[voltron1011]

I've always hated how Bimmers look with DRLs on. It makes the car look cross-eyed

[silverado]

I agree they don't look ideal, but I think they look okay. You do get a little halo effect of the outer rings, if that's what you're into. To me, it's not about showing off but rather about safety. I do believe in doing the most you can to grab the attention of today's increasingly absent-minded driver.

[johnfkitchen]

Originally Posted by silverado

<snip>I do believe in doing the most you can to grab the attention of today's increasingly absent-minded driver.

I agree.

And it's not just the absent minded. I saw a young guy in a Golf nearly tail end a car on the Massachusetts Turnpike by misjudging his distance and speed. Maybe more visual clues would have helped his judgement. He's alive, but the Golf, after swerving violently, and flipping dramatically was probably scrap. (He provided a good test for our BMW brakes too , since he swerved into our lane and then flipped!)

First car that I owned that had DRL's was a Volvo, a loooong time ago, when oncoming drivers would flash their headlights to tell me. They saw me!

[silverado]

Incidentally, today while driving to work I got into my first near miss situation in YEARS. I was on a four-lane (two in each direction) busy street. I was in the left lane driving at about 30-40 MPH and I was a good distance from the car in front of me. Then I did the stupid thing I criticize others for doing: I looked at my cell phone for a moment when it beeped telling me that I got a text message . The car in front of me must have hit the brakes just as I started to glance away. By the time I looked back up (it seemed like it was only a moment), it looked like I might be heading for a bad crash into the back of the car in front of me. I slammed the brakes hard... it was raining and I heard the ABS kick in. As I got closer, it was clear that I will not stop before hitting the car in front of me (probably would have stopped if it wasn't raining). I quickly glanced at the traffic in the opposite direction lane to my left and saw that the next car was some distance ahead and not going too fast and I immediately pulled into that lane, stopping a few feet into what would have been the back of the car that was in front of me. The oncoming traffic stopped, and in a few seconds the car that had stopped started moving and I was back in my lane as if nothing had happened.

I happen to believe that my DRL helped the oncoming traffic see me and avoid me in this emergency situation.

I'm so thankful I didn't pay dearly for my mistake and didn't smash up someone else's car in the process.

[brewer]

Whew close call! Cell phones are seriously so dangerous to the act of driving. I'm guilty of not using a earpiece to talk sometimes and of looking at my phone and sometimes even text messaging but it really is dangerous! You take your eyes off your phone for a split second and stuff like that could happen.

[collinp]

What's the state of the DRLs when the engine is running and the headlight selector is set to off?

- Collin

[silverado]

Originally Posted by collinp

What's the state of the DRLs when the engine is running and the headlight selector is set to off?

- Collin

They look like the picture I posted. They are also like that in the Auto position if it isn't dark enough outside.

[e90fanatic]

Originally Posted by silverado

They look like the picture I posted. They are also like that in the Auto position if it isn't dark enough outside.

Got a question, if I put the light switch to the first stage, is that parking lights? does the DRL turn off and the angel eyes and side signals turn on? Or does the DRL stay on with the angel eyes and side signals?

[bzzbenz]

I think I will opt out on them for now, but would like the option for turning them on and off whenever I like. I was thinking since I have idrive I would be able to do so. My car is at the port awaiting vessel to go to prep center. Do you think the dealer will do all the software updates for me before pick up the car?

[collinp]

So if I understand things this is the behavior, right? :

Lights Set To Auto, Xenon's On = DRL off
Lights Set To Auto, Xenon's Off = DRL on
Lights Set To Off = DRL on
Lights Set To Parking Lights = DRL on
Lights Set To Xenon's On = DRL off

This is when the engine is on of course. Is this behavior the same if the engine is off, but the car is turned on? I'm guessing the answer is yes.

Silverado mentioned that "You do get a little halo effect of the outer rings." Does that mean that there is just some bleed due to the halogens which appears to illuminate the outer ring or is the outer ring actually illuminated?It's a little hard to tell from the photo.

Thanks for the info. I'd like to get these enabled for safety, but want to know what I'm getting into. I would like a mode where I can sit in the car at night with the radio and climate on, but no lights. This would be handy for times when I'm waiting in the car outside a store for my wife to "just run in quickly."

