Competition Package for daily driving and resale value

[itrocks4u]

Hi


Reading the enthusiasts review and some blogs and most importantly ppl who switched from non ZCP to ZCP it sounds like M3 without ZCP really lacked a few key features. Is that really the case. Would one really tell the difference in daily driving? Does the exhaust really burble more? Coming from a 435 GC with MPE I absolutely love the burble of the exhaust. Does the stock (non zcp) exhaust not burble in the same manner?

I personally used to think M3 on a stripper side would be better than 435 GC. Now it seems like M3 with ZCP is definitely better than M3 stock. It is pretty clear I'm asking this question because budget matters. Paying extra $5000 ($6500 in Canada) really takes me over the budget that I set. (I should stop reading the forums?). So what really is the right answer?

On a second note. If I exceed my budget and pay the extra dime, do I see any benefit when selling the car? Does that extra $5000 now mean I can sell for higher in 3 years time? I understand M3s are pretty rare compared to regular 3 or 4 series but I've previously always leased so not sure what benefit of "options" such as competiton package will I see when it's time to sell?

UPDATE - May 12 2017
My car is Spec'd with competition package. Glad I went this route. No big difference in ride quality at all.

[DreamSlider ///M]

Good conversation on this here: http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1260827

Removing emotion etc from it, stick to your budget. You made it for a reason. Now for the long-winded, wishy-washy version.

I'd say it fully depends on how you drive in your DD as to whether or not you'll see the differences between the ZCP and non-ZCP models... full disclaimer: I have ZCP so I'm certainly biased, but my thoughts:

DD a little aggressively and you'll certainly notice the difference. When you really get on the car (as much as you can in traffic, etc) and flip everything over to Sport+, the ZCP car steps away from non-ZCP (much nicer burbles and overruns, nice tight suspension that feels better than non-ZCP) and the extra money was well spent. The ZCP seats are comfortable but have no adjustable lumbar (but adjustable side bolsters) so if you need back support, be aware of that. The blacked out accents (kidneys, M badge, etc) on ZCP are icing on the cake and it's all delicious.

However, if you DD a bit more like a normal person (very few of us here seem to qualify for that statement, but you could be the unicorn in the group ), I don't know that the ZCP would really be necessary. Cars sound pretty similar to me through low to mid rev range (especially in Economy mode) between the ZCP and non, and they're both amazing rides. Counter to the ZCP, the seats in the non-ZCP have full lumbar support and are also very comfortable.

All in all, I believe YMMV greatly on ZCP based on your driving habits...
- drive around like a yob from time to time and it always brings a smile to my face (more so than non-ZCP did at least) so go ZCP (especially if budget is flexible)
- drive like a calm, normal person and go non-ZCP. Stick with your budget. All that good stuff

I personally don't see a significant difference in resale/value hold between the packages. I imagine there will be a market for either in the future.

Good luck on your choice!

[Bimmed Out]

I can just speculate based on what I've seen in the e92 M3 pre-owned market over the last five years or so. How many potential buyers would pass on a car because it has ZCP? I expect not many. And how many would pass because a car does *not* have ZCP? I would guess quite a few. As such, it's hard for me to imagine ZCP wouldn't have at least some impact on resale. Just my dos centavos.

[katit]

I was in a same boat. But for me festures in executive package was more desirable for DD

At the end I ordered complete stripper. Remember, you will pay for those expensive tires and wheels even after purchase. M3 is wild enough as is. It's got plenty of everything as is.

As for resale- I think it will be about condition, not package. But again, depends when you plan to sell. In any case you won't get back what you pay for comp package.

[changw1]

I am on the same camp that you won't get much back from options package. I imagine folks who buy used M3 have more limited budget and be more price conscious.

From an enthusiast standpoint, I would buy the comp package if you track your car. If it is a DD, it probably won't make much difference. A base M3 is already a big step up from a 435 . Most of us dont have the skills to take full advantage of the M cars anyway.

