Got my Z4MC and its covered in snow! (plus a few questions)

[MarkW]

Said goodbye to my 350Z on Saturday morning, picked up my new (well 2 year old) Z4MC on Saturday afternoon. Had a bit of a blast Saturday PM, and briefly on Sunday and so far loving it. It may be a marmite car, but the more I look at the visual styling of it the more I love it's shape and curves. The interior is a step up from the Nissan too (in quality but not necessarily spec). I haven't done any long journeys yet, but being used to a firm ride, the Z4MC doesn't seem too bad compared with some previous cars ive had.

I will post some pics soon.

Now it is completely covered in snow, the roads are icy, so I dont think I will use it again at least until the weekend

I do have a few of basic questions as well though regarding the spec. I bought the car from a non BMW dealer, and the only things listed over standard spec was professional nav, bluetooth with telematics and BMW connected drive.

Whats the difference between 'Nappa Leather Upholstery' and 'Full Nappa Leather Upholstery' apart from £1280. I'm assuming Ive got the standard one, but how can you tell?

The hifi - I have a single CD player that plays MP3's - is that standard? How can I tell if the speakers are standard, or one of the optional hifi upgrades listed in the brochure? They sound ok but i'm no real audiophile.

The Aux socket (under the hifi) - can I just plug an ipod/iphone in the with a 3.5mm jack and it will work?

Cupholders - bizarre these are an extra, can they be DIY fitted or do it have to go to BMW? Any ideas of cost?

I'm also looking into updating the nav, though ive been following threads on pistonheads about that. I know there are 'other' avenues to explore, but does anyone know how much the latest upgrade/maps are from BMW?

Cheers
Mark

 

[ClareS]

Is there not list of all the options somwhere amongst the handbook etc?

My stereo is non standard and the sound quality is fantastic. You can somehow still hear the engine note over it and yet very little background noise. Brilliant! Don't know what the usual stereo is like though. Mine also only plays CDs, no mp3s which is a shame but maybe that's because you have an M?

An ipod will connect through the aux point. Alternatively you can get a special ipod attachment for about £400 apparently (I dont have it) which means it charges as you're driving and you can use the controls on the steering wheel to flick through tracks etc.

That's about all I can help on.

I picked up my 3.0 sport coupe this weekend too - Saturday was a great day for driving!

 

[mmm-five]

Said goodbye to my 350Z on Saturday morning, picked up my new (well 2 year old) Z4MC on Saturday afternoon. Had a bit of a blast Saturday PM, and briefly on Sunday and so far loving it. It may be a marmite car, but the more I look at the visual styling of it the more I love it's shape and curves. The interior is a step up from the Nissan too (in quality but not necessarily spec). I haven't done any long journeys yet, but being used to a firm ride, the Z4MC doesn't seem too bad compared with some previous cars ive had.

I will post some pics soon.

Now it is completely covered in snow, the roads are icy, so I dont think I will use it again at least until the weekend

I do have a few of basic questions as well though regarding the spec. I bought the car from a non BMW dealer, and the only things listed over standard spec was professional nav, bluetooth with telematics and BMW connected drive.

You'll also have HIDs and rear PDC as standard too.

Whats the difference between 'Nappa Leather Upholstery' and 'Full Nappa Leather Upholstery' apart from £1280. I'm assuming Ive got the standard one, but how can you tell?

Extended nappa leather means it's not just the seats that are in leather, but the transmission tunnel, doorcards & arm rests, sun visor - is that what they meant by 'full'?

The hifi - I have a single CD player that plays MP3's - is that standard? How can I tell if the speakers are standard, or one of the optional hifi upgrades listed in the brochure? They sound ok but i'm no real audiophile.

Do you have a CD changer in the storage compartment behind the centre arm-rest - should be in the slot below the sat nav DVD player?

The Aux socket (under the hifi) - can I just plug an ipod/iphone in the with a 3.5mm jack and it will work?

Cupholders - bizarre these are an extra, can they be DIY fitted or do it have to go to BMW? Any ideas of cost?

About £23 each.

I'm also looking into updating the nav, though ive been following threads on pistonheads about that. I know there are 'other' avenues to explore, but does anyone know how much the latest upgrade/maps are from BMW?

£99 for the upgrade disc, assuming you hand in an original old one - otherwise £149.

 

[MarkW]

Thanks for the replies

Yes I have HIDs (Xenons) but no PDC - its listed as an optional extra in the brochure I have. I've never had it on any car so wont miss it tho.

I have got leather seats and door inserts, not sure about the rest - will have to check. In the Z4MC brochure I have it says, "full nappa leather" is listed as a £1280 extra. Was leather standard on these anyway, or was there a non leather option?

