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      03-21-2020, 08:34 AM   #1
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RT*M

I know I'm in the minority within new car buyers, but I just don't understand the reluctance of most to read the owners manual. An auto purchase is generally the second most expensive purchase, and yet people don't read to understand and appreciate the workings and capabilities of their investment. Even on forums there are questions that could be answered with even a cursory review of the manual. This is even more valid given the complexity of newer vehicles.
Take some time off Facebook, Instagram, etc. etc. and devote some actual constructive time to RT*M!
Most of my new vehicle purchases have been ordered, taking from several weeks to several months. I have always downloaded the manuals, read them, and was comfortable and knowledgeable prior to delivery.
There...off my chest. Somewhat.
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      03-21-2020, 10:30 AM   #2
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I am a engineer. Learning and teaching yourself to wrap your mind around a problem or concept is what keeps you smart. I love to read a automotive manual. I will read it 3-4 times just for fun. Read a few bits at night before bed and let it soak in. It’s the discovery of new items and knowing what I need to know when I need to know it. I have been around the shameless ignorance of “ I don’t know how” people that are either too lazy or dumb to at least try to find the answers and I find it a serious disability in life. There was always a certain amount of people in my circle that would just call me up and inconvenience me because they didn’t want to open a user manual and at least make some effort in solving their issues. Everyone knows some one like this.
I actually stopped helping these people feeling I was enabling their disability to learn.

Last edited by MystroX5; 03-21-2020 at 10:38 AM..
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      03-21-2020, 11:13 AM   #3
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Not too mention the X5 you can ask it many things about the car it will actually show you how to interact or use it.... So many way to learn your vehicle.
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      03-21-2020, 12:15 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MystroX5 View Post
I am a engineer. Learning and teaching yourself to wrap your mind around a problem or concept is what keeps you smart. I love to read a automotive manual. I will read it 3-4 times just for fun. Read a few bits at night before bed and let it soak in. It’s the discovery of new items and knowing what I need to know when I need to know it. I have been around the shameless ignorance of “ I don’t know how” people that are either too lazy or dumb to at least try to find the answers and I find it a serious disability in life. There was always a certain amount of people in my circle that would just call me up and inconvenience me because they didn’t want to open a user manual and at least make some effort in solving their issues. Everyone knows some one like this.
I actually stopped helping these people feeling I was enabling their disability to learn.
I'm like you, call us sick cause car manuals are one of my favorite things to read However, we are in the minority, whether that makes sense to us or not. My uncle buys a new truck every three years, when I'm there visiting I might mention a feature my car has and he'll say..oh, I like that, does my truck have it? I ask...did you read your owners manual? My aunt laughs, my uncle says..what for, I know how to drive. Well I'd say, if you read your manual, you'd know if you had that feature. I just get a ... look. The last thing he was thrilled about was using his bluetooth phone in his 2020 truck. He was raving about how great it was. Then I told him he had that feature in his last three trucks and never knew it. The conversation when down hill

My wife doesn't read her manual, my father never did, my sister doesn't, in fact I really don't know many people who do.

I think since forums have been around, they're filled with enthusiast, some jump at the chance to offer rudimentary knowledge to those who ask, which is what I see a lot around here. Plus, its more fun interacting with forum members than trying to find it in the manual. You'll also get varying opinions in addition to the facts and alternative ways to accomplish the task whereas the manual will normally only offer the most direct or recommended method.

I can see why people will ask the forum as opposed to reading the manual but for me, I will always read the manual in addition to sometimes seeking the forums reply.
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      03-21-2020, 12:31 PM   #5
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I love the forum fellowship and discovering new firmware and common issues. I think we learn and work at a higher level than most BMW customer tech’s with staying on top of the real world issues and ownership experience on this forum. BMW could learn a lot from just monitoring this forum as a focused demographic knowledge base.

That said, a basic knowledge needs to be had before coming to the forum table before just openly shotgunning operation questions to the forum. It doesn’t happen that often but I found that some older demographics have a smug satisfaction of not wanting or needing to know anything tech. As if they think tech was a passing trend and not worthy of their effort to learn. My father is guilty of this way of thinking and now he is paying the technology illiterate price of not being able to function with mandatory digital tasks. It went from falling behind, to being scared of change, to now giving up and not interested in learning. Subaru has really captured this elderly demographic.

