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REVIEW: Dice iPod integration

2007-05-09T10:06:00.000-04:00

When I bought my 325, it did not have a CD changer in the trunk, relegating me to a single CD at a time through the in dash player. This was a little bit of a shock to the system as my previous car, a Lexus GS 300, had a 12 disc changer - not to mention a kick-ass tape deck for all my Def Leppard cassettes. That tape player, however antiquated, did provide an avenue for me to pipe in tunes from my iPod though. Now what do I do?

This is where DICE comes in. An iPod interface for BMW is not exactly new. BMW offers an OEM unit for the E46 and has for some time. While functional, it is a pretty inflexible design limiting you to five playlists with no display information other than the fact that you are listening to track 157 on CD (playlist) 2. DICE, on the other hand, allows full control of the iPod and scrolls id3 tag information across the screen (the "Flaming" part of "Flaming Lips" can be seen in the picture below). Very nice. You can also "browse" through playlists and albums as well as songs. This includes songs within the selected playlist or album. You do this navigation via the radio controls and preset buttons or through the multi-function steering wheel. Be warned though - "browse" is in clever quotes because you can move around but not via any textual means: you have to know that 'My Top Rated' playlist is the 11th playlist on your iPod. This small shortcoming is somewhat mitigated by the fact that you still have full control of the iPod - assuming it is close at hand. More on that in a minute.

So how was installation? I did it all myself and it was fairly easy if you are comfortable with simple hand tools and have some knowledge/patience with the myriad of trim clips that auto manufacturers use to hold everything together. Fortunately BMW uses very well-designed clips that do not self destruct when you dissemble. The unit plugs into the wiring harness for the CD changer (all US cars were pre-wired) that hides behind the trunk trim. I then routed the cable up underneath the seat, which required rear seat removal, and up along the sill trim to the front passenger foot-well. From there I took out the glove-box assembly and routed the cables and "brain box" behind, ending with a dock cable that comes out inside the glovebox. Once everything is back together, you cannot even tell it exists and it all looks very clean. As a bonus, the iPod is relatively accessible to the driver if you need to find an artist or playlist, but I would not recommend doing it at speed. This might all sound daunting but it only took about an hour or so and cost a couple PBRs.

What are my impressions? Well, I can hardly fault the sound quality. If your original rips are good or they were purchased from iTunes, it is hard to tell the difference from CD. Yeah yeah, I know - the quality is technically not as good. You are also technically not in a concert hall and even the "premium" Harman Kardon sound system is technically mediocre at best. Get over it. The convenience and cool-factor outweigh the shortcomings of a compressed digital music format. I simply love the fact that I have about 10GB (my current iPod capacity) at my fingertips. Jazz? Sure we can listen to that. The Shins? Got that too. Richard Cheese's lounge singer rendition of "Down with the Sickness" or "Creep": check - just a click or two away. There are a couple faults though. I have a 3G iPod (with the four horizontal touch buttons) which has some compatibility issues. If you change to the radio or that single cd for old times sake, the iPod does not pause. Furthermore, when you start the car it reinitializes each time. These issues went away when I plugged in my sister's 4G. Additionally, the faux-browsing is a little annoying and the advertising is a little misleading. There are rumors of a firmware upgrade to add features, but I am not sure how logistically feasible that is, unless you can pump the software in via the iPod (I am sure not interested in taking the car apart again to ship it somewhere). Finally, there has been reports of weird noise and interference one some units, but I my suspicion is that the installs were FUBAR or the wiring was already molested.

In summary, the DICE unit is a great purchase and I would even ditch a changer for it. Install is painless and the result met expectations. I recommend buying the unit from European Auto Source. Tom has provided a tremendous level of support and is very knowledgeable, and I know he goes out of his way to help people and make things right. Buy DICE and you will not be dissapointed.

E90 M3 Announced

2007-04-03T15:24:00.000-04:00

It is not like this is a huge surprise, as the M3 "Concept" revealed weeks ago was pretty much the production version of the new M3. This car is pretty hot though. I am not sure what is so endearing about the M cars - it is not like anyone can really harness the capability on public roads. Hell, the 335 is arguably more than you need on a US public road. I think it is just the sinister nature of it - the fact that you know what it is capable of. It should also be enough car do give that nerd in the spoilered Accord erectile dysfunction. I also like the attention to detail - little things like special stitching, embroidered seats, subtle design tweaks. Things I miss from older M cars are door pulls that say "BMW Motor Sport" and engines that looked like they were straight from a race car. Unfortunately, this new M V8 looks like it might have been hauled for duty from a Toyota Tundra. Internally this this obviously a special engine, but c'mon - what's with the plastic manifold cover?

