Another reason not to buy a beemer

[O.S.O.K.]

I was just watching the tube for bit this morning - there was a comercial on there that I'd seen before but it hit me this time. Its a comercial for a BMW - showing that the car automatically shuts off the engine, unlocks the doors and puts the hazards on.

I'm fine with the hazards and maybe the engine cut off.... but not the unlock the doors.

The reason?

Anybody that's been in a rough area knows why.

I practice the "leave enough room in front of your car when stopping at a light - to escape" rule. This is in case some miscreants try the "bump and jack" routine. But if they bump you enough, your BMW will shut off the engine and unlock the doors? Last thing I want!

Perhaps this is only for really bad accidents? I sure hope so for BMW drivers...

[slamfire51]

I see no benefit for this.
Rescue have tools to open up any part of the car to get the occupants out.
Most severe frontal crashes will kill the engine anyway.
Depending on where the battery is located, it would also likely be destroyed, therefore the hazards wouldn't work.

Just another thing to add to the already high cost of cars.

[mriddick]

I've known of a few people burned to death in cars where bystanders couldn't get them out due to locked doors, in a case like that it could be very helpful.

[O.S.O.K.]

break the window and unlock the car? just saying.

[Mark Ducati]

I thought it was going to be this video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzbuSMKhrJ0

[mriddick]

break the window and unlock the car? just saying.

I would guess that is the idea but that doesn't make it happen so easily I'm guessing.

[El Jefe]

Meh, BMW doesn't build a pickup truck, so I have no interest in them. Plus the maintenance on them is expensive.

[ubersoldate]

Damn, I was hoping to buy a few bmw's on a harware store/ musicians salary!

I like the old ones, so unless I win the lotto, then I wont be owning one, and I dont see a new one in my stable of classic cars anyway.

[AK-J]

That function only activates when the vehicle as been in a severe enough accident where it deploys airbags. A simple "bump and jack" is not going to do that.

[63DH8]

Meh, BMW doesn't build a pickup truck, so I have no interest in them. Plus the maintenance on them is expensive.


Ditto! I have a 2004 4x4 diesel F-250 Superduty Crewcab. She has over 277,000 miles on her. She recently started acting like she needs new injectors.

In regards to the beemer, there's an engine kill switch in all modern cars. When your car gets hit hard enough, the switch trips and shuts off your fuel pump.

[viero]

I see no benefit for this.
Rescue have tools to open up any part of the car to get the occupants out.
Most severe frontal crashes will kill the engine anyway.
Depending on where the battery is located, it would also likely be destroyed, therefore the hazards wouldn't work.

Just another thing to add to the already high cost of cars.

Not that you can afford a BMW....... they fall apart anyways.

[O.S.O.K.]

I don't like em. They are a finely tuned machine that requires pampering and frequent replacement of special parts - at special prices.

I bought an older 320i for my son to drive - thinking it was past all of the bigger maintenance needs... NOT. Every little thing was expensive. Ended up trading it in on a good used Jeep wrangler.

[El Jefe]

Ditto! I have a 2004 4x4 diesel F-250 Superduty Crewcab. She has over 277,000 miles on her. She recently started acting like she needs new injectors.

In regards to the beemer, there's an engine kill switch in all modern cars. When your car gets hit hard enough, the switch trips and shuts off your fuel pump.

277,000 miles, I'll be tickled if I get that many miles out of my 2002 F150, I'm about to roll over 90,000. :)

Hopefully the injector job won't be too steep.

[mriddick]

My last 5 Crown Vic's have averaged over 225,000 miles with my average repair bill being about $600-800 lifetime for each one (not including routine stuff like oil and tires).

[viero]

I don't like em. They are a finely tuned machine that requires pampering and frequent replacement of special parts - at special prices.

I bought an older 320i for my son to drive - thinking it was past all of the bigger maintenance needs... NOT. Every little thing was expensive. Ended up trading it in on a good used Jeep wrangler.

BMW sux

[63DH8]

277,000 miles, I'll be tickled if I get that many miles out of my 2002 F150, I'm about to roll over 90,000. :)

Hopefully the injector job won't be too steep.

If you take her in for her scheduled oil change and maintenance, she'll do it. I also have a 1998 F-150. She has over 160,000 miles on her.

If I settle for the factory injectors from the dealer, it's going to run about three grand. If I decide to go with a set performance injectors that will give me an extra 25hp and 4 mpg better economy (that will pop me over 20 miles to the gallon), it'll set me back just under four grand. The biggest reason for the cost is the cab has to be removed to replace the injectors. Supposedly, it can be done without removing the cab, but it takes longer to change the injectors that way.

While I have everything apart, I'm going to have the headbolts changed over to studs. I've been waiting for the 200,000 mile engine warranty to expire to do all this.

[El Jefe]

If you take her in for her scheduled oil change and maintenance, she'll do it. I also have a 1998 F-150. She has over 160,000 miles on her.

If I settle for the factory injectors from the dealer, it's going to run about three grand. If I decide to go with a set performance injectors that will give me an extra 25hp and 4 mpg better economy (that will pop me over 20 miles to the gallon), it'll set me back just under four grand. The biggest reason for the cost is the cab has to be removed to replace the injectors. Supposedly, it can be done without removing the cab, but it takes longer to change the injectors that way.

While I have everything apart, I'm going to have the headbolts changed over to studs. I've been waiting for the 200,000 mile engine warranty to expire to do all this.

Yeah, I knew it wouldn't be cheap, but shoot, you've got over a quarter million miles out of it. :)

This 02, F150 I bought new, it's been babied and cared for, if I can get 200,000 miles out of her I'll be pleased. It's been a good truck, tho I'm starting to have some minor rust issues that I might get fixed in the spring, I'd hate to let it go.

[Solidus-snake]

Ditto! I have a 2004 4x4 diesel F-250 Superduty Crewcab. She has over 277,000 miles on her. She recently started acting like she needs new injectors.

In regards to the beemer, there's an engine kill switch in all modern cars. When your car gets hit hard enough, the switch trips and shuts off your fuel pump.

Ahh, so YOUR that guy that comes barrelin down the road with only 2 feet of road to either side of you eh?

J/k man.

[63DH8]

Ahh, so YOUR that guy that comes barrelin down the road with only 2 feet of road to either side of you eh?

J/k man.

Two feet ain't nuttin! Had less than that in Germany. Clear buildings in Iraq with less than three inches on either side while driving 25mph. :crazy: Nuttin like terrorizing the natives! :coffee:

[linx310]

It really makes you wonder when they designed these things (F250) what was going through their heads. Hmm lets make changing injectors require you to remove the entire cab.

Makes me glad on my M1009 every thing is right in front of you and easy to get to.

[Krupski]

I've known of a few people burned to death in cars where bystanders couldn't get them out due to locked doors, in a case like that it could be very helpful.

And a rock or an adrenaline pumped fist or elbow couldn't break out the window?

[Krupski]

I thought it was going to be this video:


Thank God the driver got out...

[00RedZX-6R]

Are you sure it is BMW? I have seen a commercial like that for the new VW (Jetta I think).

Breaking a side window in a car is not that easy with the proper tool. Haven't you seen the videos on cops where they bash the windows with flashlights a bunch of times before it breaks. Some cars come with safety glass in the side windows.

[JAMC]

In some of the most exclusive postcodes in London, the "official" BMW dealers charge £137 ($217) an hour for servicing. That was a few years ago - inflation means that's now closer to £150/hour.

At the height of the boom in the mid 2000's, the BMW 5-series became the best selling car in the UK - a title that was usually held by one of the Ford models in most other years.