I found a design flaw

amybang · 05-03-2008, 09:15 PM

Nature hates me because it has rained every day since I picked up my 128 vert this week (by yesterday my co-workers were blaming the weather on me).

While I'm really liking the rain sensing wipers, they were designed wrong - they need to sweep in the opposite direction. The passenger side wiper stops its upsweep right in the middle of my field of vision. That in itself isn't so bad, but there's a "burn-in" mark where it stops now that stays in my field of vision. It's very distracting. If the wipers were reversed, this would be on the passenger side. Bad design.

I'm still keeping her though.

amy!

shmee150 · 05-03-2008, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amybang

Nature hates me because it has rained every day since I picked up my 128 vert this week (by yesterday my co-workers were blaming the weather on me).

While I'm really liking the rain sensing wipers, they were designed wrong - they need to sweep in the opposite direction. The passenger side wiper stops its upsweep right in the middle of my field of vision. That in itself isn't so bad, but there's a "burn-in" mark where it stops now that stays in my field of vision. It's very distracting. If the wipers were reversed, this would be on the passenger side. Bad design.

I'm still keeping her though.

amy!

Interesting, but that sounds really weird to design it that way. At least with the seat on the right hand side over here in the UK it will be the right way :P

stefan · 05-03-2008, 09:21 PM

Really says something about the car when we treat flaws as a "where's waldo" type scenario! "I found one!!!!!"

backtoreality15 · 05-03-2008, 10:56 PM

It was designed liked that.... :wink:

runNgun · 05-03-2008, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shmee150

Interesting, but that sounds really weird to design it that way. At least with the seat on the right hand side over here in the UK it will be the right way :P

Maybe they accidentally installed wipers for a right hand drive car? :iono:
Can another vert owner check theirs and let us know?

WaFu · 05-03-2008, 11:58 PM

I think most car designed the same way, not something special for BMW or 1 series?!

TagMan · 05-04-2008, 01:31 AM

Sounds like a normal design. Also sounds like you may have allowed your wipers to operate "dry" when the windshield was dirty, which can etch the windshield. It is always best to treat the glass on a new vehicle if possible.

Also, you can most likely relax, because you can actually polish the windshield the same way you polish your paint... especially with an orbital machine. Most all of the surface level imperfections will come out. Then you might want to consider using a glass treatment on your windshield.

alexp1_tx · 05-04-2008, 01:47 AM

What is this glass treatment you talk about, wise sage of California.

TagMan · 05-04-2008, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexp1_tx

What is this glass treatment you talk about, wise sage of California.

LOL...
How will I ever live up to that?
Sorry, no rocket science on this one. I was merely suggesting a Rain-X type of windshield treatment. There are other companies as well. Rain-X has a number of products that will make it less likely for dirt and bugs to stick to the windshield, and lessen the likelhood of the wipers scratching the dirt across the windshield.

http://www.rainx.com/Products/Windsh.../Original.aspx

Here's another product...

http://www.nanofilmtechnology.com/pr...-winshield.htm

BTW, how are you liking the Titanium Silver???!!!

imported_Dodgy · 05-04-2008, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shmee150

Interesting, but that sounds really weird to design it that way. At least with the seat on the right hand side over here in the UK it will be the right way :P

Same down here. We are the ones the usually draw the design "short straw"

Lester · 05-04-2008, 07:53 AM

In the right hand drive version, the wipers are opposite - so I don't think it is a design flaw. The post for the driver's side wiper is centered on the steering wheel. the passenger side wiper is situated with the necessary offset.

SlickShift · 05-04-2008, 12:30 PM

I highly doubt it's a design flaw. BMW's go through a ridiculous amount of testing in all conditions.

mrgoochio · 05-04-2008, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lester

In the right hand drive version, the wipers are opposite - so I don't think it is a design flaw. The post for the driver's side wiper is centered on the steering wheel. the passenger side wiper is situated with the necessary offset.

Clarification including pictures :thumbup:

amybang · 05-05-2008, 12:57 PM

So, I've looked closely at the wipers on a number of other cars now, and driven on more rainy days. And I have determined that:

1) The wipers sweep in the direction that they do on every other US car I've seen. What Lester said about the driver's side wiper post being centered on the steering wheel, whichever side of the car that is on, seems to bear out.

