options and how often

[sars]

What? SARS! Electric Folding Mirrors on the Z are a must!! You'll be telling us you're not fussed by the long bonnet!

How are they a must? if I park on a road I can push them in (it takes lke 1.5 seconds) and if I want to parallel park I have the movement control on the inside, adjust them to get the perfect view so that I don't hit the kerb..... Men honestly

As for the long bonnet, it's called spacial awareness and being careful, I don't have PDC either

 

[Anonymous]

Tell me how many times have you pushed the passenger one in, and then come back to the car and forgot to push it out? Huh? Huh? Huh?

 

[Wondermike]

I like -

auto lights and wipers
xenons
heated seats
bluetooth
usb or ipod/aux

 

[sars]

Tell me how many times have you pushed the passenger one in, and then come back to the car and forgot to push it out? Huh? Huh? Huh?

Categorically never, If I absolutely have to park on the road, then I park near side to the pavement, it is easier to see the kerb from the wing mirror and easier to get out back into traffic.

 

[Adamski]

I will soon be fitting AUX. After that the CD changer won't get used much...

Wish mine had AUX stereo input as standard


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bing]

OK, I'm a newbie so got to ask, what does MSFW mean???

Thought it was a fair question as Bing said:

MSFW - used for controlling phone, and stereo volume etc whilst motorway driving, could live without the paddles but they are fun

:wink:

Oops - forgot... I also steer with it

Some additions to my epic list -

Heated electric folding mirrors - heating great in winter or just for steaming off condensation in the morning, and I fold mine everywhere, especially parked on the kerb to keep them out of the way of young scallywags on scooters :x

Auto-dimming mirrors - could live without, but you sit so low that you get blinded more often without them... Though that could be another short-arse thing :|

 

[Dice]

Here's my thoughts and not in order:

- gaptech remote roof / one touch (couldn't be without)

- LeatherZ Door Armrests (well, I use everyday but not a must )

- remoted engine heater (Webasto. Very nice to have in winter)

- hard top (as above, very nice to have especially in winter)

- automatic transmission (manual is not for me)

- cruise control (I use it A LOT)

- MFSW / M wheel (so nice)

- wind deflector (sure)

- warning triangle (never used and hope I don't have to. It's good to have though. Same as the first aid kit)

- electric heated sport seats with memory (I have key memory, so Ms. Dice uses her own key.
1=Dice, 2=Ms. Dice 3=Get ready... vacuuming position (goes all the way front).

- isofix (useful? Not yet but good to have)

- xenons (very happy to have)

- 3 flash turn signal (very useful mod)

- ac (sure, don't they all have it?)

- radio, cd, aux-in (very important)

- auto lights (I have but always do it manually)

- alloys style 135M winter, style 224 summer (I love them both!)

- sat nav (doing a retrofit someday...)

- pdc (yes, maybe in front someday)

So in real life, what do we really need and what is just good to have, that is the question. No answer, sorry .

Cheers

Dice

 

[VvrooomM]

Electric memory seats - am only driver and only 5'8 but use it twice a day to save thumping and wearing the bolster of my light sepang leather.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hype]

The thing about all these options is if you have them you think their essential, but if you don't you'll probably never think "I wish I had ______".

I can only think of one option which I couldn't live without, Sports seats. I've driven a Zed (E85) with standard seats and I really didn't like the lack of support.

A lot of people are saying parking sensors are essential - I was wondering if that's mainly Roadster owners (visibility through the rear window)? As a Coupe driver I've got to say I don't think I've ever driven a car which was easier to reverse park - and I mean without sensors.

 

[sars]

The thing about all these options is if you have them you think their essential, but if you don't you'll probably never think "I wish I had ______".

I can only think of one option which I couldn't live without, Sports seats. I've driven a Zed (E85) with standard seats and I really didn't like the lack of support.

A lot of people are saying parking sensors are essential - I was wondering if that's mainly Roadster owners (visibility through the rear window)? As a Coupe driver I've got to say I don't think I've ever driven a car which was easier to reverse park - and I mean without sensors.

I've said this many times before, you get so used to using PDC, that when it fails to pick a post you WILL reverse into it. The zed's are fairly easy to park, use your wing mirrors, tilted slightly down and reverse parking becomes easy.

