Hey guys and welcome back to the channel! My little system has been driving this car for a while and now it’s finally time I modernize it for her by installing this 9.7 inch Android head unit with built in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This Ford Escape came with a tiny little display, so adding CarPlay support was not an option without replacing the entire headunit. Anyway, I’m very excited to see how well this works, so let’s take this car apart and get it installed!
It has been a week since I installed this unit in the car so now it’s time for a quick review. Let’s start with the rearview camera. I’ll be honest, I didn’t read the instructions, so I didn’t know how to configure the rearview camera. Since these cars can have different camera options, you have to select the one you have in your vehicle. I’m happy to report that I contacted support and they were super helpful and quick to respond with instructions. Here is how you do it.
You will also have to connect to the internet in order to activate the 360 app which is what’s used for the backup camera. I used my phone’s personal hotstop for this and that worked fine. Internet is not needed for anything else after.
Now that we are here in the configuration menu, you can see everything else you can adjust. Personally, I didn’t touch anything else as everything else worked as expected.
Review of unit:
Connecting to CarPlay is very simple. You connect your phone to Bluetooth on the Android unit and then open the ZLINK app. In the settings you can enabled it to automatically start the app when you are connected. Then the next time you start the car, your phone will automatically connect wirelessly and CarPlay will turn on.
One thing I haven’t figured out was how to remove the control panel at the bottom here as it does not control the HVAC on this car since it is manual. Higher trim models have electric controls and would work with this control panel at the bottom.
Overall, I’m very satisfied with the quality of the unit and especially the display panel. It easy to see in the sun and there isn’t too much glare. Touchscreen feels very modern and operates smoothly between menus and apps. The headunit also integrates into the car’s system, so you can control things like volume using the buttons on the steering wheels. You can also get into car’s original settings from the settings menu in case there is something to adjust there. Finally, I wanted to touch on the sound quality. The built-in amplifier is doing a great job and sounds more powerful than the original headunit. Music sounds clear and there is no hiss or noise even at higher volume. There are many other things you can do on this headunit besides the CarPlay and Android Auto, especially, if you insert a SIM card, but that’s a whole video in itself. If you would like to purchase this or a similar unit for your vehicle, check out the links in the description. Seicane make units that fit your specific make and model which makes the integration that much better! Let me know what you think in the comments down below. Like the video if you liked it and I’ll see you in the next one!
Review:
Installed this in a 2017 Ford Escape with the basic radio (only the tiny screen) and wow what a difference. The car now feels a lot more modern and Wireless CarPlay works great as well. Installation took about 90 minutes doing it for the first time and going slow not to break any clips etc. The value for money here is great as well, you get a 9.7 inch QLED screen (WOW), modern features, support for original vehicle camera, steering wheel integration and much more. It even has a built in amplifier that’s more powerful than the original and pushes the speakers just right! It sounds nice and loud in the car. I would recommend this unit to anyone that wants to elevate their car and make it feel modern again giving it a few more years of enjoyable life.
I’m the SimpleCarGuy and this is a Lexus RC300 F Sport. Let’s talk about why this is such a niche car, why it’s not more popular and why you should you look into getting one. History:
Let’s start with a little bit of background and history. The RC is a little bit of a Frankenstein when it comes to its creation and construction. The front subframe was borrowed from the larger GS car, the mid-section was borrowed from the old IS250 convertible and it shares the rear section with the 3rd generation Lexus IS. All of this adds up to a shorter wheelbase but same length car as the IS that handles wonderfully. Surprisingly, you can pick almost any engine you can think of for this type of car. You can have a fuel-efficient hybrid, a 4 or 6 cylinder and even a naturally aspirated V8 in the RCF.
Why It’s Niche/Unique
So, what makes this car unique? Well, look at this spaceship like instrument cluster! This is so much cooler than a fully digital dash on modern cars. Anyway… the biggest factor that makes this car unique is actually the styling. Love it or hate it, it’s definitely not dull like a lot of other pedestrian Lexus vehicles on the market. Most people love how it looks and you will even catch people starring or complimenting it. I especially like the RCF and the F Sport styling that gives the car a more aggressive look. Of course, not everyone agrees with me on this and there are plenty of people that absolutely hate how this car looks. Honestly, I’m not really sure why, the only styling decision that I think looks funny on this car is the wheel gap. That’s just too much gap for a sports car and it would look much nicer lowered an inch or two.
