BMW drivers and their turn signals are like oil and water: They don’t mix. Okay, the years-long running joke about how BMW drivers never use their signals when turning or changing lanes isn’t as prevalent in the real world as it’s made out to be on the internet. But stereotypes have a way of latching onto people’s minds, so the joke persists.
Even in the year 2026, when BMW has long since abandoned its controversial always-centered turn signal stalks for more traditional variants, you’ll see people in group chats, Facebook comments, and forums cracking the same joke over and over.
This morning, I wrote about the new BMW i3, and Sid Bridge got the turn signal jokes out of the way early on:
“BMW Is About To Start Selling One Of The Longest-Range EVs In America”
All together, now: Well it’s certainly not wasting any electricity on turn signals!Ok. Hopefully we got that out of our systems.
Car_liker:
Did they make a law that EV interiors have to look like you’re sitting in an iMac?
They must’ve. Otherwise, I really can’t imagine why every new car interior is simply a giant screen with seats attached.
In today’s Morning Dump, Matt asked readers about the biggest jump (or dip) in fuel economy they’ve experienced going from one vehicle to another. And he got some interesting responses. From NC Miata NA:
I experienced the full swing and went from a 100+ MPGe Nissan Leaf to a 16-18 MPG lifted Tacoma to a 100+ MPGe VW ID4.
Bearddevil:
When I graduated from college, my only vehicle was my ’70 GTO that got in the very low teens for mileage. When I could afford it, I bought a Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V that got about 30 MPG. That was a big boost.
Angry Bob:
I don’t know what mileage my 540i gets because there are so many dead pixels in the display that I can’t read the odometer. But it’s probably not good. I’d also have to factor in oil, as it leaks a couple quarts per tank of fuel.
Finally, The Bishop wrote about how Lincoln should best approach adopting the Bronco platform for a new G-Wagen fighter, and came up with a few cool renderings. From Flashman:
One thing that would make it stand out from the competition is gun ports.
Frown Victoria:
Finally, a navigator that can actually navigate places
Have a great evening, everyone!
Top graphic image: BMW
Maybe it’s the green shade of paint, but I liked the Bishop’s first crack at the Bronco platform reskin better.
Went from a 2004 G35 that never, ever managed better than 21mpg, to my 2019 Volt, which rarely uses petrol, but when it does, around 44mpg is typical.
Sorry, Mother Earth, for what I was doing to you in that old stinkpot. I thought the Infiniti was going to be fun, but it was mostly kinda boring and a money pit. I was glad to see it go.
Funny, I just got passed on the right by a Beemer who did not use turn signals when coming from the left lane at 95mph in a 55. As I was in the middle lane, I watched as he cut of the right lane driver and blew past everyone just to get back to the left hand lane and speed away. I don’t often hope to see a sheriffs car but damn, it would have been a thing of beauty if that douche had been arrested. PS. no they never never use turn signals because they are better than the rest of us and we should just move out of their privileged way. Also F them very much.
As someone who bikes to work, waits at bus stops, and walks the dog a lot, I’m noticing that there are people who intentionally blip their cars to startle people at street crossings. 90% of the time they are in BMW’s. Some of them make eye contact before rolling past as if accelerating gradually, then letting it rip for 15 feet.
I am NOT pleased.
May their tires go flat without a spare
Also as a bicycler: NEVER TRUST A CAR. That scream has saved our lives about 6 times.
I also recommend not biking on roads for 1-2 weeks after time change. Everyone’s reactions are slower, including mine. My only two serious bike accidents happened on Tuesday after spring time change. Cars would drive erratically, and I would be slow to process and react.
(Although my one accident was from avoiding a bicyclist who ran a red light, so I can’t just blame cars.)
When I used to daily a 90 VW Jetta GLI I’d usually get 22 – 26 mpg
Then switched to a 98 Jetta TDI and mpg jumped to 44-48 mpg
Next a 2012 plugin Prius which w/plugging it in regularly in round town driving would be 58 – 62 mpg
Now 2017 Prius Prime (i.e. plugin), around town it varies, in winter I can get around 115 mpg. Current tank I have over 950 miles and over 150 mpg indicated, with between 1/2 to 1/4 of a tank left.
So the biggest jump for me is between two plug-in Prii that are only 5 years apart, though in around town driving the newer one is 2x or better in fuel economy.
The newer one is literally the most energy efficient car Ive ver owned and it is technically more efficient around town than our 26′ Equinox EV
OK. I guess it’s time to repeat the oldest joke in the automotive industry.
Q. What’s the difference between a porcupine and a BMW?
A. The porcupine has the pricks on the outside.
I’m nowhere near the target audience for the Lincoln, but I irrationally love that design
I guess I should have mentioned the mpg difference between my son’s Miata which got 30mpg and his cammed C6 which gets single digit mpg when on the gas. We played a game with the instant mpg display where you have someone watch how low you can get it while accelerating. I got 3mpg. Not to be outdone, my son got 0.3mpg for a short, loud moment. I’d say it probably averages 10-12 overall? It’s bad.
Beard devil and I living parallel lives. I hade a 1970 Chevelle that got smashed and then got a Sentra SER Spec-V. The dealer I got it from thought it was just an SE so I got a screaming deal on it. Though after that Sentra is was all V8’s until I went electric in 2022. I’m in an area of California with chargers everywhere so it’s nice. Even on long trips I have never had problems charging, even into Idaho, but I understand its not so easy for everyone.
I sure don’t miss my 7 mpg in my Chevelle but I do want a Dart with a 440 or a 1967 Charger for my fun car.
I feel like it’s all relative to where you started from. Going from 15mpg (15.7L/100km) to 35mpg (6.7L/100km) is a much larger improvement than going from 30 (7.8L/100km) – 50mpg (4.7L/100km).
At $4/gallon the first change is saving you $15.24 every 100 miles whereas the second is saving you $5.33. All of these are gains that reduce running and environmental costs and the second one is more important than the first, so converting more people over to hybrids is always a good thing.
I went from CTS-V to Nissan Leaf. I had a pretty heavy lead foot with the Cadillac.