Long-Term Test: 2002 BMW 745Li

This month, three Edmunds.com staffers, out for a test drive of our long-term 745Li, unexpectedly found themselves with a real-world test of its iDrive-controlled navigation system.

The iDrive, which can be used to operate many of the car's controls, is a controversial addition to the venerable 7 Series and one of the reasons we elected to test this car. Critics charge it is unnecessarily difficult to learn and cumbersome to use. Fans say that once it's mastered, it can save time and effort. In this situation, the editors needed to use the navigation system — and use it right then.

The editors were driving the 745 on a loop that winds through Topanga Canyon into the Santa Monica Mountains and drops back down to Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. The route is a great way to get a feel for a vehicle's responsiveness and handling under varying conditions, including steep grades and hairpin turns.

The editors decided to switch drivers part way up the mountain and Road Test Editor John DiPietro, upon assuming command, noticed the fuel gauge showed the car could only be driven 11 more miles until the tank was empty. Thinking back, they remembered a pleasant warning chime had sounded 15 miles earlier, when they had left the office. The chime wasn't particularly insistent, and they were too busy exploring the car's features to worry about refueling. This was a problem now, though, because the nearest gas station via the usual route was 20 miles ahead.

One editor suggested coasting downhill to Malibu, but was out-voted by those who thought discretion the better part of editorial valor on this test-drive. They pulled over to the side of the mountain road and began searching iDrive's navigation options, hoping it identified nearby gas stations. Sure enough, they found several within a couple of miles in the San Fernando Valley. The next task was to set the gas station as their destination.

As automotive journalists, they saw no need to consult the manual in operating the iDrive system and instead flipped through different map screens and directions trying to accomplish the task. After 10 minutes, and numerous tries, they stumbled into the correct method of selecting the gas station address as their destination.

Once the editors were on their way, they were alarmed to find that the distance they could drive until the tank was empty was dropping precipitously. They anxiously watched as 8 miles, then 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 miles registered on the fuel gage, while the GPS navigation system noted the car's distance to the gas station was dropping from 2.3 miles to 0.7 miles. All along, they knew that, if they ran out of gas, they couldn't have stood the heat back at the Edmunds.com offices. In the end, they made it to the gas pump with a trace amount of fuel to spare, requiring only 23.3 gallons to top off our capacious 23.4 gallon tank.

The 745 was also taken on its first road trip this month, driving some 100 miles up Pacific Coast Highway to Santa Barbara. Setting out, there was a minor squabble over who got to ride in the near limousine-like rear seat of our stretch version Li. The final arrangement worked well because the more computer-savvy of the passengers settled into the front passenger seat, which was dubbed the "iDrive copilot station."

Seat adjustments in the 745 include more than the usual front/back, tilt and lumbar. Headrests adjust up and down and have a "wraparound" feature that seems most suited for slumbering passengers. Another possible seat adjustment, and one favored by taller passengers, is an extension of the seat bottom, which affords full thigh support for those over 6 feet tall. The front seats offer two memory-recall settings each and also remember preferred outside mirror settings for each driver. Settling in, the overall space, headroom and seat adjustments are more than just comfortable. The instrument cockpit configuration offers easy viewing, with the iDrive controller thoughtfully placed so the front seat passenger can also see and adjust settings.

With the seats adjusted and the Santa Barbara hotel address programmed into the navigation system, we set off. On the open road, the passengers tinkered with the climate settings (separate settings for each front seat occupant and one for the rear) and enjoyed the premium sound system with its six-disc in-dash CD changer. A regular short commute from home to the office had afforded little opportunity to listen to, enjoy or judge the stereo system. On the open road at freeway speeds, we appreciated BMW's efforts at optimizing the newly enlarged 745's aerodynamics. At 65 miles per hour, little wind or road noise was heard (even with the car's 18-inch wheels), which allowed setting volumes on the stereo at lower, more comfortable decibel levels.

On the drive to Santa Barbara, occupants noted an odd on-screen navigational instruction. The system, besides indicating the car's location on the screen's map, offers further visual cues for upcoming turns with an arrow and the distance until the turn displayed at the bottom of the speedometer. For instance, an arrow pointing right, with the notation "800 feet," might appear, indicating for the driver to turn right in 800 feet. We find it pretty unnecessary, most times, if we're watching the map on-screen. However, on a stretch of divided highway as we approached our exit, the system gave us an arrow cue for our exit that seemed to indicate an unusual left-hand exit off the highway. So, rather than automatically getting in the right lane, as we normally would when approaching our exit, we stayed in the center lane until we visually confirmed our off-ramp. And, sure enough, it was a left-hand exit.

After hours of driving, we emerged from our 745 with limber joints and relaxed muscles — a refreshing change from past long-distance driving experiences. BMW, in the new 745, has assured not only driver enjoyment in the task at hand, but passenger comfort, as well.

The navigation system's seemingly complicated address selection and storage functions, which so stumped us on first use in the Santa Monica Mountains, proved their versatility and usefulness in unfamiliar Santa Barbara. BMW's on-screen display can be zoomed in from a 50 miles-per-inch scale to 400 feet-per-inch scale — useful in tight city quarters. We programmed in our restaurant's address, and the system effortlessly guided us around the downtown area's many one-way streets to our restaurant. And afterwards, we easily recalled our hotel's address from our previously input destination list for a quick and equally stress-free ride back to our hotel, allowing us to enjoy the ride, rather than struggling to read maps in the dark.

All things considered, although a bit confusing at first, the navigation functions of iDrive seemed remarkably versatile and easy to use — once the manual was consulted. There are many other iDrive functions we have yet to master, and we hope to use them to equal advantage in the near future.

Current Odometer: 1,779
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.6 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 14.8 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None

We're feeling quite comfortable with our 745Li these days, having mastered many of iDrive's functions and become familiar with the way the car handles and drives. The more we use iDrive, the more we miss it when we drive any other vehicle. We don't often change the climate settings or use the car data menu much (it tells you how you're doing on brake fluid, oil and so forth), but we love the convenience of the entertainment and navigation menus.

When viewing the options on iDrive's entertainment menu, for instance, a quick click on the FM icon pulls up a screen with our pre-programmed stations. With this as a prompt (instead of having to click through all the buttons), it's easy to query passengers on their listening preferences and click straight to their choice. CDs can be selected with similar ease (although the CD screen shot shows only which disc slots are occupied, it doesn't identify the albums — sounds like a digital upgrade possibility).

Another convenience, particularly for those frequently traveling out of their home area, is the automatic FM channel program/selection option. The 745Li offers two FM choices through the entertainment selection process. The first allows the driver to pre-program up to 12 FM (and 12 AM) stations; the second automatically finds and holds the six strongest stations in your vicinity. So, when going out of town, there's no need to use the scan button to find local stations or over-ride your home stations in the program mode.

On the navigation menu, frequently visited spots are pre-programmed (home, office, hotel or cabin for a vacation, for instance). Pulling up that address from memory and selecting it for route guidance assures you of angst-free return trips from anywhere you happen to be. Because it's a CD- (not DVD-) based system, however, each CD can only hold detailed residential/city street information for a region (our disc covers California and Nevada). Each of the regional CDs also maps interstates and major arteries for the entire country, however. So, for instance, we could click on "Home" (in Los Angeles) and our system could guide us back from anywhere — Kansas City or Fargo or Kennebunkport. In any of those towns, however, we would have required the local regional CD (a pricey $125 each) to find our hotel or sister-in-law's house.

The navigation system employs a convenient shortcut that we didn't catch the first few times we used it. Take the situation where you've used the guidance system to take you to your hotel in a vacation spot. After unpacking and enjoying a walk along the beach (or trip to the slots or blackjack tables if you're in Vegas), you're now ready for a night on the town and want to choose a nice restaurant. No problem getting there — just quickly program in the address. Now comes the neat part. After dinner, when you get back into your 745Li — it knows you've arrived at your destination — it asks if you want to continue route guidance back to your hotel.

In some one-stoplight towns, getting back to your hotel might not be a problem. But if you've ventured a-field in Los Angeles or San Francisco, this is a nice feature. The system automatically chooses, for next destinations after arrival, the penultimate destination in its perpetual destination list. That is, it assumes you want to go back to the last place you visited before coming to the restaurant. If you'd been out touring during the day, and used the guidance to go somewhere else just before dinner (say, the Presidio in San Francisco and not your hotel), the system would offer to take you back to this last destination (the Presidio). If you don't want to go back to the Presidio, finding your hotel's address on the perpetual list is easy enough.

Last month, we recounted using the navigation system's information function to find a gas station. The choices of information are much broader than this, though, and indeed broader than we had expected. There's almost no need for the Auto Club or tourist information bureaus with this system. City hall, restaurants, libraries, train stations, ATMs, movie theaters, tourist attractions, parks and zoos are just some of the choices offered by the system. You can access those choices for your exact location (as we did when we needed fuel) or by entering a city name before you arrive. On the road recently, we found the restaurant guide helpful as we approached lunch time.

The navigation system offers three ways to guide you to a programmed destination:

1. watch the map on the screen
2. follow the instructional turn signals embedded in the speedometer display (for instance, left arrow and "800 feet")
3. a voice command as turns approach.

