2008 BMW 128I CONVERTIBLE ESP

Driving tips
115Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Drive defensively
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking
maneuvers. To do so, keep an adequate dis-
tance to the forward vehicle. A defensive and
smooth driving style keeps fuel consumption
down.
Avoid high engine speeds
Only use first gear when setting off. In second
and higher gears, accelerate without hesitation
or pauses. When accelerating, shift up before
reaching high engine speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into
the highest applicable gear and drive with the
engine speed as low as possible and at a con-
stant speed.
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Coasting
When approaching a red light, take your foot off
the accelerator and coast to a stop in the high-
est applicable gear.
O n a d o w n h il l s lo p e , t a k e y o u r f o o t o f f t h e a c c el -
erator and coast in a suitable gear.
The fuel supply is interrupted when coasting.
Switch off the engine during lengthy
stops
Switch off the engine when stopping for lengthy
periods, e.g. at traffic lights, railroad crossings
or in traffic congestions. You achieve fuel sav-
ings even if standing time is as short as approx.
4 seconds.
Switch off functions you do not need at
the moment
Functions such as the air conditioner and the
seat or rear window heating draw large amounts
of power and consume additional fuel. Espe-
cially in city traffic and in stop-and-go driving
they have a considerable impact. Therefore,
switch these functions off when they are not
really needed.
Have the vehicle serviced
Have the vehicle serviced regularly to achieve
good economy and a long vehicle life. BMW
recommends having the vehicle serviced at a
BMW center. Also note the BMW service sys-
tem, refer to page217.
General driving notes
Close the luggage compartment lid
Operate the vehicle only when the lug-
gage compartment lid is closed. Other-
wise, exhaust fumes could enter the interior of
the vehicle.<
If the vehicle must be driven with the luggage
compartment lid open:
1.Close all windows and the glass roof.
2.Greatly increase the air volume of the auto-
matic climate control system, refer to
page99.
Hot exhaust system
In all vehicles, extremely high tempera-
tures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed in
its vicinity, and never apply undercoating to
them. When driving, standing at idle and while
parking, take care to avoid possible contact
between the hot exhaust system and any highly
flammable materials such as hay, leaves, grass,
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, with the
risk of serious personal injuries and property
damage. Do not touch hot exhaust tail pipes.
Otherwise there is a risk of burns.<
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form between tires and road sur-
face. This situation, known as hydroplaning,
means that the tire can completely lose contact
with the road surface, so that neither the car can
be steered nor the brake be properly applied.<

Things to remember when driving
116 The risk of hydroplaning increases with declin-
ing tread depth on the tires, refer also to Mini-
mum tread depth on page209.
Driving through water
Drive through water on the road only if it is
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle for a
lengthy period using the clutch; use the
parking brake instead. Otherwise greater clutch
wear will result.<
For more information about the drive-off assis-
tant, refer to page83.
Braking safely
Your BMW is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature. Applying the brakes fully is the most
effective way of braking in situations in which
this is necessary. Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can still avoid
possible obstacles with a minimum of steering
effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal, combined with
sounds from the hydraulic circuits, indicate that
ABS is in its active mode.
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not endanger
other road users. The heat generated in this
process helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure
that full braking efficiency will then be available
when you need it.
Hills
To prevent overheating and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Even
light but consistent brake pressure can lead to high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.<
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Down-
shifting in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, refer to page61.
Never drive with the clutch held down,
with the transmission in neutral or with
the engine switched off; otherwise, engine
braking action will not be present or there will be
no power assistance to the brakes or steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
pedals, otherwise pedal function could be
impaired.<
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the automatic cli-
mate control is in operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water
under the vehicle are therefore normal.
Before driving into a car wash
General information on caring for your BMW
can be found on page219.

