How would you configure your car if you could order it again?

[rz3]

My only "regret" and it's barely one, is that I didn't go with the full leather. I really liked the leather dash after I was able to see it in person.

[Audio Fan]

Originally Posted by Sir Loin

Yes, I have fiddled with all the HUD settings available in iDrive. Nothing helps. I wonder if I have the right windshield for HUD... I should take a picture of the numbers on the windshield and see if they matches with other people's cars with HUD.

You may want to check out another car, just as a sanity check. The other thing that I was thinking is that the position of the display is movable. You could have it moved near an edge of the display area, which could cause distortion. I doubt you would want to crank up the brightness past the midpoint.

[RickMonet]

Originally Posted by Sir Loin

Not really buyer's remorse. I like all the features I paid for. I like that my car has all the features I possibly want. My points in starting this thread are really on the value of the options an packages based on some usage experience on them, and how loaded a base car is. With discussions on M3/M4 vs. other cars, $63K for this kind of performance with lots of standard features is really a value.

I could see ordering a stripped down version of the M4, but a 4-door sports sedan benefits from all the bells and whistles for use during daily driving. Worth the price of admission for me.

[JoeFromPA]

Originally Posted by RickMonet

I could see ordering a stripped down version of the M4, but a 4-door sports sedan benefits from all the bells and whistles for use during daily driving. Worth the price of admission for me.

You know, I agree with this sentiment but there is still a value argument. "bells and whistles" is great but not at ANY cost.

And that's where BMW lost me - they shouldn't have done one enormous package for the exec package. I mean, if you sign up for that, you agree to 10 cut outs in your bumper which - to me - really detracts from the look of the car especially on light colors. You don't want front and rear PDC? Too bad. You don't want headlight washers? Too bad.

I would have liked comfort access. I'll be the first to say that, but not for $4300.

[Sir Loin]

Originally Posted by SOM3

Whoever said HUD is a distraction must also think rear view mirror is distracting. Wow.

Statements like this is what makes flame wars. But not this time, because all I have is love.

[SakhirM4]

The only thing I would change on my order would be to add adaptive suspension. For only $1k, I should have done it in the first place.

I would have liked to have Comfort Access, but wasn't going to pay $4k for it. Didn't want the other things in the package. It wasn't about the money - it was the principle.

[Sir Loin]

Originally Posted by gmcconn535

The only thing I would change on my order would be to add adaptive suspension. For only $1k, I should have done it in the first place.

M adaptive Suspension is definitely a good value option. It is a la carte, you can order it individually. And for $1K there is no after market options that I know of that could match its price, features, and ease of use. Perfect for people like me who will not be lowering the car, until I do...

[evanescent03]

Originally Posted by Sir Loin

M adaptive Suspension is definitely a good value option. It is a la carte, you can order it individually. And for $1K there is no after market options that I know of that could match its price, features, and ease of use. Perfect for people like me who will not be lowering the car, until I do...

I doubted this option but i think it will be kind of useful depending on certain road conditions to bump it into comfort and also be able to rock out. i'm test driving a car with it tomorrow to make sure it is at least somewhat noticeable from softest to hardest setting.. hoping it impresses me

Originally Posted by JoeFromPA

I would have liked comfort access. I'll be the first to say that, but not for $4300.

ditto. i'm not sure if it's a PA thing or what, but i lived without headlight washers for a long time and it actually annoys me when i get overspray up over the car after they deploy/spray. if they were a la carte, the PDS/camera would be a tossup based on price and i honestly don't care at all about the HUD.

even the reduced cost of the exec package (if you were going to pay separately for leather) is annoying. i don't think anyone should buy this car who can't afford the extra $3-4k for an options package.. but i really feel like a bit of an @ss spending $3k of my family's money for comfort access (which should be standard anyway, just like it has been on altimas for 5+ years). at the same time i think it may irritate me having spent so much and not getting the last couple little things that will make it feel "loaded" … i just want to stick it to them so badly for forcing their prix fixe on us when we want a la carte! haha. i was hoping that after a couple months they would break the pkg up a little but i'm not going to sit around waiting for that happen.

although we could have a setup like Porsche … i was building a cayman and you have to add EVERYTHING … folding sideview mirrors, rear windshield wiper, painted porsche emblems, 9+ variations of power seats…. and that's how their $65k cars become $100k cars lol.

[2sporty]

good write up OP. Honestly these days, not getting the full leather is pretty much taking the option of being downgraded. The full leather is not an upgrade in my view. It should come as standard on an 80k out the door car. If you look at other 80k luxury segment cars, most of them do come with better materials on the dash and doors. Not that hard plastic stuff that you find in low end cars. If you're not getting it, you are just getting a downgrade. You almost may as well get a Nissan GTR because you don't care about the interior.

[Sir Loin]

Originally Posted by 2sporty

good write up OP. Honestly these days, not getting the full leather is pretty much taking the option of being downgraded. The full leather is not an upgrade in my view. It should come as standard on an 80k out the door car. If you look at other 80k luxury segment cars, most of them do come with better materials on the dash and doors. Not that hard plastic stuff that you find in low end cars. If you're not getting it, you are just getting a downgrade. You almost may as well get a Nissan GTR because you don't care about the interior.