The voice command function can be deactivated, if found to be intrusive. Unfortunately, on our car, we haven't been able to activate the voice prompts.

We stopped by a BMW dealership one weekend and found a knowledgeable salesperson who offered to assist with this problem. But voice instructions still failed to sound when he activated the system (at least we didn't feel foolish — we had been trying to activate it properly). So we drove with him into the service entrance. Here we were told, "Sorry, no help on the weekends, the certified computer technician is only in on weekdays." For a minor problem like this we didn't mind having to wait. We were just happy something important hadn't locked up on the system.

A helpful explanation was offered, however. The sales rep noted that some of the first models delivered were mistakenly programmed in German, so perhaps our voice system had been deactivated. Since our voice-activated radio and telephone systems respond just fine (and in English), we doubted this was our problem. We'll report results of our service visit in next month's update.

Current Odometer: 2,595
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.6 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 14.7 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: Audible driving directions on navigation system not working.

In the four months we've had our 745Li, we've enjoyed the convenience of iDrive and the way it controls the car's electronics. However, we've occasionally worried about the dependability of the system and how difficult it would be to have it serviced. This month, we ran into several problems that let us put our local BMW dealership's service department to the test. And we also had a chance to try BMW's Roadside Assistance program.

As last we reported, the audio portion of our navigation system was apparently not working, even though voice activation for the radio and telephone functions worked just fine. Granted, audio instructions are just one of three ways drivers using the navigation system can get directions. The driver can also follow the prescribed route on the display screen map and follow the displayed symbols and text on the tachometer background.

When stopping by the dealership on another matter, a friendly technician suggested he might be able to do a quick fix on the navigation audio and solve another small issue for us: program our door locks to lock automatically after shifting into "drive" (BMW didn't want to impose this safety feature on all owners, and it is easily changed by a service visit). We didn't have time to wait on this particular trip so we decided to return later. On the return visit, the technician took our 7 into his electronic bay. Voila, 20 minutes later we had functioning audio instructions in the route guidance navigation mode and our doors locked automatically after starting the engine and driving away. This was service as you hoped it would be.

One little niggling matter arose during this visit. We were told there were two recalls on our car: one for our poorly functioning keyless remote and another for a fuel pump that sometimes quits when the fuel tank gets below one-third full. We couldn't help thinking back to an earlier experience when we almost ran the tank dry and felt fortunate our fuel pump hadn't decided to act up then — in the middle of the Santa Monica Mountains.

We were glad to hear BMW had decided the keyless remotes weren't working right, because we'd stood many a time walking around the car trying to lock it, or open the trunk remotely, only to give up and perform the task manually. Although we hadn't been troubled by a misguided fuel pump, we could understand a glitch or two. What we didn't understand was why BMW hadn't notified us of these recalls — until, that is, our service representative checked BMW's computerized records for our car.

When our service advisor entered our vehicle identification number (VIN), the computer brought up the name of the bank that leased the car. We can only speculate what our banker was doing with recall notices on our BMW — but likely it had something to do with a round file. We asked them to put our name, address and phone number in for future recall notices. We wondered why the bank's contact information, and not ours, had been entered in the first place. Leasing is pervasive and certainly not new in the automotive arena.

With the navigation system audio and door locks quickly fixed, we made an appointment to come back for a more lengthy service trip that would entail replacing our fuel pump and giving us new, more powerful key fobs. Before going back, however, we got a chance to test BMW's 24/7 Roadside Assistance plan.

One very comforting aspect of our high-tech car, with its global positioning satellite (GPS) navigation system, is BMW knows where we are at all times. If we're in an accident in which the airbags deploy, BMW will try to reach us by phone (the car comes with a very nice built-in mobile phone, whose number BMW records upon delivery). If service representatives fail to get through (for example, you don't answer or the phone's not operating), they dispatch an ambulance to the accident location.

Our call to Roadside Assistance arose from a much more mundane matter; we came out of the house one morning to find our left rear tire flat. We called Roadside Assistance, a service truck was dispatched — free of charge — and an hour later, tire changed, we were on our way to work. We found the service pleasant and efficient, and we discovered a plain old three-penny nail in our tire.

The following week we were back at the dealership for our scheduled service appointment to replace the remotes and fuel pump. After making a photocopy of our registration and driver license, our service rep told us she'd call when she was ready for us to actually bring the car in. We were a bit baffled, because we'd been scheduled to come in then. Well, she explained, she really didn't have the new key remotes for us yet, so she didn't want us to be inconvenienced by leaving our car a number of days. We wondered why she hadn't called to tell us this — saving us an unnecessary trip to the dealership. We think the probable explanation is that our vehicle still wasn't logged into the BMW computer, so she hadn't really ordered parts previously (thus the need to see our registration, with the bank's name on it).

Amazingly, we were called back the next day. Key remotes had, happily and mysteriously, arrived more quickly than our service advisor had hoped or promised us. We brought the car back, left it for a couple of days. When we picked it up, the flat tire was repaired ($41), and the car received a very nice detailing job, a new fuel pump and new keys. Looking closer we found it was one and a half keys. Whoops! It seems that while they were able to replace one of our two key remotes, they didn't have a replacement for the other. We'd have to come back in yet again. We left feeling happy to have at least one remote that finally worked.

Our satisfaction quickly evaporated when we attempted to make a telephone call and got no response from the voice-activated telematics system. We tried the alternate dashboard keypad for dialing and, again, nothing. Then we noticed, as we hit numbers on the keypad, that whereas typically the numbers we keystroked would be displayed on the top of our central iDrive screen, nothing was showing up. Further, the familiar graphic display showing our current mobile phone signal strength was presented differently. It now showed only the outlines of the usual bar graph signal strength indicator, instead of solid bars, as if the phone system was now a ghost, which it now seemed to be — dead, that is.

When we unplugged our phone, we were able to use it as a regular mobile phone; it just wouldn't work through the onboard telematics controls. And we discovered we'd lost voice commands for the entertainment and radio system as well. And our doors no longer locked automatically when we put the car in drive. So, in taking two steps forward on our service call, we also took three steps backwards.

We've been busy and haven't yet taken the car back in, but we're hopeful our team of confident service technicians can put our car's electronics back together again, without taking out some other function. And, hopefully, we'll get our second keyless remote soon, too.

Current Odometer: 3,271
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 14.2 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: $41 for flat tire repair
Problems: Voice activated commands for entertainment not working; car telephone system inoperative; missing one remote key; automatic door locks not working.

When we left off last month, we'd taken our 745Li in for minor servicing and had it returned sans some of its electronic features — 1) door locks that automatically engage when you begin driving; 2) voice commands for the entertainment system; and 3) a functioning, integrated telephone system. (And this doesn't include the fact we only had one working keyless remote; the BMW dealer tried to replace both sets, but one of the replacements was also defective.) None of these failings was a serious problem, but we had grown accustomed to the conveniences these features offered.

In fact, after piloting the 745Li for five months, driving in any other sedan (even other smaller BMWs) seems backwards and completely outdated. While the advanced electronics of iDrive may at first seem no more than the newest toys, they add nicely to the driving experience. Now, we just want to see if we can get them all and keep them functioning properly at the same time.

At the end of our first day back in the shop to address these issues, we were told the problem had been identified and we required a new fuse box, which would be installed the following day. We weren't sure what the technicians had done to cause it to blow on our last visit, but we were hopeful they'd actually checked the functionality of as many of the components as possible before they turned the car back to us and that we'd find them in working order.

Picking up the car this go-round, we discovered they'd replaced a number of pieces of electronic gear to get all our iDrive functions working. In addition to the fuse box we'd heard about the prior day and the new keyless remote, we found we had new Telecommanders and control boards for the telephone (which affect other iDrive capabilities, too, we were told).

The technician who worked on our car came out and walked us through some of what he'd done. BMW had uncovered both hardware and programming issues with some of the first 745is built in late 2001 and early 2002 (ours has a February 2002 production date). Thankfully, none of the problems we'd experienced seemed to stump our technician. This inspired confidence in BMW's early detection and technical service bulletins, not to mention the training of the company's technicians.

After driving away, everything seemed to be fixed. Satisfied once again, we were able to relax and enjoy all the comforts and amenities of our 745Li. Having driven a 5 Series while our 7 Series was in the shop, we were glad to get back in the larger, more comfortable 745Li. Surprisingly, we had difficulty distinguishing the difference in interior cabin space between the 525i loaner and the smaller 330i we frequently drive on weekends.

The size difference between the 7 Series and the others seems huge, which is both a good thing and a burden. We've never enjoyed a car more on long trips than the 745Li. Even around town, it's mostly a pleasure and, as we've previously remarked, it affords exceptional quickness and agility for its size. The wife of one of our drivers, however, helmed the 745Li for the better part of a month, and finding it too big asked for a smaller, "zippier" car.

Her complaint arose not out of the car's handling while driving, but, rather, out of trying to park our stretch sedan in some of Santa Monica's compact parking garage spaces so popular with local architects. Having fought to fit our 745Li into some of these incredibly tight slots one too many times, she complained loudly. Accordingly, we outfitted her with a zippy car for her city lifestyle.

But for the open road, we like the comforts of our 745Li.

