Importance of Specs

[Stark]

So I had 3 weeks without my E89....and 3 weeks of a courtesy car, well 3 cars.

1. 3 Series 320d. 14 Reg M Sport 1k miles
2. 3 Series 320 petrol. 63 Reg 15K miles non M Sport
3. 5 Series 520d 62 Reg 16K miles non M Sport

The first car was great, I probably didn't appreciate is as much as I should have. It had pretty much everything apart from the professional navigation. The navigation it did have was the smaller screen. My thoughts are that it could have been better if the nav screen popped down into the dash.

The second car was awful.....really bad. Had nothing. No folding mirrors, standard seats, 16inch wheels and awful basic steering wheel. Truly hideous.

The 5 series was a strong car even with the same engine....nice and comfortable to drive, but still curious why people didn't spec these new cars in M Sport. Steering wheel alone is a must.

Just makes me realise how the spec on a car is crucial to the enjoyment. The more cars evolve the more we become used to luxuries we would have not missed in years gone by. Electric seats, folding mirrors, good navigation and sports seats are all a must in a new car, as well as Xenon/LED lights.

 

[sars]

I think it also depends on the manufacturer of the car, standard seats in a BMW are not that comfortable, where the cars by Audi and Mercedes, that I have driven, are.

Xenons I also believe are a must these days and I'm surprised that they are not standard. Satellite navigation remains the biggest rip off that premium brands continue to push, however it is a very useful option but seriously is it £2k useful It staggers me that so many people don't blink in spending this amount on an extra. Why because most are spending a lot of financed money on a car and that extra £2k isn't that much compared to the cost of the car. Yet how many would pay £2k for a phone, which has more usability and functionality than sat nav

 

[Brasseye]

Do find the regular seat more comfortable on long journeys. Never mised the folding mirrors at all.

Do agree with our top sat nav being the best example of a waste of £2000 :lol:

I guess some people prefer a chunky wheel ? :driving:

 

[Anonymous]

Finally, someone who agrees toys are important, or as I call them - optional essentials!

However, in this case, how did you find the 320d compared to 320i engine?

 

[pvr]

£2k for an integrated system, which is not just satnav either, but the entire music / phone / computer / nav system is not that bad compared that an iPhone is also £750 ...

My new system includes the sms messages on screen, PDC information, DAB, DAB+ (whatever that is), TV, DVD, computer info and so on.

 

[Anonymous]

Isn't TV an extra option...

 

[sars]

£2k for an integrated system, which is not just satnav either, but the entire music / phone / computer / nav system is not that bad compared that an iPhone is also £750 ...

My new system includes the sms messages on screen, PDC information, DAB, DAB+ (whatever that is), TV, DVD, computer info and so on.

So Apple charge £549 for a 16GB iPhone 5S that does everything in your list above and more (you can carry about your person) and BMW charge £2k. The good news is that you will soon be able to have the iPhone running an integrated display screen in your car running superior and up to date sat/traffic/music/phone software.....but how much?

 

[RJS-Z4]

It saddens me when I find a lowly spec'd example. I've actually learnt this purely from BMW ownership.

Previously owning primarily Renaults, and older ones, options weren't really a thing.

When I bought the zed it was missing quite a few options, but also had quite a few strange ones. Two years later and I have most options, :evil: but it absolutely dictates whether I think a car for sale is worth a shout, or a "bargain" now.

 

[domsz4]

i sort of agree with the spec thing. but i can see why people dont spend out on stuff.

on the flip side when buying second had i really don't get why people don't go high spec. (ok you have to be careful high spec = high cost when broken) when buying the z i didn't look at anything that didnt have nav/multi function wheel/18's etc the only thing i compromised on was the sports seats. mostly because i didn't know but even so i don't really miss not having them.

 

[MartynF]

How far does one go? I am collecting my new M135i at the weekend, and have specked around 7K of options! Even then I had to draw the line somewhere, so its deciding on the must haves and nice to haves.

My 2nd hand Z4M I did compromise on spec slightly, only because I wanted a car that had been looked after and as perfect as possible. Ideally it would have been nice to have had cruise control and parking sensors, otherwise its basic spec with the carbon leather dash is just gorgeous. As I tend to be using the Z4M for pleasure its not on roads where I would use cruse very often so not a big deal... The M135i however will be a daily drive and used on dual carriageways etc where cruse is nice.

 

[Stark]

The 320d is much much better than the petrol equivalent.

I wonder how long it will take BMW to get rid of Xenon and go to LED like the new Mini

 

[teamemmenracing]

I guess it all depends on what you use the car for ......

The Z4M I have does not have satnav, or folding mirrors .... and I have never missed either ...... My jeep Wrangler has absolutely nothing, but then thats the joy of having nothing to go wrong, my other car that I do all the Euro Trip Miles in ...... now that has to have everything

 

[RJS-Z4]

i sort of agree with the spec thing. but i can see why people dont spend out on stuff.

on the flip side when buying second had i really don't get why people don't go high spec. (ok you have to be careful high spec = high cost when broken) when buying the z i didn't look at anything that didnt have nav/multi function wheel/18's etc the only thing i compromised on was the sports seats. mostly because i didn't know but even so i don't really miss not having them.

I bought my car knowing nothing about z4's, on a complete whim. Only when I got it home I realised that such things were missing, sports seats, heated seats, wind deflector, you name it.

 

[Stark]

If I were buying new I would definitely go for TV and heated steering wheel. ....

 

[Jembo]

i sort of agree with the spec thing. but i can see why people dont spend out on stuff.

on the flip side when buying second had i really don't get why people don't go high spec. (ok you have to be careful high spec = high cost when broken) when buying the z i didn't look at anything that didnt have nav/multi function wheel/18's etc the only thing i compromised on was the sports seats. mostly because i didn't know but even so i don't really miss not having them.

I bought my car knowing nothing about z4's, on a complete whim. Only when I got it home I realised that such things were missing, sports seats, heated seats, wind deflector, you name it.

Heard of a couple of extras, though was lucky mine had everything except Sat Nav & Parking sensors, 2 things I wasn't fussed about given u can see the rear & my TOMTOM knocks spots off the BMW unit.

Was the M seats & having them heated that wasn't expecting to appreciate the most, though your Zeds now looking the business

 

[Anonymous]

Do you spend a lot of time sitting in the car stationary to warrant the TV?

 

[sars]

I reckon it's a man thing Kevin, you can't be to far away from porn or football

 

[Anonymous]

haha!!!

When I specced my Z4 (back in the days when I thought I had money) I seriously considered the TV option, but think it was about £800, and as I don't spend any time in the car stationary (apart from traffic jams) I just couldn't do it. Same as the electric seats...nice, but not worth £600+ when its only me that drove it.

 

[Anonymous]

However, I did spec the £95 internet....used it about twice cos it was sooo sloowww! Now that was a waste (although they use 3g now in the F series cars)

 

[davegt]

My company E91 320d is the basic ES Model with AUX and Bluetooth, it's my daily work hack and in 2 years and 54k I haven't missed any of the optional extra's really, I drove it from Calais to San Tropez in one sitting with a break for fuel and road snacks, other than being generally tired from hours behind the wheel I wasn't uncomfortable at any point.

If I was buying one new I'd have to have Leather seats, the cloth interior is comfortable but marks really easily, I spilt fizzy water on the passenger seat and even that has left an interesting looking stain.................it's water honest :lol: