The 2003 BMW 7 Series Is the Most Controversial BMW Ever Made
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Date: 2021-11-04
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Comments and reviews: 10
MAN_ON_WHEELZ
Actually, Doug. As someone who spent way more time than I ever should have in one of these as a porter at a Lincoln Dealer I used to work at, the Start/Stop button and key situation, it actually DOES have a proximity key. This would've actually been a really interesting quirk to look into because you didn't actually have to put the key in the slot to start the car, it could stay in your pocket and the button would still start the car. I've driven several of these and they all worked the same in this sense so it wasn't broken. No idea why they made it this way.
EDIT: (I watched through to the end) Speaking of proximity keys, this car had keyless entry. I didn't realize it either for the first week or so we had one in stock, but yeah, walk up to the car, touch the door handle, it would unlock. And for even longer I didn't know how to lock it, turns out, you push the door handle inward and it would lock the door. And in the V12 model like this one with the lavish rear seats, I don't know exactly what triggers it, but when I sat in the back seat, the rear headrest rose right up to my head level.
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Actually, Doug. As someone who spent way more time than I ever should have in one of these as a porter at a Lincoln Dealer I used to work at, the Start/Stop button and key situation, it actually DOES have a proximity key. This would've actually been a really interesting quirk to look into because you didn't actually have to put the key in the slot to start the car, it could stay in your pocket and the button would still start the car. I've driven several of these and they all worked the same in this sense so it wasn't broken. No idea why they made it this way.
EDIT: (I watched through to the end) Speaking of proximity keys, this car had keyless entry. I didn't realize it either for the first week or so we had one in stock, but yeah, walk up to the car, touch the door handle, it would unlock. And for even longer I didn't know how to lock it, turns out, you push the door handle inward and it would lock the door. And in the V12 model like this one with the lavish rear seats, I don't know exactly what triggers it, but when I sat in the back seat, the rear headrest rose right up to my head level.
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Skillz
We owned the E65 for many years. It was truly SO ahead of its time. Huge step forward and paved the way for modern cars. I disagree with Doug on a couple things.
- The iDrive system is clunky, yes, but it's overdone in this video. Many cars today don't have radio controls on the center control but within infotainment -- and yes, you have to select media, then radio, then FM, then the station, so it's always a multi-step process. The tech was truly breakthrough for 2001/2002. and now most cars have adopted a centralized infotainment.
- The rear / Bangle Butt is only a controversy you see on the internet. People who purchased the car or saw it in real life loved it. Adds so much more muscularity to the car vs. the outgoing model. I always thought it was beautiful and unique, even before we bought the car. In fact, that was a big factor in purchasing the car. Love it on the 6 series too.
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We owned the E65 for many years. It was truly SO ahead of its time. Huge step forward and paved the way for modern cars. I disagree with Doug on a couple things.
- The iDrive system is clunky, yes, but it's overdone in this video. Many cars today don't have radio controls on the center control but within infotainment -- and yes, you have to select media, then radio, then FM, then the station, so it's always a multi-step process. The tech was truly breakthrough for 2001/2002. and now most cars have adopted a centralized infotainment.
- The rear / Bangle Butt is only a controversy you see on the internet. People who purchased the car or saw it in real life loved it. Adds so much more muscularity to the car vs. the outgoing model. I always thought it was beautiful and unique, even before we bought the car. In fact, that was a big factor in purchasing the car. Love it on the 6 series too.
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Sebastian
An all-round terrible vehicle, both inside and outside. The design is not controversial, but simply ugly. Everything that came out of that era of Bangle just looks horrible. E60, E65, E63, these are by far the ugliest model series BMW has ever brought to the market. Sure, you can change design. But you don t have to make it so ugly right away. The e65 stood out from the crowd at the time, but only because it was so incredibly ugly. An optical catastrophe when compared to the aesthetic predecessors e38, e39, e34, e32. I can t understand why BMW has sanctioned this taste aberration.
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An all-round terrible vehicle, both inside and outside. The design is not controversial, but simply ugly. Everything that came out of that era of Bangle just looks horrible. E60, E65, E63, these are by far the ugliest model series BMW has ever brought to the market. Sure, you can change design. But you don t have to make it so ugly right away. The e65 stood out from the crowd at the time, but only because it was so incredibly ugly. An optical catastrophe when compared to the aesthetic predecessors e38, e39, e34, e32. I can t understand why BMW has sanctioned this taste aberration.
