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      03-28-2013, 08:58 PM   #1
peter123
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Consumer Reports: This SUV is focused on fun instead of practicality

Consumer reports road test and ratings of the X1 are just out, http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/m...view/index.htm . Anyone have a subscription?
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      03-28-2013, 09:19 PM   #2
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They call the controls in this thing complicated? I hate consumer reports. They're so Japanese manufacturer biased, crotchity old men. I bought their 2013 buyer's guide and read, and laughed about how they nit pick every detail on anything that isn't conceived in Japan. Although, they did say the engine (both) are very good.
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      03-28-2013, 10:47 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Twix View Post
They call the controls in this thing complicated?
To be honest, some of them are more complicated than functional.

- To play bluetooth audio, don't go to CD/Multimedia->Bluetooth (audio), but CD/Multimedia->External Devices. The former is for selecting WHICH bluetooth phone, and the latter for selecting THAT you want to use bluetooth audio. WTF?

- The previous/next up/down selector on the steering wheel works the opposite of any other system. How about putting the letters "NEXT" on one of them?

- How many twists and clicks to turn off stereo and/or digital stereo for a weak radio channel? Removing physical buttons doesn't make things easier if you have to wade through boatloads of menus to do the same.

- You can't import audio from the USB port on the console; you have to use the one in the glove box.

- The cruise control moves in four directions plus a button, and you need to memorize it, cause it is obscured by the wheel while driving. And it snags when what you really want is blink right. I wish I could pull that useless POS right off.

- You can't just say "drive home", but have to go through three menus before your driving directions activate. Even worse if it's not home.

- Speaking of the navigation system, when there are categories or subcategories with just one option, why do you have to go through an extra screen where you have to confirm just that one choice?

- Hold the trunk key down for too short, and it doesn't open. Hold it for too long, and the car alarm goes off.

- With "comfort entry", shotgun passengers are likely to place their thumb where it locks the car. If you have to educate your passengers, it's too complicated.

- But the ultimate WTF must be the procedure for resetting the compass. You'd think it could just get the data from the GPS, right? No, the procedure is so cumbersome that I bet none of you have done it. Unless your dealer did it, it probably still shows German compass directions, uncalibrated.

All that said, it's no worse than most cars. It's just that usability isn't all that high on the list for BMW for anything not directly impacting driving. Even though I have seen worse, it could certainly be better.

As for Consumer Reports, I don't think they're old men. I think they're primarily women in their thirties, more interested in how it transports kids and call friends on the phone than how it drives and performs.

Last edited by Grovsnus; 03-28-2013 at 10:54 PM..
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      03-29-2013, 04:57 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grovsnus View Post
- The previous/next up/down selector on the steering wheel works the opposite of any other system.
Even opposite to the BMW's own Business Radio.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grovsnus View Post
- The cruise control moves in four directions plus a button, and you need to memorize it, cause it is obscured by the wheel while driving. And it snags when what you really want is blink right. I wish I could pull that useless POS right off.
+1, the F series remove the stalk and put the controls back on the steering wheel were they belong.

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Originally Posted by Grovsnus View Post
- You can't just say "drive home", but have to go through three menus before your driving directions activate. Even worse if it's not home.
If you save a home address in the iDrive address book, you can just say "home address". This part works just fine.

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Originally Posted by Grovsnus View Post
- Hold the trunk key down for too short, and it doesn't open. Hold it for too long, and the car alarm goes off.
+1

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- With "comfort entry", shotgun passengers are likely to place their thumb where it locks the car.
This should not be an issue unless your shotgun passenger has their own key.
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      03-29-2013, 05:01 PM   #5
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Consumer Reports: This SUV is focused on fun instead of practicality
I agree. I only needed a smidgen of practicality and I don't regret focusing on fun in my decision!
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      03-29-2013, 07:58 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nospam View Post
This should not be an issue unless your shotgun passenger has their own key.
The range of my key tends to extend to the passenger side.
SWMBO tends to lock the car every time she wants to enter. I have to be gallant and open the door for her to avoid it.

