Infiniti M35/M45 2006+

pete_l_p

it seems you're more in agreement than disagreement. My reference was ONLY to Verizon's implementation of the Treo 650 and compatibility with Infiniti.

Yes. Then we're in complete agreement. It sounded like you were talking about all Treos.

Sooner or later there will likely be a remedy, but as of my last visit to Verizon they simply weren't sufficiently functional w/ Infiniti to be worth the money. I'd love to have one ... saves me shlepping two pieces of hardware with me ... but just not ready for prime time. Bart

Have you considered Verizon's Samsung i730? It's similar to the Treo, and now, with my latest adjustments, I can say that it's a pretty amazing phone that works extremely well with the M. It actually does quite a bit more than the Treo: Wi-Fi, Super high speed cellular internet and email, and a slick slide out keyboard with a significantly larger physical screen (though slightly lower resolution). I did prefer the Treo's consistent and elegant, one hand interface, but all in all I'm very taken with this samsung phone.

Pete

pete_l_p

Thanks again for the voice privacy tip. I got to try it out today with that setting, and the clarity has gone way up, on both sides. IMO, for a hands free bluetooth speakerphone, it really sounds excellent.

Pete

donsherman

Glad it helped you too. I remember reading a review of the i730, not related to the M and bluetooth, and the writer said voice clarity increased when he shut off voice privacy, so I gave it a try- and it helped a lot- your confirmation convinces me that it works better in the M.

dashooter

Sure you can buy it for what the employee's pay. They may or may not be getting a deal themselves. If you want to check the quality of the deal, go to the Infiniti website, to the locator, look at the MSRP of the car and if you're $3,500 back of that number -- sign on the dotted line. I got $1500 back of MSRP and the dealer felt he did me a huge favor. Hearing what a lot of guys pay over, makes me feel like he may be right.
As a car dealer for almost 30 years, I can tell you that the dealer nonsense doesn't matter at all. Just watch the manufacturer's sticker and base your evaluation of the price they're asking to that number - and how it relates to the supply and demand for that particular vehicle.
A dealer has to make a fair profit, just as all businesses do. Some just end up ripping people off, just like a lot of other businesses do.
It's your money, spend it wisely.

robin_

The Verizon VX 8100 does have a Voice Privacy Setting... It is under "Call Settings" Switch it from "Enhanced" to "Standard". The "My Visibility" setting has to do with Bluetooth pairing visibility.

blov8r

Have you considered Verizon's Samsung i730? It's similar to the Treo, and now, with my latest adjustments, I can say that it's a pretty amazing phone that works extremely well with the M. It actually does quite a bit more than the Treo

I took a look at it in May, but at the time it didn't couple well to the Infiniti ... obviously better now. In addition, the salesman talked me OUT of it because he said he had lots of problems with it ... and there was another issue about battery life that (if I recall correctly) caused a complete wipeout of all stored data/info if the battery discharged. I did like it ... although it has more features on it than I really need/want. I have the afternoon free ... I may go take another look.

Thanks for reminding me, and possibly costing me money! LOL

Bart :shades: :shades:

kfhmail

I agree...we all need to know the dealer cost and what other people are paying to make an informed decision...that is why I suggested someone may want to check it out at this dealership (Infiniti of Huntsville). I do not know what the employee price is...so I do not know if that is a good price or not...I may drop by this weekend and see if I can get more info.

sjcbill

The Verizon VX 8100 does have a Voice Privacy Setting... It is under "Call Settings" Switch it from "Enhanced" to "Standard". The "My Visibility" setting has to do with Bluetooth pairing visibility.

Thanks for the tip. I was looking under the Bluetooth menu. I'll try it tonight when my wife gets back with the car.

m35girl

Thanks everyone who responded. The update is I went to the police station who is also in the mall and they will forward the report to security. After that I'll see if there are any tapes that can be reviewed. By the way, the officer noticed a spot I didn't notice and they had also scrawled "die" on the rear passenger side door, so maybe they were trying to write it on the hood when they were interrupted. I took it to the body shop associated with the dealer yesterday about 1pm and my insurance company had cut the check by 4pm. I've had USAA since I was 16 and aside from a windshield claim or 2 it's been no claims. The deductible is only $50 which surprised me because when I went on my own I just had them transfer whatever my parents had at the time. Lesson learned, take the old paid for car to work unless I have a specific client appointment.

blov8r

so I got a true car phone. Motorola V710, adds $10/month to my Verizon plan

I've considered doing the same thing. It's really not a dumb move; for the convenience $10 is very little to pay. Hate to say it, but I miss my OnStar system! (I have a V710 and it worked great ... of course, my wife took it when I got my E815. To swap with her means swapping phone numbers as well; more aggravation.)