I haven't got a CD changer, but not bothered as the single CD plays MP3s which is more convenient anyway. In the brochure again there are options for "hifi loadspeaker system - £500" and "hifi loudspeaker system - Logic7 professional - £710" - I dont know how to tell if one of these is fited.

The only thing I really wanted that I haven't got is heated seats. I can get them retro fitted for £300/400 though from a place in Salisbury. Having said that, the seats dont feel as cold as in the 350Z (better leather?) and the heater seems much stronger and warms up quickly so I may live without them for a while.

I was just trying to work out the original list price of the car from the brochure out of interest, but if it has 'extended leather' or hifi option it makes quite a difference.

So far i've got:

On the road price £42,350
Professional Nav £1,495
Bluetooth £390
Total £44,235

 

[mmm-five]

To find out if you've got the Logic 7 stereo, simply go into your on-screen menu and see if there is an entry for 'DSP' on the top-left just below 'Computer'. If so, you'll have the Digital Signal Processor (i.e. Logic 7).

Are your door armrests and the tops of the door cards (where the window sits) in leather too - if so, you have extended/full leather. The Z4MR got their roll-hoops covered in leather too with this option, but we don't have those in the Z4MC as we don't want to roll ours

 

[senwar]

Thanks for the replies

Yes I have HIDs (Xenons) but no PDC - its listed as an optional extra in the brochure I have. I've never had it on any car so wont miss it tho.

I have got leather seats and door inserts, not sure about the rest - will have to check. In the Z4MC brochure I have it says, "full nappa leather" is listed as a £1280 extra. Was leather standard on these anyway, or was there a non leather option?

I haven't got a CD changer, but not bothered as the single CD plays MP3s which is more convenient anyway. In the brochure again there are options for "hifi loadspeaker system - £500" and "hifi loudspeaker system - Logic7 professional - £710" - I dont know how to tell if one of these is fited.

The only thing I really wanted that I haven't got is heated seats. I can get them retro fitted for £300/400 though from a place in Salisbury. Having said that, the seats dont feel as cold as in the 350Z (better leather?) and the heater seems much stronger and warms up quickly so I may live without them for a while.

I was just trying to work out the original list price of the car from the brochure out of interest, but if it has 'extended leather' or hifi option it makes quite a difference.

So far i've got:

On the road price £42,350
Professional Nav £1,495
Bluetooth £390
Total £44,235

Yeah PDC was an opition (£285).

You'll have CD changer prep but again the system was an option.

Was that the true OTR price, and not the roadster? Mine was £41,285

 

[mikeypikey999]

Hello Mark. If you have only 6 speakers then you have the standard Hi-Fi. If you can count 10 speakers (6 at the front & 4 behind the seats) you have the £710 "DSP" option.

Extended Nappa means you have Nappa leather door cards & dash inserts.

Most BMW dealers have not a clue what they are selling when it comes to the SatNav - after all, they are salesmen - not technophobes! BMW Satnav systems are one of the worst available. I used to sell the latest DVD's on Ebay until 2 years ago Ebay banned me. BMW use "Navteq" (Dutch) maps which are released twice a year in March & October. They are denoted by the year & issue (ie for this year it will be 2009-01 from March, then 2009-02 from October). BMW make an absolute fortune selling these map DVD's. You can either trade your (genuine copy) DVD twice a year for the latest DVD for £99.00 or buy a new one outright for approx £250.00. (£500 a year!!!).

The really funny thing is that the BMW Satnav (ie Navteq) has no facility for displaying UK/European Fixed/Mobile Speed Cameras. There is a way around this, & speed cameras CAN be displayed - but only pictorially. It is impossible for the BMW Satnav to give an audible warning......

So ,based on my personal experience, don't waste your money (£1850+) on the rubbish BMW Satnav. Buy a £99.00 TomTom & pay £16.50 a year to PocketGPSWorld.com for weekly updates on UK/European & worldwide speed cameras. It takes no more than 10 minutes to update your TomTom.

 

[flimper]

I deliberately avoided the BMW SatNav as I thought the pop-up display spoiled the look in some way, and the maps themselves didn't do it for me. Will be buying a TomTom or Garmin very shortly.

 

[MarkW]

To find out if you've got the Logic 7 stereo, simply go into your on-screen menu and see if there is an entry for 'DSP' on the top-left just below 'Computer'. If so, you'll have the Digital Signal Processor (i.e. Logic 7).

Checked - no DSP screen option so i've not got the Logic 7. Can only see 6 speakers, two in the back, four in the front.

What about the £500 hifi speaker option - any way of spotting that?

Are your door armrests and the tops of the door cards (where the window sits) in leather too - if so, you have extended/full leather. The Z4MR got their roll-hoops covered in leather too with this option, but we don't have those in the Z4MC as we don't want to roll ours

Nope - these arent leather so I must just have the std option. It seems a bit crazy to spend another £1200 just for a few more leather bits tho!

