What I meant is are you sure BT is shown as "ON" on the Today screen? For some reasons, it turned itself off (it could have been my fault though because I'm playing a lot with the device - heck it's a new toy).
Mine's doing the same thing ... turning itself off when I push NO buttons ... so it's not you. I'm going back over to the Verizon store in a bit ... see what they have to say for themselves. Unfortunately my salesman and his manager haven't sold a unit prior to mine so their familiarity with it is marginal at best. I'll keep you posted by e-mail :shades: ... and thanks again. :shades:
I hope you will keep us all posted in this discussion instead of taking this to email - your experiences are things that can be very helpful to the rest of our community now and in the future.
Here's a quick test: provided you successfully paired with the car, turn your i730 on, make sure the Today screen shows that BT is ON (the LED will flash in blue), and then go in your car and turn it on. You should see on the status screen that phone antenna symbol, and hear a short beep. Your i730 will show a headset in the title bar (next to "Start", when looking at the Today screen). If you can get that, you should be able to initiate the call from your car because both the car and phone have detected one another. Here's a tip: make sure you are not using a BT headset around, because the phone will hook to it first, and then the headset will not respond to the car.
The sound is stunningly clear ... on both ends of the call. Absolutely no comparison with the V710; as good as, or even better than, OnStar. I'm still getting the funky "sometimes it's recognized by the car, sometimes it isn't". At the moment I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by it, and wonder just how much of this technology I really need to have. I've got two weeks to decide ... as a low tech guy I may just have to give up and go back to a phone plus my Palm.
Two days into my ownership of the Samsung i730 an obvious connectivity problem has surfaced. With Bluetooth enabled, one can get into the car and the car's sound system will immediately recognize it and it will function wonderfully. However, the moment you turn off the engine and step out of the car the Bluetooth function of the i730 turns off ... automatically. Thus far there's no obvious fix for the problem, but I (and mexibec40) will be bringing this to Verizon's and Samsung's attention.
Problem confirmed! Thanks blov8r! I couldn't figure out why BT was turned off for no apparent reason, but you nailed it! Many thanks! That's definitely a bug with the i730. Otherwise, it's a great addition to an already fantastic car.
I'm heading to Verizon tomorrow morning. I was told by the sales rep (the store manager) that there will be a WM2005 upgrade later this year (he didn't know if it would be free - from Verizon, I would assume not!), so it's important to report that problem *now* for Samsung to fix the issue before the release. Thanks again!
Mark, what happened? The last time I read your posts you are just about to take delivery of an M through an internet purchase, how/why did you change your mind from the M to the Audi? I think you probably convinced several people on this forum to go with an M as much as you praised it and now I see you went with an Audi.
I was told by the sales rep (the store manager) that there will be a WM2005 upgrade later this year (he didn't know if it would be free - from Verizon, I would assume not!),
Raises the question of returning the present i730 for a full refund and waiting for the correction to buy again ... beats being stuck with the badly programmed present units. My guess is that there's a chance the sales force might offer the software upgrade free when offered if threatened with loss of a $700 sale + service contract. Given their 15 day trial period I'm tempted to try and return phone after phone after phone ... at no cost to me ... until they get it right. We're buying their top of the line equipment ... they owe us top of the line performance. :shades:
Craig ... Is your i730 shutting BT off when you leave the car? It's doing that to mexibec and me and I tested it. Got in the car with BT enabled on the i730 (let's call it the "unit"), started the car and all was fine. As soon as I turned the ignition off the BT in the unit shut off ... automatically. I was holding the unit in my hand, not in the cradle, throughout this experiment so no inadvertently pushed buttons. And this is evidently exactly what happened each time I made a stop when running errands yesterday.
I'm looking to get a new BT phone for the new M35X. Verizon has an update(?) to the V710 which they call the E815. As it's new, it's not on the Infiniti website, and the email response I got back from Infiniti repeated what the website said. Anyone tried this one or know how to figure out if it will work - before buying?
For what it's worth, this forum has confirmed everything about the car that I thought it would be after driving it a few times. Thanks to all who have contributed.
Just bought m35x with journey pkg - great car. I love everything about it except the seats. Plenty of adjustments, but they seem too firm and just not that comfortable. I was between the M and the RL. The interior of the RL is great, but the M took everything else. I talked with the service mgr and he says he has had no complaints. Does anyone else feel this way? Do they need to break in?
I called Verizon, and they couldn't help. I called Samsung tech support, got escalated to "level 2" (whatever that means) and was told that it "might not be supported by Infiniti". There's nothing he could do, other than keeping me updated (via email) on software/firmware updates as they come out... He told me that i730 runs BT 1.1.