Bart

docnukem

I've had the V710 since April. I have had zero problems. It has limited bluetooth capabilites for other things (don't plan on transferring files/tones/pics unless you want to pay), but for a simple hands-free unit through the car's microphone and speakers, it is perfectly fine. Occasionally, a call will sound slightly different (echoes). As this is intermittent, I assume it is a network/connection problem rather than a phone problem

You might find deals on it, too. When I got mine, there was a discount and a rebate--zero cost for the phone, $39 for the car charger. (Oh yeah, you had to commit to two years, so not really free).

It has plenty of features. The phone book entry (into the phone, not into the car) can be tricky, as can deleting numbers. The display of the phone book is also cumbersome to change (from primary numbers to all numbers).

Wearing dark glasses...DN

sjcbill

Switching the VX8100 to "Standard" did seem to help the audio quality based on only 2 calls. At this point I'd rate the audio as "good". Otherwise the phone works well with the M. The Bluetooth connects automatically every time. I only wish there was a way to use the phone's voice dial feature through the M's Bluetooth. That would make entering numbers in the M's phonebook unnecessary.

creditman

got my m35x in april, during that same month I got a motorla v710 from verizon.

pairs up rightaway with the m. While talking on the bluetooth and doing over 60mph on freeway, some people say they can't hear me well. When they say that, I usuallly will hit the handset button and talk over the phone.

I had to manually input all of my phone book into the m as there's no download from verizon.

This week I came back from the Kruse Auction in Auburn IN. and notice that the antenna on the V710 was cracking off. First Verizon store I went to said sorry but the phone is 4 - 5 months old can't help. Went to other Verizon store 8 miles down the road, and the tech, swapped out the phone and gave me a new V710.

Can't get the M to recognize the new V710. Do I have to disconnect the pairing of the first V710 with the car, or just pair up the new one???

pete_l_p

and there was another issue about battery life [with the i730] that (if I recall correctly) caused a complete wipe out of all stored data/info if the battery discharged.

I suspect the salesman was comparing the i730 to the Treo on this issue. The Treo has a unique feature that saves EVERYTHING in non-volatile memory, so with a completely dead battery you're totally covered.

No other PDA has that feature, but you're still covered since the i730 and other PDAs have a backup battery. It's really not much of an issue, but it IS a nice feature of the Treo 650.

Pete

docnukem

Anybody else notice the lower left corner of the screen when backing up is black (like vignetting in photography, but only on the one corner)? I just noticed this yesterday and am wondering if I just overlooked it for the last six months ir if it is new on my camera.

Thanks

dashooter

Ask your insurance agent how much you'd save to go to a higher deductible. Could be a pretty significant savings.

dashooter

Not sure but I recall seeing an id number associated with the particular phone. If so, just pair up the new phone. The M will recognize up to some number 8 ?? different Bluetooth accessories - as I recall.

mexibec

May sound stupid, but isn't that your bumber?

undecided7

I have the Sirius radio and was wondering if there is any way to go through the channels any faster than simply turning the right hand knob of the radio and going sequentially up or down channel by channel. There has to be a better way to go from single digits to the 100s and back and forth than the way I'm doing it now. Also, can we set our satellite radio channels on our presets? I've tried a few times and can't seem to get it.

Any help is appreciated.

moman

Yes you can set the presets with Sirius. I've done it. Simply get the Sirius scroll on your screen (I forget which button to push to do that) and then push and hold the desired preset button. You can have them on A, B or C. As to the faster way to scroll up and down, I just go to one of my Sirius presets, ch. 99-Rolling Stones for example, and then hand turn to 101, CNBC (I think). Have some low and high presets... it'll cut down on the hand dialing time.

I would also be interested to know if anyone has heard anything about Sirius adding real-time traffic, a la XM in the Accura RL, not just those localized traffic weather channels in the 150's.