Current Odometer: 3,714
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 13.8 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None

Senior Road Test Editor Brent Romans, reporting from the Paris Auto Show, noted that many of the new luxury models on display sported onboard computer systems that follow in the footsteps of BMW's iDrive. This includes the Audi A8, the ultraluxury Maybach (from Mercedes-Benz) and the new Bentley Continental GT. One of the only luxury cars not using such a system was Jaguar; Mercedes already had its COMAND system in the S-Class.

Some of our editors, as well as other automotive reviewers, have expressed the hope that some of these new systems would be more intuitive to use than BMW's iDrive. The staff argument is that iDrive needs to be user-friendly from the get-go. But our driver this month says that he didn't find the iDrive to be counter-intuitive or prohibitively complex to learn.

He wasn't meaning to be contrarian. Rather, he understands that with the functions and capabilities of a system like iDrive comes some complexity. And, he says those who've driven the 745i for more than a week have experienced an easy familiarity and admiration for its many applications.

Our driver was reminded of one friend, a graduate of Harvard Law School, who, upon returning to the working world after a 15-year sabbatical to raise children, was appalled to walk into her first faculty meeting with some handwritten notes for her presentation, only to find all her colleagues offering up slick PowerPoint slide shows.

One of our drivers also has a neighbor who owns a 2002 BMW 745i. When asked how she liked it, she responded it was great, but she speculated that she probably knew how to use less than 25 percent of the car's features. That's OK, though. Our driver for the month said: "What makes the 745 so enjoyable and iDrive so deceiving, as BMW has implemented it, is that you can drive the car without using iDrive at all while you slowly learn to incorporate its use into your daily driving. Then, as you absorb this knowledge, you can delve deeper into the system to uncover its gems."

As we briefly mentioned in July, the radio system — like cars going back to the 1930s — offers the ability to preset a dozen FM and like number of AM stations. Not so special. But, you know how frustrating it can be when you leave your home turf and lose your local stations. In the past we've been relegated to using the Scan button to surf channels, or manually hit Seek until we find a station we like. Then, if we're on a long road trip, an hour later we're forced to repeat the whole thing again as the station we found and liked when driving into Raleigh fades as we pass through into Durham.

But, those clever iDrive mavens at BMW solved our search problem for us by providing an additional six FM and six AM stations to be automatically preset. The automatic reset function for these stations (designated on the screen with an "A" before the station call sign — yes, our display shows call signs for digitally advance stations — a surprisingly large number) takes just moments to complete its task. A touch of a button and the system automatically scans the local area's airwaves for the six strongest signals and locks them in. Then we can easily flip back and forth between these preset stations to see which suits our fancy.

Driving cross-country? Hit the auto reset button as often as you like to see what's new and coming in better. And best of all, we never lose our preset stations from back home (these aren't selected automatically, we had to spend 10 minutes surfing through the radio spectrum, selecting and programming each one in individually, just as on regular cars).

Longing for the good old days? Simple, throw out your VCRs, DVDs and computers and buy and restore a 1948 Cadillac. Looking to move forward? Take a chance and learn something new, such as the BMW's iDrive system. As seen in Paris, these types of systems will only become more prevalent in the future.

Current Odometer: 4,339
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 13.7 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None

A number of our editors enjoyed the cruising comforts of our 745Li on a recent trip up to the Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, Calif., for our annual driving school refresher. Only cars equipped with five-point harnesses and roll bars are allowed on the track, so our BMW sat on the sidelines during the school, but the hour-and-a-half trip up and back offered time to reflect on and critique the vehicle's ergonomics, acoustics and drivability.

Our driver on the way to the track hadn't driven the new 7 Series before, so he was a great guinea pig for usability testing. It took 30 seconds of coaching to give him an understanding of the start/stop ignition button and the nuances of our stubby gearshift lever — but the learning process really wasn't difficult for him.

Since we (and BMW) don't want drivers trying to learn the iDrive system while actually driving, we installed another neophyte as copilot to work these controls for us during the drive. Once the driver has mastered the iDrive system, we would argue that BMW has actually simplified the cabin management system. Here's why.

Stepping into any new luxury car these days, drivers are presented with a dizzying array of dashboard buttons, knobs and controls. We know, because we also have a BMW 3 Series and an Audi A4 in our long-term test fleet, not to mention the dozens of others we test each year. Try to find the controls to reset the clock for daylight savings time, adjust the bass or volume on the radio or change the climate control — you're often staring at a mass of 20-30 knobs.

On the new 7 Series, however, the dash is remarkably clean. The primary driving controls are right at your fingertips on the steering wheel — turn signal, horn, cruise control, wipers and gearshift. Without touching anything but the start button, you can drive off in comfort and enjoy the experience of piloting the "Ultimate Driving Machine."

What BMW's engineers have left on the dashboard, besides the iDrive screen, are just the most important, frequently used secondary controls — temperature, fan, radio on-off and volume knobs and door lock. Period. What else do you use every time (or nearly every time) you get in the car? For most of us, the answer is "not much."

So, while you're cruising in your 745, adjusting the temperature, fan speed or volume control is a snap — no fumbling amongst 30 knobs, just go straight to one of the large few knobs on the dash. Even our guinea pig, the first-time driver going to Willow Springs, could figure out those well-marked controls. So for the most important comfort controls, he wasn't distracted. Instead, he was able to focus on keeping his speed within reason on the empty stretches of desert freeway — the smooth ride and effortless acceleration, coupled with the quiet interior, almost allowed the car's speed to get away from him a couple of times.

The genius of iDrive is that with one controller, on one large well-lit screen, BMW has housed all the peripheral, infrequently used controls that clutter so many dashboards (bass, treble, balance, fader, memory on the radio; destination input devices for navigation systems; vent choices for heating and AC; clock controls; and so on).

Further, by having a large screen to view each of these secondary items, drivers don't have to try to decipher cryptic icons to discern a particular control's purpose — it's in plain English (or French or Spanish or German, if you choose) on the screen with one button — the controller — to adjust or change the setting. This month's driver loved the simplicity.

So how did our copilot manage with iDrive? Fine and thrilled. Being able to concentrate on the screen while someone else drove, our copilot reminded editors in the backseat of a kid in a candy store. He adapted quickly to, and delighted in, the feel of the controller (it gives subtle tactile feedback as you rotate to indicate increasing speed or the approaching end of a menu choice). For anyone who's used a mouse, it's intuitive.

He zoomed from one menu choice (entertainment) to another (climate settings), grasping the similarities in navigation. It's not hard — as long as you're not trying to drive at the same time. The primary driver of the 745Li this month can now maneuver most of the screens with ease while driving, but recognizes the perils of those (such as destination input for navigation) that require his complete attention and must be performed at a stop.

Santana's "Abraxas" played on our Logic 7 premium sound system as we cruised home from a fun-filled day at Willow Springs. This system has nine speakers positioned throughout the cabin to give all occupants optimal sound, not just the driver as in so many cars. Two woofers are actually under the two front seats, giving those passengers an actual feel for the music.

The wind chimes of the first track, "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts," were startlingly clear as the breezes in the song seemed to move the chimes around the interior of our sedan. The editors were silent as they listened to this classic, as if for the first time, at 70 mph on the high desert freeway.

Current Odometer: 5,348
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 13.9 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None

We've sparked some spirited discussions with our generally high approval ratings on the 745Li over the past seven months, both internally among our own editors and externally among fellow 7 Series owners. An incident this month caused us to reflect on this debate and attempt to clarify how we really feel about the car.

BMW has placed a little car icon on the top of the iDrive screen colored in either green, yellow or red, representing the car's fitness for driving. Those colors stand for, respectively, "Go — all clear," "Caution — check systems" and "Stop — danger, stop driving immediately." For instance, after a recent series of rains during which we frequently used our windshield washers, the car icon turned from green to yellow. We didn't need to dive into iDrive's "Car Data" menu to find out why, because when we started the car after the fluid ran low, a big text message flashed onto our tachometer screen telling us "Washer fluid too low!" along with a graphic of water spray and windshield wipers.

The iDrive system monitors virtually every system in the car that could require servicing and, in the appropriate part of the menu, tells you when your next regular servicing of that system should be. Interestingly, the system will let you know the service intervals for each scheduled maintenance. For example, "Next service five months or 8,000 miles."

When the icon turned yellow, in addition to the message that flashed each time we started the car, we could go into the iDrive system and select "Check Systems" for a review of any deficient systems. If we somehow missed the warning displayed in the tach, we'd find the "Washer fluid too low!" message when we checked the systems.

It wasn't a low washer fluid warning that got our attention this month, however, but the red car icon with a message that read "Faulty passive restraint and airbag system." First, we should say we don't object to being told this insistently. To the contrary, we were pleased to have a smart car that put that message in our face. It was the pattern of events that followed that gave us some pause.

As always, Beverly Hills BMW accommodated our request for service immediately and seemed genuinely concerned for our safety when we described the problem. When we dropped off the car, we were told by our service representative that she'd seen a number of these messages lately and there hadn't been any actual restraint system problems. Instead, it was an iDrive problem.

The service required an overnight stay, but the car was ready the next day. In fact, there had been no problem with the restraint system, just iDrive needing to be "reset." So, off we drove feeling safe once again. But, in what is becoming an annoying pattern, when the service center reset iDrive, we lost several other settings — our automatic door locking option no longer functioned, our preset radio stations were gone and addresses in our route guidance list were wiped out.