Although the phone is not supported on Infiniti's web site, I called Infiniti, talked to a "Bluetooth Expert", and confirmed it's not supported because it hasn't been tested yet. They told me to check the compatibility list next month as it will be updated. He also told me that Infiniti has no current plan to upgrade the Bluetooth firmware on the car, which also runs BT 1.1.
So for today, there's no apparent solution. My recommendation: if the fact that the i730's BT is turned off when you turn the car off is a bother to you, don't go with the i730.
Of all the cars I owned, the M is the one where I had to spent time the most to find the right seat position. I still make "micro adjustments" here and there after one month. Good things that there's seat memory.
You are the first owner that I'm hearing this complaint. Over time the seats should start to soften as they are broken in, but I'm curious if you did a test drive and noticed it then. I too felt the seats were somewhat stiff/rigid, but I honestly liked that a lot more than the Mercedes S-430 where I felt the seats were for far older folks than myself. My thought was that the Inifiniti M seats were made to be more supportive (and thus more firm/rigid) to provide more general support for driving.
I hope it gets better for you, but so far you are the first on this forum to complain about this.
P.S. I didn't like the RL either. The M hands down beat BMW, MB, Acura, all!
Verizon has an update(?) to the V710 which they call the E815.
I have the V710 and it functioned perfectly ... with one exception. You can't import the phone's phone numbers into the car's sound system; you need to enter each of your frequently dialed numbers into the car's system and from then on it's hands free. Bart
On further reflection perhaps the automatic shut-off of BT on the i730 is by design ... to spare battery life? I don't understand the technicals, but the unit came with a second larger battery ... to me that means it's a potential battery hog. It's a nuisance to have to turn it on every time I get into the car because I can't see the little devil without putting on glasses that I use only for reading and often don't carry. Bart
The seating has been the single largest complaint registered about this car since I've been on this thread ... almost three months. The driver's seat is a bit stiff but the power adjustments make it the most comfortable seat I've ever had. The beef, however, is the poor adjustability of the passenger's seat and the comment was repeatedly "for a car in this price range the passenger's seat is an Achilles heel". Some have actually posted they didn't buy an M because the wife couldn't get comfortable in that seat. Bart
Ok guys, I performed the test you did several times and bluetooth stayed connected.
I turned BT on and started the car. I played with M35 phone controls a bit then shut the car off. bluetooth stayed on. I did this twice same result. Thats the good news.
The bad news (IMHO) is we have a nother half baked gadget.
While it preformed for the above test the phone was disconnecting, connecting and other crazy things all day. The user interface sucks. This unit is a PDA with an emergency use phone attached. Worse it is always trying to connect to the Verizon 1X data connection to do an active sync. I did not buy the 45.00 per month data plan (and never would) so it bills you on the pay as you go data plan everytime it hooks up!! ALSO be careful with the holster. that tiny piece of plastic holding the phone in the holster has let go of my phone twice with it landing on the floor!!!!! I still have the Treo I bought 13 days ago and it looks as though I may switch back the service to that unit and return the samsung.
I turned BT on and started the car. I played with M35 phone controls a bit then shut the car off. bluetooth stayed on. I did this twice same result.
Craig: can you confirm that Bluetooth is still on 30 seconds after you turn the car off? In my case, when I turn the car off, the i730 is activated/awaken, and Bluetooth is turned off approx. 15 seconds after.
Ok guys, I performed the test you did several times and bluetooth stayed connected.
I turned BT on and started the car. I played with M35 phone controls a bit then shut the car off. bluetooth stayed on. I did this twice same result. Thats the good news.
The bad news (IMHO) is we have a nother half baked gadget.
Craig ... As mexibec states, it's taking ~ 15 - 30 seconds for the BT to auto turn off (at least for us; we've been in contact via e-mail). I'm getting more comfortable with the unit but there's a piece of me that says "why?" I don't (and likely won't) use most of the functions and my primary reason for getting it was to decrease by one the number of pieces of "stuff" I shlep around every day. As much as I'd like to be a high tech kinda guy, truth be known I'm a "KISS" kinda guy (Keep It Short and Simple). I'll give it a bit more time (I have until the end of next week) but if I don't see a significant amount of value added I'll turn it in and get the best phone I can and carry that and the Palm. Bart
> ... I have to say that comparing xm to fm is utter lunacy
Aren't you getting carried away, my friend? Chill out, dude. The original post was about Sirius not your beloved XM.
> ... but to say that there is repetition on the music channels is silly since the author 'sampled' so few of the stations.
Ditto. The repetition I observed was within a single channel #71 on Sirius not on XM. At least one of the songs got played 3 times within a 6-8 hr window on a long Sunday drive. Saying that there is no repetion on Sirius because the playlists are deep on XM and one can switch to other channels is lunacy, indeed. Sorry, could not resist.