I continue to love the fact that the technology in the car works as well as it does and that the engine and handling are wonderful, but the darn rattles (DVD player/sunroof shade?), minor driver seat rock (caused BY the dealer when I took it in for a buzzing speaker), and yes, a still-buzzing speaker annoy the s--- out of me. Either I need to chill out a a bit, turn the radio up louder, keep taking it back until it's right or (oh no!) go back to a Mercedes...? I'd like to vote a, b, or c.

docnukem

I see the bumper separate from this triangular area (and also a slightly different shade of black). It may be a portion of the license plate well, but my point was that I didn't remember seeing it before. I did go to Infiniti and had them try it on an M on the floor. There was a similar black area, so it probably is just something I never noticed.

Another way to rapid tune to a satellite station is just to use the voice commands.
Speaking "Satellite 22" at the prompt will immediately tune to the Mix on XM. I assume it would work the same with Sirius. If Sirius uses categories like XM, you can also scroll rapidly through the categories.

bw45sport

Either I need to chill out a a bit, turn the radio up louder, keep taking it back until it's right or (oh no!) go back to a Mercedes...? I'd like to vote a, b, or c.

After the problems I've had with Mercedes rattles seem wonderful. Unfortunately, I've yet to experience any in my M. I'd vote for turning up the stereo though, especially if you have the Bose surround package.

Also, consider this, this is the first model year for this car and look at the scarcity of complaints on this forum. I really think they did an unbelievable job on this car.

mexibec

I checked this morning when backing up, and it's part of the trunk. When backing up, I could see the reflection of trees on it (as well as on the bumber). It's always been there, but it goes unnoticed.

marko7

> I do not see where the IIHS has tested the RL in the side or rear crash.

Try www.safercar.gov. They have full ratings on the RL. One of the 5 safest cars all-around, in additional to the gentrified Crown Victorias, Lincolns, Mercurys, etc. per the recent Forbes article.

> What surprised me was the "Poor" rating for rear impacts on the M.

Wow, this really sucks! Worse even than the G. As an owner, I expected much better from a $50k car with all the bells and whistles and a curb weight of over 4k lbs.

pete_l_p

For using Voice Command, the manual says use either “Channel 22” or “Satellite Channel 22” for xm/sirius. (They imply that “Satellite 22” won't do it)

Another very fast way to find stations is by use of the satellite radio channel Categories. (Such as Rock, Jazz, Hits, Talk, News etc.). Here's a basic overview on finding stations and Setting Presets:

Finding Stations:
First use the Source button, on the steering wheel, to choose the preset bank (A, B, or C) where you’ll be saving your favorite stations. Now find some stations:

Move through the XM/Sirius categories with the seek/track buttons, and move through the channels of a category using the radio tuning knob, or steering wheel controls.

Saving Presets:
Each time you’ve found a channel you want to save, press and hold a preset button to set it to that channel. (Make sure you’re aware of which preset bank your using, A,B,C)

A couple of notes:
You can have any mix of Satellite/FM/AM stations on each set of preset banks(A,B,C).
Also, I try to have at least one preset channel for each of my favorite categories. Then the radio knob will quickly take me to the nearby stations in that category. IMO, the whole system is really a pleasure to use when you get the hang of it.

Pete

sjcbill

You can go directly to any channel by using the voice command. Just say "Tune channel " or "Sat channel " as two examples.

blov8r

I've had the V710 since April.

Doc ... I caved in today. Went back to Verizon on Oracle (the store here on La Cholla is the pits) and had the V710 re-programmed to my # and all's fine. The car recognizes the phone, no buttons to push. I gave my wife the E815 and got the numbers swapped without cost. The youngsters at that Verizon store said he'd be happy to try to get the E815 (supposedly an upgrade over the V710) to work.

Bart

docnukem

Let me know if the E815 ever works as well. My wife doesn't like her phone much. She has also been driving my car a little more than before. If we get a new phone, it might be the 815 if it ever pairs well.

Speaking of her driving my car more...she took it for the day and returned with its first scratch. It wasn't her fault, though. My 2 yo picked up a rock and hit the car with it before anyone could stop him. I haven't seen it yet (had to go to work before she got back).

undecided7

Thanks for the tips, these should work much better.

As for going back to Mercedes, I would advise against it after having done my own research and reading numerous posts on this forum of the quality/workmanship issues with MB lately. I vote for turning up the volume and, firstly, keep working with the dealer to get this resolved. I'm sure with this being the first model year and the price point of these cars they should be more than accommodating. At least my dealer treats me with what I call "major sucking up" (from the movie Pretty Woman) every time I go in there. Your dealer should too and if not, get them to start considering what you paid for that car.

blov8r

Let me know if the E815 ever works as well. My wife doesn't like her phone much. She has also been driving my car a little more than before. If we get a new phone, it might be the 815 if it ever pairs well.

