Observations - and questions - from first long trip in my E90

[BimmFiniti]

Took my first long trip in my new-to-me 2010 E90. Thought I'd share some observations and a pose few questions.

• OMG, what a car
• Cruised ~350 miles at 60 - 80 on freeways and highways.
• Quite a few performance "excursions", primarily around corners to limit ticket exposure
• 3rd gear from 4500 rpm to 8000 rpm seemed like the most exhilirating mix of sound and speed. Wow!
• High-beam flashed by many drivers. Presumably they thought I still had my high beams on. Anyone else have this experience?
• Most of the time I was in "Comfort" setting on EDC, but occasionally went to "Normal". Roads were too rough for "Sport".
• Car was a superbly comfortable cruiser.
• Not a big user of Sirius (it came with the car when I bought it), but it sure was nice to have out in the "boonies"
• After parking and turning off the car, noticed a very strange, regular "whir" / beep every 5 - 10 seconds coming from the engine compartment (intake manifold area on RHS). Kept going for over 2 hours, with the car off and no keys in the car. This concerns me. Anyone experience this?
• Overall mileage for the trip: 21.9 MPG on 10% ethanol fuel. Really happy with that, considering how many "excursions" I did!
• Fairly persistent rattle from passenger-side dash area. Have seen this noted by a few others on some searches I've done. Have people been able to get these fixed?
• OMG,what a car
  

[Mmmdreamer]

I did my first long trip in December, it's a great cruiser...very comfortable to drive...very stable at speed...I mean, the only problem is that 80 feels like 40...especially with the open 4 lane highways.

I don't find I get high beamed so you may want to check that out...unless you actually had your high beams on and didn't know it hehe.

Can't help you with the sound from engine bay either

[Foodle]

Had people flash their high beams at me a few times. Not sure what that's about, since I think my lights are actually adjusted kind of low (ZCP). Maybe a the angel eyes are confusing people?

I just did a quick 250mi each way trip, and I agree that the car is a great cruiser.

[hc999]

Originally Posted by BimmFiniti

Took my first long trip in my new-to-me 2010 E90. Thought I'd share some observations and a pose few questions.

• OMG, what a car
• Cruised ~350 miles at 60 - 80 on freeways and highways.
• Quite a few performance "excursions", primarily around corners to limit ticket exposure
• 3rd gear from 4500 rpm to 8000 rpm seemed like the most exhilirating mix of sound and speed. Wow!
  [*]High-beam flashed by many drivers. Presumably they thought I still had my high beams on. Anyone else have this experience?
• Most of the time I was in "Comfort" setting on EDC, but occasionally went to "Normal". Roads were too rough for "Sport".
• Car was a superbly comfortable cruiser.
• Not a big user of Sirius (it came with the car when I bought it), but it sure was nice to have out in the "boonies"
• After parking and turning off the car, noticed a very strange, regular "whir" / beep every 5 - 10 seconds coming from the engine compartment (intake manifold area on RHS). Kept going for over 2 hours, with the car off and no keys in the car. This concerns me. Anyone experience this?
• Overall mileage for the trip: 21.9 MPG on 10% ethanol fuel. Really happy with that, considering how many "excursions" I did!
• Fairly persistent rattle from passenger-side dash area. Have seen this noted by a few others on some searches I've done. Have people been able to get these fixed?
• OMG,what a car
  

I don't have this problem, but my friend's car got a lot High-beam flashed at night on freeway. We once stopped in a parking lot to check out his head light, not a huge difference at the moment, his car was a bit brighter than mine, but more straight forward, on the street or freeway that makes big different. I drove in front of him, his car's head light was way brighter than mine appear in the rear view mirror, if I don't know him I can't tell if that is a high beam or low beam.

[Darth One]

maybe they're high beaming you because there's cops around the bend

[be easy]

I've only had mine a week, but I've already had high beams flashed a few times as well

[TimZ]

I've been high beam flashed several times and it's getting annoying. Both lights are functioning properly though. I've even been pulled over for it

[DARK_M3]

Never had the issue with high beams being flashed but the HID's are pretty freakin bright. The noised are normal. Have you ever just gone out and sat in your car without doing anything? Just climb in and shut the door and sit there. It makes all sorts of crazy noises. lol

[bimmerj]

Most likely warning you from speed traps.

[Kobaiyashi]

re: high beams, I haven't been flashed. I recall reading that others in your situation re-positioned their headlights downward a bit. May be worth looking into.

Glad you enjoyed the road trip.

And yes -- third is the money gear.

[mdosu]

was your car loaded down with stuff in the trunk? Sometimes the extra weight will angle the car a bit and lights will flash oncoming cars.