As far as the quality of XM goes, I briefly tested it on a Mark Levinson in a new Lexus GS after a test drive. It also left something to be desired. Sorry, but from an all-digital music service for $13 or so a month, I do expect very-near-CD quality in terms of both the lack of compression artifacts and the ample audio bandwidth. But, I guess not everybody pays attention to such things.
Perhaps XM is really better than Sirius; I would like to hear from somebody who seriously evaluated the two services for quality (not only for contents) before I shell out money to switch the receiver front-end.
> I don't think he was really saying that Zaino is overrated. The only comment that he made that could be construed as not totally positive is that he felt the gloss from Meguiar's Gold Class wax was higher.
I stated Z18 claying was overrated in that it did not remove as much as was generally claimed. I also stated Z2 was somewhat overrated in terms of ease of application and removal, and the resulting gloss, even when compared to Z5.
An additional drawback I noticed a few days later was that Z5 had relatively poor swirl coverage (most of the work was done in the garage not in sunlight).
> Instead of seeing a layer of dust within the first day of cleaning, it generally takes 3 or 4 days for dust to become noticeable.
Correct. Z2 and Z5 are said to have anti-static properties.
I will report more upon the next application in late September (in preparation for the fall/winter season).
Guys, mine stays on in fact I carried it into the house and kept an eye on it for at least 1/2 hour. (Wife thinks I am crazy) This phone has many different set up configurations for BT WiFi ect. Like I mentioned my BT cut off and on through the day. (I am in my car alot) I am going to watch it tommorw and I will report back. I am 9/10 sure I am going to send this thing back (Even though I got it for $400.00) and keep the bloody Treo. At least with the Treo I know I have to hit the phone button on it to wake it up then I can use the car. Craig :confuse: :confuse:
Yet another glowing review! Only complaints were the angled dashboard controls (I think the angle facing up at you makes more sense than facing forward and away from your eyes as is typical). I'm surprised we have not seen this "ATM" layout before now. Also he did not like the push button engine start; I love it and think it would grow on those used to driving cars with keys for decades. Other than personal autos and boats I think almost everything else starts with a button or two. There are no keys to an F-14 or an Abrams M-1 are there?
Craig ... $400? The Verizone store here wanted $599 setting up new service and $720 to buy the danged thing. If I decide to keep I'll return this one for 100% refund and buy for $400 activating elsewhere. Please advise where/when/how you got it for $400.
With the Treo 650 (my initial preference) have you found a way to dial out hands free? The complaint posted here a couple of times is that the Treo receives well hands free but outgoing calls MUST be started from the Treo. That was the reason for opting for the more costly i730. You've used both. Would like to hear your experience. If all it takes is remembering to push a button before getting into the car to activate BT and be able to initiate calls through the car's audio system, then it's functionality is the same as the i730 for my purposes and it's a whole lot less cumbersome and less espensive.
Thanks.
111 here today; thankfully I'll be in the office all day.
I have only two complaints, one of which has been expressed by numerous others here. The passenger's seat doesn't adjust worth a hoot, and the dashboard controls get blistering hot here in the desert. Other than that I absolutely love this car.
I have a verizon motorola V710. The V710 phone book wouldn't transfer so I had to manually input my phone book into the BT. I worked well for the last 2 months. Just this morning I hit voice command & said "Dial Office" It wouldn't dial. I then went to the phone book listings & all of my programed numbers & voice tags were gone. Only thing listed was the listing for Voice mail which was originally listed on the BT phone book when I did the entries 2 months ago. I had originally erased the voice mail entry when I set up the phone book back then, but it was the only thing listed at this time.
I don't know what happen, but I guess I have to sit down tonight and re-enter all of the numbers.
Also when I'm driving at highway speeds, and talking over the speaker, people complain that they can't hear me to well.
Also when I'm driving at highway speeds, and talking over the speaker, people complain that they can't hear me to well.
My V710's sound was adequate at best. The sound through the i730 is superb .... loud, crisp and clear. Doesn't change the fact that the Samsung has a mind of its own and for that reason may well be returned tomorrow. As I posted yesterday, sometimes it turns BT off when turning the engine off. This morning it didn't. Then when I got home this afternoon it gave me a screen prompt "do you want to turn BT off?". I have several issues with the Samsung, not the least of which is it has much more capability than I can ever use and therefore more complex than I am inclined to learn. More important, however, is this goofy inconsistent BT function. Bart
I had Verizon "new every two" $100.00 credit. Then by accident I ordered online the day before public release so they had to send me to the B2B department where I got some corporate price discount!! The V710 bluetooth stayed on all day today in and out of car. I did need to dial with car voice twice to get out a couple of times. Just so you know when I got home I re activated the Treo and boxed up the V710 to go back. The terible phone interface and buggy operation ended it for me. Also I had ordered a VAJA leather glove for the Treo and i do not trust that little plastic clip on the Samsung. Yes I got the Treo to this point. when you connect as you know it disconnects itself from the carafter about 10-15 seconds. So when you want to make a call you have to push the green phone button on the treo - then you have 10-15 secs to use the M's voice dial to call out. i can live with that for now!
