I have had my M45 for 3 months now, and have driven it in all types of conditions. I am getting 13.7 MPG (based on what the computer says)as an average. It really is eating through gas. I do use premium so that is not the problem. How is everyone else doing with MPG's? Mine seems really low to me. What could be the issue?
M pilot, Thank you for confirming. This is not something that would prevent me from buying this car, I just would not want it to be a "surprise" after purchase. I had sent Infiniti an email asking this question, and their response was a standard "refer back to dealer"!
Driving a M45 in the Bay Area approx 50/50 street/Hwy, Avg MPG is between 14 and 16. Checked once on miles driven on a tank (ie my calculation) and this matched the computer calculation to within 0.2MPG
50/50 mix in a crowded suburb, fairly aggressive and trained right foot, getting 17.5-18mpg with my M45 Sport. This is about the same as I got with my FX35 Sport.
I'd lower the profile of the enter button on the steering wheel
I don't know what that is or where it is! I'm not kidding. LOL
But for the merriment of it all, let me share my visit with Infiniti this morning. While waiting for them to reactivate my tire pressure sensors, a second service manager asked me if he could help me. I extolled the virtues of the car, but told him I had three criticisms off the top. 1) Poor adjustment of passenger seat. He said it has a 10-way seat. Wrong. 2) No way to start the car without the key fob. He said the valet key would start the car. Wrong. 3) The doors should lock when the car goes into gear. He said it does. Wrong. I had to show him that he was wrong. Interestingly, the valet key DOES start the G35!
Amusing. Maybe he's new to Infiniti; give him some credit.
Also have about a 50/50 city/highway mix and own a 'base' M45. Mileage improved some after the first 2k miles. I now get 18-20 mpg everyday, 22-23 on highway trips.
just bought a 2006 m35x and had a few thoughts. i live in nyc and wondered if anyone knew where 1)i could get installation so my side mirrors electronically flip close. 2) override my dvd system on front screen so i can watch while in drive 3) install some led alarm lights btw, has everyone checked out www.burtmanindustries.com? lots of aftermarket goodies for the m like grilles and exhaust.
I was at a carwash in Sherman Oaks, CA today and saw an M badged as an "M55". Is this for real? The Infiniti web site makes no mention of it and the edmunds future vehicles section does not mention it. The driver of the car (an older man) left before I was able to ask him about the car.
If you're going to try to watch DVD's while you drive please tell me where you live so I can stay VERY far away. One bit of advice, keep your air bags in good condition (maybe save on the alarm LEDs and auto-folding mirrors and add a couple more of 'em) and keep your health insurance up to date. BTW I know some very good trauma surgeons in NYC. Good luck!
Has anyone had a remote starter added to the M yet? A car with a pushbutton starter would be a natural for one of these in my opinion. I live in Michigan and as it grows colder I am thinking about having it added.
I'd lower the profile of the enter button on the steering wheel I don't know what that is or where it is! I'm not kidding. LOL Bart, the enter button ? left of center on the steering wheel ? says "ENTER" and you click it to change radio stations and tracks on cd's. Technically, the Screen Navigation and Enter switch. Every time I turn a corner, I bump that with the heel of my hand and change my radio station or the cd track. My dealer sales manager says he does the same and that it annoys him to no end. Anyway, if I luck out and get to tell them what I think is wrong, that is # 1 for me. What other one thing would anyone change on the car, if they could ? I have already heard improve heated seats, Bluetooth, dvd for the nav system and the one thing I'd also like - move the phone mic's closer to the users mouth to reduce echo /cave sound - rework the Journey / Tech packages to combine in a more intuitive way. ie drop lane departure warning and make sat radio standard. Any others ???
Bart, the enter button ? left of center on the steering wheel ? says "ENTER" and you click it to change radio stations and tracks on cd's.
Oh, THAT button! I was thinking of a door lock/unlock mechanism. Yes, I've hit it a couple of times myself but I must say it's not been often at all.
