Today's test drive

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Sat 18 Apr 2015 20:48
Today's test drive - daveyjp
A BMW 320i GT x drive and it left me underwhelmed.

Excellent interior and very well equipped, but it had a manual gearbox which was very notchy, a heavy clutch and it required far too many revs to prevent stalling, but it does auto start if you do stall so they have thought about it!

I couldn't see the bottom info screen of the dash when the steering wheel was set correctly, a problem when a warning went off as I couldn't see what it was.

You can't raise the drivers seat whilst sitting on it, it only lowers to its full extent. The salesman informed me it has to be done from outside the car. That's handy when you have two drivers of a car.

I now know why BMW drivers don't use indicators. They have tried to reinvent the wheel like Vauxhall did years ago and the system just isn't very good.

It does however have a proper handbrake, but of course no spare wheel.

I'll keep the B class for now.
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Sun 19 Apr 2015 12:16
Today's test drive - RichT54

From your comments about the gearbox, clutch, manual seat adjustment and indicators, it seems they have not changed much since I bought a 1-series in 2004. I only kept it 9 months, but that was because everytime the dealer tried to fix something, they broke something else.

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Sun 19 Apr 2015 12:52
Today's test drive - Andrew-T
... They have tried to reinvent the wheel like Vauxhall did years ago and the system just isn't very good.

Which wheel have they tried to reinvent, or is this just the usual catch-phrase? :-)

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Sun 19 Apr 2015 19:35
Today's test drive - daveyjp
On every car I have owned when you move the indicator stalk to turn left or right the stalk stays in position. Move it back from this position to the centre to cancel.

A quick flick on modern system gives three or four flashes for overtaking exiting roundabouts etc. very useful.

BMW have decided that when you want to turn left or right and indicate for longer you move the stalk to the full poaition, but rather than stay there the stalk goes back to the neutral position whilst the indicator flashes. If it doesn't self cancel from the steering wheel how do you cancel it? Move it in the same direction or move it the other way?

Its a change which isn't required and is therefore a reinvention of the wheel.

Edited by daveyjp on 19/04/2015 at 19:35

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Sun 19 Apr 2015 12:56
Today's test drive - slkfanboy

The clutch and slightly notchy gearbox are the way BMW have been for years. Ig uess they consider it to be more sporty to have short biting clutch, its not like your ford focus. Seating have been the same for a while too. Trick is to get the seat all the way up and sit on it to get the hight right.

No real issue with the indicators, worked nicely. Old stlye hand break is good bit the Jag's have really nice electric ones the run them selves and can all most be forgotten.

Your stalling it dues to the short bite clutch

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