I had Verizon "new every two" $100.00 credit. Then by accident I ordered online the day before public release so they had to send me to the B2B department where I got some corporate price discount!! The V710 bluetooth stayed on all day today in and out of car. I did need to dial with car voice twice to get out a couple of times. Just so you know when I got home I re activated the Treo and boxed up the V710 to go back. The terible phone interface and buggy operation ended it for me. Also I had ordered a VAJA leather glove for the Treo and i do not trust that little plastic clip on the Samsung. Yes I got the Treo to this point. when you connect as you know it disconnects itself from the carafter about 10-15 seconds. So when you want to make a call you have to push the green phone button on the treo - then you have 10-15 secs to use the M's voice dial to call out. i can live with that for now!
Craig
Craig ... mexibec opined that your lack of success with the Samsung may be due to the fact that you have an M35 and he has an M45. I have an M35 and the BT function is too erratic for me. It's illogical to assume that the M35 and M45 have different BT systems. Sound performance is wonderful with the Samsung, but not knowing when BT is on or off is a pain. If all I have to do is push a button on the Treo to start a voice call out ---- sheeeeeesh, that's not a biggie. Then again, given my lack of desire to be Mr. High Tech, perhaps I should get the best BT phone and keep carrying my Palm. The Samsung's voice capability is superb ... but not worth a king's ransom (nor stress on my aged coronaries). My better half is giving me grief about bailing out, but I'm the one who has to live with whatever I have and I'm unwilling to spend the next few months learning how to take advantage of all Samsung's abilities while still trying to remember to carry glasses with me to see what the little rascal's telling me.
Trivial, yet significant, is the plastic "holster". It's an invitation to dropping the Samsung. I'm paying a few bucks per month for insurance but I don't like worrying about a piece of cheap plastic protecting a $700 piece of hardware. That holster is only minimally secure. Two "clicks", the first of which is useless and the second of which locks it in. So so. Bart
When using the built in microphone for hands free phone communication I frequently get complaints from the people that I am talking to that my voice sounds distant, soft and hard to hear. I adjusted my output volume to max but it didn't seem to help. Anyone else have problems with output volume from the car microphone?
I adjusted my output volume to max but it didn't seem to help.
My Motorola V710 was OK but somewhat muted, and my Samsung i730 is loud and crystal clear with no change in settings. I suspect the problem's with the phone, not the car's audio system. Interested to see what others have to say.
The Samsung's going back to Verizon today. It falls short of expectations, isn't sufficiently predictably functional, and far too complex for my tastes. I'll give the Treo 650 a shot ... even though an outgoing call can't be initiated from it. I make so few phone calls from the car that the little occasional nuisance of having to dial on the nav screen is acceptable.
It's annoying that none of these mobile carriers can "demo" a unit in your car without first activating service. I don't see anything that would stop them from having active units of their own that they can couple to the car's BT system for a "test drive". I guess they use this as a strategy to boost sales knowing that some will work better than others and their sales numbers might plummet.
It seems like the discussion has dried up a bit so I am asking current M owners to post more messages about their likes/dislikes (if any, so far passenger seat and seats in general seem to be the main complaint) as the wait for the delivery of my M35x with Premium, Technology, and MES packages has come down to a countdown of days - hopefully I'll be behind the wheel by the end of the week.
Also, I'd like to get an idea of what people are paying for insurance. I got a quote from my Allstate agent for $545 per 6 months using the VIN #s from the car I will be buying, which is not a bad premium at considering the price of the car.
Nah it hasn't dried up; it just changed into a Bluetooth discussion
And only a select handful of folks are interested in reading about Bluetooth and what phones work with it. Someone will come along with something interesting to talk about sooner or later and the topic will be back on track. ;-)
I could've sworn there was a dedicated Bluetooth forum on Edmunds...
I'll tell you what I dislike. I've had my M35x for almost four months, parking it in the garage at one of the places I work for that same time frame, and yesterday, I pull into the garage and staring me in the face is an M45 sport. Up until now, I had the only M in the garage, and I've only seen two others on the road here in Grand Rapids (although the dealership here gets about eight each month and they are already bought). The owner didn't even have the decency to get a different color (and since they are all ordered here in Grand Rapids, I assume he had the choice after seeing my car for the last four months--why do I assume it's a "he")...nope, he had to go with black, too. At least he didn't go with the bourbon interior, also.