Things to remember when driving
118
Convertible
>Position heavy objects as low and as far for-
ward as possible, ideally directly behind the
respective seat backrests.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is
not occupied, secure each safety belt in the
opposite buckle.
Securing cargo
>Secure smaller and lighter items using
retaining straps, a cargo bay net
* or draw
straps
*.
>Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing
larger and heavier objects are available at
your BMW center. To attach the cargo
straps, there are two lashing eyes, arrows 1,
on the inside wall of the cargo bay. Depend-
ing on your vehicle's equipment, there may
be two additional lashing eyes, arrows2, on
the cargo bay sidewalls.
Follow the information included with the
cargo straps.
Always position and secure the cargo as
described above, so that it cannot endan-
ger the car's occupants, for example if sudden
braking or swerving is necessary.
Never exceed either the approved gross vehicle weight or either of the approved axle loads, refer
to page239, as excessive loads can pose a
safety hazard, and may also place you in viola-
tion of traffic safety laws.
Heavy or hard objects should not be carried
loose inside the car, since they could be thrown
around, for example as a result of heavy braking,
sudden swerves, etc., and endanger the occu-
pants.
Only attach the cargo straps using the lashing
eyes shown in the illustration. Do not secure
cargo with the anchors for tether straps, refer to
page56, otherwise these could be damaged.<
Coupe: roof-mounted
luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an option
f o r y o u r B M W . C o m p l y w i t h t h e d i r e c t i o n s g i v e n
in the installation instructions.
Mounting points
Fold open the cover.
Loading roof-mounted luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect on
vehicle handling and steering response.
You should therefore always remember not to
exceed the approved roof load capacity, the
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle loads
when loading the rack.
You can find the applicable data under Weights
on page239.
The roof load must be distributed uniformly and
should not be too large in area. Heavy items
should always be placed at the bottom. Be sure

Navigation
Driving tips
125Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
4.If necessary, enter more letters.
The list gradually grows smaller each time
you enter a new letter.
>To enter spaces, if necessary:
Select the symbol and press the con-
troller.
5.If necessary, move the highlight marker to
the third field from the top. Turn the control-
ler until the city or town name is selected
from the list and press the controller.Entering destination by zip code
1.Select "Town / City" and press the control-
ler.
2.Enter the zip code:
Select the desired digits and press the con-
troller.
>To enter spaces:
Select the symbol and press the con-
troller.
>To delete individual numbers or letters:
Move the controller towards the right to
select , and press the controller.
>To delete all numbers or letters:
Move the controller toward the right to
select , and press the controller for
a longer period.
3.Select the zip code and press the controller.
The corresponding destination is displayed.
4.Move the highlight marker to the third field
from the top. Turn the controller until the
destination is selected and press the con-
troller.
Entering street, house number and
intersection
After the street you can also enter the intersec-
tion or the house number.

Destination entry
126
Entering street and intersection
1.Select "Street" or the street displayed and
press the controller.
2.Enter the street.
The street is entered in the same manner as
the town or city.
The intersection is entered in the same way as
the street.
Entering a street without entering a
town/city
You can also enter a street without specifying a
town/city. In this case, all streets of the same
name in the designated country are offered.
The corresponding town/city is displayed after
the street name.
If a town/city has already been entered, you can
negate this entry. This could be helpful in
instances where the desired street does not
exist in the entered town/city because it
belongs to another suburb, for example.
1.Move the highlight marker to the uppermost
field.
The arrow is selected.2.Turn the controller to the right until you see
a request to enter a street in the country,
then press the controller.
3.Switch to the second field from the top and
enter the street.
Entering a house number
You can enter any house number stored for the
street on the navigation DVD.
1.Select "House number" and press the con-
troller.
2.To enter the house number:
Select the desired digits and press the con-
troller.
3.Move the highlight marker to the third field
from the top. Turn the controller until the
house number is selected and press the
controller.
Starting destination guidance with
manual destination entry
>Select "Start guidance" and press the con-
troller.
Destination guidance starts immediately.
>If you do not want to start destination guid-
ance right away:
Select "Add to destination list" and press