Originally Posted by katit

I was in a same boat. But for me festures in executive package was more desirable for DD

At the end I ordered complete stripper. Remember, you will pay for those expensive tires and wheels even after purchase. M3 is wild enough as is. It's got plenty of everything as is.

As for resale- I think it will be about condition, not package. But again, depends when you plan to sell. In any case you won't get back what you pay for comp package.

[itrocks4u]

Thanks for the insight guys. $6500 in Canada is a big coin unless I decide to sell the wheels.

[nicknaz]

Love my m3, it's great but it's still a car and I wouldn't blow budget on a car

I have a non zcp '15 with passive dampers. I switched tires for more traction and tweaked the alignment a bit and am good to go.

makes sense to me to get zcp if you plan to get MPE anyway and if you plan to keep stock

[Biorin]

Originally Posted by kepler

I can just speculate based on what I've seen in the e92 M3 pre-owned market over the last five years or so. How many potential buyers would pass on a car because it has ZCP? I expect not many. And how many would pass because a car does *not* have ZCP? I would guess quite a few. As such, it's hard for me to imagine ZCP wouldn't have at least some impact on resale. Just my dos centavos.

From a resale perspective, I'm inclined to agree with this. Especially a few years from now, when prices will drop enough that getting every package you want in a used car is much more affordable.

I have ZCP as a DD and I have no complaints in term of discomfort etc. What sealed the deal for me were the reviews saying that the car was less volatile (in a good way), and that it brought back some of the magic that should have been there in the first place.

[Super Spartan]

I have a non ZCP M4 because I like the lumbar support and I heard the suspension on the ZCP is kinda firmer. Great for track perhaps, not for my daily driving habits

Also, when it is time to sell, I highly doubt that you can sell yours for more just because it's a ZCP, they go around the same price, it's like accessories, they won't give you any value when selling the car. I call that, wasted money

[katit]

Originally Posted by changw1

I am on the same camp that you won't get much back from options package. I imagine folks who buy used M3 have more limited budget and be more price conscious.

From an enthusiast standpoint, I would buy the comp package if you track your car. If it is a DD, it probably won't make much difference. A base M3 is already a big step up from a 435 . Most of us dont have the skills to take full advantage of the M cars anyway.

On top of that I say that I kind of regret not getting exec package. But I never thought that I wish I had comp package. I daily drive my M3, and if I go to the track at some point - I think I can get over comp pack abscence

At the end - if money wasn't an issue - I would get all options just because "why not"

[f80NJ17]

Personally the zcp is not worth 5k for a daily.

[RobbyMack]

Option packages provide little resale value but they might make a car sell faster in the used market. Think of it like a pool. You neighbor might have exact the same house as you, you both put it on the market the same time. He has a pool you don't. Your asking price might be a few thousand less but he isn't going to see the $50k+ he dropped on the pool in resale. He might get his home sold quicker and make a slight bit more on the sale but that $50k is essentially gone.

[katit]

Originally Posted by RobbyMack

Option packages provide little resale value but they might make a car sell faster in the used market. Think of it like a pool. You neighbor might have exact the same house as you, you both put it on the market the same time. He has a pool you don't. Your asking price might be a few thousand less but he isn't going to see the $50k+ he dropped on the pool in resale. He might get his home sold quicker and make a slight bit more on the sale but that $50k is essentially gone.

I think its bad comparison. RE agent will tell you some people want pool and some don't. It cost money to get rid of pool

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by itrocks4u

I personally used to think M3 on a stripper side would be better than 435 GC.

This being the case, I'm curious why you ended up buying the 435i. What changed your mind? And what has you rethinking this opinion yet again, such that you are thinking about the M3 now?

For most of the trade-offs you are weighing, it comes down to value. For $65k (I'm talking US pricing here for simplicity, I realize the numbers are different up in the Grest White North), if your priority #1 is performance, an M3 has the nicely equipped 435i beat easily when you look at the value equation. It's not even a contest.