I thought my E89 came with rear PDC as standard as my last three convertibles have all had them, and that the PDC option was just for the addition of fronts, which I have never needed. Would I have spent the extra £600 to have them....not sure

 

[aquazi]

Musts for me are:
heated seats
xenons
BT
MFSW

Things I use, but could live without
memory seats ( i have: 1 for my key, 2 for the motorway.. slightly back and 3 for all the way back, easy to get out)
auto wipers + lights
Nav
folding mirrors
PDC

Things i wish i didnt have:
darkening mirrors.... especially the side ones... makes seeing the curb at night difficult. And spotting the plod behind you

I've said this many times before, you get so used to using PDC, that when it fails to pick a post you WILL reverse into it. The zed's are fairly easy to park, use your wing mirrors, tilted slightly down and reverse parking becomes easy.
/quote]

All the cars i use have them... had a hire car last month which didnt, but it beeps when reversing (like a truck, except only inside the cabin) beep, beep, beep... then bang But they didnt spot the scuff when i returned it :evil:

 

[dan425]

Heated seats: Got, these are essential for those winter days with the roof down.
SatNav: Got, but also own a TomTom, so wouldn't miss it. I use it a few times a month when I'm going to new places, but overall I've found it to be poor. Will be useful when selling though.
MFSW: :thumbsdown: Don't have, wish I did, but am surviving without it.
Aux/iPod Input: :thumbsdown: Don't have, attempted a DIY cable, it worked but was a tad tempermental, so bought a decent FM transmitter. It works fine.
CD Changer: :thumbsdown: Don't have, but music issues are solved, see above.
PDC: :thumbsdown: Don't have, would be nice-to-have, but I've managed to park it fine so far! Front sensors would be more useful tbh!
Memory seats: I've got them, but I'm the only one that drives the car.
Xenons: :thumbsdown: Don't have, don't need, don't want.
Auto lights: Always on, much prefer them as I don't have to worry about switching them on. That said, I managed with my previous car!
Metal Roof: :thumbsdown: Bah, topless all the way!
Darkening Mirrors: Got, but could easily live without.

 

[Allattar]

Hmmm.
Seeing as I am on my second zed I can compare.

Sport seats - very nice and hold you in. I didnt have these on the previous zed, and whilst the standard seats are nice I prefer the new sports ones.

Heated seats- never had, what are you all wusses or something? Cant say I have ever seen the point or been that cold that I have had to put the roof up. Also as I have never had them I should add I have no experience of what they are like in cold weather.

MFSW - Always had one of these and very useful for switching tracks and controlling the radio. Anything that stops you fiddling around and taking attention from the road is a good thing.

Auto windscreen wipers - two minds about these. They can work nicely (when the windscreen is clean) and they seem to work a lot better in the E89 than they did in my E85. I do use them all the time though. Its raining, just put auto on.

Auto headlights - Always on auto, I am just lazy. Its a problem now becuase whenever I am in a different car, I forget the lights dont come on automatically.

Bluetooth - initially I wasnt worried about this. If someone called when driving I wouldnt answer. Actually its pretty useful.

Professional radio- Big noisy stereo always used plus the aux in and usb are very useful. Again anything to stop you fiddling for a CD. It can be annoying that the USB can drop out on some of my older ripped music. I think it must be the format it was ripped in. some of the stuff is in variable bit rate and that may be a problem.

Parking sensors - especially on the E89 with that beefier rear its really useful. Even have sensors on the front now.

Folding wing mirrors - I use them, I forget to use them, useful but I could take or leave it.

Cruise control - Useful again, but not really any good on the M6 or M25

 

[a11y]

Aye
Heated seats - total convert to these despite initially not being a big fan
6-disc changer - for storing music that Mrs a11y likes (she's not a fan of my stuff...)

Meh :|
Cruise control - I rarely get the opportunity (it's usually raining heavily when I'm on suitable roads!)
Electric seats - it's rare that Mrs a11y drives the Z4, but we share a position anyway

Nah :thumbsdown:
Auto lights - no thanks, I can figure that out myself
Auto wipers - the bane of my life, I'd much prefer a variable intermittent that I could control myself

 

[tomscott]

My Z came with everything apart from cruise and heated seats.