Navigation
Driving tips
127Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
the controller.
The destination is stored in the destination
list, refer to page130.
Entering a destination by
voice commands*
You can enter a desired destination via the
voice command system. During the destination
input, you can switch between voice entry and
entry via iDrive at any time. To do so, reactivate
the voice command system if necessary.
You can have the possible commands
read aloud via {Options}.<
1.Press the button on the steering wheel
or in the center console.
Selecting country
1.Wait for the system to ask for the country of
destination.
Say the name of the destination country in the
language of the voice command system.
Entering a destination
The destination can be spelled or entered as an
entire word.
Spelling the destination
To enter a destination, spell it in the way it is
commonly spelled in the destination country.
Pronounce the letters smoothly and at normal volume, avoiding excessive emphases and
pauses.
The system can suggest up to 20 destina-
tions that meet your entries. Up to 6 entries
at a time appear on the Control Display.
The town/city can also be selected from the list
via iDrive:
Turn the controller until the destination is
selected and press the controller.
Entering the destination as an entire
word*
The names of towns/cities and streets located
in the region in which the language of the voice
command system is spoken can be entered as
an entire word.
Example: to enter a U.S. destination as an entire
word, the system language must be English.
Speak smoothly and at normal volume, and
avoid excessive emphases and pauses. 2.{Enter address}
2.Say the name of the destination coun-
try.
1.To spell the name of a town/city:
Say at least the first three letters of the
town/city. The more letters you say, the
more accurately the system will recog-
nize the town/city.
The system suggests a location.
2.Select location:
>To select highlighted town/city:
{Yes}
>To select other town/city: {No}
>To select an entry, e.g. {Entry 3}
>To show other entries in the list:
{Next page}
>To respell the town/city: {Repeat}

Destination entry
134
Using home address as destination
1.Select "Home address" and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Start guidance" and press the con-
troller.
Changing home address
1.Select "Home address" and press the con-
troller.
2.Select "Edit address" and press the con-
troller. For operation, refer to Entering a
destination manually, page123.
Route selection
You can influence the calculated route by
choosing certain route criteria. You can change
the route criteria as often as you like during des-
tination entry or during destination guidance.
The route is planned according to fixed rules.
The type of road is taken into account, e.g.
whether it is a highway or a winding road. The
road types are stored on the navigation DVD. As
a result, the routes recommended by the navi-
gation system may not always be the same
ones that you would choose based on personal
experience.
Changing route criteria
1.Select "Navigation" and press the control-
ler.
2.Move the highlight marker to the third field
from the top. Turn the controller until
"Route preference" is selected and press
the controller.The various criteria are shown on the Con-
trol Display.
3.Select a route criterion for the route:
>"With highways"
Highways and major traffic arteries are
given priority.
>"Avoid highways"
Highways are avoided as far as possible.
>"Fast route"
Fast route, being a combination of the
shortest possible route and the fastest
roads
>"Short route"
Short route, irrespective of how fast or
slow progress will be
4.Press the controller.
The route criterion is selected.
5.If necessary, select an additional route cri-
terion and then press the controller:
>"Dynamic route"
Automatic rerouting due to traffic
obstructions. Depending on road type
and the kind and extent of the traffic
obstruction, the guided route may lead
through the traffic obstruction.
>"Avoid tollroads"
Toll roads are avoided as far as possible.
>"Avoid ferries"
Ferries are avoided as far as possible.
To exit from the menu:
Select the arrow and press the controller.
The route criteria can also be changed in the
arrow or map display.

Navigation
Driving tips
135Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Entertainment
Mobility
1.Select the symbol for the route criterion and
press the controller.
2.Select a route criterion and press the con-
troller.
If the "Avoid highways", "Avoid tollroads"
or "Avoid ferries" route criteria are
selected, route calculation may take consider-
ably longer.<
Word-matching principle
The system's word-matching principle makes it
easier for you to enter the names of towns or
streets. The system runs ongoing checks, com-
paring your destination entries with the data
stored on the navigation DVD as the basis for
instant response. The benefits for you include:
>Names of towns entered may differ from the
official versions if you are using a spelling
that is customary in another country.
Example:
Instead of the German spelling "München"
you can also enter the English spelling
"Munich" or the Italian spelling "Monaco".
>When you are entering the names of towns
and streets the system will complete them
automatically as soon as enough letters are
available to ensure unambiguous identifica-
tion.
>The system offers only those letters for
selection of name entries that are stored on
the navigation DVD. Thus, entry of errone-
ous or unregistered names is impossible.