Does anyone agree the lack of an engine oil dipstick in new BMW's is a bad idea?

Question

Does anyone agree the lack of an engine oil dipstick in new BMW's is a bad idea?

Answer 1

BMW has perhaps realized their mistake and have started to put back dipsticks in some of their newer cars. What models? That is not your question.

Answer 2

Sure it is a bad idea.  Never has there been a problem with a dipstick.   And it is convient when you have your head under the hood.

Electronics.....problems galore, sensor stupidity abound.    More than once I have had to bypass the sensor because it prevented the car from running(and when you are out in the sticks say fighting a fire(or flood), you are not about to call for a tow-truck.

Answer 3

Typical BMW idiocy. They have become so smug as to actually believe no one but a trained BMW tech can work on one of their precious automobiles, which may explain why they are all in CONSTANT need of repair and maintenance.

Ugh...

Answer 4

Yes... It is a bad idea.  While the instrument panel gives you a visual indicator that is nice, there have been quite a few incidents of overfilling... which is a pain.  You should at least have a dipstick as a backup.

Answer 5

The electronics that are responsible for the oil level are very sophisticated...and reliable...but as a technician, it is rather disconcerting to not have a mechanical means to view oil level..all models in the German arena are eliminating the stick..as Mercedes Benz has with the stick AND the drain plug...now they use a suction device that pulls it from a  tube that goes down to the oil pan! Trust your MID display ,,

Answer 6

Bad Idea.

How the h**l are you supposed to check to oil?

Sure, the BMW dealer does all maintenance for the first xxxx miles, but what about after that?

Answer 7

It is a bad idea. I have a 530i and at 30K miles, I have already had to have the oil sensor replaced. I have a friend who has a 545 and he had to have his replaced also. The sensor shows you need to add oil, but other than draining and measuring the oil, there is no way to check to see if the sensor is right. I assumed my sensor was wrong. When I took it to the dealer, they verified that it was.

Answer 8

100% a bad thing..

There BMW goes again thinking there newer "engineering" is so good the sensor will not go bad.  Good engineering is not what it does but rater how long it lasts..  

Answer 9

people don't check it as is...and just as they ignore the ck engine lite this will just be another lite to ignore....what they should do is put a auto shut off when oil gets low [and coolant too]

Answer 10

The primary reason for eliminating the dipstick is that there very stringent emission regulations.  The government gives a value to the amount of hydrocarbons that escapes from the dipstick annually and in order to meet the standards that the government has issued, they have chosen to eliminate the dipstick.  I do agree that is a bad idea and they do have some problems with it.

Answer 11

i agree

Answer 12

Bad idea.

You can't always count on sophisticated electronics alone which are so notorious for failing.  

Answer 13

I hate it.  I like knowing how much oil is in there (to know if it's burning any), and I like knowing the engine temperature.  But now I can't see either.  It's irritating.

Answer 14

Agree. In the event that the oil level sensor fails, you'd obviously run into some serious problems. With a dipstick, you have an actual, physical reading. Personally, I just don't trust an electronic oil level sensor over my own two eyes. Although it makes it easy for even the laziest BMW owner to check their oil by sitting in the driver's seat and pushing a button, an actual dipstick would be nice if it remained. However, I always try my best to support any decision BMW makes.