Re: the LDW. I inactivated mine shortly after I took delivery in April. I doubt I'll ever reactivate it again. While a "perfect" driver shouldn't find it a nuisance, it picks up reflections off of tar strips and directions painted on the road and sounds the alarm even when NOT departing the lane. Infiniti: Take the money out of that and give me a decent passenger seat, a keyable ignition (it's in the G35), and doors that lock when starting to drive.
The "echo" with the phone system isn't a function of the location of the mic, IMO, because it wasn't an issue with my Caddy and the mic there was at least as far away as on the M. It's a hardware/solfware issue but I do agree ... it's feeble.
Volvo and Infinity don't do auto door lock on purpose. They feel that in an accident, you want the door unlocked so rescue workers can get in. Most pre-crash systems unlock the door and tighten the seat belts for the same reason. Should I find myself in a 'scarey' neighborhood, I hit lock. I would do this instinctly whether or not my car had auto lock. I just want to make sure. So for me, not having auto locking isn't a big deal. I'm also not concerned about not being able to start the car without the fob. To me, the fob is the key.
After 4000 miles, my wish list is pretty small. The M is great car. I would like them to loose the "Please say command" prompt that I have to wait to complete before I can issue a voice command. The RL just beeps. I also wish the car were a little quieter.
I do hit Enter when turning occassionaly, but not very often.
Volvo and Infinity don't do auto door lock on purpose. They feel that in an accident, you want the door unlocked so rescue workers can get in.
I don't want it to be easy for anyone to get in ... period. With today's crazies out there I want my wife to be secure in the car at a stoplight or in a shopping center and not have to think about securing the doors.
And you're right, the fob's the key ... as it is for all of us. But there are those among us who would like to have a fallback position and that option isn't available on the M. That's my only point. Some people wear suspenders and belts ... others are happy with elastic waistbands.
Why not get one of those magnetic key holders and hide it somewhere under the car, with the battery removed.
It can be used without its battery when you stick it in the receiver on the dash to the left of the steering wheel. Also, you can keep the flat key (that infiniti provides) in your wallet, so that you can easily get into the car.
actually auto locking doors is a programable option on volvo's. If you're in an accident with a volvo the doors will automatically unlock, with or without the autolock feature.
Msn.com autos featured an article on the top 2006 cars and trucks for resale. The Infiniti M and G series were at the top of the list for kelly blue book!! Just thought I would pass that along! Happy Thanksgiving to all!
If you watch Desperate Housewives from last week (OK, OK a guilty pleasure) look for the M35 parked on the street. It's shown for only a few seconds but it got a nice full side view pan. Wonder what Infinti paid for the cameo? Actually there seems to be a large # of Nissan cars on the show as well, must be a sponsor. My wife likes the fact that I notice the cars on the show and not the women. Ahh, little does she know...
You make a good point; frankly never occurred to me. You're suggesting taking the battery out of the 2nd fob, leaving it (the fob) sequestered in the car somewhere, and cramming it into the little slot designed to activate it when the battery's dead ... is that right? One potential problem is that it may need a battery (even a dead one) to complete its circuitry to make it work. And looking at my fob I don't see any easy way to open it to remove the battery. Worth a try though. The "flat" key isn't really flat so not kindly disposed to being kept in the wallet ... however, it can be hidden in a magnetic box as you've suggested. :shades:
That's what I'm talking about. Look at the owners manual to see how to get the battery out. (You know you need to be able to replace a dead fob battery periodically anyway.)
The electric key definitely does work in it's receiver, without any battery at all. I tried it. Of course you could also just keep its battery wrapped up with it too. BTW, I also confirmed that it doesn't lose its programming with the battery out.
The flat infiniti key I got for my M45 is sitting in my wallet in a flat credit card sized piece of plastic, which makes it perfectly comfortable there. I'm pretty sure that the flat plastic key holder came with my M.
I agree with you. I traded a Cadillac that I had put a remote starter on. I believe that it was the option that I have most appreciated on any car I have ever owned. If someone has any info of the remote, please post. Thanks and have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING. Hawkeye
Added factory rear spoiler & Stillen 'billet front grills' to M45 Sport.
Had dealer do the install. They scratched the finish surrounding the grill opening. Now they're painting it. Lovely. 4 month old car.