About that engine. The new V8 is related to the
V10 from the M5/6. It displaces 4.0-liters, has features an aluminum block, magnesium cam covers and aluminum-silicon alloy in the crankcase and produces 420 hp at 8300 rpm, and 295 lb-ft at 3900 rpm. It is good enough to propel the M3 from 0 to 60mph in 4.8 seconds (about a half second quicker). As Autoweek correctly points out, though, acceleration is only part of the equation. This is not a Camaro. Handling finesse is what all BMWs have been about and a big reason why many would take an E46 M3 over the brute AWD force of an Audi RS4.

E46 vs E90

2007-03-27T17:44:00.000-04:00

At first I thought the new 3 Series (E90) was a dud when compared to the E46 in the looks department. the E46 just seems like one of those cars that will look good for years to come. This has been the case with most past BMWs. I am not sure what time will do to the sharp creases that BMW favors now, but I will say that the new 3 is growing on me. It certainly offers a lot of cool features and, as always, ups the power quotient.

Someone but together a great comparison of the two here. I agree wholeheartedly that the E90 has one of the worst cup holder designs ever ... although those crazy Scandinavians at SAAB seem to be pretty good at engineering an ergonomic beverage disaster.

Thanks to Kristopher Lindquist for doing this review. I enjoyed reading something other than a magazine article where the journalists are more focused on finding a cute or clever remark to make than providing insight an everyday driver can appreciate.

A TC is not a race car

2007-03-26T12:27:00.000-04:00

I like Scions. They are kind of quirky, have unbelievable quality for the price, and have an interesting sales structure. The TC is a cool car with a lovely sunroof and a capable FWD chassis from the Toyota Avenis (not sold in the US). It is not a race car. Regardless of that fact, nearly every time I see one it is being piloted by some spikey-haired Asian fellow (not the same one ... at least I don't think so), has a giant asshole muffler, and is weaving uncontrollably in and out of traffic.

I loath Scions. I take it all back. I loath them now because when I see one in my rear view it undoubtedly means someone is trying to live out their Playstation Grand Turismo wet dream at my expense. "Why my expense" you ask? Seemingly these Scion Samurai seem to think a BMW 3-series is part of the same ecosystem/food chain as them and are always trying to race me. I do not for a moment pretend that a 325i is a very fast car. "Quick" is the best I can give it. Regardless, I am not really into street racing and my usual response is to maneuver my car in a way that boxes the little tike in. My feelings about the latest infraction, which occurred on the way into work this morning, and the driver's prowess can be summarized by this haiku:

Giant Exhaust Can
Could it be Asian Thunder?
Limp Ramen Noodle

Infiniti has sand in its, um, ...ear

2007-03-20T16:07:00.000-04:00

So Infiniti lost to BMW in a battle in the Canadian courts over its use of the "M" moniker by itself to represent the M35/45. Infiniti has been introducing the cars as "the new M". While this seems petty, fair is fair for the Japanese cry-babies. Infiniti sued Audi for the use of the "Q" in Q7. Does anyone out there even remember the Q45? I say BMW has a lot more in the game than Infiniti when it comes to this letter of the alphabet. BMW has a whole subsidiary simply named "M".

What is curious to me is why Infiniti/Nissan has not raised this before. If there is any letter that they have ties to, it is the "Z". BMW has been using Z to identify all of its roadsters (Z1, Z3, Z4, and Z8). Perhaps it was the fact that the "Z" became the "ZX", or the gap in production. Perhaps it is because they have just been biding their time...waiting to strike when we least expected it. They are sneaky that way.

Read the news here.