Either way you look at it, it’s most definitely rare on the road and you will get attention. I live in the Chicago area and I don’t think I see more than one a month driving around. So, if your goal is to stand out from a sea of BMWs and Mercedes and be your own king of the road, this might be a great option for you.
What else makes this car unique is that it makes for a decent daily driver. It may not have as much space as the 4 door IS, but it’s much more versatile than it may first appear. Front passengers get to enjoy plenty of leg space, very comfortable sport seats and great ergonomics. The rear seats fold down creating a large trunk space where you can fit large suit cases, skis or snowboards and whatever else you may need. Of course, this isn’t a family car, but if it’s just you and your significant other at home, it will make for a great daily driver.
Not more popular:
Now, there are a lot of reasons why this car is not more popular and hasn’t sold in the millions, so let’s talk about those.
To start with, this is a heavy car. I don’t mean it’s just a little but heavy, it’s heavier than a lot of 4 door luxury sedans and unfortunately, that also means that it’s not as fast as it’s competition. Coming in at almost 4000 pounds, it cannot complete when it comes to performance with others in the segment. It also doesn’t help that it’s more expensive than the competition and lacks aftermarket power modifications. We’ll talk more about performance and reliability in just a minute.
Another reason the Lexus RC is not more popular is because Lexus makes some really good-looking sedans and SUVs that are just as fast and even use the same engines as the RC range. Lexus is a luxury brand that tried adding performance to its lineup and change the perception where no one really thinks of Lexus when thinking of a 2-door coupe. Lacking the most modern and up-to-date technology doesn’t help attract younger buyers either.
On top of that, the sales of sedans and coupes are down because everyone wants a truck or SUV. There is a market for a small, fun, lightweight stick shift weekend car but generally that’s geared towards the younger crowd with no family or kids and usually no money. I’m sure Lexus sees no reason to chase a diminishing market which is proven by the lack of advertisement. Lexus isn’t really known for doing a great job advertising their performance models and it’s no different with the RC range.
Performance vs Reliability:
So, if you aren’t getting the latest tech or fastest 0-60, what are you actually getting? What you get is very high quality, comfort and super reliability in a fun package. Lexus doesn’t use the latest tech until it is proven to be reliable and useful to the owners. Lexus doesn’t use latest engine tech until it is proven to withstand time and stay reliable way past the warranty periods. Lexus simply will not put anything in their car that they aren’t 100% sure about.
Aftermarket parts that are readily available for other brands are limited and expensive, so making it faster on your own isn’t very easy. Outside of enthusiasts, most people are looking for instant gratification and it may not be something that Lexus RC can deliver.
Conclusion:
With all of that said, I think Lexus RC is one of the coolest, most fun and interesting cars produced by Lexus and I’ll be said to see it go as it’s being discontinued in different parts of the world and soon people will realize what they have been missing. Now is the perfect time to go and find one for yourself despite what car nerds think about its performance. It’s all relative to your expectations and since some models are making 300 and more horsepower, it may meet your needs very well. Even thought there were pricey when they came out, you can now get all that comfort, luxury, sportiness and most importantly reliability for a very decent price. I believe these will become even cooler over time even if they don’t have a convertible version like I always wanted. On that note, thank you guys so much for watching, let me know what you think of the Lexus RC range in the comments down below and I’ll see you in the next one!
Hey guys and welcome back to the SimpleCarGuy channel. About 9 months ago I posted a video where I installed an aftermarket Apple CarPlay and Android Auto module in my 2014 BMW 550i. Since then, I have answered many questions in the comments, emails and on my Instagram, but it seems that I’m answering the same questions over and over again and now that I have used it for many months, I figured I’d put it all in one place. So, in this video, I will talk about the Pros and Cons, missing functionality, extra features, compatibility and answer all of your questions as well.
I’m making this video so that you can make an informed decision and not waste your money, so hit that like button if you like the video and leave your comments down below with any additional questions.
When I first installed this aftermarket Apple CarPlay on my BMW, I got lots of people asking about the quality and all of the features. Of course, at that time I have only used the system for a day or two and couldn’t give all the answers, but now I’m ready to tackle this one.
The most common concern for people was whether it would fit their specific year and model car. Well, to answer this, you have to understand BMW’s iDrive systems a little bit. The earliest system you can install Apple CarPlay using this method and without replacing parts is the iDrive CCC which came out on some BMWs in as early as 2004 model year. This system was in use until about 2010 model years on some cars. So, if your car has THIS screen, you need CCC version of the device.