Still looks amazing though complementing the Liquid Platimnum finish. Infiniti logo really 'pops' on the grill. Spoiler puts nice finishing touch to the cars rear.
FYI - if you do this, DO NOT PURCHASE grilles from dealers. I got jacked 45% on what Stillen charges. I will be having a discussion with the dealerships GM when I bring the car in for the paint repairs. They're entitled to make a profit, but don't mug a loyal customer..... and screw up my car in the process.
I also am worried about not having a backup key to get into my car, especially in the winter. I, unfortunately, can see myself pulling my gloves out of my coat and the fob coming out also and losing it in the snow. Now, I think I would be in trouble without a backup because even if I have the other fob in the car without its battery, how do I get in the car to use the second fob? I would appreciate any help with this. Thanks in advance and have a Happy Thanksgiving. Hawkeye
We had a realy cold night wed. and I had company riding in the back seat. They were using the rear seat heater adjustments for temp etc. and to my surprise (horror) when they cranked the rear temp setting (there is a readout in the armrest) all it was doing was turning up BOTH of the front seat temps - and they were set on dual. In other words all the rear seat temp controls do is adjust the front settings. so when they are cold I am going to be roasting!!! Does anyone know if I am missing something in set up? I have to say if thats the intended set up it is a very lame feature. Anyone have a clue??
That's how it works, but you can disable the rear controls if you want, and they can still control the blower volume at the rear center vents.
This car advertises two zones for climate control, so without additional zones there's not much else that could be done. I'd have to agree it's not all that useful.
I would be cautious with the "hidden" magnetic boxes.
They are similar to a key to your house under the mat--the first place most criminals look.
And I wouldn't rely on the fob being dead and without a battery--the crazies out there may be crazy but they are surprisingly well educated on how valuable vehicles operate.
Perhaps I'm paranoid but who wants to be driving an M that has been recovered by the police after it was stolen, stripped and defiled.
Pete, thank you for your great support for all of here. I have a small credit card holder and cash clip combined so I can't keep my key with me in my billfold. I believe that for me in the area that I spend most of my time in I can safely wire the flat key to the bolt holding my license plate behind the plate of course. I then leave the fob with the battery in it hidden inside the car. This makes me comfortable now in case I lose my key during bad weather. I think the battery should last a long time w/o use. Pete, do you know how long the battery might last in general? Thanks again, Pete. Hawkeye
I just want to check one thing. Are you leaving the Fob in the car with the battery IN the Fob in the normal manner? If that's the case, anyone could start your car with a push button at any time.
The idea is to take the battery out of the fob (so the electronic key is normally disabled), and if your want, you can hide it along with the Fob. I suspect that's what you might be saying.
If the battery is not in the Fob, my "wild a** guess" is that it would last for many years.
I have used the snow mode in the last week on my 35x. After parking in the garage, I noticed a burning smell similar to the smell during the first few hundred miles. My guess is that this is just normal oil/grease burning off from engagement of the electromagnetic clutch for the AWD (probably only used infrequently during the spring, summer, and fall). It seems to be getting less noticeable in the last day or so.
Remote starters for any vehicle are doable. The Infiniti system should be very similar to that of the MB smart key. I've installed remote starters on MBs, the smart card actually has to be hard wired into the vehicle itself (no a common thief will not be able to steal your car if done properly). This requires removing the 12 volt battery from the card, or for the Infiniti the key. You would then have a standard aftermarket starter unit installed in order to pulse the starter wire after the key has been activated remotely. If the Infiniti remote has acc. or aux functions you may be able to integrate this function into the key fob itself, or worst case have to carry a separate "starter remote".
A good aftermarket shop can perform this work, ask if they have installed one before in your vehicle or a similar type system. They should also be able to provide referrals. Your dealership may already have a competent installation center they work with, these types of installations are costly though. GM products are less costly relative to this type of installation (keyless ignition). Avoid Circuit City, Best Buy, etc.
Pete, yes that is what I've done. For those concerned it is not hard to get the battery out. I feel a 100% better now knowing I'm not going to get stranded because of a lost fob. Thanks again, Pete. Gene
I then leave the fob with the battery in it hidden inside the car.
