What Missing Comforts Would Be Deal Breakers ?

[ronk]

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!)
I’m afraid that I’m too old to hark back to the olden days - I had cars in those times without the toys and I can appreciate what I have now.

[Marcoose]

I had cars in those times without the toys and I can appreciate what I have now.

Same here. I do not miss mum's Renault 4L. LOL. But today's gizmos and comforts --when they kaput-- get in the way of the joy of driving. And hurt the wallet. Just my pet hate.

[B21]

Maybe it’s just as well that BMW offered most things as options judging by the above responses..

In hindsight, I wish I was more educated on options, and picked up a used 35is with fewer options. I love the DCT and paddleshifting, though. It was the key reason for choosing the 35is. I know the 35i came with DCT, but the 35is 'seemed' more appealing.

I was fortunate when I bought my 20i..it was well specced…the 35is additionally had electrical adjusted seats which I commented on..it did have the heated steering wheel but I binned it in preference to an Audi-esque steering wheel mod…the 14 speaker top fi was anticlimactic…the runflats on 18” were just as shite as 19” on runflats..the DCT box not as good as the ZF8HP and the adaptive dampers were also shite..but..what a stonking engine…

Replaying history if I could have found a DCT well equipped 35i then I would have taken it..but AY E89s are like rocking horse poo..

[Nictrix]

Maybe it’s just as well that BMW offered most things as options judging by the above responses..

In hindsight, I wish I was more educated on options, and picked up a used 35is with fewer options. I love the DCT and paddleshifting, though. It was the key reason for choosing the 35is. I know the 35i came with DCT, but the 35is 'seemed' more appealing.

I was fortunate when I bought my 20i..it was well specced…the 35is additionally had electrical adjusted seats which I commented on..it did have the heated steering wheel but I binned it in preference to an Audi-esque steering wheel mod…the 14 speaker top fi was anticlimactic…the runflats on 18” were just as shite as 19” on runflats..the DCT box not as good as the ZF8HP and the adaptive dampers were also shite..but..what a stonking engine…

Replaying history if I could have found a DCT well equipped 35i then I would have taken it..but AY E89s are like rocking horse poo..

I have always wondered why anybody would buy a fully specced 35i with dct instead of a 35is.
I would have thought the point of the 35i was to get a manual box but people getting dct are just basically losing out on some power over the 35is.

[Pondrew]

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).

[Pondrew]

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!

[Marcoose]

I was thinking of cruise control. 20 years ago exactly I used to hire cars weekly for work to drive 200 miles on a very boring route across the American Upper Great Plains. Endless corn fields to the right, left, in front and back. The company of choice was Avis. And some cars didn’t have cruise control. A drag of a drive.

Cruise control is a comfort high on my list. But to be honest, if BMW put out a proper sportscar without cruise control, it wouldn’t be a deal breaker.

[Chippie]

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

On a sunny day when you’re sat in Traffic in temperatures over 25*c it’s nice to have cold air blowing over you.
Definitely a deal breaker for me.

[B21]

In hindsight, I wish I was more educated on options, and picked up a used 35is with fewer options. I love the DCT and paddleshifting, though. It was the key reason for choosing the 35is. I know the 35i came with DCT, but the 35is 'seemed' more appealing.

I was fortunate when I bought my 20i..it was well specced…the 35is additionally had electrical adjusted seats which I commented on..it did have the heated steering wheel but I binned it in preference to an Audi-esque steering wheel mod…the 14 speaker top fi was anticlimactic…the runflats on 18” were just as shite as 19” on runflats..the DCT box not as good as the ZF8HP and the adaptive dampers were also shite..but..what a stonking engine…

Replaying history if I could have found a DCT well equipped 35i then I would have taken it..but AY E89s are like rocking horse poo..

I have always wondered why anybody would buy a fully specced 35i with dct instead of a 35is.
I would have thought the point of the 35i was to get a manual box but people getting dct are just basically losing out on some power over the 35is.

For me since I knew I was going to throw the adaptive dampers out and re-map the car the ‘benefit’ of the 35is over the 35i was negated..

