0% offer M3 Comp Pack on the way

[rth32]

Have taken advantage of the Lloyds Group 0% deal with dealer contribution that's on at the moment and placed an order for an M3 Comp Pack. Spec is as follows:

M3 Competition Package with DCT
Mineral Grey
20” Black 666M wheels
Silverstone Full Merino Leather with Carbon trim (automatically includes rear sun blinds)
Head up Display
Harman/Kardon surround sound
Electric Glass Sunroof
Sunblind - rear windscreen, electric
BMW Icon adaptive LED headlights (automatically includes high-beam assistant)
Surround-view (automatically adds reversing camera)
Speed limit display

This is such a good offer at the moment, it was a no brainer. Car due early May. Can't wait!

[Wo-Wo]

Nice!

Not sure I'd want to loose the CF roof, but each to their own.

[AlanYoro35i]

i’ll keep the CF roof too! highligh of the car!

[Simon H]

If im honest, i would have the sunroof 100% over the carbon roof, it just adds so much extra pleasure, and you can hear the exhaust more . If, and when i buy a new M5, im losing the carbon roof on that, and having the sunroof.

[Circuit Hunter]

Carbon roof all the way. Name another car with one...

[rth32]

Thanks for the comments guys. Interesting that the roof choice should be the talking point. I had a CF roof on my M4. I thought it was a bit of a gimmick. Prefer a light airy interior and a body coloured roof so sunroof for me.

[Rampant]

My opinion woukd be to definitely keep the carbon roof.

I'll tell you a story:

Once upon a time I went shopping for an Evo IX. I found a grey import at an import dealer in the right colour and went to look at it. I'd read about the reduced weight of the alloy roof on the Evo VII MR and IX. The weight reduction from the top of the car was "equivalent to lowering the car's centre of gravity by 50mm". Which makes a lot of sense due to the length of the lever arm of that weight above the car's roll centre.

So when I looked at the grey import I realised that the roof didn't have the strengthening ridges that alloy roof panels should have. I asked them to test it with a magnet. Turned out that the roof was steel. (Probably for inserting a sunroof....).

I had a long think about the car and eventually rejected it simply on the grounds that I knew - every single time I threw the car into a bend and felt it roll, that the roll would remind me I didn't have the alloy roof. And I knew that thought would eventually sully the driving experience.

In the end I found a franchised dealer even closer to me that could sell me a UK car discounted to similar money as the grey import. I kept it for 12 years.

I'm conscious that the same thought would sully my M3 experience, so have gladly not ticked the sunroof option.

On the other hand, our 997 T has a sunroof, but that car is ostensibly low enough and with an already very low centre of gravity (flat six, dry sump, wide rear track) that roll is no factor in bends, so the sunroof is a bonus on that car.

Yours Aye

Mark H

[as7920]

Originally Posted by Circuit Hunter

Carbon roof all the way. Name another car with one...

Audi RS5 and Jaguar F-Type Coupe

It's a tough choice. Have a sunroof on my M2, mostly because there's no CF option.

However, I think I agree with the general consensus on here and have the carbon roof on the M3/M4.

[Simon H]

Hand on heart, i very much doubt you would drive a car with a sunroof, then jump into a carbon roofed car, and say, oh thats better , i could feel the lower center of gravity through that turn ?.

[Paul SR]

I wouldn’t notice the lowered centre of gravity either, but I love the carbon fibre roof!

[Rampant]

Originally Posted by Simon H

Hand on heart, i very much doubt you would drive a car with a sunroof, then jump into a carbon roofed car, and say, oh thats better , i could feel the lower center of gravity through that turn ?.

I mostly agree. (Although a 50mm CG lowering is really not an insignificant reduction...)
However, whether you'd notice physically or not, the psychological thought remains.
If I'd chosen the steel roof Evo (and remember, that's a 50mm CG lowering *without* the addition of a heavy sunroof) I'd always be aware, whenever I felt the car roll, that I had a car that was not as optimised as it should have been. And that *thought* would've cheapened the driving experience and ultimately might have ruined the entire ownership experience.
As it was, I tracked my aluminium roofed Evo and win a couple of class at sprint events over my 12 year ownership period. It should go without saying that whether I could feel it or not, that CG lowering did, in fact, contribute to the car's track speed.

Yours Aye

Mark H

[takumichinoku]

Originally Posted by Simon H

Hand on heart, i very much doubt you would drive a car with a sunroof, then jump into a carbon roofed car, and say, oh thats better , i could feel the lower center of gravity through that turn ?.

Hand on heart, unless you would spec it yourself I think it's going slightly off topic! The carbon just looks better

But each to their own but just seems such a waste for a beautiful roof. However, I do like a good sunroof!

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by Simon H

Hand on heart, i very much doubt you would drive a car with a sunroof, then jump into a carbon roofed car, and say, oh thats better , i could feel the lower center of gravity through that turn ?.

No but it looks cool especially with the contouring of the F series, matched to a carbon spoiler/diffuser and splitters it looks ace!

[rth32]

I recently test drove an M3 CP, white with carbon exterior pack & brown leather. One of the worst looking cars I've seen - but it's down to personal taste and someone thought that combination would be a good idea!

I want a classy looking sporty family saloon!!! (with a sunroof)!

[chrisburns]

Id choose the sunroof option too.