3/4 Series - desirable and useless options...

[Yomamaisasnowblower]

Just putting it out here. I'm trying to pin down buying an F series model, 40i, probably 4 series 18-20 plate. Trouble is the options on most are all over the place. For example, one with HUD and 360 camera/park assist, but those horrid 18 inch wheels and no HK.

I'm assuming "Pro Media" is a must, apart from that is there a set of options which are a must and others which are overrated?

There are "fully loaded" examples but the current asking prices are bananas.

Thanks!

[Vee]

I think all the 4 series were better specced than the 3 series (xenons, pro nav and electric seats possibly), or perhaps the 40 models in both had a lot as standard.
From around 2016 they did an M Sport Plus pack which was a no brainer for what it cost at the time.
HK Audio, sun protection glass, 19" wheels and the blue m sport brakes I think is what it included.

I'd say electric memory seats are critical if anyone else might drive your car. Also
Pro Nav and HK Audio
Reverse camera
Sunroof (if the interior is dark)

Nice to have . . .
Towbar if you're going to carry bikes
Merino leather is a much nicer option than Dakota
Aluminium dash trim doesn't look nice compared to the wood or gloss finishes
HUD is desirable for me but not essential
Adaptive suspension - we never really bothered using it

They seem to have some material costs around 40-50K miles (major service, tyres and brakes) so better to find one that has all that done, or which is lower mileage so you don't get a big bill soon after buying.

To qualify the above we had a 330d for 3 years, a 335d for 2 years, alongside it a 435d for 3 years and most recently a 440i GC for 4 years.

ps. Our 440 was for sale a couple of weeks ago, probably one of the higher priced ones you mention. Just got back from holiday and need to sell it before the insurance runs out. If you are interested in a very high spec black/black Gran Coupe please let me know !

Edited by Vee on Monday 31st July 14:38

[SteBrown91]

Why not just choose the car with the options you want, and not care about what is desirable?

[Yomamaisasnowblower]

Vee said:

I think all the 4 series were better specced than the 3 series (xenons, pro nav and electric seats possibly), or perhaps the 40 models in both had a lot as standard.
From around 2016 they did an M Sport Plus pack which was a no brainer for what it cost at the time.
HK Audio, sun protection glass, 19" wheels and the blue m sport brakes I think is what it included.

I'd say electric memory seats are critical if anyone else might drive your car. Also
Pro Nav and HK Audio
Reverse camera
Sunroof (if the interior is dark)

Nice to have . . .
Towbar if you're going to carry bikes
Merino leather is a much nicer option than Dakota
Aluminium dash trim doesn't look nice compared to the wood or gloss finishes
HUD is desirable for me but not essential
Adaptive suspension - we never really bothered using it

They seem to have some material costs around 40-50K miles (major service, tyres and brakes) so better to find one that has all that done, or which is lower mileage so you don't get a big bill soon after buying.

To qualify the above we had a 330d for 3 years, a 335d for 2 years, alongside it a 435d for 3 years and most recently a 440i GC for 4 years.

ps. Our 440 was for sale a couple of weeks ago, probably one of the higher priced ones you mention. Just got back from holiday and need to sell it before the insurance runs out. If you are interested in a very high spec black/black Gran Coupe please let me know !

Edited by Vee on Monday 31st July 14:38

Thanks for the info, really helpful. I think I might know which one is yours if its still for sale, caught my eye a few days ago!

[Yomamaisasnowblower]

SteBrown91 said:

Why not just choose the car with the options you want, and not care about what is desirable?

I'm just trying to gauge (from current/last owners) what they feel is worth having/useful. I'd imagine a lot of options (park assist for example) push the price up but aren't that useful.

[Vee]

Yomamaisasnowblower said:

Thanks for the info, really helpful. I think I might know which one is yours if its still for sale, caught my eye a few days ago!

Mine is no longer on AT - the advert expired a week ago. Probably it was priced a little high, will be on at a more competitive price in the next couple of days.

[drdino]

Digital dash and the wireless charger were the most useless options my old F30 had. The former because it didn't add much in terms of customising or additional information and the latter because it was too small for modern phones. However, I think they were available as part of the tech pack which brought the HUD and wireless carplay, so depending on what you are after they might be ok indirectly... Bear in mind that the Fx0 platform had no OEM Android Auto support.

Shadow pack was really nice on the runout cars, it gave you the good brakes, 19" wheels, H&K, Pro Nav etc.
Auto High Beam is a bit meh without the adaptive LEDs.
Heated seats were a must for me, there were loads of cars that didn't have them as I guess they tried to keep the monthly costs as low as possible when the original owners were optioning them.
Heated steering wheel is nice to have.
ACC is a very rare option, I couldn't find any cars with it when I was looking for mine; this was one of the reasons I jumped into a G20 car when one came up.
Adaptive suspension IMHO was not a must have; certainly nice to have but the ride on the 19" wheels (LCI cars) was not bad enough to warrant it.

[d_a_n1979]

When I was looking at F31s the spec list for me had to include heated seats, pro nav, HK audio, xenons and M Performance (370/345mm) brakes and that's what I got. It needed to be an M Sport and RWD also

Ideally it would have had memory seats; but I struggled to find all that in the budget I wanted to spend £16k or less, at that time... So settled for our F31 with manual seats

TBH I drive it 90% of the time, the wife 10% of the time; so its not a biggy really...

It's all down to budget and obviously what's up for sale; if you're patient enough, one will crop up... But it's how long you wait it out etc!

[Pica-Pica]

drdino said:

Digital dash and the wireless charger were the most useless options my old F30 had. The former because it didn't add much in terms of customising or additional information and the latter because it was too small for modern phones. However, I think they were available as part of the tech pack which brought the HUD and wireless carplay, so depending on what you are after they might be ok indirectly... Bear in mind that the Fx0 platform had no OEM Android Auto support.