The next system was Car Information Computer or CiC and it looked like THIS. If your screen looks like this, you will need an aftermarket unit made for CiC iDrive. You cannot interchange these unless the unit you get is made to work with different versions. This iDrive version was on BMWs between 2009 and 2014. I will post a list of different models in the description or comments for your reference.
BMW introduced a further update to the iDrive System in early 2012 and called it the NextBestThing also known as the NBT, which is what I have in my car and what I showed in the video. This is for 2013-2018 model years, but once again, it varies depending on the model. As an example, on the BMW 5 series F10, it’s from 2014-2016 model years.
The last system you can update using this method is the iDrive NBT EVO which of course replaced the original NBT iDrive system and is still being used on many models today and it looks like THIS.
I hope it clears up some of the questions as to what unit you need for your car. Please do your research, refer to the list I the description and make sure you understand which iDrive you have before you order. If you are more adventurous, you can also remove the screen in the car and take a look at the connector on the back. On F10 5 series, if the connector has 4 pins, it’s the CiC version and if it has 6 pins, it’s the NBT system. If you are having trouble with this, leave a comment down below and I’ll do my best to help you.
Alright, so you know which unit you need, but you have some questions. Let’s see if we can clear some of those questions up.
I know my biggest concern before installing this unit was how fast and how accurately it would connect to my phone. Well, it connects perfectly about 98% of the time. What do I mean by that? Well, if you don’t have your Bluetooth or WiFi on on your phone, it will sometimes connect half way and you are just stuck at THIS screen (show screen). You then would have to manually connect to the correct system in Bluetooth or WiFi Settings. Now, that’s not the only way it can mess up the connection. I have had times where it just refused to connect and I had to restart the unit by holding the back button for 3 seconds. This has happened about 10 times in the 9 months I’ve been using this. That’s actually a very small number in my opinion and I’ve been very happy with how fast and reliable it has been overall.
My second biggest concern installing an aftermarket Apple CarPlay unit was audio quality. Most BMWs have a wonderfully balanced and great sounding system, so I was worried it would ruin the experience. Once again, it’s not perfect by any means. It sounds great at almost any sound level, but as soon as you turn it up past a certain point, there is a hissing noise that becomes very apparent. Of course, the volume has to be very loud at this point and there has to be a silent moment in whatever you are listening to. I think this is my main concern, but not a deal breaker since it’s only at very high levels. To reduce this as much as possible, go to the settings and make sure your volume is set to the max.
Now let’s do some rapid fire questions and then finish the video with my final thoughts.
We have already answered what cars it can be installed in and the different options, but does it use the original camera or do you have to get an aftermarket one? You can switch between Aftermarket and Original in the settings. So, if your car doesn’t have one, you can install an aftermarket one and use it.
How does the camera work when you are using CarPlay? It quickly switches back to the OEM system and it works as normal, including the curving lines and sensors.
Nice, right? So, what about the radio? This device does NOT have a radio built in and you cannot mix the two audio sources together. The best solution for using Google Maps and listening to the radio at the same that I found was to play the radio station you want, or save it on one of the memory buttons, go to Apple CarPlay, but do not switch the audio source to AUX and use it without any sound.
Speaking of switching back and forth, how easy is it to switch between the systems? This system starts up when you unlock the car and the phone connects automatically, so to switch back to the BMW system, you just have to hold the BACK button for 3 seconds. This as far as I understand shuts down the unit, so when you hold BACK again for 3 seconds, it starts up again and your phone reconnects. There is no sleep mode type of function.
Cool, so we can switch between systems, but does it use the original BMW microphones or do you have to wire the one that came with the unit? Luckily, the answer on this one is YES, it does use the original microphones in the car. If your car didn’t have one or it’s broken, you can use the one that came with it as well, but you’ll have to route it the proper position. These are used for both Siri commands as well as voice calls.
Speaking of voice calls, how is the sound quality? The quality coming in sounds absolutely perfect; however, I have had a complaint from someone on the other line saying that I sounded like I’m on speaker, so I went and played with the options. Enabling this feature made it sound much better in my car, but I think it depends on your car set up. It still does not sound as good as original BMW as echo does happen on some occasions. Overall, it’s pretty good, but not amazing. Luckily, there is an option to allow phone calls to be handled by the original BMW system.
What about playing music, how is that experience? When used wirelessly, there is a slight delay in audio. Of course, this isn’t a problem if you are listening to music, but can be noticeable when watching a video. It also isn’t nearly as bad as it is on the original BMW Bluetooth audio. This problem can be easily fixed by plugging in the phone via USB. You can also use AirPlay, which is wireless and has no delay whatsoever. It clones everything on your phone to the screen, including videos, movies, apps etc. One feature I miss from the original system is volume based on your speed. The volume does not adjust automatically as you go faster or slower.