2) Given that the windshield is very small, the passenger side wiper does end in an unfortunate position; my Civic had a larger windshield so the passenger upsweep stopped outside my field of vision. (so I still posit this a design flaw - it could have stopped short, or they could have broken the mold and swapped the sweep direction). (Also, I haven't compared - is the windshield the same size in the coupe as in my vert?)

3) The "burn-in" on my windshield was removed with some simple Windex this morning and I will go out and obtain RainX and treat the glass now that the weather is nicer. However, back to the design flaw, I'd posit that the average owner wouldn't do this and so having the sweep stop where it does will interfere with their field of vision.

4) Wind across the angle of the hood sweeps water onto the windshield at surprisingly low speeds (not related to the wipers, but something I noticed when trying to pay attention to them).

amy!

MZWIE · 05-05-2008, 02:51 PM

Porsches sweep in the other direction for that very reason. I had 911's and it worked a lot better. I also like that they use to have almost infinite interval adjustment. The rain sensor is crap in our cars, it never sweeps at the right interval for my taste. The rain sensor should not be the only way to obtain intermittent wipers.

I, for one have always felt thay should sweep from the lower left towards the middle (ie reverse the way they are now).

colonel1961 · 05-05-2008, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lester

In the right hand drive version, the wipers are opposite - so I don't think it is a design flaw. The post for the driver's side wiper is centered on the steering wheel. the passenger side wiper is situated with the necessary offset.

Bravo!

spudw · 05-05-2008, 03:20 PM

I think the reason they design it that way is so the wipers make a larger sweep across the driver's side, right up into the corner of the driver's side. If they did it the other way, the driver would be stuck with the arc in the corner of the windshield and more of the passenger's side would be wiped clean.

TazioNYC · 05-05-2008, 03:44 PM

The biggest design flaw of the car is that the armrest interferes with shifting for tall people when it's down. It's very annoying.

TazioNYC · 05-05-2008, 03:49 PM

Also the lack of storage space in the front.

