General Car Conversation
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 882
Likes: 11
From: TN
All Early 2000s Acura TL and RL’s had HIDs. Surprise surprise MDX didn’t get them till 2007!
yeah those GMT800 Denalis were badass and very classy!
I was in elementary school when those were being made and I always like them.
The GMT 900 Denalis haven't aged well with those cheap looking multireflector headlights IMO. When I was a kid I really liked them though.
yeah those GMT800 Denalis were badass and very classy!
I was in elementary school when those were being made and I always like them.The GMT 900 Denalis haven't aged well with those cheap looking multireflector headlights IMO. When I was a kid I really liked them though.
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,339
Likes: 600
From: IL
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 882
Likes: 11
From: TN
I’m surprised BMW let you order them on the 323i. They are usually picky about which models get nice options. For example you can only get ventilated seats with a black interior on the 3/4 series and X3. That would be a dealbreaker for me….
Lead Lap
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,585
Likes: 24
From: Washington
Back in the day they were much more open to you ordering cars Euro-style with lots of a la carte options and less restrictions. My dad had a cool 2002 E39 540i with a mint green interior when I was young, for example. Nowadays the push for simplification has limited that flexibility.
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,339
Likes: 600
From: IL
Actually it looks like right now you can't get ventilated seats in the 3-series at all. They're available across the 4-series lineup (coupe, convertible, and grand coupe), with either black or mocha leather. But those are much lower volume than the 3-series sedan. To your point about wider feature availability in higher models though, I have ventilated Orange seats in my M3
But even then, supply constraints can become a thing. Carbon buckets stopped being available on the M3 for about 2 months at the end of MY23 production, and folks who had scheduled builds that hadn't entered production yet had to either take the standard sport seats or cancel their orders. They became available again early in MY24 production, but were always available for the M2 and M4 without interruption.
ClubLexus Stories
Celebrating Lexus & Toyota from Around the Globe
8 Tips for Improving Your Hybrid or Plug-in Hybrid's Efficiency!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Best Lexus Models No One Remembers
Joe Kucinski
TRD Off-Road Premium: Best 2026 4Runner, Except This One Thing
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Lexus & Toyotas to Drive Before You Die!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Lexus/Toyotas With The LEAST 5-Year Depreciation
Joe Kucinski
Lexus LC500 Convertible Auction: A Preview of Rising Values?
Brett Foote
GX 550 vs TX 550: Best 3-Row Luxury Lexus Family Hauler
Michael S. Palmer
9 Best Lexus Models You Can Buy for Half Price (And 1 You Shouldn't!)
Joe Kucinski
2026 Lexus NX Buyer's Guide: Models, Features, Prices & More!
Brett Foote
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 882
Likes: 11
From: TN
Come on BMW! it’s just a little fan under the seat cushion. Honestly all cars should have this feature given how oppressively swampy car seats get in the summertime.
On a related note. The E46 came standard with manual rear windows in Europe. I saw a video about a wagon recently that a guy bought for cheap.
On a related note. The E46 came standard with manual rear windows in Europe. I saw a video about a wagon recently that a guy bought for cheap.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 262
From: Sofia
"Standard" Europe spec for premium German vehicles tend to be ridiculously unrepresentative of what the brand is all about. Look up some fleet or taxi-spec cars - the badge thing really does exist over here. I don't like the lack of power rear windows on my mom's Yaris (standard on a COROLLA ffs, and this is a top-spec 1.8l t-sport yaris with keyless ignition), I'd never settle for that in anything "premium"... but they do exist (or used to - I sincerely hope that this is a thing of the past by now, whether due to supply chain simplification or otherwise)
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,212
Likes: 460
From: Long Island
what piece of machinery that car is! that seemed to have one of the last "good" BMW V8s, i've driven a 1998 540i that had 300k miles on it and ran well! of course just about every orange lcd pixel on the dash was dead lol... either way a late model E39 540i in 6MT is probably the perfect sporty sedan in terms of beautifully balancing styling, driving, luxury, and real world practicality
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 17,019
Likes: 496
From: Knoxville, TN
Lol remember the fake aftermarket xenon headlights?
Agree about E39 540i. If only BMW V8s and cooling systems weren’t grenades. I can only dream of the satisfaction of using a clutch and shifting myself with a V8 like that.
Agree about E39 540i. If only BMW V8s and cooling systems weren’t grenades. I can only dream of the satisfaction of using a clutch and shifting myself with a V8 like that.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,328
Likes: 236
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
https://www.consumerreports.org/cars...port/?pagestop
Headlights
Standard halogen headlights may not provide the bright, white light of LEDs, but they don’t need it as they do a very good job of lighting the road ahead and to the sides with both low and high beams. The level of visibility actually exceeds the performance of many LED equipped vehicles even though intensity is less. GM’s Intellibeam automatic high beam system is also standard and can help drivers take advantage of the additional high beam visibility as often as traffic and conditions allow by automatically switching to high beams. LED headlights are optional on higher trims.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,524
Likes: 265
From: Illinois
IIHS headlight testing rates the Trailblazer with halogen low and high beams "A" which means Acceptable.
It rates the Trailblazer with LED low beams and halogen high beams "G" which is Good. It's only with this setup that the Trailblazer gets their Top Safety Pick+.
It rates the Trailblazer with LED low beams and halogen high beams "G" which is Good. It's only with this setup that the Trailblazer gets their Top Safety Pick+.
Thread Starter
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,466
Likes: 3,990
From: Maryland
Yup, how about that?