Was that the true OTR price, and not the roadster? Mine was £41,285

That price was taken from a BMW PDF from last July, the website now shows £41,556. I'm assuming this is due to the drop in VAT.

So ,based on my personal experience, don't waste your money (£1850+) on the rubbish BMW Satnav. Buy a £99.00 TomTom & pay £16.50 a year to PocketGPSWorld.com for weekly updates on UK/European & worldwide speed cameras. It takes no more than 10 minutes to update your TomTom.

I agree, but the car came with it and the screen is useful as a display for the radio/cd/computer I spose. I just went out and bought a brand new tomtom last month as I'd decided I wasnt going to change my car for a while.....then this came along so now i've got both

 

[Andy]

Checked - no DSP screen option so i've not got the Logic 7. Can only see 6 speakers, two in the back, four in the front.

you've got the basic one then.. the £500 option would give you more behind the seats.

I love the Prof Nav.. have a latest map cd with cameras and latest OS and it's sweet.. much better than Tomtoms, but hey we argue about this all the time..

so anyway.......................




:worthless:

 

[mikeypikey999]

Checked - no DSP screen option so i've not got the Logic 7. Can only see 6 speakers, two in the back, four in the front.

you've got the basic one then.. the £500 option would give you more behind the seats.

I love the Prof Nav.. have a latest map cd with cameras and latest OS and it's sweet.. much better than Tomtoms, but hey we argue about this all the time..

so anyway.......................

Unfortunately, if you go to PocketGPSWorld.com you will plainly see that in the UK alone there are between 66 - 96 new Speed Camera's reported every week!! Obviously this means that unless you update your SatNav on a weekly basis, sooner or later you are going to be shafted. I rest my case.

However, you can be an idiot & say "Hey, I've got a speed camera database on my BMW SatNav". Great, - but what date was that camera database valid from? If you bought your DVD off eBay you haven't got a clue - it could be from 2005/6!!

Then you are truely in the poo.........

 

[flimper]

If you want to sell your TomTom I might be interested....

 

[davidch]

Checked - no DSP screen option so i've not got the Logic 7. Can only see 6 speakers, two in the back, four in the front.

you've got the basic one then.. the £500 option would give you more behind the seats.

I love the Prof Nav.. have a latest map cd with cameras and latest OS and it's sweet.. much better than Tomtoms, but hey we argue about this all the time..

so anyway.......................

Unfortunately, if you go to PocketGPSWorld.com you will plainly see that in the UK alone there are between 66 - 96 new Speed Camera's reported every week!! Obviously this means that unless you update your SatNav on a weekly basis, sooner or later you are going to be shafted. I rest my case.

However, you can be an idiot & say "Hey, I've got a speed camera database on my BMW SatNav". Great, - but what date was that camera database valid from? If you bought your DVD off eBay you haven't got a clue - it could be from 2005/6!!

Then you are truely in the poo.........

66-96 a week? Turn it in! If that was the case every street will have one on soon enough!

What Andy is saying is that he is happy with his system! Do you update your sat nav every week?

People are really pi**ing me off on this forum with their attitude!!

 

[davidch]

Sorry how rude of me Mark, welcome to the fold.

Get some pictures up soon, as I never get tired of seeing another ///M.

I didn't see a reply to this, but the 3.5mm jack and your ipod will be up and running.

David

 

[flimper]

Regarding the aux point where you can plug in your ipod, has anyone any pictures? I'm assuming I can't do this as I looked and couldn't see where to do this. As for the satnav, sorry if I sounded negative re your system, just voicing my own personal preferences

 

[MarkW]

If you want to sell your TomTom I might be interested....

Unfortunately the g/f has now decided that its hers now by default LOL

At least I know i've just got the basic hifi now....not really bothered though as mostly i listen to talksport or fivelive on MW which isnt exactly quality!

regarding the aux point where you can plug in your ipod, has anyone any pictures? I'm assuming I can't do this as I looked and couldn't see where to do this. As for the satnav, sorry if I sounded negative re your system, just voicing my own personal preferences

I've 'felt' it but not seen it (ooeeer!) I think its under the dash, under the stereo controls slightly to the right.

Thanks for all the help folks.

I'll get some pics up soon!

 

[Andy]

66-96 a week? Turn it in! If that was the case every street will have one on soon enough!
What Andy is saying is that he is happy with his system! Do you update your sat nav every week?
People are really pi**ing me off on this forum with their attitude!!

absolutely agree :thumbsdown: but for the record, it's a 09-1 dvd I remade with December 08 cameras, which i think is recent enough, but then I have a Pogo Alert too, and i can never be bothered to update that.

 

[MarkW]

OK so here are some pics then.....

 

[gannet]

Looking good

 

[senwar]

Lovely looking motor mate and rare as in you don't see many true silver coupe's. However, I love this picture - brilliant!!