Hawk1eye: :shades: Doesn't that leave the car essentially unlockable and capable of being driven off? Clearly I've gotten something wrong somewhere along the line. When I give my car to the valet I leave him the fob ... sans key. The car's not secure as long as a live fob's available. What am I missing?
I'm sorry for not explaining that I am the only one driving my car. The fob that I am leaving in the car is the second fob that I was given when I purchased the car. I can lock and start my car with the fob and key that I normally use. The other fob does not interfere with the one I use normally. Thanks for questioning me to fill this black hole I left in my message. I would appreciate if you could try this on your car to see if it works for you. Pete, you probably were thinking exactly the same think and I did not explain fully. Please let me know what you come up with when you try it. Thanks Hawkeye
That's all good and it all works, just so long as you're keeping the battery always OUT of the second Fob.
My confusion and I think Blov8r's confusion was your statement that you're "keeping the BATTERY IN THE FOB" The fact that this is your second fob is less significant than the fact that you need to keep the battery out of the the FOB.
Blov8r is concerned that (as we've discussed) if the second Fob were always in the car with a battery inside it, it would keep both the exterior door lock/unlock buttons and the interior push to start button enabled 100% of the time.
Sorry for repeating this, but your last message gave me the feeling that we still might have a disconnect here.
Pete and Blov8r, sorry for the confusion. I had my wife check on what I'm doing so that I wasn't missing something. Perhaps there is something wrong with my security system. We again locked the 2nd fob with the battery in it in the car using the 1st fob. The doors were locked. I then unlocked the car and got the 2nd fob and used it to start the car. I know that the car is not protected once the door is opended but that is a risk I am prepared to take. This is how it works on my car. Let me know if you can do that on yours as well. Thanks. Have a great weekend. Hawkeye
I know that the car is not protected once the door is opened but that is a risk I am prepared to take.
If you're willing to take that risk it seems as though that will work.
My concern was that there's a button on the outside door handle that can be opened at any time when the key fob is in range. I assumed that if you had the fob in the car with the battery in it, anyone could open the door by simply pressing that button at any time. Well I just tried it, and it turns out that the M appears to be smart enough to know that the fob is inside the car rather than outside the car. In other words, the button itself will not unlock the car door when the fob is locked inside the car (despite the fact that that same button WILL open the car when it's locked and a proper fob is OUTSIDE the car.)
I'm amazed at the subtlety of this feature. Personally I'd prefer to keep the extra protection of having the battery out of the second fob, but that's your choice and it really does seem to work the way you want.
Per the manual, you can lock a key fob inside the car by remote with the other fob. You can not lock the doors with the request button on the handle, since the car recognizes that the fob is inside the cabin; just as it does if you try to lock the door with the handle request button with the fob inside (it doesn't let you lock it).
I purchased an M35 without all wheel drive on the advice of my salesman who said I didn't really need the all wheel drive version since I drive mainly in the city. I just experienced my first snowfall and the roads were very slippery. Although I could not drive fast, I found that by easing up on the gas, I did not have any significant problem driving the car, even without snow tires. Maybe it will be different when the snow falls in greater quantities. Has anyone else had any experiences in snow yet, either with, or without, all wheel drive?
Howard, I have AWD and had the oppurtunity to try out the AWD vs the on demand and I found not a great deal of difference. The conditions were not awful, ie not 6 inches of snow, but both seemed effective to me. I believe when the conditions are very bad the AWD will be helpful. Hawkeye
I forgot to add that I don't know how the car would handle w/o the AWD , but for me the system seems to do a good job and for me here in Minnesota and traveling alot I do need it. BTW, over l7,000 miles and not a rattle or problem of any kind. I had to add extra air to the tires to quiet the low pressure alarm because of the cold weather. Also, I had the misfortune to back into an empty garbage can and the mirror did not spring back as it is supposed to and snapped it off. $500+. Good driving everyone. Hawkeye
I am awaiting arrival of my new 2006 M35x and I am looking to install my Valentine 1 radar detector in it. In my BMW, there is a switched 12v line near the sunroof panel that I managed to tap into so that I don't have to plug the radar detector into the cigarette lighter. The switched line will have power when the car is turned on, so it is very convenient and concealed. I would like to do the same installation in my new M35x.
