To be, or not to be... Loaded vs. Stripper

[stevenc]

Stripper. $4000 for an executive package on a M4 is a waste.

Little options like partial leather or nicer wheels are great but most of the big packages are just a money grab by BMW.

[anamnesis111]

I had the same dilemma so I test drove both. I didn't feel like I was driving a high end car in the stripper so I went with a loaded 6MT M4. I like to feel fancy but that's just me. You will know when you test drive them. If you don't feel a difference then go with the cheaper one.

[paliknight]

Originally Posted by TS29849228

I have a ZEC and my friend has a fully loaded beast.

When we meet up for our weekend soccer meets, he always complains about the extra 21k he spent on his or whatever the extra mark up was....

Just putting that out there. The headlights and Manual and the noise of the car were all i cared about. Only regret might be heads up display.

Fully loaded F80s (minus CCB) can be had for 72k. Strippers can be had for 60-61. Definitely nowhere near 20k but I agree there is still a significant difference if financed.

[seis-speed]

Stripped. Especially on these cars it can be ~ 20k difference.

If I were to order today I would get no options outside of paint color and possibly sun shade. Low option Mcars are the way to go IMO.

[Aaaaaaaaa]

Just get a M2 comp

[hirev]

2016...did not buy adjust suspension, auto trans, performance pak, sunroof, a few other little things. 18 inch wheels.
no regrets, none. this is not a stripper car in any way, just what i wanted. have backup camera pkg, leather, color of choice, hk stereo was free so was nav and 48 months service with warranty. got mine from auto broker, stickered at 71, my price was over 5% +/- less. i leased and intend to buy. ordered it and it took about 2 months.

[nicknaz]

Hi, my '15 had dct, HK, sunshades and enhanced Bluetooth as the options.

The lack of rear camera is what made it hard to sell, and there were better street tire choices in 19", and the 18" couldn't fit 305 rear and 275 in front.

If I ordered again I'd purchase the camera and comp pack, and sell the comp pack wheels to get 18s that fit the wide track tires I want.

also, I personally think m3 is a 70k car max. Any more and it's time for a 911

[Darth One]

I'd go for the loaded one, and get the strippers myself when she's not looking...




Wait, what are we talking about again??

[3PedalMINI]

I went stripper....the only options being paint and the 437M rims in black (IMHO I think those are some of the most impressive OEM rims I have seen on a sub 100k car.

I despise leather and am ecstatic that I could order this car in cloth. Even with the bolsters adjusted correctly in my 235 I still slid around on the track. I drive around a work truck for a living so my weekend car doesn't need to be fancy, nor do I want it to be. I'm in the tech industry and the last thing I want to deal with is tech in a car that is half baked (sorry, it's the truth)

The stripper will give you the best and "pure" m experience. I had a hard time unchecking the ZCP option, but at the end of the day my track experience and with traffic around here I don't think I would have known what I had. I hope to hone in my skills on the track so maybe next time I can check that box.

At the end of the day, these cars are far from stripped at the base level, especially LCI+ models! I didn't use a 1/4 of the tech in my 235i and I just use my phone for GPS. Hoping the new I drive system works a bit better but at the end of the day it's just quicker to punch in the address on the phone!

[MRV99]

So the long and short is buy what you want. Load it up or keep it cheap..... buy what fits YOUR needs: be it weekend track car 15 times a year or weekend cruiser which may see 0-2 HPDE's a year. Maybe just a drive to the county club on Wednesday and Saturday.

[JoeFromPA]

I bought a stripper in 2015 with the only option being adaptive suspension.

The reason? I was coming from an e39 m5 and this is not a stripper model - it's extremely well equipped from the factory.

Further, I wanted two options: a back-up camera and keyless entry. I couldn't get them without a $4000 package of things I didn't want. I also couldn't get them without adding 8 holes in my bumper that beep at me everyday backing out of the garage, known as parking sensors, and also tend to be problematic in all sorts of situations.

I decided to go for an experience that doesn't beep at me and keeps cleaner lines. I love it for those reasons among others.

[hinckley]

I think that this question is much live where you live . . . do you want a house or do you want a home. People who buy a house tend to focus on resale value. People who buy a home tend to focus on more esoteric values of the living experience. So if you're buying rather than leasing, and you want a "house", fewer options are probably better than more. However, as other have said, a total stripper of anything above a M2 is probably detrimental to resale.

[Poiseuille]

Originally Posted by pheerIx

I don't think I can live without surround view camera anymore. Makes parking so much easier and eases the anxiety of curbing a wheel.

yeah, I cheaped out and only got the back up camera. had the car almost 3 years now and I still can't tell where the splitter is. I back in, and hate it when I have to nose in.

[Aaaaaaaaa]

Originally Posted by Poiseuille

yeah, I cheaped out and only got the back up camera. had the car almost 3 years now and I still can't tell where the splitter is. I back in, and hate it when I have to nose in.

The new X3's cameras are even better. Full frontal view and the image is continuous no ugly black lines. Also rear view can be displayed alongside 360 view.

[georgere]

Originally Posted by GOLFFRR

get as much car as you can comfortably afford so when it comes time to sell (if thats what you are thinking down the road) you will be able to have a little better luck. We have found that stripper Ms although save you some in the beginning on your purchase come back to hurt you when comes time to sell. We find used car buyers want a car with all the options. just my 2 cents

Exactly everyone on the used market wants to pay below used stripper market price but get fully loaded car and brag about it.

When I was selling my e90 it was probably the only performance/enthusiasts car with manual transmission and sport package on the market in my area. The car had luxury package but no navigation. All kids interested in the car were turned away due to lack of navigation and lack of AWD. Ridiculous... or should I say shocking....

Another thing to note is that all enthusiasts are cheap, even cheaper than regular Joe.

I recommend getting what you like and can afford, expect huge depreciation either way, and enjoy the car. If you can't do that, don't get the car - you can't afford it.

[F80zcp]

I'd go with a ZCP stripper. Can always sell it later to an enthusiast.

[Ian1973]

I don't personally care for many of the driving aid nonsense on the executive package and all that. So I picked what I wanted.... I wanted to upscale it, so the full leather and LED's. I had to have the better stereo. I wanted the larger wheels and I wanted the ability to change the suspension. That's all I got. Well and some port installed bits.

I had no camera's, none of the executive package stuff and don't regret it. I don't need a camera to help me maneuver.

[Donger Kim]

Originally Posted by shortseller

Based on the used car market, options return less than a third of the cost when ordered new. With that said you should equip the car to your personal liking so to get the most enjoyment out of your purchase. That runs the gamut from a stripper to loaded, it’s all in what you want and can afford at the time of placing your order. Just remember when it comes time for resale, just don’t expect you’ll get most of the option money back, thought you will be able to sell it quicker than a stripper model.

This. Historically options do not really fetch anymore money unless they’re enthusiasts type of options (6MT, ZCP, sunroof delete, manual seats etc etc).

That being said, I am much happier with my loaded F80 than my MY16 F80. I didn’t check very many boxes the first time trying to be sensible, but then realize it’s not very sensible to buy an M car in the first place lol

[Spritztour]

My F80 loaded except CB and I love it!

[Budget M3]

I’ve always looked for the best value which normally implies minimal options. That said, my current car is completely loaded with every option possible except CCB and I love it! YOLO!

[Monteblueem5]

I have a 16 with comp pk no leather no cam no
Heads up the only thing I miss is the heads up and the back up cam

[Monteblueem5]

I can’t find out how much my sticker was