Well, at least I can laugh at him next winter on the icy roads....and my kids in the back can laugh at his kids from their heated/reclining rear seats.
Oh, yeah, I really don't have any dislikes about my car itself. I look forward to getting into it every single drive (I'm almost as bad as that ad where the guy drives 30 feet to the mailbox and back--terrible for gas mileage).
That's an unbelievable (as in great) rate. What are your deductibles?
Anybody in MI getting a good rate? A good auto insurance rate in MI is kind of an oxymoron--we've got this thing call unlimited catasrophic claims or some such nonsense. The effect is that every single dollar of medical care and long term care (for life) is covered. I'm not saying this is bad, but then we have people who don't want to obey seat belt and helmet laws--thank you very much.
hah. youve got it good. try living in massachusetts. insurance rates here are incredible if you live in one of the urban areas. the only difference between massachusetts and louisiana [meaning the level of corruption] is the car insurance prices and the horrible cooking here.
WOW, that is a really good rate. I'm sure partly due to your location.
Let's get some more feedback from owners' experiences. I too ordered the black car and I have seen very few on the road or even parking garages. I've started to see a bunch more RLs as well as the new Lexus GS, but the Ms have been scarce. I know my dealer in Barrington, IL is selling them as they come in, I just can't seem to see where these owners are driving their cars.
Well I have had my M45 Black/Graphite/Premium Pkg./Chrome Wheels for 2 weeks now and after 700 miles let me first say WOW!. I'm really loving this car even more than I anticipated. I can't stay out of it. This car begs to be driven. I am following the recommended break-in schedule (which is hard) and cannot wait until I can see what she can really do. Everyone who has seen it is impressed beyond words. It truly is a great effort on Infiniti's part. Congrats to their design team... Things I like the most
Incredible power and acceleration and handling..even at highway speeds.(And this is with me taking it easy because of break-in) Everyone seems to disappear in the rear-view mirror.. Cooled seats. July, DC, Black leather interior. Need I say more?
Rear view camera. I'm getting use to it now and how to use it. It's a big help backing into parking places. The audio system - OUTSTANDINGLY WONDERFUL...XM rules. And the MP3 CD changer is great. Can't wait to pick up a couple DVD-A discs.. Keyless entry/push button start. VERY convienient. Did not take long to get use to it. Adaptive cruise control. Works well. I'm very impressed. Navigation system. Has to be one of the best out there. Bluetooth phone. I love just jumping in the car and leaving my cell in my pocket as the car takes it over. My Moto V600 works great. Plus all the other cool electronic goodies.
Disapointments
No auto door lock when you put it in drive.(as discussed on this forum). I can't believe they missed this. I really miss it as I have had it on cars for 10 years. Now I keep forgetting to lock the doors. If they don't believe in it (like daytime running lights) they should have least given me the option in "Settings". I hope this can be updated via firmware in the future. XM artist and title truncated in the display. Annoying. I hope they also can fix this via firmware.
No coin holder.(@ least on my model w/ my options). A nit I know, but I was looking for one. I use one of the cup holders instead. I shouldn't have to. Power trunk closer. Would be nice for a $60K Lux car. Passenger seat lacko adjustments. It should have the same as the drivers seat. I don't sit there, but I would like my passengers to be comfy....On the other hand this is a plus for the wife. Maybe she won't want to ride along...I can dream can't I? That's it for disappointments so far...Oh yeah. I was not very impressed with my dealer. Felt like I was buying a Chevy not a premium luxury brand..
I considered all in class and have ZERO regrets not having picked a MB, BMW, etc...I only need to impress myself. I have. It's just a gorgeous machine with it's 6 coats of Zaino on it. SWEET!!
As one of the reviewed summed it up. "The M45 ROCKS!!...Game over".
Drove in teaming rain today. I wish my shower had this much pressure! Had to pull over and ask directions at a gas station. The angle of the windows lets the rain pour into the car. The arm rest and window buttons got soaked. On top of the rain falling dorectly into the car, it was running off the roof into the car.
Do not remember having this problem with any other vehicle. I do have to say that the car has amazing traction in the bad weather and flooded roads.
I have 1500 miles and love the car. I do need to get the rattle in the roof foxed. Seems to be a common complaint. I am glad to hear that there is an easy fix.
Still need to get into some features I have not explaored like blue tooth and need to master navagation. Can some on tell me how to get the correct street. First I choose street number, then OK then street name, then it lists choices but not the one I need, do you need to enter a town? HELP
Details on my $330/6 months insurance rate, Cinti, multi-car, multi-line. 250,000/500,000 bodily injury liability, 100,000 property damage liability, 500 deduct comp, 500 deduct collision, car rental coverage if my car is out of commission, and uninsured motor vehicle bodily injury 250,000/500,000. Oh, that also includes accident free discount and over 50 discount. State Farm.