This was our fourth trip to the dealership for service in our seven months of ownership, and now we were facing a fifth to reset the door locks. This same sort of thing happened on our second trip, which also required resetting iDrive, and necessitated our third service trip.

None of the problems we've encountered have been major performance-affecting issues. Still, in the five years Edmunds has run a long-term fleet program, this car is heading toward the top of the list based on service problem visits to the dealership.

To summarize:
• We love driving this car.
• We enjoy the benefits and flexibility iDrive offers and find it easy to use.
• We hate the frequency of service visits.

For us, iDrive has been too unstable. Given this fact, we wonder if there isn't (or, perhaps, shouldn't be) a memory recall function somewhere in iDrive that would allow service technicians, upon "resetting" iDrive, to call up the memory settings for all those items the user had programmed. After all, when we reboot our computers, we don't lose our saved files. Such a function would have reduced the number of visits we needed by 40 percent in our first seven months of ownership.

Current Odometer: 5,892
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 13.8 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: iDrive malfunction caused passive restraint system warning to illuminate.

One of the most appreciated aspects of the 745Li's voice-activated control system is the ease of use with the telephone. We were reminded of this recently when we saved some new telephone numbers in the voice directory, something our BMW representative had helped us do when we took delivery. The car comes equipped with a removable cell phone, which BMW activates with the new owner's chosen cell carrier. The phone attaches to a cord in the center console and sits in a secure catch, but is easily removed when leaving the vehicle. The cord not only charges the phone's battery, but connects it to the iDrive system, which includes voice activation.

Interestingly, the system is referred to as VAS in the manual (for Voice-Activated System). However, the dashboard display identifies it as SVS for the German Sprach Verabeitungs System.

Calls received while driving are easily answered by clicking a convenient button on the steering wheel, which turns the phone on in speakerphone mode. This safely eliminates the fumbling that often follows the ring of an incoming call while the driver first tries to locate the phone, then has to find the "Talk" button to turn it on.

Clicking on the 745Li's telephone in this way either mutes the stereo if it's on, or turns on the speaker system if it's off. Microphones mounted in the headliner allow both driver and passenger to participate in the speakerphone call (if the driver or passenger wants privacy for the caller, either could pull the phone out of the cradle, open it and carry on the conversation through the phone).

The system in the 745Li allows a call to be made five different ways while the phone is connected. The driver can:

• Dial using the cell phone's keypad, while still attached to the power cord
• Dial on a handy spare keypad that retracts into the dashboard, leaving the phone untouched in its cradle
• Recall a saved number from the telephone directory in iDrive, which activates the voice system
• Use the voice-activation system by saying a number to dial
• Recall a saved entry on the voice-activation system directory

Using saved numbers in the voice-activated directory has become our default choice for making calls, because it's hands-free and so easy. To use it, the driver clicks on the voice-activation button on the steering wheel and says "Dial name." The system replies, "Say the name." The driver (or passenger) must then say the name identifier that was used to store the number originally (such as "Home" or "Angie's office" or "Jeremy's cell"). The voice system then searches its directory for a similar-sounding entry and plays back the saved recorded entry it thinks matches the voice of the person who made it. It then asks, "Do you want to dial now?"

Conveniently, the system also displays the actual telephone number associated with the name in a display screen in the gauge cluster. What had not occurred to us until we penned this article is that, because of this dual voice-text messaging, the voice-activation system is functional even for hearing impaired drivers. There are some voice instructions that are not fully repeated or communicated to users as text in the tachometer screen, but most are.

This month we wanted to save a new entry in our telephone directory, but had forgotten how. We started by switching on voice activation and calling up the telephone options, one of which was to "Save entry." Once we were in the "Save entry" menu, the voice system prompted us with questions until we completed the entry. It couldn't have been easier or more intuitive.

It's been some time since we experimented with other voice functions, the most frequently used being to change the radio station and dial telephone numbers. But, having reacquainted ourselves with the voice system's ease of use, even in unfamiliar menus, we'll be trying more.

Current Odometer: 6,962
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 13.9 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None

Replacing a broken driver-side rearview mirror this month reminded us of just how much advanced technology BMW has built into the 745Li. And most of it works effortlessly and invisibly below the radar screen of the driver's awareness.

Recently, we returned to our car after parking it on the street to find our driver-side mirror smashed, with the glass dangling by a wire from the main mirror housing. Either an angry passerby with a baseball bat had smashed it or, more likely, a delivery truck had sideswiped it with its extended passenger-side mirror.

We unplugged and removed the dangling broken mirror. Upon inspection, the main unit looked fine and the controls that adjust the angle of view all appeared to be in working order. So, all that seemed to be required was a new mirror itself.

At our local dealership, a service rep quickly appraised the situation, took us back to the parts department and ordered a replacement mirror. We hadn't thought about the complexity of the piece before or why a wire was attached to the glass mirror until he noted for the order that it was a heated, self-adjusting dimmer mirror piece.

BMW has built an automatic dimmer feature into the inside and outside rearview mirrors. The inside rearview mirror has two built-in photocells, one facing forward out the front windshield and one in the mirror itself measuring potentially blinding light coming from behind. A computer then compares the intensity of the two measurements, recognizing the difference between intense ambient light (a sunny day in front and behind) and potential glare from headlights following behind at night.

Depending upon the difference in readings, the system modulates the voltage of an electric charge in the gel layer of all the rearview mirrors (inside and outside). The reflectivity of the gel layer changes with the amount of charge, thus dimming the mirror when there are headlights behind. When the source of any glare is gone, the voltage automatically readjusts.

The benefit of such an automated system is that when there's no following glare at night, the mirror is not dimmed, affording the driver a bit better rear-facing view than normal with a manually dimmed mirror. The 745Li's entire photocell system is even more complex than just described and has applications for automatic rain sensors and headlight controls, too.

The built-in rain sensor sends out an infrared beam to the windshield adjacent to the rearview mirror. If the windshield is dry, then all the light will be reflected back to the sensor. As rainfall increases, and water accumulates on the windshield, more and more of the infrared light escapes. In the automatic windshield wiper mode, the system uses this measurement of returning light to vary the speed of the wipers. In Los Angeles we don't get much rain, except during a few brief months in the winter. But, we've found that this automatic wiper setting eliminates the nagging problem of continuously adjusting even a variable-speed intermittent wiper function when the intensity of rain varies minute by minute.

Adjacent to the rain sensors are two other forward-facing photocells. One measures light in a wide angle above the car and the other in a tighter, forward-looking angle. By comparing these measurements, the computer senses whether you might be entering a tunnel or garage, and adjusts the headlight setting from daytime running lights to low beam as needed. These measurements also will cause a switch in headlight use at dusk or in a rain- or snowstorm. This system is tied to the windshield wiper system, too, so that when the wipers are turned on, the low-beam headlights automatically switch on for safety, regardless of the amount of light available. As with the automatic wiper setting, we've become spoiled by the automatic light system and no longer use the manual controls.

Going one step further, the 7 Series has dynamic auto-leveling headlamps, too. Sensors mounted in the suspension and tied to the speedometer continuously monitor the pitch of the car, which will change when accelerating or braking and when the car is heavily loaded. When sensing such an event, the system will adjust the angle of the headlights to keep the forward range of visibility constant. Because the system is tied to the speedometer, it can tell the difference between pitch changes caused by bumps in the road (it ignores those) and changes caused by accelerating and decelerating.

Returning to our story of the broken driver-side rearview mirror, we used a different dealer this time — Santa Monica BMW is simply closer to the office. We enjoyed mostly good service experiences with our original dealer (Beverly Hills BMW) and wondered whether that was an anomaly (although, the tricky iDrive system has a nasty habit of losing memory settings when other functions require reprogramming by the dealer). After identifying the mirror part required, our Santa Monica service rep, recognizing the safety issue of a missing mirror, offered to have our part air-freighted overnight. Further, he told us not to worry about scheduling a service call for installation, and that he'd have a mechanic install it on the spot when we drove in to pick up our part.

Our little broken heated-glass mirror cost us $209 (thank goodness the entire apparatus wasn't busted), but we incurred no labor fee for installation. When we arrived to collect the part the next day, our rep wasn't at his desk so we proceeded directly to the parts department, picked up our mirror and paid for it.

As we walked back to our car in the garage, we asked a passing mechanic if he could help us for a minute. We showed him our mirror and pointed to the empty spot in the mirror body housing. Without hesitation and in less than three minutes of fiddling, he had our new mirror installed and working. So, it seems the competence and pampering we'd previously experienced in our service trips extends beyond the original selling dealership and includes Santa Monica BMW.

Current Odometer: 7,513
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 13.7 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $209.05
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None

One of our editors recently pulled a back muscle, causing him difficulty both in sitting and sleeping. His office chair provided plenty of support at work, but he couldn't find a comfortable chair at home. We wondered how he'd make out with our long-term 745Li, so we gave it to him to try while he had the sore back. But afterward, he didn't want to give it back.

All 7 Series are equipped with front-seat controls that can make, by our count, 16 different adjustments. Adjustable rear comfort seats are available as an option. With this option, a rear passenger can be given control of adjusting the front passenger seat, too. Imagine, for instance, the rear-seat passenger in a chauffeured car being able to move the front passenger seat forward to afford him or herself more legroom.

