E90 BMW 320Si guages in dash

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Tue 12 Sep 2006 14:17
E90 BMW 320Si guages in dash - ShereKhan
Hi BR's

I've just taken delivery of my new company car - a BMW 320Si and have been driving around for the last week running her in. (1000 miles in 5 days)

I've come across a few oddities. They may be common knowledge to other E90 BMW owners but as its my first company car/BMW/new car please excuse my ignorance.

1) There is no temperature guage in the dash - The handbook informs me that there is a warning light in the event of the engine overheating!

This made me think - how do you know when the engine has warmed up?? I am contemplating buying this car after the lease agreement is up, therefore I don't want to trash the car.

2) There is no physical dipstick on the 320Si - The supplying garage has confimed this and have shown me how to read the oil level via the on board electronics. What had me miffed was that the book and dealer recommend that the engine has been run for a few minutes before checking the level. How does this work ?

Under my lease agreement I have to check the oil regularly, I wonder what would happen in the event of a irregularity with the on board electronics.

As far as I know this engine is only available in the E90 320Si and no other BMW shares it.



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Fiat Uno 60S, Rover 214SEi, 306 2.0 SE Cabriolet - BMW 320Si
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Tue 12 Sep 2006 14:20
E90 BMW 320Si guages in dash - jc2
The engine will be warm enough when the idle speed drops to normal.
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Tue 12 Sep 2006 14:23
E90 BMW 320Si guages in dash - ShereKhan
But the idle speed is always normal when I start the car....I'm trying to avoid revving too hard when its cold. I've always checked temp gauges before revving hard in any car.
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Fiat Uno 60S, Rover 214SEi, 306 2.0 SE Cabriolet - BMW 320Si
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Tue 12 Sep 2006 15:51
E90 BMW 320Si guages in dash - HensTeeth
I have had a couple of cars now which have an oil temperature readout as well as coolant. Except when the ambient temperature drops to round about freezing or below, the coolant is up to 'normal' temperature after about 5 minutes of gentle driving, but the oil needs nearer 15-20 minutes. This was the case with both cars, thus I try to be gentle for the first 15-20 minutes of driving whichever car I drive now.

Hope that helps,

Toby
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Tue 12 Sep 2006 16:12
E90 BMW 320Si guages in dash - cheddar
My motorcycle does not have a coolant temp gauge, only an overheat light, and I admit that I would prefer to have a gauge, after all I would like to know when it is starting to get hot as opposed to when it has over heated! The cooling fan coming on in traffic is reassuring, or rather when it goes off again it is reassuring.

Many modern bikes with LCD displays have a digital temp sensor that says "low temp" when cold then the temp in deg C from about 50 deg C up, I would have though something similar could easily be done in place of the traditional temp gauge in a car, perhaps withon the trip computer menu alongside outside temp etc. No gauge at all is a retrograde step IMO.
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Tue 12 Sep 2006 16:39
E90 BMW 320Si guages in dash - mss1tw
'driving machines' indeed.
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