Engine temperature

[Noodle555]

I know I should read the mannual but I don't have it handy right now.

On my E46 M3 I usually let engine and oil get to operating temperature before getting on the throttle. I don't see any temperature gauges on the dash or iDrive. Am I missing something?

[XXX555]

Originally Posted by Noodle555

I know I should read the mannual but I don't have it handy right now.

On my E46 M3 I usually let engine and oil get to operating temperature before getting on the throttle. I don't see any temperature gauges on the dash or iDrive. Am I missing something?

Nope. No engine temp, oil temp or oil pressure gauges. Nope BMW thinks we're dopes.

[Noodle555]

Wow! That is truly bizarre. Certain BMW owners (more so than Mercedes etc) are enthusiast and driving purists. The decision to omit such a critical gauge has left me quite literally lost for words.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by Noodle555

Wow! The decision to omit such a critical gauge has left me quite literally lost for words.

Yup.


But they give you a real pretty MPG economy gauge instead!!!

[Noodle555]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Yup.


But they give you a real pretty MPG economy gauge instead!!!

Yes, I noted. Truly remarkable

[XXX555]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Yup.


But they give you a real pretty MPG economy gauge instead!!!

What blows is that you loose the "instant" digital mpg (just the avg now) by getting that lame analog mpg guage. I had the instant mpg digital in my 335i and miss it.

[autoque]

Maybe BMW thought enthusiasts and driving purists wouldn't be too interested in an SUV. Their main target may have been stylish soccer-moms, hence the economy gauge.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by autoque

Their main target may have been stylish soccer-moms, hence the economy gauge.

Judging from the way I have seen them drive SUVs, I can't imagine soccer-moms being any more interested in fuel economy than in engine temperature.

[m5james]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Judging from the way I have seen them drive SUVs, I can't imagine soccer-moms being any more interested in fuel economy than in engine temperature.

LOL...they typically ignore CEL's lights, let alone an overheating light!

[ABMW]

There's lots of talk about the removal of temp and oil pressure gauges throughout the auto industry.

When was the last time you saw a modern car overheat or a vehicle loose oil pressure? (exclude Fords and GM products)

The human factor and the decluttering of automobiles is being taken into consideration and instrument panels are being simplified across the board.

The exact same thing is taking place within the aviation industry , and gauges that have been standard for 60-years are now being removed or replaced with digital gauges that must be searched for through menus or are no longer present, at all.

IDrive was an attempt at simplifying the driving experience. Obviously it was a failure, and it took many years to get it right. But in it's current state, it's very "close" to where it should be.

We'll slowly start to see the removal of such gauges from all automobiles, as other indicators and instruments are added.

Though, their removal does not at all signify the designers wish for the cars to loose their sporting appeal.

Rather, quite the contrary. It's one less thing the driver must focus on, and it can be argued that drivers can actually drive quicker and safer as a result.

Sure it's nice to see a temp. gauge, for nostalgia,but a warning light will perform the same function, if required.

Trust me, the gauges were not removed at a whim. BMW, along with every other company that builds machines which interface with humans, hires psychologists who work together with engineers to create a safe and modern interface.

I'm sure there is an exact reason as to why the temp. gauge was removed, and my bet is the answer rests somewhere along the lines of what I've written above.