Shadow pack was really nice on the runout cars, it gave you the good brakes, 19" wheels, H&K, Pro Nav etc.
Auto High Beam is a bit meh without the adaptive LEDs.
Heated seats were a must for me, there were loads of cars that didn't have them as I guess they tried to keep the monthly costs as low as possible when the original owners were optioning them.
Heated steering wheel is nice to have.
ACC is a very rare option, I couldn't find any cars with it when I was looking for mine; this was one of the reasons I jumped into a G20 car when one came up.
Adaptive suspension IMHO was not a must have; certainly nice to have but the ride on the 19" wheels (LCI cars) was not bad enough to warrant it.

By ACC I presume you mean automatic cruise control rather than the usual meaning of Automatic Climate Control, which is standard.

[drdino]

Yes.

[Earthdweller]

Heated steering wheel … cheapest option going and the best value

Until you’ve had one you’ll not understand and once you have you’ll never want to be without one!

[d_a_n1979]

Earthdweller said:

Heated steering wheel … cheapest option going and the best value

Until you’ve had one you’ll not understand and once you have you’ll never want to be without one!

Sort of agree; loved it in my F01 and E65. But it's not the be all/end all IMO

[Yomamaisasnowblower]

Thanks all. It is amazing how poorly specced some of them are.

Then there is this one, looks to have a heck of a lot specced:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023072801...

However, dealer looks a bit iffy, can't find the MOT details (presume private plate transfer?) but running through AT suggests 53k Vs 41k on the dash and advert!

[Pica-Pica]

Some may be standard, but
Auto-dimming rear mirror
Rain sensor with auto-headlamp
Sun protection glass b-pillar rearwards (keeps interior cool, and contents nearly invisible, easy to see out)
Park distance control and rear camera
High beam assist
LED headlamps
Bluetooth
Split folding rear seats, with load through
Heated front seats.
The usual top navigation and infotainment systems
(My car’s drive is about 52% full with my audio recordings)
… not too fussed about
Heated steering wheel, it’s the back of my hands that get cold, so decent gloves are better.

[Vee]

Yomamaisasnowblower said:

Thanks all. It is amazing how poorly specced some of them are.

Then there is this one, looks to have a heck of a lot specced:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023072801...

However, dealer looks a bit iffy, can't find the MOT details (presume private plate transfer?) but running through AT suggests 53k Vs 41k on the dash and advert!

Spec is decent however those blue finishers would need to be wrapped for me - what BMW was thinking putting those in as standard is beyond me.
The aluminium looks like it is the upgraded one from standard meaning it would have cost around £500, and with the options it has already it's bizarre the first owner didn't specify something more complimentary than that blue.

If that is the real plate for the car it should show up immediately on the MOT checker. When I swapped the plate on my car last month it was almost immediate that the MOT history also switched.

Looks like the person who cleaned it is best friends with Mr Sheen.

Edited by Vee on Thursday 3rd August 15:58

[Yomamaisasnowblower]

Vee said:

Spec is decent however those blue finishers would need to be wrapped for me - what BMW was thinking putting those in as standard is beyond me.
The aluminium looks like it is the upgraded one from standard meaning it would have cost around £500, and with the options it has already it's bizarre the first owner didn't specify something more complimentary than that blue.

If that is the real plate for the car it should show up immediately on the MOT checker. When I swapped the plate on my car last month it was almost immediate that the MOT history also switched.

Looks like the person who cleaned it is best friends with Mr Sheen.

Edited by Vee on Thursday 3rd August 15:58

100% with you on those finishers, they would have to go.

The plate has not come up on the govt website, not found apparently. However "total car check"does but doesn't give much away. If you enter the details to sell on AT, the MOT check comes back with a different mileage. Looks fishy!

[Mr Whippy]

Memory seats are essential in this kinda car imo. More so if it’s used by more than one person.
The manual ones are utter trash. Try raise the seat while sat in it? I’ve asked many a salesman and they ultimately say you get out to move it up.
Utter joke.

Heated steering wheel is nice.

HUD is nice, if I had the choice I’d buy a car with it with the speed limit readout.


Big nav screen is obviously nice.


Fancy suspension is prob nice but depending on engine (mine is 335xd), the gearbox also goes into sport shifting mode as part of ‘chassis’ sport mode iirc, so if you want firm damping you’d have to have frantic and stupid auto gear changes too.
Alleviated by being in manual mode but still annoying.


Only thing I think I wish I had which I don’t on mine is the adaptive full beam thing.
The HBA can be annoying, and low beam is pretty st.

[RayDonovan]

Yomamaisasnowblower said:

Thanks all. It is amazing how poorly specced some of them are.

Then there is this one, looks to have a heck of a lot specced:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023072801...

However, dealer looks a bit iffy, can't find the MOT details (presume private plate transfer?) but running through AT suggests 53k Vs 41k on the dash and advert!

Was on

G2FKK

[Yomamaisasnowblower]

RayDonovan said:

Was on

G2FKK

Fantastic, thanks.

Disappointingly, the car was at 53k in December, very much clocked. Kind of odd to wind it back 12k. Though I'm guessing the miles might have been wound back periodically by the first owner. Mr Sheen aside, the interior does look a bit too shiny for the miles.

[RayDonovan]

Yomamaisasnowblower said:

RayDonovan said:

Was on

G2FKK

Fantastic, thanks.

Disappointingly, the car was at 53k in December, very much clocked. Kind of odd to wind it back 12k. Though I'm guessing the miles might have been wound back periodically by the first owner. Mr Sheen aside, the interior does look a bit too shiny for the miles.

No worries, I've emailed the dealer to ask him why it's been clocked. fkers