I agree with you, full leather should be standard for an $80K car. And in the M3/M4 case, it sure does. I mean you have to go out of your way to spec an M3 or M4 up to $80K yet without full leather.

To be pedantic, full leather is not standard for the base car at $62K for M3 and $64.2K for M4. That is not the same as full leather "should come as standard on an 80K out the door car." If by out the door you mean including sales tax and license, then sales tax rate licensing fees are different from state to state, we should take that out of the discussion or the equation. Let's say tax and fees is about $5K, you still have more than $10K for options. You can easily include full leather at $75K, if you have to make full leather "standard" at $75K.

[filip75]

I would keep my exact build. The HUD is my favorite feature and its so hard to go away from it.

[Viking123]

Originally Posted by Sir Loin

@solstice, when your car is back in Seattle, I would like to check out your car's HUD and compare it to my HUD, if you don't mind. My HUD is definitely fuzzy to my eyes as well as to my service advisor's eyes this morning (in for 1,200 miles service right now).

Try to clean the projector? Mine was full of dust.

[DrtyJrze]

Originally Posted by 2sporty

good write up OP. Honestly these days, not getting the full leather is pretty much taking the option of being downgraded. The full leather is not an upgrade in my view. It should come as standard on an 80k out the door car. If you look at other 80k luxury segment cars, most of them do come with better materials on the dash and doors. Not that hard plastic stuff that you find in low end cars. If you're not getting it, you are just getting a downgrade. You almost may as well get a Nissan GTR because you don't care about the interior.

I'm scratching my head trying to figure out where $62k base model=$80k.

But whatevs...

[stressdoc]

I got YMB, 19" silver, HK, extended black leather, adaptive suspension.

I am pretty happy with that configuration. But... if I could do it over I might change a few things.

AW (save $550) or MG. Speed cloth (save $950) -- leather too slippery. 18" wheels (save $1200) -- reduction in unsprung weight, but 19" do look better. The hardest choice would be transmission: I think I will feel better about the manual once I get a better shift knob. It is too round, too long. I would want to test out the DCT in awkward maneuvering situations, but still, $2900 and 89 lbs is tough to take. Harmon Kardon I would keep, although I would like to hear the standard system for comparison. And adaptive suspension is a great value.

I really miss the sunroof. But the CF seems like a defining trait of the M3, hard to pass up.

Bottom line is I would be perfectly happy with AW, speedcloth, 18" -- a complete 'stripper.' For 57k via ED. But my build is just fine, great car for 62k. I wish it had a back up camera, and DCT is a tough call, but that's really it. No regrets not getting other options.

Still waiting for the Z2M...

[rubber_ducky]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

...The hardest choice would be transmission: I think I will feel better about the manual once I get a better shift knob. It is too round, too long...

I do find it off that the DCT has a more ergonomically correct knob.

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

I think I will feel better about the manual once I get a better shift knob. It is too round, too long.

I really miss the sunroof. But the CF seems like a defining trait of the M3, hard to pass up.

Must be a personal thing, because I really like the 6MT shifter and knob. Also, we are very glad that we got the sunroof, even if it is undefining for an M4.

[SOM3]

Originally Posted by Sir Loin

Statements like this is what makes flame wars. But not this time, because all I have is love.

[M4TW]

I love all my options - especially the CCB's (no squeaks yet, knock on wood, er should I say carbon ceramic).

I got mine with pretty much everything but the sunroof and the speed limit info. Right now I am having fun with Connecteddrive and some of the other gizmos. Launch control needs to be enabled (have an appointment for that) but I am having a blast so far.

What I was surprised with is the 3G relatively fast internet connection that the car is equiped with (i.e. it doesn't need your phone) and the uber-coolness of being able to google locations on my iPhone and send them to my car.

Regrets. I can't believe I am saying this but I kinda wish I went for AY instead of MW. I still think MW is the best of the non-dedicated colors. I'm getting the feeling, however, that MW or AW was a look that the e92 rocked and YMB or AY are the colors for the new ///M's

I thought about AY, but got sick of seeing it everywhere. By everywhere I mean all the promo photos, literature, car shows etc. This is an illusion as in the real motoring world, these hues are largely unknown. And seeing a picture of one and having it in your garage are two different things.

I've come around to YMB and AY as the colors that these cars were meant to be. Make no mistake, the other colors look great and I think MW looks fantastic, but they mainly blend in with their road surroundings.

The M3/4 are brash cars, so they should stand out.

Perhaps I'm more of an attention whore than I allowed myself to admit.

[stressdoc]

Originally Posted by gmcconn535

Must be a personal thing, because I really like the 6MT shifter and knob. Also, we are very glad that we got the sunroof, even if it is undefining for an M4.

Sunroofs rock, I will really miss mine!

I will wait on final judgement of the knob -- hoping for a shorter one from BMW performance.

[/// M sa]

Since BMW is giving me a new car I ended up adding the LEDS and top and side cameras.

MG
Black full leather
Exec package
Dct
Cf roof and trim
Adaptive susp
Premium sound
19s black
Rear sun screens.

[2sporty]

Originally Posted by DrtyJrze

I'm scratching my head trying to figure out where $62k base model=$80k.

But whatevs...

whatevs, you must have ordered the cloth seats and no other options and did not pay tax.

[1stm3f80]

Full leather, power sunshade, top view camera.