[BimmFiniti]

Originally Posted by Darth One

maybe they're high beaming you because there's cops around the bend

I don't think so based on the number of similar responses I've gotten. I actually don't see that courtesy (heads up, cop ahead) nearly as much as I used to. Probably people are worried about road rage or something?

Originally Posted by be easy

I've only had mine a week, but I've already had high beams flashed a few times as well

Originally Posted by TimZ

I've been high beam flashed several times and it's getting annoying. Both lights are functioning properly though. I've even been pulled over for it

Sounds like a pattern here.

Originally Posted by DARK_M3

Never had the issue with high beams being flashed but the HID's are pretty freakin bright. The noised are normal. Have you ever just gone out and sat in your car without doing anything? Just climb in and shut the door and sit there. It makes all sorts of crazy noises. lol

Good to hear it's normal. Strange, but normal.

Originally Posted by Kobaiyashi

...

And yes -- third is the money gear.

Most other cars I've had it's been 2nd gear. Guess I moved up a notch!

Originally Posted by mdosu

was your car loaded down with stuff in the trunk? Sometimes the extra weight will angle the car a bit and lights will flash oncoming cars.

Nope - trunk was empty.

[Rshane]

Long road trips are always fun with these cars. It is easy to adjust your lights if you need to.

I think the noises you heard after turning the car off are normal. My car makes all kinds of whirring and clicking sounds for a while after I turn it off. Sometimes when I pick my wife up from work I end up getting there a bit early (cars fault, it's too fast) and while I sit in the car to wait I hear all kinds of sounds.

I would stay away from the Ethanol gasoline, from what I've heard it's not the best thing for our motors.

[Templar]

Every time I have ever been flashed it's because there is a cop waiting somewhere ahead of me. If you have stock Angel Eyes they aren't bright enough to blind people, so not sure why they would flash at you for that.

[BimmFiniti]

Originally Posted by Rshane

I think the noises you heard after turning the car off are normal. My car makes all kinds of whirring and clicking sounds for a while after I turn it off...

I would stay away from the Ethanol gasoline, from what I've heard it's not the best thing for our motors.

Good to hear from someone else that the noises are normal.

On the gasoline, it's difficult to avoid it in the Seattle area. I'll have to do some research and perhaps find a different station.

Originally Posted by Templar

Every time I have ever been flashed it's because there is a cop waiting somewhere ahead of me. If you have stock Angel Eyes they aren't bright enough to blind people, so not sure why they would flash at you for that.

I have stock headlights and I was definitely on my low beams. I was surprised at the range for the low beams, though. I remember thinking how little difference there was between low and high beams from the driver's seat. I'll have to have them checked to ensure they're aimed correctly.

[j2m]

Yeah I get flashed with brights all the time as well. The headlights are just so damn bright, it's awesome for me but sucks for incoming traffic. You can adjust them down with a screwdriver, although I haven't tried this on the m3 yet. I had to adjust my 335 up a bit after I dropped it, headlights were way too low.

[PetrolFumes]

on the note of the Ethanol in Gasoline... i think its impossible to avoid in NJ. can anyone attest to that or am i missing out on some gas stations that dont use Ethanol. I know i had the same issue with my Ducati. Ethanol is very bad for the tank...

Where are such gas stations in NJ w/ out ethanol?

[Edjay]

Noise is normal. Its a combination of of hot exhaust/cat shrinking again as it cools, and a/c evaporator water dripping on hot exhaust.

[kthxbye]

Glad to hear everyone is having great long trip experiences with this car, I am signed up to make a ~4,000 mile round-trip over a little less than a week in June and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit nervous as to how the car will hold up.

[swartzentruber]

Originally Posted by MPowerrE90

on the note of the Ethanol in Gasoline... i think its impossible to avoid in NJ. can anyone attest to that or am i missing out on some gas stations that dont use Ethanol. I know i had the same issue with my Ducati. Ethanol is very bad for the tank...

Where are such gas stations in NJ w/ out ethanol?

I think in many states it's impossible to avoid ethanol, particularly around the midwest (heartland of ethanol). Yes, it's bad for the engines, reduces mileage, drives up food prices, does virtually nothing to reduce foreign oil imports, but hey, government knows best. However, they are using ethanol now even in German gas, so hopefully they are getting better at making sure their engines run okay with it in.

[crabman]

Yeah, I'm in WA too and there are quite a few stations serving straight gas but you have to look around for it. Its when you get out of your local area that it becomes more problematic as I have yet to find a way to figure out what gas stations stock via a phone app or the like.

In my opinion you get zapped with high beams more in a car with HIDs than one with standard lights. Nowdays they are becoming more common so it seems to me like it happens a lot less. My wife had a 5 series with them when HIDs where a new thing and she would get zapped pretty much every time she drove the car at night on the open road.