Comments
Mine's doing the same thing ... turning itself off when I push NO buttons ... so it's not you. I'm going back over to the Verizon store in a bit ... see what they have to say for themselves. Unfortunately my salesman and his manager haven't sold a unit prior to mine so their familiarity with it is marginal at best. I'll keep you posted by e-mail :shades: ... and thanks again. :shades:
Hope you can get it worked out.
Bart
I'm heading to Verizon tomorrow morning. I was told by the sales rep (the store manager) that there will be a WM2005 upgrade later this year (he didn't know if it would be free - from Verizon, I would assume not!), so it's important to report that problem *now* for Samsung to fix the issue before the release. Thanks again!
Raises the question of returning the present i730 for a full refund and waiting for the correction to buy again ... beats being stuck with the badly programmed present units. My guess is that there's a chance the sales force might offer the software upgrade free when offered if threatened with loss of a $700 sale + service contract. Given their 15 day trial period I'm tempted to try and return phone after phone after phone ... at no cost to me ... until they get it right. We're buying their top of the line equipment ... they owe us top of the line performance. :shades:
Bart
Bart
For what it's worth, this forum has confirmed everything about the car that I thought it would be after driving it a few times. Thanks to all who have contributed.
Although the phone is not supported on Infiniti's web site, I called Infiniti, talked to a "Bluetooth Expert", and confirmed it's not supported because it hasn't been tested yet. They told me to check the compatibility list next month as it will be updated. He also told me that Infiniti has no current plan to upgrade the Bluetooth firmware on the car, which also runs BT 1.1.
So for today, there's no apparent solution. My recommendation: if the fact that the i730's BT is turned off when you turn the car off is a bother to you, don't go with the i730.
I hope it gets better for you, but so far you are the first on this forum to complain about this.
P.S. I didn't like the RL either. The M hands down beat BMW, MB, Acura, all!
I have the V710 and it functioned perfectly ... with one exception. You can't import the phone's phone numbers into the car's sound system; you need to enter each of your frequently dialed numbers into the car's system and from then on it's hands free. Bart
The seating has been the single largest complaint registered about this car since I've been on this thread ... almost three months. The driver's seat is a bit stiff but the power adjustments make it the most comfortable seat I've ever had. The beef, however, is the poor adjustability of the passenger's seat and the comment was repeatedly "for a car in this price range the passenger's seat is an Achilles heel". Some have actually posted they didn't buy an M because the wife couldn't get comfortable in that seat. Bart
I turned BT on and started the car. I played with M35 phone controls a bit then shut the car off. bluetooth stayed on. I did this twice same result. Thats the good news.
The bad news (IMHO) is we have a nother half baked gadget.
While it preformed for the above test the phone was disconnecting, connecting and other crazy things all day. The user interface sucks. This unit is a PDA with an emergency use phone attached. Worse it is always trying to connect to the Verizon 1X data connection to do an active sync. I did not buy the 45.00 per month data plan (and never would) so it bills you on the pay as you go data plan everytime it hooks up!! ALSO be careful with the holster. that tiny piece of plastic holding the phone in the holster has let go of my phone twice with it landing on the floor!!!!!
I still have the Treo I bought 13 days ago and it looks as though I may switch back the service to that unit and return the samsung.
I wish I had better news guys!!!
Craig
Craig: can you confirm that Bluetooth is still on 30 seconds after you turn the car off? In my case, when I turn the car off, the i730 is activated/awaken, and Bluetooth is turned off approx. 15 seconds after.
Thanks!
I turned BT on and started the car. I played with M35 phone controls a bit then shut the car off. bluetooth stayed on. I did this twice same result. Thats the good news.
The bad news (IMHO) is we have a nother half baked gadget.
Craig ... As mexibec states, it's taking ~ 15 - 30 seconds for the BT to auto turn off (at least for us; we've been in contact via e-mail). I'm getting more comfortable with the unit but there's a piece of me that says "why?" I don't (and likely won't) use most of the functions and my primary reason for getting it was to decrease by one the number of pieces of "stuff" I shlep around every day. As much as I'd like to be a high tech kinda guy, truth be known I'm a "KISS" kinda guy (Keep It Short and Simple). I'll give it a bit more time (I have until the end of next week) but if I don't see a significant amount of value added I'll turn it in and get the best phone I can and carry that and the Palm. Bart
Aren't you getting carried away, my friend? Chill out, dude. The original post was about Sirius not your beloved XM.
> ... but to say that there is repetition on the music channels is silly since the author 'sampled' so few of the stations.