Our injured editor maneuvered carefully into the driver seat without too much difficulty (it has a large front door opening, but we had slid the seat back beforehand anyway to make getting in a bit easier). The driver and passenger each have a set of control buttons and a knob positioned on the side of the center armrest.

Each seat adjustment requires a two-step process. There are four buttons in the shape of a seat profile representing adjustments for thigh support, seat bottom, backrest/head support and lumbar support. When touched, the active button will light up indicating the area of the seat that will be responsive to the control knob that adjusts contours.

The control knob slides back and forth, up and down and can be rotated like a volume knob on a radio. For each of the four selector buttons, these actions will result in different responses.

The thigh support feature is a thoughtful touch for taller drivers (over about 6 feet 2 inches or so). When activated, it will extend the front cushion of the seat out an additional four inches or so, affording full thigh support to those with longer legs. (One of our taller editors was over the top with joy about this nicety.) Rotating the knob will adjust the angle of tilt.

Highlighting the button for the seat bottom allows three different adjustments with the rotator knob: 1) Moving the seat forward or back, 2) adjusting the seat height up or down and 3) adjusting the tilt of the seat back including going all the way back to a full recline (although it's not advised for actual driving).

Where the 745's seat controls get more interesting, and where our injured editor was able to find succor, was in the backrest and lumbar adjustments. The backrest adjustments include positioning the height of the headrest (up/down on the rotator knob) and the actual curve of the backrest itself. When making this last adjustment, you feel almost as though the seat sides are closing around you and warmly wrapping you in.

The final adjustment tunes the curvature and exact location of the lumbar support. When finished with all the adjustments, our editor with the sore back reported the car seat to be the most comfortable seat of any kind he'd found in his four days of pain.

The complexity of all these adjustments, while nice, highlights another thoughtful feature of the 745Li (and also found on other luxury brands): the seat memory function. After spending all the time necessary to get your seat to a Goldilocks adjustment ("just right"), it would make you cry to lose it the first time another driver climbed behind the wheel and changed everything. So, two memory settings are provided.

The memory settings for the driver seat also remember positioning of the outside rearview mirrors and can be keyed to the two different remotes for the vehicle. This last feature means that the seats and mirrors will automatically adjust to the appropriate position of the driver who uses his or her remote to unlock the car. Why not?

Our principal driver of this long-term car has found that over time it's easy to refine the seating adjustments and reset the memory. On longer drives, he'll often change seating positions every couple of hours to keep from getting stiff, knowing that he'll easily recover his preferred settings for his usual commute. Recovering the 745Li from our injured editor after his back was better, however, didn't prove as easy.

Current Odometer: 8,080
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 13.6 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None

We almost made the one-year anniversary of our 745Li acquisition without any serious mechanical problems. Almost. Upon starting our car one morning this month, we were greeted by two red warning signals in our dashboard. One signal was a silhouette of a lopsided car with an exclamation point and the word "Steering" underneath. The other was a warning in our iDrive screen that we'd lost steering or hydraulic fluid and should call BMW Roadside Assistance.

Following instructions has not always been one of our strong points. We elected to first test out the feel of our steering by pulling slowly into the street before calling for help. It felt fine, so we continued on (slowly) the three miles to Santa Monica BMW. The helpful service manager (who'd assisted us with our broken mirror in February quickly found that the steering fluid was low and replenished it. We expected to leave the car for servicing, but the dealership didn't have an opening for about 10 days. We were told not to worry about the steering even if the warning light reappeared, and were given the remaining can of fluid for any needed refills before our scheduled appointment.

A couple of days later, the warning light reappeared and we dutifully topped off the steering fluid. The next day the warning light again greeted us as we started up the car for our commute. This time our editor drove into the office and asked Consumer Advice Editor Phil Reed to join him for further investigation and a repeat visit to the dealership (we were about to be out of fluid and were still a week away from our repair date). We moved the car out of its regular parking space and, sure enough, found a puddle of viscous liquid on the pavement.

We'd called ahead to the dealer to ask if we could buy another can of fluid and were told they'd supply it under warranty. Despite early assurances that driving wouldn't be hazardous, we quizzed our service manager on the risks of driving with low fluid. We learned that although we'd maintain control in an absolute loss of fluid, we'd burn out the steering motor. But, as steering didn't seem balky when the fluid was low, we all agreed the leak must be high enough so as to leave fluid in the lines, minimizing the risk of burn-out.

We were only three weeks short of our 745Li's first birthday and next scheduled servicing (each time we started the car, the onboard computer reminded us of the time and mileage until next service). We only have 8,400 miles on our car and the synthetic oil can last 15,000 miles, but after a year, BMW wants to change it anyway (all scheduled service for the first three years is covered by BMW). So we thought this propitious timing for killing two birds with one stone. Actually, we had five birds to kill (four that we knew about and a fifth that turned up when we checked in):

1. Fix the steering leak
   
2. One-year service (oil change, check brakes, fluids, etc.)
   
3. Fix small ding in the left front quarter panel ($99)
   
4. Reset the onboard computer to automatically lock the doors when the car was put in drive (we'd had this done before, but on our last visit to reset another iDrive problem at Beverly Hills BMW, they'd unintentionally undone this setting)
5. Lastly, we learned there was another service recall on our onboard computer

This seemed like a long, involved list, since we knew that trying to find a leak can be tricky, and we were having minor body work done, too. Our service advisor asked when we needed the car, and we tested his sense of humor by saying, "Not before lunch." He was more anxious to please than display a sense of humor and suggested that our leeway was helpful, because it was unlikely they could have it by lunch, but thought the end of the day should be fine. We were pleased, but still a bit skeptical.

At 3 p.m., we received a call saying all the work would be done by 5 p.m., leak and ding repaired, and one-year service completed, but that the new onboard computer (which they'd ordered) wouldn't be in for two days — would we like to pick up the car or leave it? We were pleasantly surprised by this news, understanding the need for the special part order, and picked up the car that afternoon.

All repairs were correctly made. We've had no recurrence of the steering warning, and technicians found no other problems in their inspection. All in all it had been an exceptionally pleasant experience, with competent professionals, servicing us in a manner one would expect for a car that costs as much as a house in many parts of the country (or, the price of a half-bath in Los Angeles). The interesting trick will be to see what troubles, if any, we encounter from our soon-to-be-installed replacement onboard computer tomorrow.

Current Odometer: 8,561
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 13.7 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $99
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: Leaking steering fluid.

We marked the one-year anniversary of our 745Li acquisition last month and thought this an appropriate occasion to sum up our ownership experience and driving impressions. The many new features of the redesigned 7 Series gave us ample material to write about. One of the most interesting questions posed by this vehicle, and one of the principal reasons we wanted to add it to the Edmunds long-term fleet, was whether iDrive would improve — or detract from — the driving experience.

First, we'd like to make a more general comment: the BMW 745 is a great car to drive. It has plenty of power for any situation; its smooth acceleration is without equal; the steering offers terrific road feel; and it handles like a much smaller car.

We've discussed this issue before, but let's dispose of the "Does iDrive help or hurt the driving experience?" question quickly. The editor who has spent the most time with this car answers with an emphatic, "It's terrific. Period." As with any new technology, he notes, mastering iDrive's functions requires an investment in time. It's easy to understand the frustration felt by editors who had the car for a short time and panned iDrive as difficult and distracting.

Our editors who used the car for any extended period initially grew comfortable with basic functions (telephone, stereo and mapping were a breeze) and ignored others. After only a few weeks of studying up on the more complex aspects of iDrive, using it became second nature.

For instance, once climate control settings are adjusted, it's not necessary to return to the climate menu again (we did, from time to time, but only to remind ourselves that there really wasn't anything else to do). By integrating the climate settings into iDrive, BMW eliminated a whole raft of dashboard controls, leaving those couple of knobs (fan speed and temperature) to really stand out, easily spotted and adjusted on the fly if needed.

Similarly, the stereo system's radio channels are easily changed by voice commands, leaving only an on/off volume knob and CD eject buttons on the dashboard.

And the same holds for the navigation system in extremis. The iDrive system permits the complete elimination of all dashboard navigation controls. The result is a remarkably clean dash, with few buttons and knobs, those remaining being well marked, easily used and the ones most often accessed.

For our remarks on the car's truly enjoyable driving traits, we'd like to thank BMW's engineers. Getting on highways in L.A. doesn't often require a burst of power, because they're usually jammed and moving slowly. But it does happen every once in awhile and when it did, there was never a question as to what the performance would be — the 745Li responded instantly and smoothly, thanks to the 325-horsepower, 4.4-liter V8 engine and six-speed automatic transmission.

We still haven't figured out how BMW could make a 203-inch, 4,464-pound vehicle perform like a sport sedan on crowded city streets, but the company did it.

On the downside, our car did seem to require an inordinate number of visits to the service department in the first year. We suppose that's what you get with a product whose features are so highly tuned and as transforming as iDrive. In fairness to future buyers, many of the iDrive glitches we encountered were software issues that, once fixed with new programs, disappeared. And, we never encountered an iDrive problem that couldn't be fixed on the spot in less than a day.