Now let’s talk a little bit on how well it integrates into the car. The iDrive controller and buttons around it works as you would expect. All of the buttons on the steering wheel work great as well and you can even use the little scroll wheel here on the steering wheel as the secondary controller. I use this most of all as I can keep my hands on the wheel and perform most of the functions.
One item that I wish would have been integrated is the Heads-Up-Display. While it still displays your speed and other BMW items, it does not show any music or navigation information. So, if you rely on the arrows and instructions being up on your windshield while using GPS, this might not be for you. I did a little bit of research on this and it looks like this display is basically ran by a different computer/module and since this device is just sitting between the head unit and the display, it cannot control it.
The last item is more related to Apple CarPlay in general. I’ve had a few questions on what apps are available and can you install stuff like Netflix or YouTube? Apple CarPlay allows you to basically install only Navigation and Audio related apps. So, you can have Google or Apple Maps and Waze for your navigation. Spotify, Apple Music or even radio apps like the TuneIn radio or iHeartradio for audio and even podcast and audio book apps. Besides those, WhatsApp and standard messaging apps are available, but mostly only work through Siri. You cannot type in a message directly as an example. There are of course some other ones, like the SpotHero app to find and pay for parking or PlugShare to find local charging stations if you have an electric car.
Well guys, this video turned out much longer than I expected, but I really wanted to answer as many common questions as possible and make the decisions easier for you. So, what do I think of it and would I do it again? Well, this may not be as good as an OEM installation of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but it damn sure is 10 times better and easier to use than the original BMW navigation and media player. I also love that my fiancé can easily use her phone with the car without an hour set up.
I BOUGHT A BMW R Nine T! Hi guys and welcome back to the channel! Today we are taking a look at pretty much my dream bike. In this video I will go over why I think this is the best modern retro bike and why I wanted it so much. I will also talk about the riding experience and future plans. So, stick around and enjoy this beauty with me!
History:
We’ll start with a little bit of history; I’ll keep this very brief. To celebrate the 90-year anniversary, BMW decided to release a ‘limited run’ bike that would celebrate their heritage and the end of an era using up the remaining engines. That was supposed to be it, but what they didn’t realize is that people absolutely fell in love with these bikes and they have, maybe, un-intentionally, re-ignited the retro styling and the passion for BMW bikes in a lot of riders. Since then, they have released many different versions of the R Nine T, but I went for the original black and silver BMW R Nine T which I would consider to be the top of the range. I love the color schemes on the other versions, but I wanted all of the best this model offers to get the full experience.
If you love the look of this bike as much as I do, hit that like button! Not only does it help the channel out, but it also encourages me to make more videos!
First Impressions
Why I got it:
So, why did I go for the BMW R Nine T? You might think that I bought this bike purely because it is a BMW and while that would be a reasonable assumption judging by my car history, there are a few good reasons other than the brand to get this motorcycle. The first and most important for me was the way it looks. This bike is absolutely beautiful in my eyes and I have loved the design ever since I saw one for the first time. I adore the boxer stance and how it makes the bike look old school and muscular and classic. The heritage can be seen all the way back and I think that’s really cool.
Of course, you can’t buy a bike on design alone, so I test drove one and I found out that there is something very enjoyable about this bike, it has a very sincere mechanical heart and soul. It has all those things that you’d want in a retro bike. As I put in the title, it’s perfectly unrefined and I fell in love with THAT. I’m sure a lot of this has been actually engineered into it, but it feels just so right, especially when you are sitting at a stop light and you can feel the rumble between your legs and the twisting torque from the engine when you give it some revs. It’s glorious.
Other than the superb design and the amazing engineering, this bike has a great value retention. I have been monitoring prices over the last 2 years and they have remained pretty much the same. That fills me with confidence that in a few years, I can trade it for something different without a huge lose.
Now, why did I get this specific one? Well, I wanted the original R Nine T, not the Pure or the Scrambler and it also had ONLY 1200 miles on it. The bike was for sale by owner only 15 minutes from my house with full-service history from BMW where it got a new battery and oil change as well as all of the recalls done by the dealer.
