Optional extras - seamless integration or just bolt ons?

I have to admit there is something special to me, having the extra options which make a car a complete package.

When I specced up the E91 330d, I never regretted adding the options at all. In fact I would have added a couple more, if I had gone through the exercise again. Heated seats would have been added. I had them in the E39 but hardly ever used them, so didn't bother in the E91, then we had a couple of much colder winters and we thought differently.

My 535i is virtually as I'd have liked to option it, but not sure I'd have got them all if I was buying new. Options topped £15,000 at list price, that does look top heavy for options.

As I say, it is great to have a 'complete' vehicle, even if some options are not used too often.

Peter

 

my options cost £12k. At list. And what was paid. (discounts ? er No sir)
Included £3.5k for wheels. :confused: but best is the Surround view cameras which I also had on my 640D and for me, is now essential. All the sports plus gubbins (with adjustable air suspension) made the car alive in petrol mode. LED PDSL+ lights are good. Basically I matched my car to the demo one, which I guess to me was the "complete" car to me (of that model), like how Peter says.

I never used things like internet, I thnk there are some Fads these days in cars, probably aimed at people younger than us.

If i was buying another BMW, I would go for surround view, HUD and adaptive suspension and what ever LED lights they were doing, and of course nice wheels. The 640d being ex demo had about £9k extras at list (no HUD).

 

I don't buy new so I always aim to capitalise on someone else's inability to stop ticking options boxes.

In the Cyborg, the rear entertainment system was used three times in eight years. I watched TV in the front maybe twice in eight years. The Logic7 sound system was not only used but enjoyed every time the car was driven.

Things rear of the front seats of the X6M (apart from auto tailgate and tints) are questionable because not only do I seldom take rear passengers, but headroom is so cramped that adults wouldn't find it too comfortable and we would use the X5. Not having heated rear seats seems mean but four zone climate is unnecessary.

Driving off without putting a key in a slot is welcome. I wouldn't want to go back. But locking and unlocking without keys isn't necessary for me. When I am helping Helen in or out of the car I frequently make contact with the door handle and lock the car. I find it a bit of a nuisance. While touch to lock has it's uses, particularly when I am driving solo, I am in the habit of unlocking the car as I walk towards it. Having to walk up to it and grab the handle just takes too much time. Adaptive lights? Just one more thing to go wrong. Won't say no but wouldn't miss them. Or high beam assist.

I don't regard things like Xenons, BT, navigation, comfort seats, front seat heating and ventilation etc. to be "extras" although some are. There are some options which if not fitted will exclude a car from my want list. Glad it's not me who has to pay the full price inc VAT for some of these extras because car makers will try to pull your pants down and I like to keep mine up as much as possible.

 

... think he's referring to the CO

 

A few days ago my wife said she thought it would be a good idea to change her 325i for an X1, due to the onset of winter. So I went on broadside.com to see what sort of options we really needed, trying to select stuff necessary for a car that would do only 4-5k miles a year. I spent quite a bit of time thinking hard about this and ended up with what I thought was a sensible list to make a decent car.

Today we were in the York area so I suggested we call in at Coopers BMW to go a bit further with this X1 idea. "I don't think I like them now", she said....

 

Set of Winter tyres it is, then........ ;)

 

Our winters in this part of the world are quite severe, sometimes it snows overnight leaving a 1/2" layer in the morning, which sometimes hangs around until noon! I agree about the winter tyres, but a new/newish car is always nice to have, even though her nibs is being irritatingly indecisive!

 

Perhaps you should decide about the optional extras by yourself...

 

Sorry, that's not severe.....;) , ask @Peter or @Singvogel about severe. I have in the past experienced as much as 4" of snow overnight.

I'm just glad that I [generally] don't have to anywhere if it gets too bad - then the car can stay where it is. But I digress , back to extras....

 

This was taken in the memorable winter of 2010 when we had 50+ cm of snow fall over the course of 24 hours. That might be nothing for the Scottish highlands but this was in a small village in South Yorkshire, there was no severe weather warning issued even though there should have been.

The main A57 was blocked by about 50 stranded lorries, all the drivers were housed temporarily in the local church's vestry. We were cut off for 72 hours with no way out of the village unless you had a 4x4 with snow tyres. Even Woodhead Mountain Rescue who came to help got stranded.

It was interesting listening to the local radio talking about the odd township near sheffield with "2 or 3 cars stranded in 20cm of snow", they obviously weren't aware of the situation in my village.




But they soon were as a BBC radio Sheffield van can just be seen here, the main A57 blocked:




aaaand back on topic

 

I don't buy new either and hunted down my latest car specifically for the comfort seats, however I am now finding out that was a mistake.

 

Are they not to your liking?

 

Yes they are but my missus hates them and is constantly moaning about them and wanting her sports seats back.

 

What is it about them she dislikes? Like others, I've found them [once adjusted to one's preferences] to be great.

I came by mine 'by accident' as the selling garage hadn't listed them in the spec on the ad but I spotted that they were fitted by looking [closely ;)] at the pics. Ventilation and massage functions are OK, but to be honest I've used the cooling air about twice [which reinforces @The CO thread thoughts somewhat] and the massage the same. Heating's great though, nice and toasty with Winter almost on us. [Mulls over retrofitting heated steering wheel....... ]

 

Brrrrr - those pics are making me feel COLD !!

 

Ok Slim, just for you.
Took this pic near 'my' village a few weeks back. Early evening and still 28 degrees C in the shade...

 

That's more like it!!

As a matter of interest, where IS that please?