Ditto. The repetition I observed was within a single channel #71 on Sirius not on XM. At least one of the songs got played 3 times within a 6-8 hr window on a long Sunday drive. Saying that there is no repetion on Sirius because the playlists are deep on XM and one can switch to other channels is lunacy, indeed. Sorry, could not resist.
As far as the quality of XM goes, I briefly tested it on a Mark Levinson in a new Lexus GS after a test drive. It also left something to be desired. Sorry, but from an all-digital music service for $13 or so a month, I do expect very-near-CD quality in terms of both the lack of compression artifacts and the ample audio bandwidth. But, I guess not everybody pays attention to such things.
Perhaps XM is really better than Sirius; I would like to hear from somebody who seriously evaluated the two services for quality (not only for contents) before I shell out money to switch the receiver front-end.
I stated Z18 claying was overrated in that it did not remove as much as was generally claimed. I also stated Z2 was somewhat overrated in terms of ease of application and removal, and the resulting gloss, even when compared to Z5.
An additional drawback I noticed a few days later was that Z5 had relatively poor swirl coverage (most of the work was done in the garage not in sunlight).
> Instead of seeing a layer of dust within the first day of cleaning, it generally takes 3 or 4 days for dust to become noticeable.
Correct. Z2 and Z5 are said to have anti-static properties.
I will report more upon the next application in late September (in preparation for the fall/winter season).
Craig :confuse: :confuse:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/auto/car-news-car11.html
Yet another glowing review! Only complaints were the angled dashboard controls (I think the angle facing up at you makes more sense than facing forward and away from your eyes as is typical). I'm surprised we have not seen this "ATM" layout before now. Also he did not like the push button engine start; I love it and think it would grow on those used to driving cars with keys for decades. Other than personal autos and boats I think almost everything else starts with a button or two. There are no keys to an F-14 or an Abrams M-1 are there?
With the Treo 650 (my initial preference) have you found a way to dial out hands free? The complaint posted here a couple of times is that the Treo receives well hands free but outgoing calls MUST be started from the Treo. That was the reason for opting for the more costly i730. You've used both. Would like to hear your experience. If all it takes is remembering to push a button before getting into the car to activate BT and be able to initiate calls through the car's audio system, then it's functionality is the same as the i730 for my purposes and it's a whole lot less cumbersome and less espensive.
Thanks.
111 here today; thankfully I'll be in the office all day.
Bart :shades:
I don't know what happen, but I guess I have to sit down tonight and re-enter all of the numbers.
Also when I'm driving at highway speeds, and talking over the speaker, people complain that they can't hear me to well.
My V710's sound was adequate at best. The sound through the i730 is superb .... loud, crisp and clear. Doesn't change the fact that the Samsung has a mind of its own and for that reason may well be returned tomorrow. As I posted yesterday, sometimes it turns BT off when turning the engine off. This morning it didn't. Then when I got home this afternoon it gave me a screen prompt "do you want to turn BT off?". I have several issues with the Samsung, not the least of which is it has much more capability than I can ever use and therefore more complex than I am inclined to learn. More important, however, is this goofy inconsistent BT function. Bart
Craig
Craig
Craig ... mexibec opined that your lack of success with the Samsung may be due to the fact that you have an M35 and he has an M45. I have an M35 and the BT function is too erratic for me. It's illogical to assume that the M35 and M45 have different BT systems. Sound performance is wonderful with the Samsung, but not knowing when BT is on or off is a pain. If all I have to do is push a button on the Treo to start a voice call out ---- sheeeeeesh, that's not a biggie. Then again, given my lack of desire to be Mr. High Tech, perhaps I should get the best BT phone and keep carrying my Palm. The Samsung's voice capability is superb ... but not worth a king's ransom (nor stress on my aged coronaries). My better half is giving me grief about bailing out, but I'm the one who has to live with whatever I have and I'm unwilling to spend the next few months learning how to take advantage of all Samsung's abilities while still trying to remember to carry glasses with me to see what the little rascal's telling me.
Trivial, yet significant, is the plastic "holster". It's an invitation to dropping the Samsung. I'm paying a few bucks per month for insurance but I don't like worrying about a piece of cheap plastic protecting a $700 piece of hardware. That holster is only minimally secure. Two "clicks", the first of which is useless and the second of which locks it in. So so. Bart
My Motorola V710 was OK but somewhat muted, and my Samsung i730 is loud and crystal clear with no change in settings. I suspect the problem's with the phone, not the car's audio system. Interested to see what others have to say.
The Samsung's going back to Verizon today. It falls short of expectations, isn't sufficiently predictably functional, and far too complex for my tastes. I'll give the Treo 650 a shot ... even though an outgoing call can't be initiated from it. I make so few phone calls from the car that the little occasional nuisance of having to dial on the nav screen is acceptable.