Specs:
So, what are the specs? If you’re not familiar with the bike, you basically got half a Porsche or Subaru motor between your legs as it’s an old school air-cooled horizontally opposing twin cylinder 1170CC, 110 horsepower and 75lb ft of torque engine. A version of this engine used to be in most BMW R bikes for quite a long time and has always been popular and recently, very reliable. The power delivery is very linear and smooth, so the bike pulls with confidence at almost any rev range. As most modern bikes, this comes standard with ABS, but it also comes with huge double floating discs and 4 piston calipers on the front and a 2-piston caliper set up in the back. It also features a fully adjustable upside-down telescopic fork that’s only available on the original R Nine T. My bike has no options as far as I can tell and that isn’t really a problem for me, I only wish the previous owner checked the heated grips options when buying it new.
Riding experience
You can of course read all of the specs online, but what does it translate to when you ride? Well, I want to start this by saying that I have only been riding for a year and I have very limited experience with other bikes. The bike I have spent the most amount of time riding was my old-school Honda CB360 that has been converted to a café racer/brat bike. So, that means my experience and opinions aren’t really based on other bikes, it’s more of a feeling I get from this as my first modern motorcycle.
Weighting in at almost 500 pounds with all of the fluids, my fear was that this thick and heavy girl will be hard to handle for a novice like me, but all the weight is down low, so the center of gravity is low also. It’s kind to the newer riders despite the girth. It actually feels somewhat lightweight and handling has never been a problem for me all.
I also really enjoy this relaxing, but engaging upright riding position with the shoulders wide and plenty of visibility and comfort on longer rides. The grips are large and wide apart, creating a large area for the wind to catch you, but somehow the wind has not been an issue for me, at least at normal/legal speeds. I’ve learned to sit slightly back at higher speeds and lean down to make my shoulders not as wide. So, I do not wish for a windshield or a wind deflector like some people have noted on forums. I was worried about this quite a bit when buying this bike, but it just adds to the experience.
One of my favorites while riding the BMW R Nine T is how confident it is on the road and how it makes me feel like a good rider, the brakes are simply incredible and feel like a super bike with lots of stopping power and adjustability based on your liking. I love the torque-y engine and how you can feel the vibration when you rev it up from idle. That torque and power doesn’t seem to stop and it just keeps pulling and pulling very confidently through the rev range and when you let off the throttle, the pop and bangs make me smile like a kid every single time!
There are a few things that I don’t love as much on the bike and the first one has to be the comfort of the saddle. I think it looks great and I wouldn’t want it to be thick, but after riding for a couple of hours it gets slightly uncomfortable and my butt and thigh area was starting to go a little numb.
What I also didn’t expect was the driveshaft and transmission clunk when shifting, but I’ve learned that this is normal on all BMW boxer, dry clutch and drive shaft motorcycles and have gotten used to it by now. It’s very mechanical feeling so it adds to the experience. I also had to get used to the limited steering lock that pulls you further into a corner at low speeds that made me uncomfortable at first. It also seems to have a wider turning circle than I would expect.
Future Mods:
A lot of people rush to modify cars and bikes shortly after getting them, but I actually prefer to drive or ride my vehicles for a while before doing so. I’m still learning about the suspension preload and different adjustments you can make on this bike as far as the suspension. Not to mention you can change how the clutch and brakes feel and how aggressive they are. There are still many knobs to explore and get ‘just right’. (show small clips of these as b-roll). I will be looking for alternative mirrors as they are large and pretty ugly, but I think that should be an easy swap. I also would like to put a brighter and whiter LED in the headlight and tuck in the back light and license plate cluster. It sticks out too much in my opinion and can look much better. The last item on my to do list so far is to do the exhaust mod to make it a little bit louder. What are your thoughts? What would you modify or change on this bike or would you leave it as is and just ride? Let me know down in the comments.
In conclusion, this is a modern classic blend that’s comfortable enough to be a daily driver with amazing craftsmanship. It’s all the things that are good about the old bikes, without any of the bad. Well, that’s all I have for you guys today, like, comment subscribe and I’ll see you in the next one.
Welcome back to the SimpleCarGuy channel. Today, I have something special, A BMW X6 M50i! It’s not a secret that I like small funky cars, so what am I doing with this high fashion SUV? Well, this one is a little bit different from the rest. Not only is it an SUV, but it’s also a COUPE in a way and oh yeah, it’s definitely funky. In this video, we will take a look at the exterior and talk about its distinctive looks, check out the interior, including the tech and other fun features, go over the engine and listen to that sweet V8 under the hood and then take it on a short little drive.
If you’d like to see more videos about this car or even other BMWs, hit that like button to support the channel.