1 Series coupe spied

2007-03-19T10:02:00.000-04:00

I have always had a thing for quirky cars. Maybe that is why I loved the M-Coupe. Maybe that is why I have wished for the 1 Series to make it to our shores. The 1 Series is available everywhere else in the world as either a two or four door hatchback. I have always kind of liked hatchbacks - they are practical beyond belief and the thought of one quells the panic attacks about how I am going to bring the latest Ikea or Home Depot haul back to my pad. Unfortunately for us, BMW is a little gun shy about sending a hatch across the pond after the whole 318ti show. Do you remember the 318ti? If not, I don't blame you. It looked like a regular 3 series that had been in a serious rear end collision. Not too many people bought it. Oddly enough, though, it is a model that is doing extremely well on the used market today. BMW has gone back and forth on it for some time now, and has instead suggested it will come over as a coupe and possibly convertible. While I like the hatch, I would still be excited to see it come regardless. As the 3 series has grown in size and price, it has left a nice spot at the bottom of the chain. The 1 Series is similar in size to the E30 3 series of the '80s and has been touted as the spiritual successor to the beloved 2002. We will see about that.

Edmunds is reporting that it will likely arrive in 130i trim, meaining we would have a small rear wheel drive coupe with 230 horsepower and 200 pound feet of torque for under $30k. I would be surprised if they put the new twin-turbo in it, as it might cannibalize the Z4 M Coupe (at least in current form). Either way it looks good and has my attention. As you can see from the pic, that adonis of a man is fueling up what looks to be a pretty complete car. If this were available when I bought the 325, I probably would have ponied up for a new car. God that guy is sexy.

BMW does hydrogen

2007-03-14T10:12:00.000-04:00

Although not exactly new news, I recently read an actual road test of the BMW Hydrogen 7 on Edmund's Inside Line. While it sounds like big 7 is unremarkable in the context of BMW's other sport sedans, it is an amazing showcase of technology that proves engineering a viable, well-mannered hydrogen car can be done. In addition, it manages not to look like a small Japanese shoe or some cartoonish high-riding mini-truck as Honda might have done. Although looking like a 7 series is no great compliment in itself. Even with the recent taillight updates, it looks as if some giant creature dropped a metallic turd on the trunk. At the end of the day though, this car is about bragging rights. The fact of the matter is that there is nowhere to fuel it because no one wants to make the fuel. More fossil fuel gets burned processing the liquid hydrogen than the car would have burned in the first place. Now that is an inconvenient truth [speak out loud in constipated Al Gore voice].

E-gad! BMW E-codes

2007-03-13T16:58:00.000-04:00

Starting after the iconic 2002, BMW began using "e-codes" for each generation of a series ("E" stands for Entwicklung, which is crazy German for evolution). These only change to signify a major redesign of a series, or the introduction of a new series. A lot of enthusiasts use these codes to differentiate years, because saying you have a "325", or even a 2005 "325", can be meaningless. People also use it to be pompous.

BMW AG reported in September 2006 that BMW will switch to the letter "F" for their future models, beginning with the F01 numbering for the 7 series replacement. I personally think it is idiotic for BMW to abandon what has been a tradition for some time. Future vs. Evolution? Hmmmm. The thing I have always liked about BMWs is that they were evolutionary and stuck close to their "Ultimate Driving Machine" roots. I hope this does not indicate a paradigm shift at BMW. Yeah - I used "paradigm".

E3 (1968–1977) 2.5, 2.8, 3.0, 3.3 "New Six" sedans
E9 (1969–1975) 2800CS, 3.0CS, 3.0CSL "New Six" coupés
E12 (1972–1981) 5 Series
E21 (1975–1983) 3 Series
E24 (1976–1989) 6 Series
E23 (1977–1986) 7 Series
E26 (1978–1981) M1
E28 (1981–1988) 5 Series
E30 (1982–1992) 3 Series
E32 (1986–1994) 7 Series
E34 (1988–1995) 5 Series
E31 (1990–1999) 8 Series
E36 (1991–1999) 3 Series
E36/5 (1995–1998) 3 Series Compact (known as 318ti in US)
E36/7 (1996-2002) Z3 Series Roadster
E38 (1994–2001) 7 Series
E39 (1996–2003) 5 Series
E36/8 (1998-2002) Z3 Series Coupé
E46/4 (1998–2005) 3 Series Sedan
E46/3 (1999–2005) 3 Series Touring/Sports Wagon
E46/2 (1999–2006) 3 Series Coupé
E46/C (1999–2006) 3 Series Convertible
E46/5 (2000–2004) 3 Series Compact
E52(2000–2003) Z8
E53 (2000–2006) X5
E65 (2002–2007) 7 Series short wheelbase
E66 (2002–2007) 7 Series long wheelbase
E67(2002–2007) 7 Series Protection
E60 (2004–present) 5 Series
E 61(2004–2007) 5 Series Touring/Sports Wagon
E63 (2004–present) 6 Series coupé
E64 (2004–present) 6 Series convertible
E83 (2004–present) X3
E87 (2004–present) 1 Series
E85 (2003–present) Z4
E90 -(2005–) 3 Series
E91 (2005–present) 3 Series Touring/Sports Wagon
E92 (2006–present) 3 Series Coupé
E70 (2007-present) X5
E93 (2007–present) 3 Series Convertible
E86 (2006–present) Z4 Coupe
E88 (2008) 1 Series Convertible
E89 (2009) Z4 roadster

You should not own a BMW if...