All in all, we could have gone with a blander, less expensive luxury sedan for our long-term fleet. But, if we had it to do over and were acquiring the car strictly for personal use, we'd make the same choice again — with no qualms or trepidations.

Current Odometer: 9,343
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 13.7 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None

Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed was lucky enough to get the key to the 2002 745Li this month and he was eager to cast his vote about the user-friendliness of the controversial iDrive system. But before getting down to his specific comments, here's a little background information.

Phil has a friend in the San Francisco Bay Area who bought a 745Li and is very frustrated with it. His complaints are that "everything takes so long to happen in this car." Adjusting the radio, setting the climate control system, even putting the car in gear — all have a delay which is not present in other cars. Furthermore, it's too easy to scrape the alloy wheels while parking because of the way they are designed, making them vulnerable to incurring significant damage. After listening to this litany of complaints, Phil was curious to see how he would feel about these issues during his time in the long-term 745Li.

Things did not get off to a good start. Hurrying to go to a meeting, Phil put the "key" in the ignition and pressed the start button. Nothing. He had to return to his office and seek the advice of another editor, who told him to put his foot on the brake. Presto! First problem overcome. The second problem — putting the car in gear — was much easier to solve. The column-mounted gearshift is small and has a different feel to it. There is a slight "detent" before it goes into either "First" or "Reverse." Once you get the feel of it, it's easy enough to operate. Putting it in "Park" is just a matter of pressing a button on the end of the stalk. Phil wondered if the feel of the detent is what confused his friend in the Bay Area.

While we're on the subject of the shift lever, Phil had another complaint. "It's very easy to miss the shift lever and instead wash your windshield," he wrote in his notes. "Once, while driving somewhere with my son, I kept triggering the windshield washer — much to his annoyance. He began shouting, 'Stop! Just don't touch anything! OK?'" A similar problem exists on the left side of the steering column where it's easy to miss the turn signal and get cruise control instead.

Now we move on to the issue of the iDrive system. The biggest question Phil had in this regard is, "Why? Why oh why did they do it?" iDrive was supposed to make things easier. However, he had to go through about four menus to turn the radio channel. True, once he began using the voice recognition feature, it became easier. But still, there is nothing that beats the direct connection of a large tuner button to the right of the radio.

Concerning the way the car is started, Phil's wife asked, "What was it about turning a key that BMW thought needed to be redesigned?" She did, however, love the seats and the way the car rode.

Phil found the navigation system difficult to program, requiring many menus to accomplish the task. However, the directions it offered bailed him out big time. He was rushing to a press event in Newport Beach when he missed his exit and was suddenly in unfamiliar territory with no time to spare. However, the system recalculated and gave him a new route that got him there on time.

If the truth be told, the above-listed objections occurred during the first few days of Phil's tenure behind the wheel of the 745Li. While the radio awkwardness remained annoying, the virtues of the rest of the car began to come alive. "There are few cars that are as comfortable to drive as the formidable 745Li," Phil wrote. "The quiet power of the V8; the outstanding insulation of the passenger compartment; and the feel of the leather, wood and brushed chrome; all give this car an amazingly high sense of value." In fact, Phil began to become so attached to the car that he preemptively separated himself from it and stepped back into his regularly assigned vehicle.

This month saw yet another visit by the 745Li to the dealership for a minor repair. A seatbelt warning light appeared which needed to be reset. Also, new service bulletins had been issued for the iDrive system. Phil called Rey Johnson at Santa Monica BMW for an appointment. When Phil arrived with the car, he was immediately greeted and escorted into the service area. Johnson was busy with another customer, but he acknowledged Phil's presence and later apologized for the delay. Initially, Johnson said it would take two days to resolve these issues. However, the 745Li was ready the same day (as it always has been when in for servicing of iDrive issues). All the work was performed under warranty.

At the end of Phil's time in the 745Li, he was forwarded an article by an auto journalist who said that, while the car had been panned by many pundits, it was selling briskly. "When I read this, I had to think of my friend in the Bay Area with all the frustrations he's felt for the car he bought," Phil wrote. "So I guess I'm not completely convinced. While people are buying the car, how are they liking it? The answer will probably lie in your relationship with technology. Techies will love it. All others will hate the hassle while they love the way it drives."

Current Odometer: 10,945
Best Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 13.8 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: Seatbelt warning light illuminated in dash.

Three of our editors put our BMW 745Li through its paces on two road trips to Lone Pine, Calif., in the Sierra Nevada Mountains this month. The trips were made to prepare for — and to successfully climb — Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower 48 states at 14,497 feet. The three-and-a-half-hour drive from Los Angeles in our 745 proved much more comfortable than our 16-hour ordeal on the mountain. But the spectacular views from the top made the discomfort of the climb well worth the effort.

We drove to Lone Pine one Saturday, a week before the final assault, to climb to 12,000 feet in hopes that it would help us adjust to breathing at high altitudes. On this day, one of our editors had a dinner engagement back in Los Angeles, so we tested the agility of our sedan on the freeways getting home on the long day trip. In many other sedans, the trip would have been unpleasant (or, at the very least, accompanied by nail-biting), but the big BMW wraps its passengers in such quietness and comfort and offers such a sense of control on the road, that making good time through traffic was not a trial.

From Los Angeles to Lone Pine, the elevation rises from sea level to about 3,000 feet. In Lone Pine we turned off the highway to drive up the Portal Road, the jumping-off point for the hiking trail up the mountain. The last part of the trip offered an exciting driving experience, winding up mountain switchbacks to an elevation of 8,400 feet with sheer drops just on the other side of the guard rail. We often test our cars in the Santa Monica Mountains and along canyon roads off Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu. But none of those mountains matched the ruggedness nor elevation we experienced in the Sierras.

The 745 responded to the challenge of climbing the mountain by hugging the road through the tight switchbacks. One of the editors who was unaccustomed to driving the BMW was a bit tentative at first. But soon he found himself comfortably settled in and enjoying the drive. These types of driving conditions (both the mountain and the open highway we drove on earlier) must be what BMW's engineers had in mind when they designed this car, because it afforded a feeling of pure pleasure as it handled the road with ease.

This month we experienced new highs in our gas mileage. Before these recent road trips, our BMW had averaged about 13.5 mpg and enjoyed its best mileage of 19.4 mpg on a trip to Las Vegas. On our first day trip to Lone Pine (which was mixed with a little city driving), we got a whopping (for this car) 23.9 mpg. On our second trip to Lone Pine, we got to wondering what the mileage might be if we weren't taking the highway at the 70-mph speed limit (and a little more when passing). So, we toned it down to 60-65 mph and held it there, even as traffic passed us. Low and behold, by doing this we upped our record from only the week before to 28.3 mpg.

We broke out our original window sticker to check BMW's EPA gas mileage estimates and found them to be 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. Our city driving must be more stop-and-go than the EPA's because we've never gotten close to those numbers in the Los Angeles area, but it was nice to register a higher number than the agency's highway estimate.

Unfortunately, we had another annoying glitch surface on our iDrive this go-round — the navigation system. Inexplicably and only from time to time, when we switch to the navigation mode on iDrive to see our map, we get a message that reads "No CD. Insert CD to continue." The first time we got this message, we thought perhaps the navigation CD had inadvertently been ejected from the player (which is positioned in the trunk). So, dutifully, we pulled the car over to check, only to find that the CD was in fact securely in the player.

This mapping loss has happened a number of times now so our friendly service technician (we're so friendly, in fact, we're now on a first-name basis) has suggested that a simple resetting of the system will restore working order to our navigation program. We'll report on how this problem was resolved in our next installment.

Current Odometer: 13,348
Best Fuel Economy: 28.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 14.2 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: Navigation system intermittently fails to recognize map CD.

In virtually all our updates on the BMW 745Li, we've focused on either the vehicle's cutting-edge technology or outstanding performance characteristics. What we haven't yet assessed are the creature comforts and amenities built into this luxury sedan. At a base MSRP of nearly $73,000, drivers should expect plenty.

Like its rival, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the 745 comes loaded and there are few options. Our sedan came equipped with the premium Logic 7 sound system from Harman Kardon with 16 speakers and an in-dash CD changer. In previous articles, we've extolled its crisp sound and other virtues. Our car also came with a heated steering wheel and seats, not an option we need in Southern California (but in fairness, cars in SoCal could be used for ski trips up to Big Bear). And lastly, it came equipped with the soft-close door and automatic trunk lid features.

These last features, as it turns out, have been some of the more appreciated touches on our car. An automatic open/close trunk feature isn't so much to get worked up about, but the soft-close door feature is nice. Occasionally, all of us fail to give the door a firm enough tug to close it upon entering the car. Often, passengers might not even notice that the door isn't fully closed unless the driver sees an "open door" icon light up on his dash. But in our 745, if someone fails to close a door fully, an armature mechanism in the door's hinge takes over and gently completes the task.

So much for options. The rest of this update will discuss the standard features in our 745.

The first thing one notices upon settling into any of the seats in the 745 is their firmness and the feeling of being wrapped in comfort within a spacious cabin. On long drives, we've found that firm seats make for less stiffness and soreness. Because BMW increased headroom in the cabin in the 7 Series redesign, even our editors over 6 feet in height are not in danger of bumping their heads or feeling claustrophobic.