It's annoying that none of these mobile carriers can "demo" a unit in your car without first activating service. I don't see anything that would stop them from having active units of their own that they can couple to the car's BT system for a "test drive". I guess they use this as a strategy to boost sales knowing that some will work better than others and their sales numbers might plummet.
Also, I'd like to get an idea of what people are paying for insurance. I got a quote from my Allstate agent for $545 per 6 months using the VIN #s from the car I will be buying, which is not a bad premium at considering the price of the car.
Let's hear it guys and gals.......
Nah it hasn't dried up; it just changed into a Bluetooth discussion
For those with Sprint, have they seen an improvement in Bluetooth compatibility?
Has anyone tried the update for unlocked GSM...on a Cingular phone?
And only a select handful of folks are interested in reading about Bluetooth and what phones work with it. Someone will come along with something interesting to talk about sooner or later and the topic will be back on track. ;-)
I could've sworn there was a dedicated Bluetooth forum on Edmunds...
PAT: is there's such a forum? That'd be great to have one so that this forum can stay focused on the M...
Enjoy!
Well, at least I can laugh at him next winter on the icy roads....and my kids in the back can laugh at his kids from their heated/reclining rear seats.
Oh, yeah, I really don't have any dislikes about my car itself. I look forward to getting into it every single drive (I'm almost as bad as that ad where the guy drives 30 feet to the mailbox and back--terrible for gas mileage).
Anybody in MI getting a good rate? A good auto insurance rate in MI is kind of an oxymoron--we've got this thing call unlimited catasrophic claims or some such nonsense. The effect is that every single dollar of medical care and long term care (for life) is covered. I'm not saying this is bad, but then we have people who don't want to obey seat belt and helmet laws--thank you very much.
Let's get some more feedback from owners' experiences. I too ordered the black car and I have seen very few on the road or even parking garages. I've started to see a bunch more RLs as well as the new Lexus GS, but the Ms have been scarce. I know my dealer in Barrington, IL is selling them as they come in, I just can't seem to see where these owners are driving their cars.
Things I like the most
Incredible power and acceleration and handling..even at highway speeds.(And this is with me taking it easy because of break-in) Everyone seems to disappear in the rear-view mirror..
Cooled seats. July, DC, Black leather interior. Need I say more?
Rear view camera. I'm getting use to it now and how to use it. It's a big help backing into parking places.
The audio system - OUTSTANDINGLY WONDERFUL...XM rules. And the MP3 CD changer is great. Can't wait to pick up a couple DVD-A discs..
Keyless entry/push button start. VERY convienient. Did not take long to get use to it.
Adaptive cruise control. Works well. I'm very impressed.
Navigation system. Has to be one of the best out there.
Bluetooth phone. I love just jumping in the car and leaving my cell in my pocket as the car takes it over. My Moto V600 works great.
Plus all the other cool electronic goodies.
Disapointments
No auto door lock when you put it in drive.(as discussed on this forum). I can't believe they missed this. I really miss it as I have had it on cars for 10 years. Now I keep forgetting to lock the doors. If they don't believe in it (like daytime running lights) they should have least given me the option in "Settings". I hope this can be updated via firmware in the future.
XM artist and title truncated in the display. Annoying. I hope they also can fix this via firmware.
No coin holder.(@ least on my model w/ my options). A nit I know, but I was looking for one. I use one of the cup holders instead. I shouldn't have to.
Power trunk closer. Would be nice for a $60K Lux car.
Passenger seat lacko adjustments. It should have the same as the drivers seat. I don't sit there, but I would like my passengers to be comfy....On the other hand this is a plus for the wife. Maybe she won't want to ride along...I can dream can't I?
That's it for disappointments so far...Oh yeah. I was not very impressed with my dealer. Felt like I was buying a Chevy not a premium luxury brand..
I considered all in class and have ZERO regrets not having picked a MB, BMW, etc...I only need to impress myself. I have. It's just a gorgeous machine with it's 6 coats of Zaino on it. SWEET!!
As one of the reviewed summed it up. "The M45 ROCKS!!...Game over".
Do not remember having this problem with any other vehicle. I do have to say that the car has amazing traction in the bad weather and flooded roads.
I have 1500 miles and love the car. I do need to get the rattle in the roof foxed. Seems to be a common complaint. I am glad to hear that there is an easy fix.
Still need to get into some features I have not explaored like blue tooth and need to master navagation. Can some on tell me how to get the correct street. First I choose street number, then OK then street name, then it lists choices but not the one I need, do you need to enter a town? HELP
thanks,
Jeff
Ted
35x, umbria/wheat, journey