Yes, it's a bad design, cause it's not intuitive that you should avoid putting your thumb on the area of the door handle where the thumb normally goes on door handles.
Other manufacturers have avoided the problem by using a swipe-to-lock that isn't triggered by accident or unfamiliarity.
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      03-29-2013, 10:23 PM   #7
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The range of my key tends to extend to the passenger side.
Hmm...I'll have to test this out with ours. We do not want this to be the case for security reasons. We have our vehicle set to unlock only the drivers door. All doors unlock when you activate the passenger side handle.

Thanks for the tip
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      03-31-2013, 02:37 PM   #8
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I had my first extended highway drive last weekend (to/from the Twin Cities) and loved the cruise control set up. The single/double stop to increase (or decrease) 1 mph (single stop) or to the nearest 5 (double stop) was very useful for staying off the brakes.

Then again, it took a few minutes to get used to it and not accidentally turn it off when trying to adjust the set speed. Plus, the cruise on my WRX has been non-functional since I bought in '08, so I was just happy to have it.
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      03-31-2013, 02:44 PM   #9
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I love the cruise control on this BMW. It's so intuitive and functions like joysticks. You push forward to accelerate and pull backward to decelerate and cancel it when you move it up/downward. How can it be any better?

I have full respect for those who hate this design. You just need to get used to it.
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      03-31-2013, 04:26 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nospam View Post
I agree. I only needed a smidgen of practicality and I don't regret focusing on fun in my decision!

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      03-31-2013, 04:48 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by e84PeyC View Post
I love the cruise control on this BMW. It's so intuitive and functions like joysticks. You push forward to accelerate and pull backward to decelerate and cancel it when you move it up/downward. How can it be any better?
a) Pushing to accelerate is the opposite of a hand throttle, which you pull to increase rpms. And the opposite of the gear shifter too. Unless using it enough to be used to it, a driver is likely going to choose the wrong option much of the time.
b) Up OR down to cancel? Which is it? You don't provide two controls for the same function; that's just doubling the risk that it'll be done by accident.
c) It's too close to the light controls. I often hit it if I turn on blinkers.
d) It's not visible behind the steering wheel, which increases the problem of c).

Personally, I think cruise control should be optional for extra costs, especially on models or lines which allegedly are for active driving, not sedate cruising.

I do drives up to 12 hours each way, and the last thing I need is another function that lets me be less alert.

Having said that, it's at least better than the cruise control on my old Mercury. Hit two buttons at the same time, and the horn sounds. Hit a certain combination of buttons, and a fuse will blow.
But I still wish the BMW stalk could be removed without voiding warranties. An M-Sport without cruise control would be like a fish without a bicycle.

Quote:
Originally Posted by e84PeyC View Post
You just need to get used to it.
As I don't use cruise control, I don't see that happening. It's just going to continue to be in the way.
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      03-31-2013, 07:16 PM   #12
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Man, you guys really nit pick the little things
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      03-31-2013, 10:00 PM   #13
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Great thing about standards are there are so many of them... The whole push/pull increase/decrease idea is just a mess. Forward used to be, and still is in most other transportation areas (airplanes, trains, and some car manufacturers including the gas pedal) used to represent more throttle. Having it easier to change gears or increase speed by pulling towards is actually a backwards idea. IMO you just have to get used to each cars quirks and if that's too hard then maybe having multiple cars isn't your thing? At least there's a standard for rotational direction and the direction your wheels turn.
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      04-01-2013, 01:26 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grovsnus

I do drives up to 12 hours each way

As I don't use cruise control, I don't see that happening.
You regularly take 12-hour drives and DON'T use cruise control? Right
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      04-01-2013, 07:22 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by johanness View Post
You regularly take 12-hour drives and DON'T use cruise control? Right
Absolutely.. It's on long drives you need to stay alert. Adjusting the speed to the road and not just the speed limit increases safety, and if something happens you have already read the road, and have your feet on the pedals.

And is there truly anything more irritating than the cruise control phenomenon of someone doing 66 passing someone doing 65, thus blocking both lanes for an obscenely long time?
Well, except those who tap their brakes for no other reason than to turn off the cruise control.
Then there are those who block the passing lane - another phenomenon almost completely unique to cruise control drivers.