As to the debate of Auto or DCT vs manual it’s each to their own..as it turns out very few AY 35i anyway..the few N54 powered AY are mostly 35is it appears..

[jamesgarbett]

Things on my E89 that aren't essential:

Cruise (it's not adaptive like my other car so i don't use it)
Nav (the map is ancient)
Folding mirrors (very squeaky in summer time)

Things I couldn't live without:

Heated seats (i fitted these aftermarket)
Aircon (help to demist the windows)

Things I would like:

Heated wheel (only because my other car has it)
Reversing camera
Functional cupholder
Heated screen (again only as my other car has one)

[AnubisZed]

Some great responses there.

I bought my 23i with only heated seats (drivers didn't work initially), wind breaker and floor mats... that's it, very, very basic indeed.

So considering how much is now retrofitted to it I fully appreciate all of the options that weren't opted for initially. Yes it would have been easier to have bought a Z with all included, but to get everything I wanted was very difficult to find, and a lot more expensive.

In no particular order I now have....
Memory seats - essential as my wife drives it and she's 5'4" so the seat is always being moved.
Upgraded stereo to add Bluetooth calls and USB (iPod) control.
Upgraded stereo again to rip it all out and fully fit full spec Media iDrive. Love the folding screen and all of the usability.
Cruise Control, full factory spec with speedo cluster. I do use this from time to time.
Auto Wipers/Auto Headlights. Use all the time
Auto dimming mirrors. Always active and come in very handy
Powerfold door mirrors. Nice to have
Extra lighting.
Heated steering wheel. Love it, if you've not had one you'd not appreciate it, once you have though you defo know!
Front/rear PDC. Very helpful for parking on my drive
iDrive integrated reversing camera.

Then on the aftermarket front,
Ashtray replacement drink holder.
Android Auto/Apple CarPlay MMI Box.
SmartTop.


It's easy to fit the aftermarket bits yourself, so non of these would be an issue for buying again. But I love all of the retrofits I've done, so yes I probably wouldn't buy another Z4 without them, although I could always retrofit them again.

[ronk]

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

On a sunny day when you’re sat in Traffic in temperatures over 25*c it’s nice to have cold air blowing over you.
Definitely a deal breaker for me.

I’ve been in SW Germany when temperatures have gone silly high and the ability to close the roof and fill the cabin with chilled air is a god send!

[Marcoose]

No aircon is a deal killer for me. Even living in San Francisco where temperatures are very mild year around, I find the Zed’s cabin heats up far too much for my spoiled constitution. The aircon is on very often. And I don’t seem to read or hear about it breaking down very often.

[tiglon]

For me the only must-have optional extra was the N54 engine, but that has been disappointingly reliable... how boring

67k miles in and my HPFP, injectors etc are all going strong. Cue catastrophic breakdown on my next journey...

With a lot of extras it depends on you and the kind of driving you do.

Cruise control is a big plus if you're on motorways a lot, but with the E89 I tend to occupy my time on motorways by playing with the engine rather than relaxing!

Heated seats are lovely in the winter, but I never had them before and it wasn't a problem. Just put a jumper on when it's 2 degrees and you want the roof down.

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!

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.

Electric folding roof is nice, I have to admit an old manual MR2 Roadster was pretty inconvenient when you get caught in rain with the roof down. Hardly the end of the world though, and I'd still have bought the E89 if it came with a manual soft top.

Adaptive suspension? More of a marketing gimmick than anything.

My first E89 was full on poverty spec and I loved it, the main motivation for a BMW was a 6 cylinder roadster, otherwise I'd be very happy with something much less "fancy".

[Ole gits rule]

Oh, I forgot about cup holders and heated mirrors. Also my wife's car has a heated windscreen but only available on Fords I think.

Heated seats / PDC but more importantly a roof that fold away, for me the rest I can live without even audio is not that important

Think heated screens are available on more models now.

Very rarely listen to music in the car unless I'm stuck in a traffic jam. I always like to hear the sounds that the car makes

Snap - even in a jam I have sport on rather than music