- Collin

[aloyouis]

Gonna sound like a dimb quetion I fear....What are the " angel eyes"? Do I have them? I do not have the xenons (out of choice! I hate them coming my way so not to be a hippocrite....).

I will most definatey have the DRL turned on whatever it is they turn out ot be. I have them on on my e46 now and like it.

BTW....sad story dept.: I hit the largest damn raccoon I have ever seen a few nights ago......Killed it. It killed my front bumper cover, condenser, radiator and a ton of other small peices of the front of my 1 month old e90 sport .....What a bloody, hairy mess!!!!!!

It is in the body shop with only 3k! I am so pissed! :mad:

Thank gosh I got black so they can't mess up th paint job that bad.....

Driving the e47 auto again and REALLY missing my sport/6sp.........

[bimmer4me]

Originally Posted by aloyouis

...BTW....sad story dept.: I hit the largest damn raccoon I have ever seen a few nights ago......Killed it. It killed my front bumper cover, condenser, radiator and a ton of other small peices of the front of my 1 month old e90 sport .....What a bloody, hairy mess!!!!!!

It is in the body shop with only 3k! I am so pissed! :mad: ...

Sorry, man, that totally sucks. Reading your post reminded me of NASA's "Deep Impact" mission. However, it's probably best we don't have any pics. LOL!

[collinp]

Originally Posted by aloyouis

Gonna sound like a dimb quetion I fear....What are the " angel eyes"? Do I have them? I do not have the xenons (out of choice! I hate them coming my way so not to be a hippocrite....).

I don't care for Xenon's either. I can't believe they're legal. The auto-dimming mirrors help combat them, but that doesn't help other drivers. Anyway, the 330 comes with them standard. If it were a simple option I would not have gotten them. I do like the auto leveling / rotating features however.

The "Angel Eyes" (aka "Halo Lights are clear rings just in front of the real lights. They illuminate when the parking lights are on. Check the picture in the banner on this site. They are only available with the Xenon's so you don't have them. No big loss though. I mean, they're very cool, but there's rarely an occasion when you can actually turn them on.

- Collin

[silverado]

I finally got around to taking better pictures showing how daytime running lights look like. Enjoy!

DRL



DRL with parking lights

[psyran]

Agree re: the dangerousness of cell phones and driving. I finally activated my bluetooth and voice activation last eveniong. Its great. never have to look at or touch my cell in the car.
psyran

[Hornet]

Anyone knows if Euro spec cars are equiped with DRLs from the factory? If not, the dealer can activate them?

Thanks in advance!

[KillDork]

As I've understood it, when you americans turn on your parking lights, that is in fact your turn signal lights that stays on, not blinking, right?
In Europe, we don't use them like that. When we select parking lights, only the halos (and some lights in the rear) come on. Several countries are now requiering you to drive with (some) light on during the day. Here in Norway I can drive with the low beam (only) or the parking lights + fog lights. This is required by law. I'm not allowed to use both the high or low beam together with the fog lights though many do, it's "cool" to show of all the pretty lights you've got

[UCe90]

Originally Posted by Armen52

silverado, have you actually gotten the software update performed? Do you have confirmation from a dealer that these issues have been resolved?

Prompted by your statements I contacted BMWNA again. Some of you may recall I contacted them the first day the message appeared on BMW's Build Your 3 site regarding the missing features. This was their response to me today:

Dear Armen:

Thank you for your reply. At this time we have been informed that the
software issue in regards to the key memory features will not be
resolved until at least September of this year.

Adam xxxxxxx
Customer Relations and Services
Representative

So I don't know what to make of this at this point.

FYI, went to a dealer in San Mateo, CA today. The service department does not have the software yet either. No daytime running lights, and door lock as you drive away.

[raleedy]

DRL's are for safety, not appearance. For their intended purpose, they are effective.

[JVFan]

If I'm not mistaken, the US is one of the few remaining insustialized ounties that does not require DRL's by law for safety purposes. It has been mandated by Transport Canada for a few years on new cars.

[JVFan]

ummm "industrialized" that would be...they should make spelling in Canada mandatory!

[scottz5]

I will not use DRL's.