At the very least let those who want it pay for it, and not have it subsidized by those of us who don't and get it anyhow. On a car allegedly designed for "active driving".
And redesign it so it turns off if a car behind you flashes its lights. Wake up, people - you can sleep when you reach the retirement home.
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      04-01-2013, 07:34 AM   #16
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At least there's a standard for [...] the direction your wheels turn.
Not entirely true. I've driven trams where moving the wheel clockwise increased the power, and at certain marked points, gears.

As for your examples, I think the throttle of a motorcycle is a comparison which at least many of us will be familiar with.
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      04-01-2013, 07:46 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grovsnus View Post
At the very least let those who want it pay for it, and not have it subsidized by those of us who don't and get it anyhow. On a car allegedly designed for "active driving".
The car industry went to packaged option bundles years ago to reduce their production costs. Like several other features, some only come as part of a package deal and so you end up paying twice as much for the one option you do want.
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      04-01-2013, 10:43 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grovsnus View Post
Absolutely.. It's on long drives you need to stay alert. Adjusting the speed to the road and not just the speed limit increases safety, and if something happens you have already read the road, and have your feet on the pedals.

And is there truly anything more irritating than the cruise control phenomenon of someone doing 66 passing someone doing 65, thus blocking both lanes for an obscenely long time?
Well, except those who tap their brakes for no other reason than to turn off the cruise control.
Then there are those who block the passing lane - another phenomenon almost completely unique to cruise control.
+1

I rarely use cruise control but I would not like to delete the option. If the stalk didn't get in the way of using the turn signal I wouldn't mind it. There is a reason they have gotten rid of the stalk and put the controls back on the steering wheel in the F series.
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      04-01-2013, 11:48 AM   #19
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Consumer Report has very poor automotive judgement.
Anyway, it is not an SUV you dumbs(Consumer Report people) it is an Sport Activity Vehicle, so obviously is designed for fun.

The humans started to live large and move arround large vehicles , consuming more gas, washing and polishing a bigger car for nothing. If I need to carry large stuff there are cmpanies that are doing that, I don't need te mess up my bimmer.
Nonetheless, if you are an organized person, you can fit a family in X1 with their needs. 30 years ago family of five managed to have fun with litle cars and they never complaint.
I will never buy the soccer mom van needs explanation.

What's next? Aston Martin is not big enough to buy draperies and plants?

You want practicability? Buy the car that meet your needs. There are plenty ou there.
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      04-01-2013, 12:12 PM   #20
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[QUOTE=Tracus;13741329]Consumer Report has very poor automotive judgement.
Anyway, it is not an SUV you dumbs(Consumer Report people) it is an Sport Activity Vehicle, so obviously is designed for fun.

The humans started to live large and move arround large vehicles , consuming more gas, washing and polishing a bigger car for nothing. If I need to carry large stuff there are cmpanies that are doing that, I don't need te mess up my bimmer.
Nonetheless, if you are an organized person, you can fit a family in X1 with their needs. 30 years ago family of five managed to have fun with litle cars and they never complaint.
I will never buy the soccer mom van needs explanation.
What's next? Aston Martin is not big enough to buy draperies and plants?
You want practicability? Buy the car that meet your needs. There are plenty ou

there.[/QUOTE

+1

The absolute dumbest comment from these idiots at Consumer Reports is "you can buy a bigger vehicle for the same money". Why buy a 3 series when you can get a Caddy XTS for the same price or why buy an X5 when you can get a Suburban. They obviously don't have a clue how the premium car market or market in general works.
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      04-01-2013, 01:01 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tracus View Post
...30 years ago family of five managed to have fun with litle cars and they never complaint.
Hell yeah! Though I was hoping to get my X1 in Antarctic blue with the optional Rally Fun pack...
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      04-01-2013, 03:26 PM   #22
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Quote:
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30 years ago family of five managed to have fun with litle cars and they never complaint.
When I was a child, we drove through Europe on vacation with two adults, two kids, a tent and sleeping bags on the roof rack - in a VW 1300.
0-60 with just a driver was 25 seconds. 0-60 loaded like that... well, it wouldn't reach 60 without going downhill.
But we had fun!
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