Doc ... Everyone says the E815 (supposedly an up-graded V710) has been set up to turn off its Bluetooth to conserve battery life. I think it's silly ... the smart kids at the Oracle store set up a shortcut for my E815 that takes me a second to couple to the car's system and once coupled performs stunningly well from a send/receive perspective. Can't couple the phonebook on the phone, so I've entered my frequently dialed numbers into the car's system. The phones are so much the same in all other respects that I'm happier having instant recognition of the V710 sans buttons.

I'm going back in a week or so and they're going to try to make the E815 couple automatically by deleting all of my present presets and re-introducing the phones to the car's system ... but they're not overly optimistic. They've also told me that there's almost NOTHING out there that is fully compatible (phone book coupling, etc) except in Lexus. I have one associate who has a Lexus and says it does work ... but I don't know which server's phone she's using. Bart

carnaught

Is the M's Bluetooth system capable of downloading a given phone's phonebook with provider's other than Veriizon? Unless I'm mistaken the car's system is incapable of this unlike my new BMW 3-series which did download it. The BMW also automatically upgrades & edits my phonebook entries after I've done so. I guess you can't have everything.

dashooter

Got a story to make you feel better. A friend of mine when 6 or 7 had wondered what would happen if he stuck a hot cigarette lighter on the dash of his dad's new Chevy Caprice. As luck would have it, his daughter wondered the same question while sitting in his Porsche. Over a thousand to cure that problem. Goes around, comes around. Take a picture and hound the kid for the next 50 years about it.

ewl88

Well, not the post I wanted to make but my m35x got hit by a Jeep cherokee today. Guy didn't see a red traffic light as I was taking a legal turnaround. Essentially a perpendicular hit. I was hit on the driver side on the left front end and his passenger front end was bashed in. My hood was partially crumpled, my driver's front end was crushed but sparing the wheel and door, pretty sure all the left headlights shattered all over the road. Side air bag did NOT deploy but maybe that's because the driver's door is intact and the point of impact was just ahead of my driver's space. The front air bag did not deploy either.
We'll see how well and quickly they repair the m35x. I'm going to limp along with a rental car for a while. At least everyone walked away from the accident. 2 towing people complimented the m35x as they were putting on the flat bed (funny in the circumstances!) The Infiniti grill fell off which they threw in the back seat. Hell of a way to start a week. Can't wait until the paper work starts rolling in.
It wasn't exactly a front, rear, or sidedoor impact (More of a solid hit to driver's bumper) but at least the M held together. It could still be started. Tow guys needed some help with the keyless entry though!

blov8r

Is the M's Bluetooth system capable of downloading a given phone's phonebook with provider's other than Veriizon?

Nothing stupid about the question. I guess the only way to get a viable answer is to a) ask a provider what has been installed fully successfully in what car, or b) ferret out someone who has had success with a specific linkage.

On Infiniti's website there are listed "compatible" phones ... so one should assume that limited listing is fully compatible. The annoying thing is that the phone salespeople are told NOT to touch your car, and they understand the technology. At the same time, the sales force at the car dealership understand the car but not the phone's technology ... so we're stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I do seem to recall someone posting that a RAZR from Altell works but the sound is a bit weak.

Stay tuned ... there will be more definitive answers here shortly.

Bart

jeff721

#4589 of 4590 Re: Door Composition [marko7] by ewl88 Sep 18, 2005 (10:39 pm)
Replying to: marko7 (Sep 17, 2005 1:51 pm)

Well, not the post I wanted to make but my m35x got hit by a Jeep cherokee today. Guy didn't see a red traffic light as I was taking a legal turnaround. Essentially a perpendicular hit. I was hit on the driver side on the left front end and his passenger front end was bashed in. My hood was partially crumpled, my driver's front end was crushed but sparing the wheel and door, pretty sure all the left headlights shattered all over the road. Side air bag did NOT deploy but maybe that's because the driver's door is intact and the point of impact was just ahead of my driver's space. The front air bag did not deploy either.
We'll see how well and quickly they repair the m35x. I'm going to limp along with a rental car for a while. At least everyone walked away from the accident. 2 towing people complimented the m35x as they were putting on the flat bed (funny in the circumstances!) The Infiniti grill fell off which they threw in the back seat. Hell of a way to start a week. Can't wait until the paper work starts rolling in.
It wasn't exactly a front, rear, or sidedoor impact (More of a solid hit to driver's bumper) but at least the M held together. It could still be started. Tow guys needed some help with the keyless entry though!

