No dipstick

[zakelwe]

My colleague from work came around and showed me his new 320i and although the dash was just ok the seats were very nice Alcantara or such, super for a cooking model and the steering wheel just the right size and very feelsome, very impressed. So I asked to look under the bonnet and then it seemed he didn't know how to open it which was weird as he had it 3 months so should be checking stuff.

Anyhow, he finally got it open and the engine is well back (nice work BMW) but there was some huge expanse of plastic at the front I had no idea about. What is that for? Seems to just fill a gap! Just before I got my nose out of there I wondered where the oil dipstick was and after about 2 minutes had to give up. Is it really tiny or does it not just have one? Is this why my colleague doesn't even have to worry about where the bonnet release is? Surely you have to fill up the windscreen washer fluid, or is God a Bimmer driver and He helps out between servicing?

I think I'm getting old. That's the last time I look under a modern bonnet with any sort of confidence. No wonder Chris Goffey and Noel Edmunds gave up Top Gear.

Regards
Andy

[Funk]

Oil is checked from the driver's seat via the OBC.

[zakelwe]

Funk said:

Oil is checked from the driver's seat via the OBC.

That makes sense, if they can do it for petrol then oil is just the same. The dipstick is more accurate and foolproof but people just don't bother checking them anymore so it saves us from our lazyness. Good idea.

Regards
Andy

[CatherineJ]

My 318i didnt have a dipstick, although from memory the diesel BM's we had, all had dipstick.s

[greygoose]

jz325i said:

Funk said:

Oil is checked from the driver's seat via the OBC.

Does it tell you how much to top it up by when it's low?

A message pops up to say it needs a litre of oil adding.

[Killwilly]

greygoose said:

jz325i said:

Funk said:

Oil is checked from the driver's seat via the OBC.

Does it tell you how much to top it up by when it's low?

A message pops up to say it needs a litre of oil adding.

A LITRE,. I get worried if mine needs a quarter of that.

[Mroad]

Killwilly said:

greygoose said:

jz325i said:

Funk said:

Oil is checked from the driver's seat via the OBC.

Does it tell you how much to top it up by when it's low?

A message pops up to say it needs a litre of oil adding.

A LITRE,. I get worried if mine needs a quarter of that.

A litre (or 750ml) is usually the amount between Max and Min marks on a normal dipstick so 250ml is not a huge worry unless it's lost over a short period.
Personally I think not having a dipstick is wrong especially on such a crucial component.
Fair enough to have an electronic warning but they can lie or fail and I've had such warnings lie to me before (and not in a failsafe way). A dipstick can't lie.

[Killwilly]

No dipstick, no spare wheel, what next will BMW choose to omit?

[berry100]

Killwilly said:

No dipstick, no spare wheel, what next will BMW choose to omit?

Who knows....just think of the weight savings with no dipstick!!

[bmw2002]

Killwilly said:

No dipstick, no spare wheel, what next will BMW choose to omit?

Indicators?





Thought I'd get that one in first

[chr15b]

Killwilly said:

greygoose said:

jz325i said:

Funk said:

Oil is checked from the driver's seat via the OBC.

Does it tell you how much to top it up by when it's low?

A message pops up to say it needs a litre of oil adding.

A LITRE,. I get worried if mine needs a quarter of that.

i vaugly remember from my owners manual on my old bmw that it said something about not topping up by little amounts. a friend told me this was to do with the computer controlled service intervals, if the cars using a lot of oil it could adjust the next service interval and come in earlier - but if you kept topping it up 100ml at a time it couldnt keep track or something