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Sander
DOUG, I really like your videos, but this video is pretty misleading, my 02 Nissan primera has an integrated screen(fuel consumption, climate control, backup camera, radio, service info etc), radar assisted cruise control (etc) but you are making it look like the tech you are showcasing didnt exist (and confused people)although in reality most of the tech, like infotainment(and their screens) were in a 2000s economy class Nissan
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DOUG, I really like your videos, but this video is pretty misleading, my 02 Nissan primera has an integrated screen(fuel consumption, climate control, backup camera, radio, service info etc), radar assisted cruise control (etc) but you are making it look like the tech you are showcasing didnt exist (and confused people)although in reality most of the tech, like infotainment(and their screens) were in a 2000s economy class Nissan
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Gatti
This is basically a base model. The majority of E65 760Li s came fully loaded. Refrigerator in the back seat, heated and cooled cup holders, center console compartments were hooked up to the AC system so in the winter time they were heated, rear iDrive which doubled as a TV. This car was one of the first after RR was bought out by BMW. 90% of the features in this car are directly from the Phantom at the time.
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This is basically a base model. The majority of E65 760Li s came fully loaded. Refrigerator in the back seat, heated and cooled cup holders, center console compartments were hooked up to the AC system so in the winter time they were heated, rear iDrive which doubled as a TV. This car was one of the first after RR was bought out by BMW. 90% of the features in this car are directly from the Phantom at the time.
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Dashi18n
My job has a 750Li from this generation (with that godforsaken V8) and it is mechanically and visually a disaster. Yet it s a car that wouldn t mind taking home some nights just because of how luxurious the ride is. One thing of note about it is that while the V8 will eventually spin its bearings and total itself. What more often than not killed this generation of 7 series was the transmission failing.
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My job has a 750Li from this generation (with that godforsaken V8) and it is mechanically and visually a disaster. Yet it s a car that wouldn t mind taking home some nights just because of how luxurious the ride is. One thing of note about it is that while the V8 will eventually spin its bearings and total itself. What more often than not killed this generation of 7 series was the transmission failing.
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iLupi
I can think of at least 4 BMWs with controversial styling that are far more hideous to look at than this 7 Series. Most of which are from the past 5 years. All the hideous 3/4 Series giant grilles, the iX and i3, that disgusting X6M, the 5 series Liftback thing that wants to be a wagon and a sedan and a crossover at the same time; the list goes on and on for controversial BMW styling.
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I can think of at least 4 BMWs with controversial styling that are far more hideous to look at than this 7 Series. Most of which are from the past 5 years. All the hideous 3/4 Series giant grilles, the iX and i3, that disgusting X6M, the 5 series Liftback thing that wants to be a wagon and a sedan and a crossover at the same time; the list goes on and on for controversial BMW styling.
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Gatti
The V12 s were said to be decently reliable because it was built by putting 2 30i 6 cylinder engines into 1 V12 block. The down fall was the High Pressure Fuel Pumps which production was stopped early making them 2000 a piece, 4000 for both. Which made it not worth fixing since they had depreciated so much.
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The V12 s were said to be decently reliable because it was built by putting 2 30i 6 cylinder engines into 1 V12 block. The down fall was the High Pressure Fuel Pumps which production was stopped early making them 2000 a piece, 4000 for both. Which made it not worth fixing since they had depreciated so much.
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SchwayZ_
A lot of the design and technology (even down to the shift lever) influenced the design of the W221 S class that came out 5 years later. I'm a Mercedes guy myself but I love this BMW and it definitely influenced a lot of cars of the future. It was years ahead of its time
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A lot of the design and technology (even down to the shift lever) influenced the design of the W221 S class that came out 5 years later. I'm a Mercedes guy myself but I love this BMW and it definitely influenced a lot of cars of the future. It was years ahead of its time
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sachattack
It s weird how much 08-13 Hondas took interior design inspiration from these early Bangle era BMWs. They even ditched their earlier touch screen nav systems in favor of a knockoff iDrive knob control setup, only to end up returning to touch screens a few years later.
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It s weird how much 08-13 Hondas took interior design inspiration from these early Bangle era BMWs. They even ditched their earlier touch screen nav systems in favor of a knockoff iDrive knob control setup, only to end up returning to touch screens a few years later.
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