If anyone out there know of references or DIY instructions for tapping into a switched 12V power source, I would appreciate it very much.
Hello, all. It has taken me the better part of the last TWO days to read/browse all 5000+ entries in this forum! (I didn't want to miss any *gems* in here, is all). I took delivery of my Black/Graphite M35 base with Journey on 11/26. Dealer will install my XM and Deck Lid in a week. Overall, very pleased with look, drive, and fit of the car so far.
I have made many notes based on what I have read here. My main questions concern the following:
Tires: I have G-Y AFS Eagles, and the consensus seems to be these will likely contribute to the road noise issues. I am motivated to ask the dealer to trade these out for Bridgestone or Pirelli. As I've had the car 2 days, and only driven 12 miles, is this a reasonable request? Anyone had any luck doing this??
Tire Pressure: Noted my cold pressure is 36. Are most recommending this be lowered to 32-33 for optimal ride/noise experience?
Exterior care: Is it best practice not to wax first 30 days?, and products of choice seem to be Zaino or Mother's (tossup). I want this baby to glisten, not just shine!
Ignition: Is there any way to go from ON (car engine running) to ACC mode without having to press the button twice? You could do this with conventional keys...any way to accomplish in one action with I-K? (minor inconvenience, but would be nice)
Missing features: I agree, we need to see auto-locking doors, 10-way power pass seat, full displays on XM/Sirius, dual tilt side mirrors on reverse, and having media input jacks for MP3 players std on all models
All in all, very pleased with my purchase, but still EARLY! I'll check back with u all in about 1200 miles...thanks for all the intelligent posts and advice!
I agree with just about all of your requests but one. Why dual tilt side mirrors on reverse? That's basically what we have.
You can tilt either mirror down as needed. (By flipping the mirror control switch left or right) Seems to me you would usually want one straight back and only the one near the curb pointing down.
I think the functionality of these mirrors is very cool: You can leave it set so that your preferred side will automatically tilt on reverse; you can tilt the other one or turn off tilting in an instant (which is valuable when you're driving in reverse down a long driveway); and you can have two different pairs of memorized tilt positions (one pair for each memory button). IMHO it's a powerful, flexible approach with an uncluttered and easy to remember interface.
Comments
any feedback greatly appreciated?
I wouldn't rely on the computer MPG. Mine is never correct. Actually calculate your mileage - plus - how much city driving are you doing?
Driving a M45 in the Bay Area approx 50/50 street/Hwy, Avg MPG is between 14 and 16. Checked once on miles driven on a tank (ie my calculation) and this matched the computer calculation to within 0.2MPG
I don't know what that is or where it is! I'm not kidding. LOL
But for the merriment of it all, let me share my visit with Infiniti this morning. While waiting for them to reactivate my tire pressure sensors, a second service manager asked me if he could help me. I extolled the virtues of the car, but told him I had three criticisms off the top. 1) Poor adjustment of passenger seat. He said it has a 10-way seat. Wrong. 2) No way to start the car without the key fob. He said the valet key would start the car. Wrong. 3) The doors should lock when the car goes into gear. He said it does. Wrong. I had to show him that he was wrong. Interestingly, the valet key DOES start the G35!
Amusing. Maybe he's new to Infiniti; give him some credit.
Bart
btw, has everyone checked out www.burtmanindustries.com? lots of aftermarket goodies for the m like grilles and exhaust.
I don't know what that is or where it is! I'm not kidding. LOL
Bart, the enter button ? left of center on the steering wheel ? says "ENTER" and you click it to change radio stations and tracks on cd's. Technically, the Screen Navigation and Enter switch. Every time I turn a corner, I bump that with the heel of my hand and change my radio station or the cd track. My dealer sales manager says he does the same and that it annoys him to no end.
