Re: E36 - Adjustable Steering Wheels

[lam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Ken Lam)]

In digest V9 #807

Mike wrote in response to an earlier question about adjustable steering wheels
on E36s

snip
< I spoke with an experienced BMW
salesman (who had no ulterior motive I could tell) who clearly said that no E36
has ever had an adjustable steering wheel, then proceeded to tell me his sales
strategy for dealing with the inevitable question, "Why not?  All the competing
cars do!".  (His strategy was to tell the potential buyer that BMW in their
infinite engineering wisdom had found the ideal seating position and not to
mess with it.  After all, race cars don't have adjustable steering wheels!  He
said he'd leave out the minor fact that a race car is adjusted for the driver,
then left that way.)

If any E36 years *had* adjustable steering wheels, I would be very interested
in that info.>
snip

Mike

The salesman was misinformed. Earlier E36s did have telescoping steering
wheels. Because the DOT tests crashworthiness with the front occupants
unbuckled, these wheels were deemed unsafe and BMW eliminated this option in
later model years. I believe starting MY '95 telescoping steering wheels were
no longer offered.


- -- 
The past is over, learn from it.  
The future is coming, prepare for it. 
The present is here, enjoy it. 

kenny_lam@domain.elided

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