[jonkarn]

Playing around the navigation split screen, if you zoom the map all the way out by spinning the iDrive controller you get a nice full view of the iconic "blue marble earth" as if you are looking from space. Looks kinda cool. I've been leaving it on the right side of the split screen, while the left side is zoomed in for regular map functions. Just a change of pace, as you can get bored with the same thing on the screen.

I switch it around from time to time, have had it on the weather, stock market, etc, or switch the album art from left to right. When you commute 70 miles a day you look for anything to change the monotony.

[Boxtyp3]

Quick question, are the auto folding mirrors upon locking available on US 435i? Or should it be coded to enable?

[erichighley]

Originally Posted by Boxtyp3

Quick question, are the auto folding mirrors upon locking available on US 435i? Or should it be coded to enable?

It can be done, but not stock. Gotta code it.

[MickAv8r]

Originally Posted by f30luxline

It was pointed out to me today and I confirmed this on my drive home, when in manual mode if you floor it past the kick-down and then down shift it will drop 3 gears. I see myself playing with this often for the next week or so

Its not specifically three gears, its selecting the lowest gear possible without overrevving.

I have the SAT so I didn't need to code it.

[Boxtyp3]

Originally Posted by erichighley

It can be done, but not stock. Gotta code it.

Got it! Thanks!

[KGB_123_99]

Originally Posted by Ali Shiralian

Nope mine has it too

That turns on/off your mirror compass. Get in there with a paperclip and try.

[wakebord99]

Originally Posted by MickAv8r

Its not specifically three gears, its selecting the lowest gear possible without overrevving.

I have the SAT so I didn't need to code it.

Yes and it's horrible. Went to "quickly merge" onto a highway the other day, it took 1 second to find the gear it wanted, accelerated for 1k RPM, before shifting again. Wasted a solid 2 seconds that could have been applied in a more productive fashion.

[Thumper333]

Originally Posted by wakebord99

Yes and it's horrible. Went to "quickly merge" onto a highway the other day, it took 1 second to find the gear it wanted, accelerated for 1k RPM, before shifting again. Wasted a solid 2 seconds that could have been applied in a more productive fashion.

That's why you use manual mode, put it in the gear you need.

If you are in manual AND using the kickdown to select lower gears.........you're doing it wrong.

[wakebord99]

Originally Posted by Thumper333

That's why you use manual mode, put it in the gear you need.

If you are in manual AND using the kickdown to select lower gears.........you're doing it wrong.

Trying no to here, but i find it hard to put full throttle just up to the kickdown trigger when your looking at a truck in your rear view mirror.

I bought a piece of plastic to put behind the peddle to prevent the kickdown, I haven't yet installed it though. Just wish BMW would be smart enough to know (hey this guy is in manual mode, he doesn't want to kick down).. but nope it knows better than you do!

[Squiden]

^ gah, I hate the kick down when in manual mode! I second the notion that if I'm in manual, it's so I can select whatever gear I think is appropriate, and not have the computer try to second-guess me! It's incredibly annoying to be in the middle of passing someone, have the car suddenly downshift, and half a second later be bouncing off the rev-limiter.

[f30luxline]

Originally Posted by MickAv8r

Its not specifically three gears, its selecting the lowest gear possible without overrevving.

I have the SAT so I didn't need to code it.

I had found this out later on but every time it kicks down to a gear that is around 6k rpm. This brings me to an rpm range where I have very little power and then am forced to shift almost immediately.

Overall I do not like this feature. I was looking for a method that would drop gears faster as manual mode still takes a bit to drop 2 gears.

It's times like this that I wish I did have the 6mt but the other 99% of the time I am very happy with the 8at.

[smithf80]

Originally Posted by pheerix

Just noticed that when you use the remote to unlock the car, the courtesy interior light color temperature is a very nice cool white but as soon as you open a door, the color temp changes to a warm white. Turning on the cabin lights manually also is a warm white.

I've noticed this too.

[erroberts1]

Originally Posted by AweSam8

This is a great feature!!!!

To add to that, you can speak naturally without waiting for the Siri menu to come up, and you may also tag contacts with nicknames.

For example, instead of going through the cumbersome contextual responses "Hey Siri.... ("what can I do for you?") call John Roberts... ("okay, which number? mobile, work, or home?") mobile." You can instead say "Hey Siri, call my dad's cell" and it will first ask you to confirm who in your contact list "dad" is and will tag that entry as "father." So then in all future instances, saying "Hey Siri call my dad at home" will initiate the call immediately. You can remove or edit tagged contact entries through your own contact record.

[tex2670]

Originally Posted by erroberts1

To add to that, you can speak naturally without waiting for the Siri menu to come up, and you may also tag contacts with nicknames.

