BMW removes the Dipsticks

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 10:47 am

What??? (C&D July 2007)

Quote:

Your readers should be aware that the refinement of BMW now includes only speedo, tach, gas, and mpg gauges for instruments. All other [calculations not shown]. During my time with a 328i, an oil can dripping into what looked like water flashed on the screen several times. I learned this was the "add oil" indication. Unable to find the dipstick to check, I went to the dealer. They advised me there is no longer any dipstick in the BMW 3-series except the M3 and that the transition started in 2006. There have been a few hiccups with this new engineering breakthrough. The sensors occasionally malfunction, and customers have added oil when they shouldn't have. I was told the proper way to check the oil is to return the car to your BMW dealership and it will put the vehicle on a rack, drain the oil, measure it, and then reinstall the oil in the car. Two dealers have told me BMW doesn't want customers monkeying around under the hood. In my judgment, this new technology paradigm by BMW electrical engineers surpasses iDrive for idiocy...

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:20 am

They did away with them on the C6Z06 also. :roll:

RobLupella · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:28 pm

Stupid, Stupid Stupid Idea.

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:30 pm

Porsche's haven't had a dipstick since going water cooled.

Sure, some would say the latter was a mistake, too...

--Donnie

Chuck Branscomb · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:43 pm

As much as I hated the thought of it (no dipstick) and still do, the E90 330i we've had for 15 months now has never had an issue with the electronic dipstick. I changed the oil/filter 1/2 way to the free BMW interval and added the specified amount, and it seemed to read it perfectly. So far (21k miles) no issues...still would prefer it to have a dipstick backup.

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:56 pm

Todd Breakey wrote:

They did away with them on the C6Z06 also. :roll:

Well, yes and no. Just looked and there isn't a traditional Dipstick, but the resevoir tank has a small yellow one in it to check the level.

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 1:45 pm

Donnie Barnes wrote:

Porsche's haven't had a dipstick since going water cooled.

Sure, some would say the latter was a mistake, too...

--Donnie

And checking the oil level on the dry sump 911 engines is a bit of an odd process for those who are used to doing it with regular engines with the engine off. For those who don't know you need to have the engine running and warm before you can check the level in the sump.

Johnathan Eshleman · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 3:14 pm

Richard Casto wrote:

Donnie Barnes wrote:

Porsche's haven't had a dipstick since going water cooled.

Sure, some would say the latter was a mistake, too...

--Donnie

And checking the oil level on the dry sump 911 engines is a bit of an odd process for those who are used to doing it with regular engines with the engine off. For those who don't know you need to have the engine running and warm before you can check the level in the sump.

And on level ground...

Bernie Baake · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 4:02 pm

RobLupella wrote:

Stupid, Stupid Stupid Idea.

What he said 2x :thumbsdown:

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

Marty Howard wrote:

the refinement of BMW now includes only speedo, tach, gas, and mpg gauges for instruments.

Wow. I thought only Ford was trying to hide information from the driver. 2005+ Mustangs only have tach, speedo, fuel and engine temp gauges standard. Every Mustang from 1974 to 2004 had a full complement of gauges, so this probably just bean-counters at work. Anyway, I had to pay an extra $400 (on X-plan) to get an oil pressure gauge and ammeter. Of course, they are tiny and crammed into a deep recess between the tach and speedo, right under the fuel and engine temp gauges, so you can't read them without staring at them for a while. On the bright side, the $400 also got me fancy aluminum dashboard wallpaper, and 125 choices for the instrument panel backlighting color. Too bad the HVAC and stereo lighting is always green.

Anyway, back to BMW's sins. I guess the oil level checking procedure is OK if the dealer will come pick up your car, take it to the dealership and perform the "measurement" free of charge, every Saturday morning, for the life of the car. They should also provide a loaner while your car is away, and return it washed and vacuumed.

On second thought, it would not be OK. It's OK for GM, Ford, Cerberus, Toyota, Honda or Hyundai to assume its customers are disinterested idiots, but BMW pretends to cater to enthusiasts.

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

I half hear Roscoe P. Coltrane saying "Goo goo goo" whenever I hear the word "dipstick". YMMV.

Chuck Branscomb · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:36 am

Arthur McDonald wrote:

It's OK for GM, Ford, Cerberus, Toyota, Honda or Hyundai to assume its customers are disinterested idiots, but BMW pretends to cater to enthusiasts.

BMW is really splintering its market in many ways. They have grown so much that the huge majority of new buyers of "typical" BMWs aren't really car enthusiasts imo. I guess it has been that way for longer than I care to remember, but I would put the turning point at 1995 which was the year they quit providing a limited slip diff as an option on non-M BMWs. I guess you CAN give them credit for having really sweet sport suspension options on all cars plus still providing a 6MT option on all 3 and 5 series cars...especially given how few people actually get one with a stick.

By splintering I meant trying to shuffle pure enthusiasts to M-cars; however, with the release of the 335 and now 535 that plan has been diluted a bit. 335s are flying off dealer lots apparently...for the enthusiast buyer, Vishnu's Proceede probably has something to do with that.

(pluggable piggy back ECU yielding 12's in the 1/4 mile with 112mph traps)

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:48 am

The oil pressure "gauges" on our 97 and 01 Mustangs are really just idot lights which happen to look like a gauge. The gauge goes to one set position when the engine is running. There is a voltage guage (no ammeter).

Given that many new cars are now "drive by wire" why not "oil level by wire"? :roll:

Sure hope those electronic dipsticks are more accurate than most guages! My high mileage cars certainly need the oil level monitored!

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:29 am

I read something in the paper today (Car Guys column in the automotive section of N&O) about how Honda (maybe others as well) is providing an indication as to when to change you oil. But it is not based upon just mileage alone, but I guess a number of factors including what I assume would be hours of operation and maybe even driving style (i.e. % of time spent at high/low RPM, engine temp, etc.).

That sounds like a smart idea to me and while not as good as oil testing, it is probably better than a set mileage or number of months.

David Spratte · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:35 am

Richard Casto wrote:

I read something in the paper today (Car Guys column in the automotive section of N&O) about how Honda (maybe others as well) is providing an indication as to when to change you oil. But it is not based upon just mileage alone, but I guess a number of factors including what I assume would be hours of operation and maybe even driving style (i.e. % of time spent at high/low RPM, engine temp, etc.).

That sounds like a smart idea to me and while not as good as oil testing, it is probably better than a set mileage or number of months.

This is what BMW/MINI do. I think BMW has been at this game for a while.

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