Anyway, if I luck out and get to tell them what I think is wrong, that is # 1 for me. What other one thing would anyone change on the car, if they could ? I have already heard improve heated seats, Bluetooth, dvd for the nav system and the one thing I'd also like - move the phone mic's closer to the users mouth to reduce echo /cave sound - rework the Journey / Tech packages to combine in a more intuitive way. ie drop lane departure warning and make sat radio standard. Any others ???
Oh, THAT button! I was thinking of a door lock/unlock mechanism. Yes, I've hit it a couple of times myself but I must say it's not been often at all.
Re: the LDW. I inactivated mine shortly after I took delivery in April. I doubt I'll ever reactivate it again. While a "perfect" driver shouldn't find it a nuisance, it picks up reflections off of tar strips and directions painted on the road and sounds the alarm even when NOT departing the lane. Infiniti: Take the money out of that and give me a decent passenger seat, a keyable ignition (it's in the G35), and doors that lock when starting to drive.
The "echo" with the phone system isn't a function of the location of the mic, IMO, because it wasn't an issue with my Caddy and the mic there was at least as far away as on the M. It's a hardware/solfware issue but I do agree ... it's feeble.
I miss my OnStar system.
Bart :shades:
After 4000 miles, my wish list is pretty small. The M is great car. I would like them to loose the "Please say command" prompt that I have to wait to complete before I can issue a voice command. The RL just beeps. I also wish the car were a little quieter.
I do hit Enter when turning occassionaly, but not very often.
I don't want it to be easy for anyone to get in ... period. With today's crazies out there I want my wife to be secure in the car at a stoplight or in a shopping center and not have to think about securing the doors.
And you're right, the fob's the key ... as it is for all of us. But there are those among us who would like to have a fallback position and that option isn't available on the M. That's my only point. Some people wear suspenders and belts ... others are happy with elastic waistbands.
Bart :shades:
It can be used without its battery when you stick it in the receiver on the dash to the left of the steering wheel. Also, you can keep the flat key (that infiniti provides) in your wallet, so that you can easily get into the car.
Pete
Craig :shades:
The electric key definitely does work in it's receiver, without any battery at all. I tried it. Of course you could also just keep its battery wrapped up with it too. BTW, I also confirmed that it doesn't lose its programming with the battery out.
The flat infiniti key I got for my M45 is sitting in my wallet in a flat credit card sized piece of plastic, which makes it perfectly comfortable there. I'm pretty sure that the flat plastic key holder came with my M.
Pete
Had dealer do the install. They scratched the finish surrounding the grill opening. Now they're painting it. Lovely. 4 month old car.
Still looks amazing though complementing the Liquid Platimnum finish. Infiniti logo really 'pops' on the grill. Spoiler puts nice finishing touch to the cars rear.
FYI - if you do this, DO NOT PURCHASE grilles from dealers. I got jacked 45% on what Stillen charges. I will be having a discussion with the dealerships GM when I bring the car in for the paint repairs. They're entitled to make a profit, but don't mug a loyal customer..... and screw up my car in the process.
I mentioned this in my earlier post.
Just keep your flat metal key (in its credit card sized holder) in your wallet at all times.
Thats what I do.
Pete
Craig :confuse:
This car advertises two zones for climate control, so without additional zones there's not much else that could be done. I'd have to agree it's not all that useful.
I believe my last LS430 did the same thing.
Pete
They are similar to a key to your house under the mat--the first place most criminals look.
And I wouldn't rely on the fob being dead and without a battery--the crazies out there may be crazy but they are surprisingly well educated on how valuable vehicles operate.
Perhaps I'm paranoid but who wants to be driving an M that has been recovered by the police after it was stolen, stripped and defiled.
Why make it easy for them?
However if you reread this thread, and use some inititiative there's a safe solution in here.
Pete
You're very welcome.
I just want to check one thing. Are you leaving the Fob in the car with the battery IN the Fob in the normal manner? If that's the case, anyone could start your car with a push button at any time.
The idea is to take the battery out of the fob (so the electronic key is normally disabled), and if your want, you can hide it along with the Fob. I suspect that's what you might be saying.
If the battery is not in the Fob, my "wild a** guess" is that it would last for many years.
Pete
Just thought I'd pass that on.