Exterior:
Let’s start with the exterior. Some people believe that every new car, especially from a luxury brand like a BMW is beautiful. That has proven to be controversial when you take a look at the new 4 series with its gigantic grills and the same can be said for the rear of this car. The front of the X6 is unmistakably BMW with slightly oversized kidney grills and an evolution of the angel lights. It’s striking and aggressive and in this white color, it’s all on display. Car makers can get away with funky lines and some design choices by painting the car black or some other dark color, but here.. you can see it all. This brings us back to the rear of the car where there is a lot of this ‘design’. This X6 has quite a distinctive look that you really have to love. BMW clearly went for style over function with this design sacrificing the room and convenience of the X5 with the slopping rear hatch design. Even if you don’t love how it looks, which you should if you think of getting one, IT IS subjectively speaking quite interesting to look at.
Going around the car, there are a few things to pay attention to. At the front, we have these beautiful full LED or even optional laser headlights and of course full LED taillights in the back as well. I don’t even think there are any non-LED lights left on this car, but I could be wrong. Here at the back, we can also see the defuser that BMW puts on their M-Sport and M cars, it’s given the back a little more segmentation, which could be a good or bad thing. We can also see the quad exhaust pipes that fit into 2 pods. These sound fantastic, so stick around to hear it from the back as well as from inside the car. Another fake item on the exterior that I find kind of funny are the fake vents, not really sure why they would include these as BMW isn’t really know for these.
Thinking of other cars in this segment, what is the X6 really up against as far as looks? There isn’t anything very interesting other than the Lamborghini Urus, but that’s almost in a different category. I much better prefer this to the Mercedes GLE Coupe or the Audi Q8. I think we need to embrace cars and SUVs that look different. We can’t complain that all cars are boring and look the same but then also hate on the makers that try something different. Now, let’s go check out the interior and see what we can find.
Interior:
Alright, so what do we have here? From the start, it feels very rich and luxuries when you get inside and even though it’s very unique looking on the outside, it’s not nearly as unique on the inside. This X6 replaced the X5 I made a couple videos about a few months ago and you can clearly see the interior design has elevated in this generation car. It’s definitely not a complete overhaul, it’s more of an evolution, the screens got bigger, some buttons disappeared, but if you’ve been in a current gen BMW, you have experienced this interior as well. Of course, the fit and finish and the quality of the materials is on another level and it adds many extra features inside that separate it from the more basic BMWs, such as the heated door and middle armrests and it even has some unique features that are not found on the X5 like this door handle area. It feels big and spacious with these amazing 20-way adjustable seats that can adjust just about anything you’d ever want to adjust. (see if they have massage). Speaking of comfort, I think this M sport steering wheel is one of the best in industry, something you’d want to hold on to for hours at a time.
Now let’s take a quick look at the center console area. This interior feature 2 12-inch displays, one for instrument cluster and one for the iDrive or as BMW now calls BMW Live Cockpit Professional. You can control pretty much anything on this car from this screen, which BTW is a touchscreen, but luckily you can still use the physical controller to perform all functions, which I love. I’m also glad that the HVAC system hasn’t been completely moved to the iDrive and you still get physical buttons that you can hit while driving. They might be a little small, but thankfully the trend of removing physical buttons hasn’t hit BMW yet.
Being a new BMW, it has very impressive tech and one of my favorites is the backup and 360-degree camera system that overlays a 3D model making it kind of fun to use. Camera views can also be recorded and even viewed from the phone that has been paired to the car. The sounds system is just as impressive, it has nice deep bass and high-quality midrange and of course you can connect using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to stream your favorite music.
Moving to the back, the seats here are actually fairly comfortable and have plenty of space for someone that’s 5’10 with a few inches to spare. No issues with leg room either even with the front seat generously moved back. The way they achieve this is by basically making bucket seats in the back, dropping you back and down a little so you actually do have plenty of space and don’t feel cramped at all.
Trunk space is of course not as big as the X5, but the owner of this vehicle was able to fit plenty of stuff while moving and remember, style over function.
Engine:
This new X6 comes with two different options for the engine, the B58 straight 6 turbocharged engine that’s in other M-Sport cars and also in the new Toyota Supra, but those are much smaller and lighter cars, so for this beast, you want the n63 TwinTurbo V8 engine.
It’s important to understand that this is the n63TU3 engine which is the updated version of the engine you got on the last gen 50i cars like my F10 550i. Of course, this one makes 80 more horsepower and 70 more pound feet of torque so it’s definitely been worked on since then. To be clear, it is not the S63 engine that comes on the X6 M, but I think that’s a good thing. Sure, you get less horse power, but these are much more reliable and cheaper to maintain and fix in the long run AND who can complain about 523 horses and 553 torques under the hood of a family car? That’s pretty insane if you ask me especially since you get M level performance with the room and comfort of an SUV.