I am glad to hear you are alright. Do you feel based on the hit that the air bags should have opened? Based on your discription I am unsure.
Please post.

Thanks,

Jeff

pat

That's terrible, but it's good to know you are okay. Keep us posted on how things progress.

tromnai

Not for me.
I have an Audiovox SMT 5600 with service provided by Roger Wireless in Canada.
Otherwise the phone paired flawlessly with the M.

ewl88

Thanks for the well wishes. I'm a bit stiff but mostly functional.
One infiniti benefit is the roadside assistance. If you need to transfer the car from the towing operator's site to the body shop or dealer, infiniti roadside will do it without cost. And they say they have their own storage areas so if you need time to figure things out you can transfer to them so you don't have to continue to pay the towing service storage fees which charges by the day. (This may be basic for some people but this is my first serious accident) But one caveat is that you have to pay the towing operator before the infiniti roadside operator can take it. I couldn't pay the amount via phone so I had to go after work which delayed the transfer to the body shop (which the local infiniti dealer recommended- actually I didn't even buy the m35x from them but I guess they'll be happy to get the work)
I still have lots of calls to make and the adjuster has to see the car. I'm told by the towing operator that no fluids were leaking and it was possible to drive the m35x off the flat bed (required for AWD vehicles per the towing operator). He was fascinated by the fact that there was a rear view camera on my car.
The Jeep Cherokee that hit me was leaking radiator fluid so I know it was damaged seriously. I don't know if I should have expected the side impact bags to go off. NONE of the driver's door was hit. It was the driver's side front panel that was hit. The cabin is intact still. Does the side impact air bag just go off if the sensor in the door frame is tripped? I didn't expect the front air bags to go off since the impact was at 90 degree angle- cherokee passenger front contacting my M's driver's front end. I am concerned that the hood crumpled a bit so I don't know the integrity of the frame.
Hopefullly the repair job will bring the M back to its pristine shape and that they test EVERYTHING before handing it back to me. And that they will have access to OEM parts in a very new car. In the meantime I'm limping along with the rental Dodge stratus. But I'm sobered by the fact that if I had been a 1/2 second faster I would have a Jeep in my lap. :sick: Lucky in a way.

undecided7

Is there a way to see how many Ms have sold to date? If so, where can we find the sales statistics?

The reason I ask is that I still see very few Ms on the road in the Chicago area. I thought by now that I'd see many more on the road (compared to the numbers of new Avalons, RLs, and Lexus GSs) than I currently have seen. For a car this hot and with all the bells, whistles, and quality/workmanship, I am really surprised to see so few on the road in the Chicago area.

cheerioboy26

Lots of sales info, going back a few years at least, at http://www.nissannews.com

dashooter

Be glad the airbag didn't pop if it wasn't essential. I had two pop in a Ford Taurus a couple of years back. Envision a double barrel 12 gauge shot gun popping both barrels in a closed car as some one tosses a double big scoop of chalk dust in the car. The airbags and the damage they did in popping the windshield and the physical damage to me - no fun. My chest felt like I had been slapped with a sheet of plywood - hard, and the inside of both arms ( holding the wheel ) got bad like rug burns. I couldn't hear squat for an hour. Over half the $6700 repair bill was replacing the airbags and fixing the damage they did and clean up.

pete_l_p

The M has been selling strong and is well ahead of Infiniti's estimates. They've stated a goal of selling 24,000 in the first year (2k/month). They've beaten that every month and have recently been selling about 2600 per month.

I also hear that they'll be starting some new ad campaigns which will be highlighting their incredible reviews. I'm guessing the M sales will keep growing.

Pete

carnaught

Well to reiterate, my phone (Moto v551) which is a capatible phone, pairs easily and works well in my M. What doesn't happen is downloading of the phonebook, which DOES happen with the same phone in my BMW 3-series.

rrob

Lots of sales info, going back a few years at least, at http://www.nissannews.com

Interesting site, looking at those numbers makes the point that the new M sales volumes are impressive in that they are, basically, all 'conquest' sales. The YTD M sales numbers have gone from 1535 to 14884 from 2004 to 2005 (both thru August). And, the new M wasn't available until this past March.