A good aftermarket shop can perform this work, ask if they have installed one before in your vehicle or a similar type system. They should also be able to provide referrals. Your dealership may already have a competent installation center they work with, these types of installations are costly though. GM products are less costly relative to this type of installation (keyless ignition). Avoid Circuit City, Best Buy, etc.
That's a different key from the one that fits into the fob, correct? I didn't know there was such a thing.
Bart :shades:
Hawk1eye: :shades: Doesn't that leave the car essentially unlockable and capable of being driven off? Clearly I've gotten something wrong somewhere along the line. When I give my car to the valet I leave him the fob ... sans key. The car's not secure as long as a live fob's available. What am I missing?
Bart :shades:
My confusion and I think Blov8r's confusion was your statement that you're "keeping the BATTERY IN THE FOB" The fact that this is your second fob is less significant than the fact that you need to keep the battery out of the the FOB.
Blov8r is concerned that (as we've discussed) if the second Fob were always in the car with a battery inside it, it would keep both the exterior door lock/unlock buttons and the interior push to start button enabled 100% of the time.
Sorry for repeating this, but your last message gave me the feeling that we still might have a disconnect here.
Pete
If you're willing to take that risk it seems as though that will work.
My concern was that there's a button on the outside door handle that can be opened at any time when the key fob is in range. I assumed that if you had the fob in the car with the battery in it, anyone could open the door by simply pressing that button at any time. Well I just tried it, and it turns out that the M appears to be smart enough to know that the fob is inside the car rather than outside the car. In other words, the button itself will not unlock the car door when the fob is locked inside the car (despite the fact that that same button WILL open the car when it's locked and a proper fob is OUTSIDE the car.)
I'm amazed at the subtlety of this feature. Personally I'd prefer to keep the extra protection of having the battery out of the second fob, but that's your choice and it really does seem to work the way you want.
Pete
I am awaiting arrival of my new 2006 M35x and I am looking to install my Valentine 1 radar detector in it. In my BMW, there is a switched 12v line near the sunroof panel that I managed to tap into so that I don't have to plug the radar detector into the cigarette lighter. The switched line will have power when the car is turned on, so it is very convenient and concealed. I would like to do the same installation in my new M35x.
If anyone out there know of references or DIY instructions for tapping into a switched 12V power source, I would appreciate it very much.
Thanks!
Eaton
I have made many notes based on what I have read here. My main questions concern the following:
Tires: I have G-Y AFS Eagles, and the consensus seems to be these will likely contribute to the road noise issues. I am motivated to ask the dealer to trade these out for Bridgestone or Pirelli. As I've had the car 2 days, and only driven 12 miles, is this a reasonable request? Anyone had any luck doing this??
Tire Pressure: Noted my cold pressure is 36. Are most recommending this be lowered to 32-33 for optimal ride/noise experience?
Exterior care: Is it best practice not to wax first 30 days?, and products of choice seem to be Zaino or Mother's (tossup). I want this baby to glisten, not just shine!
Ignition: Is there any way to go from ON (car engine running) to ACC mode without having to press the button twice? You could do this with conventional keys...any way to accomplish in one action with I-K? (minor inconvenience, but would be nice)
Missing features: I agree, we need to see auto-locking doors, 10-way power pass seat, full displays on XM/Sirius, dual tilt side mirrors on reverse, and having media input jacks for MP3 players std on all models
All in all, very pleased with my purchase, but still EARLY! I'll check back with u all in about 1200 miles...thanks for all the intelligent posts and advice!
-Dirk
I agree with just about all of your requests but one. Why dual tilt side mirrors on reverse? That's basically what we have.
You can tilt either mirror down as needed. (By flipping the mirror control switch left or right) Seems to me you would usually want one straight back and only the one near the curb pointing down.
I think the functionality of these mirrors is very cool: You can leave it set so that your preferred side will automatically tilt on reverse; you can tilt the other one or turn off tilting in an instant (which is valuable when you're driving in reverse down a long driveway); and you can have two different pairs of memorized tilt positions (one pair for each memory button). IMHO it's a powerful, flexible approach with an uncluttered and easy to remember interface.
Pete