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      03-21-2020, 12:38 PM   #6
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I've found the paper manual to be not very useful. It covers all features and options whether you have them or not. But if you use the Manual through the App, or through iDrive, the manual is tied to your VIN and gives you specifics about your car.
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      03-21-2020, 12:42 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Timmer-Bimmer View Post
I've found the paper manual to be not very useful. It covers all features and options whether you have them or not. But if you use the Manual through the App, or through iDrive, the manual is tied to your VIN and gives you specifics about your car.

^^^Bingo^^^ First thing I do with a new car is download the manual to my iPad Pro.
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      03-21-2020, 01:43 PM   #8
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It's disappointing that some manufacturers do not include the complete manual with the delivery, making it available upon request. Only a "quick-start" brochure provided. They apparently recognize that most are never opened, but I think it's an unwise cost-saving decision that only encourages bad behavior.

Next they will look to cut costs on seat constr ... oops, never mind.
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      03-22-2020, 08:41 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MystroX5 View Post
^^^Bingo^^^ First thing I do with a new car is download the manual to my iPad Pro.
AMEN! The app on my iPad and iPhone is clutch. Plus, I save a bunch of space in the glove compartment. I love the subtleties "buried" in the manual. The logic of not familiarizing yourself with the vehicle and manual is quite flawed. BMW or not, you've spent a good chunk of change on said vehicle...probably one of, if not most, expensive purchase to date...yet you don't read it? Taking the manual and going line page by page with hands-on...can't beat that, it's half the fun.

That being said, sometimes BMW's manuals aren't the most clear...which is why we come here to further investigate. Love it!
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      03-22-2020, 11:43 AM   #10
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Majority of the people would naturally not want to dig on the details. I'm an engineer myself and even among ourselves at work some fall on the above category. The same is true in this forum. We can suggest the 4 letter subject but it's been suggested since before the internet (I searched since 1940s).

In fairness, there's a lot to learn from cars today. With this X5 being my first BMW, I honestly read the manual twice while the car is being built (PDF from this forum, app wasn't available until I got the car). Still, I'm nowhere near as comfortable when I got the car and have lots of questions. The forum and the helpful members here help a lot.

Those who read and dig will be ahead of the curve and can make sound and better decision when needed.
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      03-23-2020, 10:24 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by randybobandy View Post
That being said, sometimes BMW's manuals aren't the most clear...which is why we come here to further investigate. Love it!
You're being very polite A lot of the text is incomprehensible and needlessly long, yet is does not describe the features in sufficient detail. I read the manual several times while waiting for the car and one or two times after delivery, but the text often just doesn't make sense. Mostly, you need to experiment in the car, but some things (like long presses on the gear paddles) are hard to discover without reading the manual.
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      03-23-2020, 11:04 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by perikifi View Post
You're being very polite A lot of the text is incomprehensible and needlessly long, yet is does not describe the features in sufficient detail. I read the manual several times while waiting for the car and one or two times after delivery, but the text often just doesn't make sense. Mostly, you need to experiment in the car, but some things (like long presses on the gear paddles) are hard to discover without reading the manual.
+1
I have largely read the manual, but often it hasn't helped.

I don't think it helps that BMW don't do a great job even setting out what you get with the car. Found several things that were options on other models that are standard on this. I only realised that there was an owners app after reading a thread on here!
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      03-23-2020, 11:26 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by perikifi View Post
You're being very polite A lot of the text is incomprehensible and needlessly long, yet is does not describe the features in sufficient detail. I read the manual several times while waiting for the car and one or two times after delivery, but the text often just doesn't make sense. Mostly, you need to experiment in the car, but some things (like long presses on the gear paddles) are hard to discover without reading the manual.
Edited because sometimes my humor isn't humorous.
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      03-28-2020, 08:54 AM   #14
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I always read manuals, but I feel like I often learn more about interesting features and nuances by cruising through threads of forums.

I was quite disappointed by BMW's manual. I think it is not very comprehensive and is quite clumsy in its organization and description of features.

I've always wondered how big companies write manuals, organizationally. Do the engineers who truly know the features write it up and send to a tech writer? Do they sit down with manual writers to describe features?

Like an iPhone doesn't have a traditional manual as cars traditionally have, I think cars will eventually be like phones in that the features are just too numerous and nuanced to write about comprehensively.
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