I love toys, and the more the better and I use all of them. No.1 on my list was the DSP with the 10 speaker upgrade because first thing I do is plug my ipod in. Bu I have to say compared to the one in my older 3 I was pretty disappointed .

Second was the sat nav system, although not as good as the newer iDrive everything runs through it so control of bluetooth etc Getting into my mini cooper S without it is a pain. Only a 3 line display to select phone numbers etc really annoying! Plus on an M car you expect to get everything! So I was thinking about resale value as well as my own entertainment.

Third was PDC sometimes there are things you cant see with mirrors! I also have a very tight garage and have been used to it with the 3 previous cars...

Forth was Bluetooth because after getting the Cooper S with it I didnt want to be without it!

Fifth was Xenons and the car comes as standard so no worries

Sixth was Cruise but I couldn't find an M with it when buying mine and subsequently didn't get it and I do miss it a lot!

Seventh and less important was folding mirrors, when parking on my street it is very tight driving up, but again couldn't find one with this which was also annoying. Perhaps some did but BMW just didnt put it on the spec sheet.

Some people are bothered about the tech but as we all get drawn further and further into tech and expectations grow then people wont want one without. The only problem I see is that buying a newer car with all the toys adds a lot of cost... When I bought mine it was 4 years old so the cost of the toys didn't make any difference to the cost of the car, values were the same with cars that had or didn't have the same toys...

I also found the cars were 'under specced' on the BMW site, as if they hadn't done their homework. My car wasn't listed with the DSP or the 10 speaker system yet had it.. Nearly didn't look at it simply because it didn't have what I was after. But wanted to test drive one and fell in love with it.

Also if you dont use it then start using it!!! I dont see a reason why you wouldn't use half the tech it makes your life easier!?? Then you might realise what your missing! lol

Plus the tech in the new cars is far far superior to our 10+ year old systems in the E85/86. My dads old E92 M3 was amazing, he switched to a 997 CS and the tech is similar to the Z4M old... simple things like 7 digit post code entries... not there. But there are ways around it. Theres a reason new cars are expensive a lot of money was spent on R+D and the new tech is really very good but I would never spend the £3.5k on the sat nav pro that is ridiculous! Not just because its expensive its that you wont get any money back for it when you come to trade yet the dealer will put a premium on it because it does. Typical stealers catch 22. Depends if you have money to burn.

 

[gannet]

Yay
Cruise - I like and fitted it to my car
Heated Seats - especially with the roof down
AUX - listening to iPod/Phone music easier than CD Changer...
Cup Holders - fitted and used

Indifferent/Not bothered
Bluetooth - was ok, then I changed phone which didnt import the phone book, so never use that now
CD Changer - Had the dealer fit it as condition of purchase, now never used cos of AUX
Memory Seats - mrs gannet rarely drives it (3 times in 5 years...)
Sat Nav, really just use TomTom or Phone

Auto wipers - the bane of my life, I'd much prefer a variable intermittent that I could control myself

eh? isn't that basically how it works? you adjust the sensitivity of the sensor. never bothered me anyway :?

 

[a11y]

Auto wipers - the bane of my life, I'd much prefer a variable intermittent that I could control myself

eh? isn't that basically how it works? you adjust the sensitivity of the sensor. never bothered me anyway :?

My sensor never seems to get the required wiper speed correct - usually it's far too often but occasionally isn't often enough. I reckon it's down to my liberal use of Rain-X although it could be a duff sensor on my car I guess! Either way I hate the fecking things.

 

[tomscott]

Ye the newer auto wipers are much much better than the Z4s ones my old 3 had the newer tech and they worked much much better. The zds never seem to know whether to work or not or how fast! Quite anoying

 

[Bing]

Ye the newer auto wipers are much much better than the Z4s ones my old 3 had the newer tech and they worked much much better. The zds never seem to know whether to work or not or how fast! Quite anoying

+2 - distracting sometimes, and alarming when they pause for a few seconds in heavy rain... At which point auto gets demoted and full wiper is given control

 

[gannet]

Ye the newer auto wipers are much much better than the Z4s ones my old 3 had the newer tech and they worked much much better. The zds never seem to know whether to work or not or how fast! Quite anoying

+2 - distracting sometimes, and alarming when they pause for a few seconds in heavy rain... At which point auto gets demoted and full wiper is given control

this never happens on mine