The headrests on all the seats — front and back — are fixed and high enough that there is no question of whether they will serve their intended purpose if the vehicle is rear-ended. You almost feel as if you've settled into an elegant wing-back chair alongside a fireplace. With the 745 incarnation, BMW raised the rear headrests above the line of the backseat to afford this protection (prior-year models required occupants to manually raise the headrests). Lastly, the seats themselves are raised sufficiently off the floor so that you feel more as though you're seated in a real chair, rather than perched in an uncomfortably low position.

BMW got the cupholders right, too, at least for the front-seat passengers. They're metal, solid and capable of holding the largest drinks from McDonald's — without getting in the way of any instruments. The rear-seat cupholders are large, but a bit flimsier than the front holders. They're concealed in the front of the fold-down center armrest. If a third passenger was sitting in the rear, they'd be unusable.

One of the most often used amenities BMW built into this sedan is a pair of small drawers in the center stack. Yes, there's a large center console that houses the removable cell phone, in addition to providing built-in CD storage, change slots and plenty room for whatever else you have. But we've always found it's distracting to open center consoles while driving. The small drawers, however, are easily accessible and convenient for change, pens, gum and the access card for our parking garage.

Perhaps the convenience we've enjoyed the most is the fashion in which BMW's engineers have integrated the cell phone. When in the car, the phone plugs into a cord in the center console and fits in a cradle. The plug serves not only to charge the phone, but also to give the front-seat occupants use of it through either the voice activation feature on the steering wheel or a keypad that retracts into the center dash. These modes offer hands-free use with speakers built into the headliner on both the driver and passenger sides. You can actually access the phone through the iDrive system, too, but we never bother with this feature, finding the keypad and voice activation system easier to use.

There are so many nice little touches in the car that it's difficult to say when they become too trivial to mention. However, BMW has solved one problem that's aggravated every driver at one time or another when driving in the rain. Thirty years ago the automobile industry brought us variable-speed intermittent wipers, which were a wonderful improvement when driving in a very light rain. Invariably, however, the intensity of the rain will change and the driver must adjust the speed of the wiper. BMW's new automatic intermittent wiper system measures the amount of water on the windshield and automatically adjusts the wiper speed to keep it clear. This feature eliminates the need to use any other setting when driving in the rain.

Taken together, the thoughtful features in our 745Li have greatly added to our overall enjoyment of the vehicle. While some may argue that luxury sedans are measured by acceleration and leather upholstery, we're of the mind that convenience is important, too. And in that regard, the 745Li certainly measures up — with or without iDrive.

Current Odometer: 15,092
Best Fuel Economy: 28.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.4 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 14.1 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: iDrive navigation system sometimes won't boot.

Why We Bought It
How It Drove
Inside the Cabin
iDrive
Summing Up
Changes to the 7 Series Since 2002
Ups and Downs
Recalls and Problem History
Dealer Service Reviews
Consumer Commentary


Why We Bought It

BMW always commands attention and almost universal praise for its Ultimate Driving Machines, so it was no wonder that the newly designed 7 Series introduced in the winter of 2002 was greeted with much anticipation. What wasn't expected was the controversy and flak. The controversy arose over the iDrive vehicle management system interface, which many found too complex and confounding, not to mention unreliable. The flak was directed at BMW design gurus who turned what had always been a classically styled car into a poster child for avant-garde styling with a number of odd details, including a trunk lid that refused to integrate with the sedan's tail end. Was the 7's new body cutting edge or simply jarring? No one seemed to agree.

With those sorts of controversies swirling around one of the world's premier luxury sedans, how could we not buy one? We opted to wait a couple of months to get the long-wheelbase 745Li version. Other major changes that came with the redesign included a new V8 engine with the same 4.4 liters of displacement as before, but capable of delivering 15 percent more power (325 hp) while consuming 14 percent less fuel, thanks to efficiency measures like continuously variable valve timing, valve lift and intake manifold length. The 7 also offered the first-production six-speed automatic transmission, and an active roll stabilization system that keeps the big sedan remarkably flat in the turns.

The car we bought had few options, but given that it comes standard with so many features already, there wasn't a need to add much. We immediately loved the premium Logic 7 audio system's sound and grew to appreciate the soft-close doors and automatic trunk closing feature — for all those times you don't quite pull the door shut or close the trunk all the way, this option quietly completes the task for you. In Santa Monica, we didn't need the heated seats and steering wheel, but we haven't yet seen a 745 shipped here without these options. Nice for skiers going up to the mountains, we suppose.


How It Drove

This is kind of like asking, "How does Tiger Woods play golf?" We're hard-pressed to think of another full-size luxury sedan that offers the combination of road feel, performance and handling that we enjoyed in our 745Li.

With a body 203 inches long that weighs nearly 4,500 pounds, "lithe" isn't an adjective one would first associate with this sedan, but it should be. On one occasion, one of our editors even engaged in a little contest with a Ferrari on the winding stretches of Sunset Boulevard during a rare moment of light traffic. Most of our driving was in the city, so the exceptionally nimble handling of this big car was particularly appreciated.

Once set free on the highway, our BMW effortlessly handled all demands. Acceleration was instantaneous and effortless. Driving uphill at 90 mph in the desert heat? No problem. How about tight curves on Mt. Whitney at an elevation of 8,000 feet? Again, no problem.

While the power, comfort and road feel were expected, we weren't prepared for the utter smoothness of the shifts from the six-speed automatic transmission. As we wrote in our full test of the regular-wheelbase 745i, "When the transmission upshifts or downshifts, it does so with a refined elegance and positive engagement rarely experienced in a four-wheeled conveyance."

And braking? To no one's surprise, the 745 displayed exceptional stopping ability despite its substantial weight. One driver even noted that his wife cringed every time she had to ride with him in another car, because he forgot that all cars didn't respond like the 745.

But it was the active roll stabilization system that really allowed us to push the limits of this sedan (we almost want to call it a sports car). This system enhances what is already a well-tuned suspension by the sedan's body attitude, flat when driving through curves and turns at high speeds. This feature, maybe more than any other, is what made our large sedan fun to drive and brought smiles to drivers' faces as they tested the car's abilities.


Inside the Cabin

The cabin space in the long-wheelbase 745Li is nothing short of awesome. Passengers in the backseat said they felt as though they've stepped into a limousine, even when the front-seat passengers have their seats all the way back.

The leather, wood and trim appointments met or exceeded all of our expectations. One of our editors devoted an entire update to the comfort of the 13-way adjustable seats and remarked, "After hours of driving and sightseeing, we emerged from our 745Li with limbs limber…a refreshing change from many of our previous long-distance driving experiences."

One of the benefits of the iDrive system is that it cleans up the dashboard by eliminating most of the control knobs and buttons for the stereo and climate control systems. Fortunately, designers left a few of the most often used controls (fan speed, temperature and volume) on the dash. By virtue of there being so few knobs, however, the remaining dash-mounted controls are more easily found and used.

The 745's incredibly quiet interior completes the package. In one update, we remarked, "At 70 mph we heard little wind or road noise, even with our large 18-inch wheels." On the Logic 7 sound system, the wind chimes in a Santana song "were startlingly clear as the breezes in the song seemed to move the chimes around the interior of our car. Editors were silent as they heard this classic, as if for the first time on the high desert freeway."


iDrive

More than two years after its introduction, iDrive is still stirring controversy. And while we can debate the usefulness and practicality of the manner in which iDrive functions, there is no denying that our frequent trips to the dealership were due, almost completely, to the unreliability of the iDrive software. Four trips to the dealership in seven months is the kind of experience that most people associate with a first-year Chevette or a used Dodge Colt, not a $75,000 luxury car. Time after time, we would return our car to the dealer only to learn that it was the iDrive system causing all the trouble. The only bright spot in all of this was the fact that more than one BMW dealership treated us very well and tried, as best they could, to make the best of a bad situation. There are still some of us who are not thrilled even when the iDrive is working properly. In our first long-term update, we recounted how iDrive could be distracting to use while driving: "The loud gasps from the backseat brought our eyes back to the road, where we noted we were drifting nearer to the car in the next lane." Thankfully, we didn't hit it, but this incident drove home the point that in large part, iDrive really isn't something you can use while you're driving down the road.

The problem most of our editors had, along with virtually every other automotive editor who got a test vehicle for a week upon the 745's introduction, was that they were unable to master iDrive in the limited time they had the vehicle. Other onboard systems like those found in Acura, Audi and Lexus products are quickly and easily mastered, but the iDrive system requires more time and has a steeper learning curve. In all fairness, not all of these systems offer as many features as iDrive — its complexity certainly contributes to our frustration. The bottom line is that you've got to spend time with the iDrive in order to fully appreciate its breadth of features.

By owning and living with the car over a longer period of time, we began to appreciate the iDrive system a little more. Even after several months of ownership, we still occasionally fell prey to using some complicated feature or another (like programming a destination) while driving, even though we knew full well we'd probably have to stop the car in order to devote our full attention to the task at hand. Other vehicles' onboard systems do not require this level of concentration, so we can't help but wonder if BMW would do well to remember the old adage "less is more."

