Remote Start/Voice Text

2018X1 · 12-15-2018, 03:16 PM

Hello!

I'm new to BMW and I'm excited to be a part of this community! I JUST bought my new 2018 x1 home Tuesday. It is the very first NEW car I have ever bought, and I truly LOVE this car! It is beautiful and a joy to drive! BUTTTT....there are 2 things that I need some help with.

1. No remote start.

I asked the saleslady about this and she claimed that Germany has a law that a vehicle cannot be running without an occupant. While I believe her, I did find several YouTube videos with remote start being shown from the factory BMW key fob. Soo I suppose that it's a matter of it not being available in MY car. Boo! She told me that I can get it aftermarket but she wouldn't because if any electrical issues come up, BMW will likely say that it was due to the remote start and the warranty won't pay. WTH? I paid $42,000 for a luxury vehicle and I can't even remotely start it to heat or cool it. Disappointing. I really want to buy a remote start for this car. Any advice?

2. No ability to dictate text messages or have them read to me. Sooo...the BMW Genius who showed me all the ins and outs of my car admitted that he doesn't know why there is a, "upload contacts for messaging" box under the Apps box to check off and a BMW messages screen because messaging isn't an option. I have searched forums and YouTube and I do believe it has something to do with not having Enhanced Bluetooth and/or the Office tab. The BMW Genius told me that I have all the technology I could get for my car, so again, Boo! Is there anything I can do about this? Download something, buy something, do something?

3. If there is nothing I can do about the text issue above, is there at least something I can do about the fact that my android phone is practically worthless while connected to bluetooth in my BMW. I can hear zero sound out of it other than if I get a phone call and it rings over the car's speakers and then, of course, the phone call is broadcast. Which is to say that I cannot hear when I get any notifications and if I am stopped and want to hear video, I have to disconnect from bluetooth to hear it. I know that this is the point of bluetooth and that it is, afterall, how music is sent through to the speakers.

SOOO....I DID discover that if I go to media and choose my phone, I can hear the chimes of incoming notifications and the video sound over my car's speakers. I have been switching from music (satellite and radio) to my phone in media and using S-voice to have texts read to me and then dictate them back. Then switching back to music. It's cumbersome, but doable. I still can't hear when I get a message and have to look on my phone and I'm fairly certain I never will due to the nature of the bluetooth being there to stream music and being a separate media option. If you have any better options for me that might help, please let me know.

Other than that, I am SO happy with my new car! I hope to have it for many many years!

Thank you all.

mbr883 · 12-15-2018, 04:41 PM

If you have an iPhone, you can hold the voice button on the steering and that will activate Siri instead of the internal voice system and you can then tell Siri text so and so with the message.

Other than that, congrats on the new car!

2018X1 · 12-16-2018, 08:05 PM

I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 so I'm stuck, I believe. Thanks for the reply though.

Happy holidays!

12-15-2018, 03:16 PM	#1
2018X1 Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: 2018 X1 xDrive28i Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Pennsylvania iTrader: (0)	Remote Start/Voice Text Hello! I'm new to BMW and I'm excited to be a part of this community! I JUST bought my new 2018 x1 home Tuesday. It is the very first NEW car I have ever bought, and I truly LOVE this car! It is beautiful and a joy to drive! BUTTTT....there are 2 things that I need some help with. 1. No remote start. I asked the saleslady about this and she claimed that Germany has a law that a vehicle cannot be running without an occupant. While I believe her, I did find several YouTube videos with remote start being shown from the factory BMW key fob. Soo I suppose that it's a matter of it not being available in MY car. Boo! She told me that I can get it aftermarket but she wouldn't because if any electrical issues come up, BMW will likely say that it was due to the remote start and the warranty won't pay. WTH? I paid $42,000 for a luxury vehicle and I can't even remotely start it to heat or cool it. Disappointing. I really want to buy a remote start for this car. Any advice? 2. No ability to dictate text messages or have them read to me. Sooo...the BMW Genius who showed me all the ins and outs of my car admitted that he doesn't know why there is a, "upload contacts for messaging" box under the Apps box to check off and a BMW messages screen because messaging isn't an option. I have searched forums and YouTube and I do believe it has something to do with not having Enhanced Bluetooth and/or the Office tab. The BMW Genius told me that I have all the technology I could get for my car, so again, Boo! Is there anything I can do about this? Download something, buy something, do something? 3. If there is nothing I can do about the text issue above, is there at least something I can do about the fact that my android phone is practically worthless while connected to bluetooth in my BMW. I can hear zero sound out of it other than if I get a phone call and it rings over the car's speakers and then, of course, the phone call is broadcast. Which is to say that I cannot hear when I get any notifications and if I am stopped and want to hear video, I have to disconnect from bluetooth to hear it. I know that this is the point of bluetooth and that it is, afterall, how music is sent through to the speakers. SOOO....I DID discover that if I go to media and choose my phone, I can hear the chimes of incoming notifications and the video sound over my car's speakers. I have been switching from music (satellite and radio) to my phone in media and using S-voice to have texts read to me and then dictate them back. Then switching back to music. It's cumbersome, but doable. I still can't hear when I get a message and have to look on my phone and I'm fairly certain I never will due to the nature of the bluetooth being there to stream music and being a separate media option. If you have any better options for me that might help, please let me know. Other than that, I am SO happy with my new car! I hope to have it for many many years! Thank you all.
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12-15-2018, 04:41 PM	#2
mbr883 New Member 2 Rep 8 Posts Drives: 2018 BMW X1 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	If you have an iPhone, you can hold the voice button on the steering and that will activate Siri instead of the internal voice system and you can then tell Siri text so and so with the message. Other than that, congrats on the new car!
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12-16-2018, 08:05 PM	#3
2018X1 Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: 2018 X1 xDrive28i Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Pennsylvania iTrader: (0)	Thanks I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 so I'm stuck, I believe. Thanks for the reply though. Happy holidays!
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