The Ultimate Reading Room - BMW owner's manual

The owner's manual for our BMW 328i convertible weighs close to three pounds, contains 566 pages, and measures 7x8x2 inches. (All specifications verified within our mobile electronics lab.) It is also the first owner's manual I can recall that won't fit in any interior storage compartment of the vehicle for which it's designed.

I discovered this when I went looking for it for some tidbit of operational instruction, and started my search with the glove box—which is, after all, a far more likely spot to find the manual than, well, say, a pair of gloves. No dice. Next, I tried the door pockets, the console compartment, and, in desperation, under the front seats. Nope. I finally found it where a previous driver had left it, tucked up into the passenger footwell, leaning against the transmission tunnel.

In all fairness to BMW, we're talking about a lot of information here. They do make sophisticated vehicles with complicated controls. So much so that there are actually seven manuals, including the main manual and separate ones for vehicle care; the radio (26 pages); service and warranty; safety tips; and a driver reference guide. Think of the reference guide as sort of an abbreviated manual for those too busy to read all 325 pages of manuals - a CliffsNotes, if you will. There's also a 152-page road atlas, an 80-page dealer directory, a four-page accident assistance form, and a BMW club membership flyer. They ought to include another membership card for a reading circle. It all gets packaged in a nice leather case with no place to go.

Nowhere in any of this information did I come across any helpful tips as to what to do with the manual when one is not reading it, but I might have missed it. I didn't miss the part in the introduction where they encourage you to "pass over" the manual to the new owner if you ever choose to sell the car. Not 'leave it in the car", but pass it over. They don't say what to do with it in the mean time.

My colleague, Senior Automotive Engineer Tom Mutchler, our resident interior guru (with a related masters degree, to boot), tells me BMW is not alone with manuals growing so bloated you can't keep them in the car. He said several Infiniti models we've tested recently have a Velcro pouch in the trunk for their manuals. I guess I didn't notice because their controls are more logical than the 328's, so I never had to go looking for reference help. 

In the end, the best, and perhaps only place for the manual is in the trunk. That way, it can double as a wheel chock in a pinch. At least our 328i isn't equipped with the dreaded iDrive. Then we'd probably need a trailer.

—Jim Travers

Read our road test of the BMW 328i and other convertibles, complete with videos. No manual required.

Comments

[anne fleming]

Jim,

As an owner of the 325xi, the manual I have isnt 566 pages, but it sure is lenghy. In the realm of paying more attention to green auto issues, rest assure being 'green' is not just having two or three hybrid models offered in a brand's line up. The cost of to print, bind, and produce those manuals, even on a mass scale, is very high.

Manuals are a necessity for most owners. Offer the manual, instead of in a traditional printed form, in a CD rom version that operates easily and on voice command, so the subject matter can be found quickly -- instead of perusing through countless number of pages and sections to determine what type of synthetic oil should I really be using. Either way, it is then up to the owner if they want the 556 page vesion or a CD.

[Jean Blumer]

I just finished the automobile survey for my 2007 Honda CRV with 4 cylinders. I wish you had asked about gasoline milage. I wanted to express dissatisfaction with my average milage of less than 18 mpg. I have driven around 7000 miles in the past 17 months of ownership. Roughly 2000 miles were highway trips with 5000 miles being city driving. I am a very moderate driver and do not operate the car in a manner to burn fuel needlessly.

[Georgia]

I agree with Anne completely and think that's a great alternative. Think about how much paper we would be saving. I would be surprised if some car companies weren't implementing this already.

[michael parker]

I just recently bought a 1998 528i, not equipped with the manual;
needless to say no one "passed it over" to me either. Any clues as to how to attain one?

[Maranee McDonald]

I have a 2001 BMW ci convertible. I need to find a web site where it states that the "roll bars" in the back seats pop up only when the car goes airborne. I was told the bars only go up when all four tires leave the ground at the same time.
This information is very important and I have searched everywhere and I can't seem to find it. Please if anyone can help me with this, send me an e-mail or a website so I can copy it for court purposes.
Thanks.

[Emad Maysarah]

I am looking for owner manual for BMW 735i 1999 - 2000.
thanks in advance.

[Dan]

To Maranee McDonald

I hope that, by this time, you've picked up a telephonic device and spoken with a BMW representative. Your question is one that could be answered in minutes if not seconds. Good luck.