Seems like Infiniti somehow may have guessed their future sales pretty well; quite a while ago on this forum an Infiniti dealer stated that 32,000 2006 M's were going to be made (not sure if that was just for the US or a total number), That works out to expecting to sell 2600 or so a month, and they are now selling around 2500 a month in the US with over 2600 sold in August.

However, around 15,000 cars in the whole US still makes the M a very rare bird. I think we see more of the other makes also because there is a 'brand identity' with them, while our M's really only resemble the G's. But, I don't mind rare right know, easy to give a wave to the other few, smart, M drivers.

rrob

wbreaux1

Has anyone used a Blackberry in an M with bluetooth? I see there are 2 Blackberry's that are supposed to be compatible. Has this worked well? How are the functions?

m45horn

Guys,
Being a past BMW owner the limited quota on imports like an M-5 for eg. allows value to be
kept in my mind. As opposed to a Corvette which one see's "everywhere".
Sure I want the M to catch on but I hope Infinity does not dilute market and lessen resale
desirability.
Btw except for a slightly stiffer ride than BMW's I love this car. What a cornicopia of performance and technology.
And what a great forum. You guys have been extremely helpful.
M45Horn

undecided7

That's a great argument, but if Nissan motors can sell more and more quantities of Ms I'm sure they will not be thinking how to keep the value of the cars up. They'll be thinking of how to grow the top line revenue higher and higher.

I think "value" is being created on its own if we continue to see the sales numbers grow like they are and if owners like you and I continue to rave about their Infinit ownership experience. Although I never owned a BMW, I looked at them and Mercedes and thought that the M blew both models away in both "fun/sporty feel" of driving, technology/gadgets, workmanship, and overall economic value on the pocketbook. As more and more people start to see this it will be a boon for Infinit and worries for BMW and MB. Like Car & Driver stated "game over the Infiniti Rocks"!!!

dashooter

Actually, the car companies tend to look at the cycle life of a model as it relates to unit sale potential vs business realities. They tend to be more interested in the short term profit potential. If you examine the PT Cruiser as a classic example of over production. A cute, fun and generally very marketable car. The first couple of years they had horrendous demand and built capacity to that. POP they had it over built and were tossing rebates and packages all over the place to get the excess sold. Now Chevy is trying to play " ME TOO " with their PT Cruiser look alike. Sorry GM, as usual, you're ten years behind.
What is good for the front end buyers is pent up demand- what is bad for the factory is lack of ability to meet that demand and profit from it. The middle ground is very elusive. IMHO the M is setting a new standard for the cars America will be driving over the next 10 years. More interactive, more demanding of full attention, more given to addressing sensory comfort and a warmer more feel good driving experience in a wide range of options enviroment.
Does anyone driving a M now think this is a median vehicle for the masses, even if the price were cut in half ? I'm a fairly bright guy and this is to me, a challenging (in a fun way) experience.
In general though the Asian manufacturers are more conservative in their approach to capacity than the US boys and girls. Their incentive are programed to profit over the long term. American car companies (and divisions) tend to use incentives that address the coming quarter and to heck with anything past that point.
I believe that is the number one difference at this point in time - in why the US is lagging Asia in car quality AND sales.
My M35 with Journey and Tech lists at $48 K . Take out half the trim, down grade the rest, cheapen the tires and rims, dump the bubble gum gee whizz toys such as lane departure, and look around the curve etc and you could sell the car in the mid thirties. BUT I DO LOVE THIS CAR, HERE, NOW , TODAY

blov8r

Just a brief comment re: gas mileage (and you all know my opinion re: that subject; if you buy a $50K car don't beef about the mileage). I had my first sustained highway trip ... 200 miles at 85 mph, and the next three tanks have given me 1.1 mpg more than any prior. I guess I just had to loosen things up! (Oh, and I finally got the hang of the smart cruise control.) :shades:

Bart

edspider1

With 2800 miles, my MPG has also improved about a 1 mpg. I'm seeing 17.5 in combined traffic. I agree that the $50K plus market is usually not sensitive to fuel consumption, but I always will be. I just can't consider a car if the city sticker mpg is under 17.

I still love my M and don't see anything else on the market. I'll live with the bad mpg and small tank.