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Unlike BMW,will Lexus keep the oil dipstick?

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Old 12-29-07, 01:49 PM
  #46  
MGS4
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from e90post.com

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13460
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Old 12-29-07, 01:55 PM
  #47  
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Originally Posted by KINGLEX
i love it when people that never designed a car think they know better than car designers. there should have been a poll to see who even owns a bmw without a dipstick. how can one comment on something that they never used?

-King Bimmer
It's about simple maintenance and a simple pull and wipe of the thin metal man. You don't have to be a designer of cars. Don't see anything wrong with having a simple hole and a stick on the engine to check and examine your oil.

Originally Posted by EDGE2
Lack of a dipstick is not gonna stop me from buying a car, I have a dipstick so I check the oil maybe once every oil change but I have changed the oil in my cars and never even bothered to look at the dipstick My new 300c has a tire sensors that tells me the exact tire pressure in all 4 tires thats *****in, I will never use a tire pressure gauge again, so bring on the onboard dash monitors that you can flip through to view to the status of everything on the car, technology is about moving forward
I hear you on that part with technology man and I'm for it. But for something as thin and small, I don't think removing a dipstick is a right thing. Not like it's taking up space under the hood.
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Old 12-29-07, 02:14 PM
  #48  
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Some cars had some "headlights suggested" display on the gauge, there was a light sensor wired to detect the environmental light wired to the "headlights suggested" display but it didnt do anything to turn on the lights

thats what happens when you get engineers trying to be too cute and too clever who are out of touch with reality

Originally Posted by babyGS3
guys.. bmw oil changes are "free" included in the price of the car for the duration of the 4 year warranty. and so are fluid changes, shocks, struts, wipers, brakes... etc....
what does free maintenance have to do with this, not everyone has oodles of free time to screw around at a dealership because the only way of accurately knowing the oil level of your engine is gone. Have to drive to the dealer to check on how much oil I have in a car? Got to be kidding me

Last edited by 4TehNguyen; 12-29-07 at 02:22 PM.
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Old 12-29-07, 02:18 PM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by Koma
Your car should be warmed up whenever checking oil levels regardless. Kinda like when you're supposed to check the tires when they're cold.
Yes, but do NOT check the oil for at least 5 minutes or so after you shut off a warm engine...all of the oil has to have time to flow back down to the crankcase. In fact, if it takes longer then that to get an accurate reading (as it sometimes does with old or poorly maintained engines), the oil passageways may be partially plugged up with dirt or sludge.
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Old 12-29-07, 02:46 PM
  #50  
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personally i dont think anyone would care about the onboard monitoring as much if BMW had just left the dipstick on.

the 300c TPMS may be able to tell u psi on each tire but Chrysler didnt get rid of the valvestem now did it.
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Old 12-29-07, 03:38 PM
  #51  
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Originally Posted by MGS4
please try again the e90 came out in late 2005 and that thread is from early 2006. it cleary states that there was a software bug. we are almost in 2008 so a more recent thread would be in order.

-King Bimmer
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Old 12-29-07, 03:59 PM
  #52  
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Guys please watch our tones here.
 
Old 12-29-07, 04:10 PM
  #53  
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Originally Posted by 1SICKLEX
What we are slowly experiencing (and fast in some cases) is the effect of computers on cars. BMW has figured it knows best and will tell you when the car needs an oil change. Car makers WANT you to get service at a dealer, why would they want you to DIY or go elsewhere? More money for them and their dealers. Of course, they will say "its whats best for the car", which maybe true, but there are those that like to DIY....

Its just a matter of time cars tell us when to turn, where to go and where to park!
COSIGN!
There are things in the works on cars driving themselves, cars telling you that you left your lights on in your house, sensors for everything are coming, INCLUDING telling you to reduce your speed. Its coming to where the DRIVING machine is going to the WE DRIVE you machine.

You guys think its bad with an oil stick, you wait and see what it is like as Government starts to want more control over MPG regulations, and speeds. Its coming folks. You watch and see.
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Old 12-29-07, 04:22 PM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by cpone

You guys think its bad with an oil stick, you wait and see what it is like as Government starts to want more control over MPG regulations, and speeds. Its coming folks. You watch and see.
Traffic congestion will put an end to a lot of speeding no matter what Government policy is.
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Old 12-29-07, 04:25 PM
  #55  
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
Traffic congestion will put an end to a lot of speeding no matter what Government policy is.
In metropolitan areas but America is so big, there are tons of places to speed.

I will say though, they have built so much here, all my fav backroads are packed and I have to drive late at night if I want a "Fun Run".
 
Old 12-29-07, 07:52 PM
  #56  
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
Yes, but do NOT check the oil for at least 5 minutes or so after you shut off a warm engine...all of the oil has to have time to flow back down to the crankcase. In fact, if it takes longer then that to get an accurate reading (as it sometimes does with old or poorly maintained engines), the oil passageways may be partially plugged up with dirt or sludge.
Good point Marshall.
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Old 12-30-07, 12:48 AM
  #57  
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Originally Posted by Threxx
I see nothing wrong with a lack of dip stick so long as the oil level sensor is designed to be basically fail proof. I guess ideally you'd have both the sensor and the dip stick but the sensor is MUCH more useful for the other 99.9% of the population that has never pulled an oil dip stick on their car before. At least this way they see the readout on the dash and know what's going on as soon as the problem surfaces (like as soon as they pull out of jiffy lube)
One thing that came to mind when I saw the jiffy lube comment is how would you check on the condition of the oil? Some shady shops tell you they changed your oil when they actually didnt. Not something you would have to worry about with the dealer but there would be no easy way to check.
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Old 12-30-07, 06:14 PM
  #58  
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Originally Posted by hb55047
One thing that came to mind when I saw the jiffy lube comment is how would you check on the condition of the oil? Some shady shops tell you they changed your oil when they actually didnt. Not something you would have to worry about with the dealer but there would be no easy way to check.
Good point, but I do know for a fact that my 335i doesn't have an oil dip stick. It doesn't bother me because I don't have time to ever change my oil personally and if the dealer doesn't do right then I'll record proof of them changing it which means BMW would have to replace my engine. If the sensor was to fail, there's also a maintenance reminder that comes on every single start, which tells you how long you have to change your oil which is another way to know. So what's the problem? I could live without a dipstick
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Old 12-30-07, 06:31 PM
  #59  
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Originally Posted by Joeb427
First the trans and now the oil..I just read on another forum that the new BMWs don't have oil dip sticks.
The oil is checked by the dealer We are talking about an a freaking internal combustion motor here, it loves oil and needs a dip stick..
Dude, this is an inflammatory post.

The fact is, dipsticks are going bye bye - and yep, I bet Toyota will follow shortly. The fact is, they don't make sense for most people as most people never check their oil!

Alas, I have a BMW and it has a dipstick, but to tell you the truth, I've never used it. At a traffic light sitting level, I call up the oil level on my car occasionally (yes, using the iDrive thingy that all non BMW owners love to hate). Even that is rare however - most people (BMW, Lexus, owners etc.) don't do anything until the light comes on and/or don't ever realize they were low because they change their oil on a regular basis.

Last but not least, internal combustion engines NEED oil - the ones that LOVE them are not functioning so well.
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Old 12-30-07, 08:01 PM
  #60  
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OT here.

But apparently, BMWs has smaller windshield washer fluid reservoir too. X5 runs out of washer fluid in 3 months. Will Lexus keep the same size reservoir unlike BMW?
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