What Missing Comforts Would Be Deal Breakers ?

[SwissTone]

So many replies about air conditioning being a 'must'. They are convertibles! What is wrong with you lot?

Parking sensors on an E89 is the most useful option IMHO. You can't see feck all of the thing when in the driving seat. I drive my daughter's (POS) Mini quite a bit which hasn't got any sensors. I struggle to reverse it onto our drive as am so used to them on all the other cars.

A 'must' for me with an E89 would be not to have the N54 engine. It's great....but boy it is troublesome and expensive when it goes wrong (which it will).

Being on the short side you could get a booster seat

[SwissTone]

Aircon is super useful IMHO …. During the wet winter months it clears quicker and during the super hot days I’ll put the roof up when stuck in traffic.

Mine came with little to no options added (Paintwork, Interior upgrade, wind deflector) so I have added a few bits that I found I wanted/needed…thanks to our wonderful Dave’s support and guidance

1) iDrive/609/Combox etc (added a MrVolt box which is a lifesaver with the crappy old maps)
2) Cruise helps me keep to speed limits when i get distracted
3) Folding mirrors … handy for the garage
4) PDC (i have a tendency to bounce into things in the Zed compared to my other car)

[Mr Tidy]

You forgot see-through windscreens!

Sometimes things seem to bounce into your Zed!

[SwissTone]

I can see in HD now!!

My G20 got a lovely stone chip in the screen the other day and it doesn’t look like it’s repairable

[AnubisZed]

....
Parking sensors are probably great for all you old boys who can't see too well any more, but I don't really see the point.

My favourite feature is probably the auto angling-down passenger wing mirror when reversing, so helpful in avoiding scraped alloys! May I refer you to your previous comment!!

IDrive? Not really sure what the point of that is 15 years later. Stick your phone on the dash and have a much better experience.
...

It may be an old system but what can't it do?
If using your phone to change tracks you either have to touch the screen, taking your concentration off the road (which is now illegal to touch your phone while driving), or ask Siri or hey Google, if it'll pick your voice up, which isn't always possible especially if you have the roof down and at speed.
With iDrive you have everything at your fingertips,

Radio (+DAB)
CD/DVD (CDC/DVDC)
Built-in hard drive (Music storage)
USB & AUX input
Bluetooth handsfree & music streaming
Sat-Nav (updatable, current version 2024/1) - Still gives alternative routes for accidents/roadworks in real time

Also with the potential to add an MMI box for Apple CarPlay/Android Auto - More music and nav options.

But at the end of the day it's Horses-for-courses

[AnubisZed]

Aircon is super useful IMHO …. During the wet winter months it clears quicker and during the super hot days I’ll put the roof up when stuck in traffic.

Mine came with little to no options added (Paintwork, Interior upgrade, wind deflector) so I have added a few bits that I found I wanted/needed…thanks to our wonderful Dave’s support and guidance

1) iDrive/609/Combox etc (added a MrVolt box which is a lifesaver with the crappy old maps)
2) Cruise helps me keep to speed limits when i get distracted
3) Folding mirrors … handy for the garage
4) PDC (i have a tendency to bounce into things in the Zed compared to my other car)

We were stuck in a hold up on the A46 round Leicester the other weekend, it was red hot and we had the roof down. Debated whether to put the roof back up, but just decided to put the air-con on full blast instead. Probably not the most efficient way to do it but it did the trick until we got moving again

Always happy to help Charlie, glad you're sorted now

[B21]

....
Parking sensors are probably great for all you old boys who can't see too well any more, but I don't really see the point.

My favourite feature is probably the auto angling-down passenger wing mirror when reversing, so helpful in avoiding scraped alloys! May I refer you to your previous comment!!

IDrive? Not really sure what the point of that is 15 years later. Stick your phone on the dash and have a much better experience.
...

It may be an old system but what can't it do?
If using your phone to change tracks you either have to touch the screen, taking your concentration off the road (which is now illegal to touch your phone while driving), or ask Siri or hey Google, if it'll pick your voice up, which isn't always possible especially if you have the roof down and at speed.
With iDrive you have everything at your fingertips,

Radio (+DAB)
CD/DVD (CDC/DVDC)
Built-in hard drive (Music storage)
USB & AUX input
Bluetooth handsfree & music streaming
Sat-Nav (updatable, current version 2024/1) - Still gives alternative routes for accidents/roadworks in real time

Also with the potential to add an MMI box for Apple CarPlay/Android Auto - More music and nav options.

But at the end of the day it's Horses-for-courses

FWIW I just hate cabins where you’ve got things stuck on air vents or glued to windscreens with external wires etc running across the cabin..others seem to be happy with Christmas trees of adapters etc…

As was said if you are driving a roadster thr roof should be down so Siri etc tend to be useless..that means taking your hands off the wheel to answer phones, change nav etc etc..