But, when you start piling options on the M3, you start to chip away at that. Again I'm speaking strictly about buying a performance car. Even though the competition package does offer additional performance compared to the base model, it isn't the ideal place to put money when on a budget.

Now it seems like M3 with ZCP is definitely better than M3 stock.

For the sake of argument, we can just assume that is fact.

But then there are plenty of other ways to get more car by spending more money. You can always increase performance buy throwing more money at the purchase. But it does not scale linearly. You spend $X more than the base price of a 340i (or 440i) to get an M3. You get 100hp more and a ton of chassis improvements. Now, you can dump in twice that much if you want, but you aren't getting twice as much more performance (talking strictly factory or port installed options here, not aftermarket).

And, as far as resale goes, there is no way to increase ROI by adding options. Every option you add will depreciate just like the complete bare bones stripper does. If you are going to get 50% resale value of a $65k M3 (and I'm just throwing that out, but let's say it's accurate), you are going to get 50% resale value on an $85k M3 too. You could even go crazy and spend $130k on an M3 with every option, complete customization through BMW Individual, and every single M Performance part you can put on the car. If I go and instead buy two $65k base model M3s - maybe one for me and one for the missus - we are both going to end up $65k in the hole when we go to sell (assuming similar mileage, wear and tear).

[m3forme2016]

I think for DD ZCP does not make much sense. The ride is a bit harsher. You won't get the money back when you sell. Maybe some of it, but probably less than half.

However, you really have to decide for yourself. I found pretty much the car I wanted without ZCP, but ordered one with ZCP. Now I'm waiting and waiting. For me, it's not about the performance. It's just because I know it has ZCP. So that's why I said you have to decide for yourself.

Originally Posted by itrocks4u

Hi


Reading the enthusiasts review and some blogs and most importantly ppl who switched from non ZCP to ZCP it sounds like M3 without ZCP really lacked a few key features. Is that really the case. Would one really tell the difference in daily driving? Does the exhaust really burble more? Coming from a 435 GC with MPE I absolutely love the burble of the exhaust. Does the stock (non zcp) exhaust not burble in the same manner?

I personally used to think M3 on a stripper side would be better than 435 GC. Now it seems like M3 with ZCP is definitely better than M3 stock. It is pretty clear I'm asking this question because budget matters. Paying extra $5000 ($6500 in Canada) really takes me over the budget that I set. (I should stop reading the forums?). So what really is the right answer?

On a second note. If I exceed my budget and pay the extra dime, do I see any benefit when selling the car? Does that extra $5000 now mean I can sell for higher in 3 years time? I understand M3s are pretty rare compared to regular 3 or 4 series but I've previously always leased so not sure what benefit of "options" such as competiton package will I see when it's time to sell?

[RickFLM4]

If you don't see the value in the package for yourself, don't get it if you are on a budget. Whatever resale benefit it may provide won't make up the budget strain unless you really want it.

It wasn't available in MY15 so it wasn't a consideration for me and I can't say I have ever thought about trading in to get the same car with it or regretting not waiting another year or so to get a car with it. I like my wheels and non-CP seats and also think exhaust sounds fine (contrary to many others) but see why the package may appeal to some. It's really an individual decision and if you are trying to figure out if it's worth getting, that's a sign it probably isn't in your case.

[avantix]

I was in the same boat as OP. Had a well equipped 2013 335 M sport with M performance styling kit and M performance exhaust. The jump to a similarly equipped M3 is almost double the price in Canada. Initially I started looking for a stripper M3 to keep the price as low as possible and definitely wanted to buy in late December to take advantage of low interest rate and dealer cost pricing since the don't want to get stuck with cars at end of year. Then I went off on a wild tangent and placed an order for a car that would have cost several hundred $ more per month with lots of options. I took a step back and came to the realisation that even a stripper M3 would be a huge step up from the loaded 335i I was coming from and finally the stars aligned and I wound up getting a 2016 Silverstone M3 with carbon roof, carbon trim, extended black leather, connected drive and enhanced bluetooth with universal remote in a very hard to find 6MT. After spending 2k in carbon fiber addons and springs I have the car I always wanted at an incredible payment that I wanted. YMMV and some might thing of this as settling but I can tell you that you quickly forget about not having a rear view camera when you mash the throttle and listen to that engine purr plus every 21st of the month I have a smile on my face knowing what I'm paying for it . Good luck with your decision.

