say that is the MOST annoying "feature" of the car (more than foglights, SMG-auto mode and even mudflaps ).

If mine is not locked in the rear-most position it just keeps moving back and forth.