[AnubisZed]

FWIW I just hate cabins where you’ve got things stuck on air vents or glued to windscreens with external wires etc running across the cabin..others seem to be happy with Christmas trees of adapters etc…

[Hides dashcam]

I take it you're not a fan of the Japanese car scene then, especially the Bosozoku craze

[Marcoose]

With iDrive you have everything at your fingertips...

Perhaps our iDrives are different, or more likely I still haven't wrapped the old noggin around using it properly. But for most iDrive functions in my car, I have to move one hand off the steering wheel onto the knob, and gaze into the screen.

[AnubisZed]

With iDrive you have everything at your fingertips...

Perhaps our iDrives are different, or more likely I still haven't wrapped the old noggin around using it properly. But for most iDrive functions in my car, I have to move one hand off the steering wheel onto the knob, and gaze into the screen.

Yes thats correct, your fingertips are on the end of your hand!
Seriously though, you press the Voice button (left side block, top right button) and ask for what you want, radio, USB, nav, CD etc (full list of usable words are in the manual) that is assuming you have full Voice (VO code 620)

[Marcoose]

Seriously though, you press the Voice button (left side block, top right button) and ask for what you want, radio, USB, nav, CD etc (full list of usable words are in the manual) that is assuming you have full Voice (VO code 620)

I have it. And now and then I give it another try. It's hit and miss. Yes, English is not my mother tongue and I have a 'charming' accent. But it's the same with my all-American English-only wife, our indy, etc. For me, the voice function is rubbish. iDrive is one of those comforts that, knowing what I know now, I could've done without. It adds nothing to my joy of driving.

[mr wilks]

A car with massive spec , all the options but iffy history & not in pristine order against a lowly specced car but immaculate & over serviced now that is always a dilemma

[Silverstar]

I’m happy to say that my old bus has got all the toys with the exception of high beam assist. (I wish it had!)

High beam assist is rubbish. You ain't missing anything Ron. I've now had three cars with it (all different makes) and they were all terrible. It gets embarrassing when you are constantly blinding oncoming traffic, or dips the high beam for a road sign!

I specced my 2016 F20 with high beam assist and have to say for the most part it worked quite well, where it struggled was on steep inclines but otherwise no issues. For me it wouldn't be a deal breaker if the car I was looking at didn't have it, I would classify it as nice to have.

When I was looking for a Z4, my must have were the following (in no particular order) and mine had them all with the exception of the wind deflector which was very easy to retrofit hence not a deal breaker when searching for the car.

1. M Sport seats, they are just so much more comfortable and hold you in place in the bends.

2. iDrive - Yes it is 14 year old blah blah BUT it is still super functional and the maps (updated) still work great and when you add an MMI box well then it just doesn't compare to sticking your phone on the dash.

3. Cruise control - Isn't the E89 more of a GT than a true sports car? Super useful on long drives and even short ones sometimes. Sure it isn't the type of cruise that brakes for you if there is an obstacle infront but my Golf 7.5 has that and I find it irritating.

4. Wind deflector

5. Parking sensors - say what you will about being the best driver in the world and I don't need sensors blah blah, fact is couple with the pictogram on the iDrive they are super useful when getting the car into very tight spaces.

6. Folding door mirrors - just useful in tight spaces and when parked on the road to avoid risking someone snapping the mirror off.

7. Automatic gearbox - of course would prefer a sportier DCT type box but the N52 didn't come with one. The vast majority of manuals in BMWs just aren't that great and the auto is better suited to the car.

8. Auto lights and wipers, self dimming mirror and drivers mirror that drops down when reversing - Once again super useful

Nice to have but not essential:
Extended light package

Really doesn't matter:
Comfort access
Sound system - better to upgrade it with an aftermarket system which will always sound better and the basic system is easiest to upgrade for a low cost.
Adaptive lights
Adaptive suspension - if you want better handling again you would be better off with one the afterrmarket options

Alot of what I have mentioned above is specific to the Z4 and on some other car it might be the other way around e.g. manual instead of auto box etc.

[AnubisZed]

I have it. And now and then I give it another try. It's hit and miss. Yes, English is not my mother tongue and I have a 'charming' accent. But it's the same with my all-American English-only wife, our indy, etc. For me, the voice function is rubbish. iDrive is one of those comforts that, knowing what I know now, I could've done without. It adds nothing to my joy of driving.

Yeah to be fair I have it as well, but never use it, so I'd be using the controller to change things. Saying that though once I'm in Android Auto and playing a playlist it's very rare I bother to change anything, apart from the odd track skip, and that's the steering wheel buttons.

[Gwest44]

For me less is more it's why I love my Z3 - manual roof and no heated seats or SatNav. Always makes me laugh that unlike the E85, E86 & E89 it does have a spare tyre and electric seats were standard on all models.

On the E85's & E89's I've had I do like the folding exterior mirrors and think bluetooth music capability is a must - SatNav is always a big no-no for me and let's be honest the cup holder's are always pointless.

Not had one yet with the heated steering wheel - I'd be scared they'd render my driving gloves pointless

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