05-03-2008, 09:15 PM	#1
amybang ... and Orca too! 29 Rep 845 Posts Drives: 128i Convertible (AW/CR) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Belmont, MA iTrader: (0)	I found a design flaw Nature hates me because it has rained every day since I picked up my 128 vert this week (by yesterday my co-workers were blaming the weather on me). While I'm really liking the rain sensing wipers, they were designed wrong - they need to sweep in the opposite direction. The passenger side wiper stops its upsweep right in the middle of my field of vision. That in itself isn't so bad, but there's a "burn-in" mark where it stops now that stays in my field of vision. It's very distracting. If the wipers were reversed, this would be on the passenger side. Bad design. I'm still keeping her though. amy!
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05-03-2008, 09:21 PM	#3
stefan Brigadier General 2354 Rep 4,254 Posts Drives: M2 Comp Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: North iTrader: (2)	Really says something about the car when we treat flaws as a "where's waldo" type scenario! "I found one!!!!!" __________________ ///M Power
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05-03-2008, 10:56 PM	#4
backtoreality15 Captain 81 Rep 752 Posts Drives: 2019 330i Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (0)	It was designed liked that.... :wink: __________________ 2019 M-Sport 330i \| G20
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05-03-2008, 11:58 PM	#6
WaFu Private First Class 8 Rep 146 Posts Drives: M135iA Join Date: Apr 2008 iTrader: (0)	I think most car designed the same way, not something special for BMW or 1 series?! __________________ 2013 - *M135iA* - Apline White Year One - *135i* - Monaco/Lemon/Gloss - Sport/Prem/Cold/iPod/HiFi/HD/C.A.
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05-04-2008, 01:31 AM	#7
TagMan Car Addict!! 60 Rep 1,303 Posts Drives: '08 135i Convertible Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Malibu, California iTrader: (0)	Sounds like a normal design. Also sounds like you may have allowed your wipers to operate "dry" when the windshield was dirty, which can etch the windshield. It is always best to treat the glass on a new vehicle if possible. Also, you can most likely relax, because you can actually polish the windshield the same way you polish your paint... especially with an orbital machine. Most all of the surface level imperfections will come out. Then you might want to consider using a glass treatment on your windshield. __________________ 2008 /// Commemorative /// 6-Speed /// Titanium Silver /// Fully-Loaded /// 135i Convertible
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05-04-2008, 01:47 AM	#8
alexp1_tx Private First Class 16 Rep 170 Posts Drives: Join Date: Jan 2008 iTrader: (0)	What is this glass treatment you talk about, wise sage of California.
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05-04-2008, 07:53 AM	#11
Lester Brigadier General 295 Rep 3,350 Posts Drives: Join Date: Oct 2007 iTrader: (0)	Not a design flaw? In the right hand drive version, the wipers are opposite - so I don't think it is a design flaw. The post for the driver's side wiper is centered on the steering wheel. the passenger side wiper is situated with the necessary offset. Attached Images __________________ 2008 135i, Jet Black, 6 spd, Canadian Sport package, black leatherette, manual seats, aluminum glacier trim, PDC. 1983 E21 Delphin, M10, 5 speed, LSD, MSW wheels, recaro seats, Hartge strut brace, rear sway bar. [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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05-04-2008, 12:30 PM	#12
SlickShift Lieutenant Colonel 323 Rep 1,804 Posts Drives: '11 BMW E90 M3 ZCP, '21 X5 ZMP Join Date: May 2007 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (7)	I highly doubt it's a design flaw. BMW's go through a ridiculous amount of testing in all conditions. __________________ -Nick 2018 BMW 440i - M Sport, Exec Glacier Silver Metallic/Coral Red Dakota Retired: '00 323i, '06 325Ci, '09 135i, '06 Z4M Roadster, '93 525i, '76 2002, '14 X1, '14 M235i, '16 X4, '16 435i
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05-05-2008, 12:57 PM	#14
amybang ... and Orca too! 29 Rep 845 Posts Drives: 128i Convertible (AW/CR) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Belmont, MA iTrader: (0)	So, I've looked closely at the wipers on a number of other cars now, and driven on more rainy days. And I have determined that: 1) The wipers sweep in the direction that they do on every other US car I've seen. What Lester said about the driver's side wiper post being centered on the steering wheel, whichever side of the car that is on, seems to bear out. 2) Given that the windshield is very small, the passenger side wiper does end in an unfortunate position; my Civic had a larger windshield so the passenger upsweep stopped outside my field of vision. (so I still posit this a design flaw - it could have stopped short, or they could have broken the mold and swapped the sweep direction). (Also, I haven't compared - is the windshield the same size in the coupe as in my vert?) 3) The "burn-in" on my windshield was removed with some simple Windex this morning and I will go out and obtain RainX and treat the glass now that the weather is nicer. However, back to the design flaw, I'd posit that the average owner wouldn't do this and so having the sweep stop where it does will interfere with their field of vision. 4) Wind across the angle of the hood sweeps water onto the windshield at surprisingly low speeds (not related to the wipers, but something I noticed when trying to pay attention to them). amy!
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05-05-2008, 02:51 PM	#15
MZWIE Lieutenant Colonel 388 Rep 1,660 Posts Drives: M2 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: GEORGIA iTrader: (0)	Porsches sweep in the other direction for that very reason. I had 911's and it worked a lot better. I also like that they use to have almost infinite interval adjustment. The rain sensor is crap in our cars, it never sweeps at the right interval for my taste. The rain sensor should not be the only way to obtain intermittent wipers. I, for one have always felt thay should sweep from the lower left towards the middle (ie reverse the way they are now).
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05-05-2008, 03:20 PM	#17
spudw Major 70 Rep 1,305 Posts Drives: 2009 128i Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ottawa iTrader: (0)	I think the reason they design it that way is so the wipers make a larger sweep across the driver's side, right up into the corner of the driver's side. If they did it the other way, the driver would be stuck with the arc in the corner of the windshield and more of the passenger's side would be wiped clean. __________________ 2009 BMW 128i ~ Jet Black ~ Sport Package ~ Sunroof ~ USB Integration ~ Delivered on October 14, 2009
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05-05-2008, 03:44 PM	#18
TazioNYC Lieutenant 37 Rep 466 Posts Drives: BMW 135i Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: New York, NY iTrader: (0)	The biggest design flaw of the car is that the armrest interferes with shifting for tall people when it's down. It's very annoying.
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05-05-2008, 03:49 PM	#19
TazioNYC Lieutenant 37 Rep 466 Posts Drives: BMW 135i Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: New York, NY iTrader: (0)	Also the lack of storage space in the front.
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