In defense of the iDrive system, we must admit that most of iDrive's settings only need to be programmed one time and can then be left alone for much of the ownership period. We set the climate control settings once and then used the dashboard controls for quick blasts of cool or hot air. We never used the telephone features through the screen. We loved the automated voice activation features for the phone, but even those were more for show with new passengers. The dialing keypad that popped out of the dash got the most frequent use. The trip monitor was another iDrive function infrequently used, but fun when it was. The vehicle status screen only came into play a couple of times, but was appreciated for the depth of information it conveyed on whatever the vehicle's problem might be.

The navigation system, accessed through iDrive, has led to a new dependency for some of us. Even in parts of town we knew well, it provided escape hatches when we ran into unexpected traffic. A navigation system is an expected feature in any car over $50,000 and it has become a feature most of us can't imagine living without, at least in a luxury car. When using BMW's iDrive-accessed navigation system, though, we couldn't help but long for the intuitive and logical nature of a Lexus navigation system, which uses a simple touchscreen.


Summing Up

After two years of driving this incredible car, we enthusiastically endorse it — the car that is, not the iDrive system. BMW has improved on the previous car's already excellent handling, while crafting a larger interior that oozes comfort and grace. We will admit that the iDrive feature becomes more user-friendly with time, but it has, for the most part, been unreliable and frustrating.

We are tempted to put a caveat on our endorsement of the car as a whole simply because of the early glitches in our iDrive module. We required two module replacements and two "resets" in the first seven months — that is unacceptable in a $75,000 car. The stability we've enjoyed in the iDrive system in our last months of ownership has somewhat restored our confidence in BMW's engineers. But there's probably a lesson here: as a car's electronics grow more complex, we can expect more issues with the reliability of those systems.

The competition among luxury sedans is brutal. Jaguar finally increased the cabin size in a 2004 redesign of its venerable flagship XJ8 sedan. And the fully reworked 2004 Audi A8 L is larger and more luxurious than before, while feeling just as athletic as the 745Li from behind the wheel. Meanwhile, a newcomer called the Volkswagen Phaeton is meeting stand-bys like the 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Lexus LS 430 on their terms for refinement and opulence. Although the current 7 Series is no longer the indisputable leader of the ultraluxury sedan class, BMW has done well with this car and we consider it to be one of the best performance/luxury sedans on the market with or without iDrive.

True Market Value^® at Lease-end: $54,852¹
Depreciation: $19,043 or 26 percent of original price paid²
Final Odometer Reading: 17,053
Best Fuel Economy: 28.9 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 9.2 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 13.9 mpg
Total Body Repair Costs: $209.05
Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 18 months): None (covered by warranty)
Additional Maintenance Costs: None
Warranty Repairs: 9
Non-Warranty Repairs: 1
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 1
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 4
Days Out of Service: 4
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: None

¹This is the private-party sale TMV for a black BMW 745Li sedan with 17,360 miles in clean condition in the 90404 zip code as of May 2004.

²To calculate depreciation, we compared the original price paid ($73,895) to the private-party TMV ($54,852) 18 months later.


Changes to the 7 Series Since 2002

2003 — The big news for 2003 was the late-fall arrival of the 760Li, which combined all the greatness of the 745Li while adding a 6.0-liter V12. The more interesting aspect of the 760Li was that it was the first BMW with direct gasoline injection, which, in combination with the Valvetronic technology already used in the 745 models, allows for stellar performance and respectable fuel economy. All models received rear head-protection airbags, and Active Cruise Control finally made it to the options list, along with run-flat tires. Rear-seat ventilation was added to the 745Li's Rear Comfort Seat package.

2004 — The 745i and 745Li models were freshened with new alloy wheels, and all-season run-flat tires became a no-charge option. Adaptive headlights were added to the options list, and Sirius Satellite Radio was a new dealer-installed accessory. BMW made revisions to the iDrive control system to simplify various functions, and the automatic climate control system picked up a humidity sensor. Lastly, the outside mirrors received a power-fold function.


Ups and Downs

Ups: Sports car performance and handling, all the luxury you'd expect at this price, quiet at speed, smooth ride over any surface.

Downs: Steep learning curve for the iDrive system, too many trips for service on electronics.

The Bottom Line: A brilliant luxury sedan scarred by senselessly complicated interior controls.


Recalls and Problem History

Recalls — None

Problem History:
September 2002 — Replace ICU in iDrive because phone keypad and voice activation for radio and phone did not work.
December 2002 — iDrive not communicating with left B-pillar so airbag warning light stays on; reprogram iDrive.
April 2003 — Repair loose fitting causing leaky power steering fluid.
July 2003 — Reprogram iDrive because doors won't lock automatically and seatbelt fault light on.
January 2004 — Replace remote door opener that fails and reset iDrive.
January 2004 — Automatic trunk open and close not working; repair hydraulics.


Dealer Service Reviews

Beverly Hills BMW in Beverly Hills, Calif.

August/September 2002
"When we left off last month, we'd taken our 745Li in for minor servicing and had it returned sans some of its electronic features: The door locks that automatically engage when driving off, voice commands for the entertainment system and the integrated telephone system were all not functioning. At the end of our first day back in the shop to address these issues, we were told the problem had been identified and we required a new fuse box, which would be installed the following day. Picking up the car this go-round, we found they'd replaced a number of pieces of electronic gear to get all our iDrive functions working. In addition to the fuse box we'd heard about the prior day and the new keyless remote, we found we had a new Telecommander and control boards for the telephone. Thankfully, none of the problems we'd experienced seemed to stump our technician. This inspired confidence in BMW's early detection and the training of their technicians."

December 2002
"As always, our BMW Service Center accommodated our request for service immediately and was genuinely concerned for our safety when we told them about the airbag warning light. When we dropped off the car, we were told by our service representative that she'd seen a number of these messages lately and they hadn't been real restraint system problems, but iDrive system issues. The car required an overnight stay, but was ready the next day. In fact, there had been no problem with the restraint system, just iDrive needing to be 'reset,' but no further explanation was given. So, off we drove feeling safe once again. But, in what is becoming an annoying pattern, when the service center reset iDrive, we lost several other settings — our automatic door locking option no longer functioned, our pre-programmed radio stations were gone and addresses in our route guidance list were wiped out. This was our fourth trip to the dealership for service in our seven months of ownership, and now we were facing a fifth to reset the door locks."


Santa Monica BMW in Santa Monica, Calif.

February 2003
"Our service rep, recognizing the safety issue of a missing side mirror, offered to have the part air freighted overnight. Further, he told us not to worry about scheduling a service call for installation; he told us he'd have a mechanic install it on the spot when we drove in to pick up our part. When we arrived to pick up the part the next day, our rep wasn't at his desk, so we proceeded directly to the parts department, picked up our mirror and paid for it. As we walked back to our car in the garage, we asked a passing mechanic if he could help us for a minute. We showed him our mirror and pointed to the empty spot in the mirror body housing. Without hesitation and in less than three minutes of fiddling, he had our new mirror in and working. So, it seems the competence and pampering we'd previously experienced in our service trips, extends beyond the original selling dealership in the BMW network."

July 2003
"This month saw yet another visit by the 745Li to the dealership for a minor repair. A seatbelt warning light had appeared and needed to be reset. Also, new service bulletins had been issued for the iDrive system. Consumer Advice Editor Phil Reed called Rey Johnson at Santa Monica BMW for an appointment. When Phil arrived with the car, he was immediately greeted and escorted into the service area. Johnson was busy with another customer, but he acknowledged Phil's presence and later apologized for the delay. Initially, Johnson said it would take two days to resolve these issues. However, the 745Li was ready the same day (as it always has been when in for servicing of iDrive issues). All the work was performed under warranty."


Consumer Commentary

"After reading all of the material I could get my hands on, I bought what I thought was the ultimate car. After owning the car, I realized I had made the right choice. This car is all that it was designed to be. It was not designed to have the new iDrive overshadow its performance stats in the major car magazines as the only lows they could find." — Netwalker4, April 23, 2004

"This car outdoes my 2-year-old 750s in practically every way, thank goodness to BMW for keeping the big, muscular look with the new 7 as opposed to Mercedes narrowing the new S so that it looks cheap with the standard 16 and 17 wheels and still does front and rear even with the sport pack. That's why I no longer own any 600s. I'll admit the trunk did take a little getting used to though." — Carcollection, April 4, 2004

"I've had nothing but problems with the iDrive and the vehicle's phone. The car has been back to the dealer 11 times for the same problem." — Jkk, Feb. 19, 2004

"The car handles like a sports car. The acceleration for such a large vehicle is remarkable. The iDrive requires a college degree to operate. I think I have the car at the dealership more often than at home. I think a Yugo is more reliable." — Ducati749, Feb. 17, 2004

"It has been a lifelong dream to finally own the car. Now the bad part. The car has been into the dealership more times than I can remember. Problems started with the electronic keyfob system. I've been stuck along the side of many roads and in many parking lots waiting for BMW roadside assistance. I thought it was my fault that the doors were left open and my belongings ransacked, but as I tried to lock them, I saw that the locks open up by themselves. Overall I can't say that I am satisfied. I probably should have bought an S-Class Benz. To have so much electronic equipment and not train the mechanics is just bad business." — Dissatisfied ob-gyn, Jan. 12, 2004