For example, instead of going through the cumbersome contextual responses "Hey Siri.... ("what can I do for you?") call John Roberts... ("okay, which number? mobile, work, or home?") mobile." You can instead say "Hey Siri, call my dad's cell" and it will first ask you to confirm who in your contact list "dad" is and will tag that entry as "father." So then in all future instances, saying "Hey Siri call my dad at home" will initiate the call immediately. You can remove or edit tagged contact entries through your own contact record.

You can voice dial with the car's Bluetooth--you never even need to activate Siri. Press the voice button and say "Dial Mom" just like you would with Siri--but you don't have to wake Siri up, and you don't have to see the "External Device" message on iDrive.

[erroberts1]

Originally Posted by tex2670

You can voice dial with the car's Bluetooth--you never even need to activate Siri. Press the voice button and say "Dial Mom" just like you would with Siri--but you don't have to wake Siri up, and you don't have to see the "External Device" message on iDrive.

What I'm describing does not require any physical activation or "waking up" for Siri. As long as the phone is plugged in, you simply say "Hey Siri do this" and it does, all through the BT system.

Your method also requires the contact entry in your phone to be named as "Mom" which I guess is fine but I name all my contacts by full name. For a more relevant example, my girlfriend has a Russian name that Siri does not know how to pronounce correctly, and it won't call her unless I say her name the way Siri thinks it's pronounced. Alternatively, "Hey Siri call my girlfriend at work" is way easier.

I've never really had success with the BMW native voice controls (or in any car, for that matter), and if you hold the voice button it does access Siri through BT, but there is a weird delay from when the phone is ready to accept a command to when you actually hear the prompt.

It's really tomato tomahto, but I prefer using "Hey Siri" in the car.

[tex2670]

Originally Posted by erroberts1

What I'm describing does not require any physical activation or "waking up" for Siri. As long as the phone is plugged in, you simply say "Hey Siri do this" and it does, all through the BT system.

Your method also requires the contact entry in your phone to be named as "Mom" which I guess is fine but I name all my contacts by full name. For a more relevant example, my girlfriend has a Russian name that Siri does not know how to pronounce correctly, and it won't call her unless I say her name the way Siri thinks it's pronounced. Alternatively, "Hey Siri call my girlfriend at work" is way easier.

I've never really had success with the BMW native voice controls (or in any car, for that matter), and if you hold the voice button it does access Siri through BT, but there is a weird delay from when the phone is ready to accept a command to when you actually hear the prompt.

It's really tomato tomahto, but I prefer using "Hey Siri" in the car.

Ok, so instead of "Dial Mom", you say "Dial John Smith". If you drive around all the time with your iPhone charging, I guess the "Hey Siri" method works better for you. I'll just keep tapping the car's voice dial button.

EDIT--ok, I tried this on the way home. I charge my phone in the armrest. So with the windows and sunroof open, I'm screaming "HEY SIRI!!" and getting no response. Plus, most of my calls are to people I call frequently, and are in my call log. I'm assuming the same goes for your GF. I just hit the phone button on the steering wheel, and scroll my call log. So I'll be skipping the Hey Siri thing.

[murrays]

Originally Posted by erroberts1

For a more relevant example, my girlfriend has a Russian name that Siri does not know how to pronounce correctly, and it won't call her unless I say her name the way Siri thinks it's pronounced. Alternatively, "Hey Siri call my girlfriend at work" is way easier.

FYI: http://www.macworld.com/article/2602...unciation.html

[erroberts1]

Originally Posted by murrays

FYI: http://www.macworld.com/article/2602...unciation.html

There you go. Learn something new every day.

[tex2670]

Originally Posted by murrays

FYI: http://www.macworld.com/article/2602...unciation.html

That's nice work by you!

[MickAv8r]

Be careful with "Hey Siri" - that bitch tried to get me federally indicted

I sent this email to some friends when this happened to me a few weeks ago, it was the day the jury convicted the Boston Marathon bomber.

So I'm sitting in traffic on my way home from the office this evening and listening to NPR's coverage of the Boston bombing verdict. Out of the corner of my eye I see the Siri screen activate by itself and the text to speech is printing on the screen something along the lines of:

"purchasing BOMB MAKING materials blah blah TERRORIST blah blah blah KILLING blah blah Weapons of Mass Destruction.”
Siri somehow was triggered and is now listening to the NPR host....

As that is registering in my mind, I hear Siri say "I'm not sure, let me search the internet for you."

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL!” I yell as I dive for the Home button and pound on it.

The rest of the drive home I'm looking out my windows for helicopters like Henry Hill in Goodfellas.

[sr5959]

Just discovered you can use the touchpad to adjust bass/treble/balance/fader. Not particularly useful but it's cool!

[rezok]

No mirror compass hole or functionality on my Aussie 420d F32.

Oh well, would have been nice