This beast can get to 60 miles an hour in about 4 seconds if you use launch control, but sadly this isn’t my car, so I will not be showing you this as it is taxing on the transmission, BUT if we can get 1000 likes on this video, I will convince the owner to try it and we’ll make a video about it.
We don’t have any data yet, but with it being the 4th iteration of the N63 engine, it should be fairly reliable over the years and hopefully last a long time, but time will tell.
One thing I know this engine isn’t very good at is fuel economy. You won’t get what anyone would consider good fuel economy out of this, but honestly.. who cares. If you go for the m50i version, you clearly care more about the raw power aspect rather than saving dollars at the gas station. I think it’s finally time to start it up and see what it sounds like.
Exhaust Note:
Since this is an M-Sport car, the engine sound is very important to the overall experience. When you first start the car, you can hear the aggressive V8 rawr and come to live. It sounds great on the outside no matter where you are. On the inside, the engine sound is pumped in through the speakers, so it can sound very loud on the inside, but luckily it can be turned off and you get to hear real exhaust without any fakery. There are a few options to pick from, so you get to decided depending on who you have in the car and what kind of impression you’d like to leave on them. I’d probably turn it off completely and just enjoy the raw engine sounds.
Driving/Summary:
Woooohooo! Wow that is not something you expect from a 5200 pound SUV. The acceleration on this X6 feels very strong and it definitely pushes you into the seat even with half throttle. And the sound, it sounds like a hot rodded V8 when you punch it, yet it is refined to the highest German standards.
As most big BMW cars now-a-days, this SUV has xDrive and being in Chicago, this is a huge benefit and reassurance you won’t get stuck in the snowy winter. Luckily the xDrive here is rear biased, prioritizing the rear wheels and allowing for some fun and better driving characteristics balancing the car out by having the front wheels concentrate on the steering.
Being a big car, I was expecting it to drive.. well, like a big car. But honestly, it doesn’t, It feels like a very sturdy sedan. Somehow, BMW has managed to make this feel sporty. planted and handle well, especially in sport mode where the steering goes heavy. It reminds me of my e92 335 I had many years ago with it’s heavy hydraulic steering. Unlike the e92, you do sit very high up in the air and it almost feels like it wants to understeer, but all things considered, it’s really, really nice to drive, everything fits me perfectly and is very easy to reach from the driving position as well.
Other than the exhaust sound, it’s very quiet inside and some of these even come with the acoustic glass option, so you will definitely be very well insulated from the outside.
Well, that’s about all I have for now on the BMW X6 M50i, if you’d like to see more videos on this car, leave a comment down below and let me know what exactly you’d like to see. Don’t’ forget to subscribe for more car videos and I’ll see you in the next one.
Hey Guys and Welcome back to another video on the SimpleCarGuy.com. Today we are taking a look at this 2019 Hyundai Kona that my girlfriend has been driving for the past couple of years. Has it been a good car, has it had any major issues, what are some of the cool hidden features or things that you didn’t know about and most importantly should you buy this European looking little car that’s just a little more than ordinary? Let’s take a look!
If you’d like to skip the review part and just see the hidden features, skip to:
Has it been a good car? Over all, yes. Now, of course your expectations of a car may vastly differ from mine, but for a car that’s under 25 thousand dollars, it packs a lot of European design, great bright headlights, lots of safety features and even a 7-speed dual clutch transmission with a peppy 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine that actually makes it kind of fun to drive. When it comes to front end of the car, it has been commented on a lot. In my opinion, the upside-down face with the headlights at the bottom and the daytime lights at the top, give it a nice aggressive, almost high-end German car look. It’s never a bad thing when you buy a daily gas saver and get something more in return. I do wish the fog lights would match the otherwise LED front end as they stand out quite a lot when used. One thing you may not notice on this car due to its grey color is the ugly plastic pieces around the wheel-arches and few other parts of the car. It works well on grey, black and some other darker colors, but looks very cheap on brighter paintwork. Of course, this is purely my opinion, but I had to mention it.
So, how has the reliability been? This KONA’s 1.6 turbo engine even though known to be very reliable has had an issue in the first few months of ownership. The car got a check engine light and we had to take it to the dealer. The service department quickly figured out that it was an injector, replaced it under warranty and it’s been running smoothly and very efficiently since then.