2007-03-13T16:35:00.000-04:00

...you feel that you are somehow empowered to stick M3 badges all over your 318. Or if you have convinced yourself that BMW made an E34 M5 wagon (although they just did introduce a new one). Or if you think you have a better handle on the aerodynamic needs of a Bavarian autobahn stormer than the folks who birthed the beast.

A BMW Motorsport Division (now simply "M") vehicle is a serious thing, and you are not fooling anybody. Seriously folks, what are you thinking. I want to vomit every time I see a fine German auto treated this way. It should be illegal for companies to even create clear "Altezza" lights for a BMW. Furthermore, there is not a legit after-market accessory made for a BMW that can be picked up at your local AutoZone. I don't even know what else to say. I am embarrassed for all of you and can only hope you are sterile.

Check out this great page where no-talent ass-clowns go to swap fluids. The site, which is stocked full of BMW nightmares, has been around a while. May God have mercy on you all.

Topasblau

2007-03-13T15:58:00.000-04:00

Here she is. My current ride is a 2002 325i. I went back and forth between a BMW 3 series and the Lexus IS and GS models, being admittedly intrigued by the similarities in layout to the Germans while having impeccable reliability. Who doesn't like that? In the end, though, the BMW won me over. I looked long and hard for a good example. Out of the blue one day, I came across an extremely well maintained car at a decent price from a private seller. The car was a 5-speed manual (a must have) and featured the sport package (ZSP) with 17" wheels/summer tires, sport suspension, sport seats, and sport steering wheel. Standard sport fare for BMW. These first two items are very rare in the D.C area, with manuals being rare and ZSP manuals even rarer. It also has the premium package, giving luxury goodies such as wood trim, power seats, and gray leather among other things. Beyond that, it has wonderful HID headlamps, heated seats, and an outstandingly mediocre harman/kardon "premium" sound system. It is also Topaz Blue (topasblau) metallic and not the Booz-Allen staff-car silver.

Some might wonder why I went for a 325 instead of the 330. As an "enthusiast" I should have gone with the 330, right? While I cannot say I would not rather have a 330, I am completely happy with the deal I found. The car had 29k miles with all records and had been garaged its whole life. The orginial owner was moving back to England and tried to get rid of it, but had no takers presumably because of the manual transmission and lack of warranty. He had given up and had arranged to have it shipped to England with him. I could not pass the deal up. The other point is that a well driven manual 325 is plenty capable of moving out and getting you into trouble. It just takes a little more effort and skill to keep in boiling. That is part of the fun though. All things being equal I would have gotten a 330 - but things are rarely equal. At the end of the day, I would rather have a pristine 325 than a questionable 330.

Why we are here

2007-03-12T17:45:00.000-04:00

Why are we here? Well...I am not sure about you, but I am here because I thought it would be fun to write a little bit about BMWs and the surrounding culture. I used to maintain another blog, motorchrome, but found writing a general automobile blog a little overwhelming for a single person who has an unrelated [very] full-time job. Narrowing my focus a bit may help keep this going a bit.

I only very recently became a BMW owner, although I have been a frequent driver of the family E30 325i cabriolet - 5 speed of course. I have also had the privilege of spending lots of wheel-time with the E36 family thanks to a good friend of mine. What I can attest too, however, is that I appreciate a focused, sporting automobile - and this is where BMW comes in. I have always admired the BMW brand for holding tight to its roots. Every BMW I have ever driven, from 318 to M5, has made me smile and think "now this is a fine car".

I also may have a slight case of OCD and tend to become ravenous in my research. I spent countless hours leading up to the purchase of my 325i examining all options and possibilities, and the same care is placed in everything from the type of tires I used to the brand of wax. I hope that this quirk of mine will be beneficial for someone out there.