[///M4ster Yoda]

It's a personal choice. No one can make it for you. This has been discussed in numerous threads. Some love the CP others not so much. I had the choice on my 2016 but opted against it. I just didn't feel the $5000 was worth the money on wheels I wasn't crazy about as well as negligible HP increase. The car is a beast whether you opted for it or not. The only thing I wish I could have from the ZCP is the exhaust burbles. Good luck

[Ggeezer]

I had a relatively stripper M4 a couple of years ago - extended leather, CF trim, adaptive suspension. It was a significant amount of car and can't say that it needed anything more. In your situation, coming from a 435i, I think the value for money that a non-ZCP M4 offers can't be beat (in Canada at least) and the incremental increase in performance may not be noticeable enough to you to justify the hefty $6,500 price tag.

ZCP offers the performance benefits but whether they would be worth it you is something that you have to think about and I think everyone here is giving you their perspectives so it's up to you to outline the pros and cons. To you, are the performance benefits worth the $6,500? Do you like the wheels? Are you comfortable with the extra amount needed to replace 20" performance tires when they're worn out, over and above the 19"? Will you be tracking the car? Are you planning on adding coilovers/springs or wheels? If so, then I'd skip on the ZCP. How about a tune?

Would you be happy driving the car without the ZCP if you didn't know BMW offered it?

This time around I went ahead with a ZCP car. Similar to avantix, I looked for a MY2016 in December that was 6MT, CF roof and had ZCP and my local dealer had one so I decided to pick it up based on all the positive feedback I've read on it.

[avantix]

Congrats on the car, how did I miss that one? LOL

Originally Posted by Ggeezer

I had a relatively stripper M4 a couple of years ago - extended leather, CF trim, adaptive suspension. It was a significant amount of car and can't say that it needed anything more. In your situation, coming from a 435i, I think the value for money that a non-ZCP M4 offers can't be beat (in Canada at least) and the incremental increase in performance may not be noticeable enough to you to justify the hefty $6,500 price tag.

ZCP offers the performance benefits but whether they would be worth it you is something that you have to think about and I think everyone here is giving you their perspectives so it's up to you to outline the pros and cons. To you, are the performance benefits worth the $6,500? Do you like the wheels? Are you comfortable with the extra amount needed to replace 20" performance tires when they're worn out, over and above the 19"? Will you be tracking the car? Are you planning on adding coilovers/springs or wheels? If so, then I'd skip on the ZCP. How about a tune?

Would you be happy driving the car without the ZCP if you didn't know BMW offered it?

This time around I went ahead with a ZCP car. Similar to avantix, I looked for a MY2016 in December that was 6MT, CF roof and had ZCP and my local dealer had one so I decided to pick it up based on all the positive feedback I've read on it.

[mkoesel]

True, and it can easily work the other way too. Someone who doesn't want a pool (liability, maintenance) won't even consider your neighbor's house. If that guy happens to come by the day the two homes go on the market, then you end up selling first instead of your neighbor with the "better" house.

Originally Posted by RobbyMack

Option packages provide little resale value but they might make a car sell faster in the used market. Think of it like a pool. You neighbor might have exact the same house as you, you both put it on the market the same time. He has a pool you don't. Your asking price might be a few thousand less but he isn't going to see the $50k+ he dropped on the pool in resale. He might get his home sold quicker and make a slight bit more on the sale but that $50k is essentially gone.

[Ggeezer]

Originally Posted by avantix

Congrats on the car, how did I miss that one? LOL

It was a fully loaded one in the showroom!