My opinion on the car only counts so much as I don’t drive it daily, so I asked my girlfriend to give me a quick review on the car from her perspective. She’d told me that after two years of ownership, there are some things that she really enjoyed and some that she could live without. She is impressed with the quality of the interior; especially, the leather seats that add a touch of luxury without having to spend thousands. With the ample trunk space, foldable back seats and relatively low trunk sill that the Kona provides, she is able to fit groceries, furniture, large boxes without having to turn to a minivan or large SUV. Apple CarPlay makes it very easy to enjoy music on the go and calling friends and family is done safely without having to pick up the phone.
Even though the Kona has a great interior, it does take a long time for the seats to warm up compared to other cars and even longer for warm air to start coming from the vents. Luckily, you can turn on the heater from your BlueLink app on the phone, but even after 10 minutes of running she still has to wear gloves before going on a drive on cold Chicago winter days. Once the heated seats are warmed up, they are a great feature and she would love to have the same convenience available for those sitting in the back. Lastly, as a none aggressive driver (ok, I would have to specify here and say that she can be a bit “enthusiastic” while driving), she did notice that if you take a corner a little faster the car tends to ‘tilt’ and she had to be mindful of her speed as it feels almost unstable. What she is talking about is of course body roll and I can’t say that there is a lot of it in this car, but it’s no sport car as far as handling, that’s for sure.
In conclusion, there have been pros and cons to owning a Kona but it does make for a great fun car that is reliable and easy to drive.
I hope that gives you a little bit of an insight into what a non-car enthusiast thinks of the KONA. I know there are many professional reviewers, but they don’t drive the car daily and that’s what matters in a daily driver, the personal experience with the car.
Now for a little fun, I thought I’d show you some hidden features, tips, tricks and just things you may not know about the KONA.
One of the more obvious, yet useful things you may not have known about the KONA is that there are two storage pockets under the HVAC controls right above the USB port where you can store your phone perfectly. Speaking of extra hidden space, a lot of people don’t know that in the rear hatch, you can take the floor cover off and the foam piece if your car has the cargo tray and drop it down about 3 inches giving you more storage room in the back.
Have you wondered where the space tire is on this car? Wonder no more, it is right here..
While we are at the back here, did you know that the rear wiper also has a washer fluid nozzle for cleaning? And if you have auto-wipers, the rear wiper will come on automatically when you shift in reverse and it’s raining. If you don’t like things happening on their own or afraid there might be ice buildup, you can easily turn it off in the menu. Of course, everyone knows there is a defroster on the back glass, but did you know that this car also has heated side mirrors? Pretty nifty!
The info-taiment is primarily focused on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but there are a couple settings you can adjust. As an example, you can move the sound to whatever corner of the car you want.
This Kona came with some good safety features, such as the lane keeping assist, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning, rear camera and a few others, but no parking sensors. All of these are listed in your car spec sheet, but did you also know that your KONA will turn off the fog lights when turning below 25mph and turn on corner lights for those slower turns. You can’t have both, it’s one or the other. Speaking of speed, if you hold the plus and minus buttons while the cruise control is on, it will increase and decrease the speed by 5mph increments. The last hidden features that I was surprised by is the sun visor, it can be extended to provide just a little more shade!
As most modern cars, the KONA has an app that allows you to remote start the car, set up custom climate profiles, flash the lights, honk the horn and locate your car among other functions. I do think it’s a little silly that the car lights up like a Christmas tree when started remotely, but it’s not the end of the world.
So, would I recommend a Hyundai Kona for someone that is looking for a fun daily driver? Absolutely, you will enjoy a fun and energetic driving subcompact SUV, with decent handling, great gas mileage and overall a smooth riding experience. The turbocharged engine is a must if you want refinement and some pick up! Not only that, when you get inside the cabin, it feels well made, upscale and future proof. So, thank you guys so much for watching, I really appreciate it. Let me know if you’d like to see more SimpleCarReviews and I’ll see you in the next one.
Today we are taking a look at a code reader/scanner and diagnostics tool specifically designed for BMWs. If you’ve ever tried scanning your BMW with a regular scanner and all you got was general codes that don’t really help much, this is a scanner for you. Not only can it show you BMW specific codes, it can also diagnose, all your car’s modules (Engine, ABS, Transmission, SAS, SRS, TPMS etc), test your old and EVEN register your new battery, reset adaptation, perform special DME engine functions such as injector compensation coding, reset your fuel pump and much, much more.
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