new here

[petersracing]

Been hanging around and reading quite a bit, thanks to all who have created this resource. We've ordered a 130i Sport in Alpine white - manual with a few options. We chose business nav, Xenon, front PDC, electric seats and comfort access. So now we just have 3 months to wait.

Ahhh the long wait...

[Zuzu]

Congrats on the 1er and welcome to the forum mate..

[d3syd]

Congrats. Are you going to keep the Lotus?

[petersracing]

Originally Posted by d3syd

Congrats. Are you going to keep the Lotus?

Oh yes I'll be keeping it, there is nothing like it as a drivers car. The BMW is to replace my wifes 98 WRX as our practical car. The 130i I test drove was a nice drive and although very soft compared to the Exige the rear drive gave it a nice familiar feel. There really aren't a lot of alternatives in the market are there? The R32 looked good on paper and the DSG was nice in a straight line but the manuals were all gone and the transition from FWD to AWD was nasty when pushed.

[OOOSQ]

130i in Alpine White - I'm jealous. My ideal combo!

[d3syd]

Originally Posted by petersracing

Oh yes I'll be keeping it, there is nothing like it as a drivers car. The BMW is to replace my wifes 98 WRX as our practical car. The 130i I test drove was a nice drive and although very soft compared to the Exige the rear drive gave it a nice familiar feel. There really aren't a lot of alternatives in the market are there? The R32 looked good on paper and the DSG was nice in a straight line but the manuals were all gone and the transition from FWD to AWD was nasty when pushed.

130i is a great car would have picked the same. Wondering if you ever considered the new Rex or Evo X, or an Audi S3 in your decision making process.

[woosh]

Welcome. Great choice for the next car! 130's are brilliant all-rounders. I honestly don't think I'll be able to let go of mine... unless the boost bug bites me, lol.

Question: Doesn't the 130i Sport (M Sport?) already come with Xenons and electric seats? :S

[Yep 135]

congads and welcome, this board is full of great people.

[petersracing]

Originally Posted by woosh

Welcome. Great choice for the next car! 130's are brilliant all-rounders. I honestly don't think I'll be able to let go of mine... unless the boost bug bites me, lol.

Question: Doesn't the 130i Sport (M Sport?) already come with Xenons and electric seats? :S

No unfortunately. I've had my introduction to the world of the options list. I think I'm supposed to be grateful that it came with a windscreen included.

As far as boost goes the 5 door is 100kg lighter than the 135 so when you do the numbers it comes out remarkably close. .191hp/kg versus .206 hp/kg (apologies for the mixed units) The 135 will have a slightly lower CG but we didnt take the sunroof on the 130 to help a little. As for the electric seats I have no excuse at all. The boss wanted the car memory so it had to be done. I was trying to tell her that adjustable seats in itself was a luxury as my car has a total of one adjustment (drivers fore and aft) but she is way smarter than that.

[petersracing]

Originally Posted by d3syd

130i is a great car would have picked the same. Wondering if you ever considered the new Rex or Evo X, or an Audi S3 in your decision making process.

The boss took one look at an Evo and vetoed it, too ricer for her. Rex has gone soft, I can't believe a company has forgotten what it did right. Our 98 has no extra crap at all, no reading lights, cruise control etc. Its a very simple light (for this millennium) platform. They keep adding more "stuff" to the detriment of the driving experience to chase the lowest common denominator . To tell the truth they are understeering pigs anyway unless you have a biassed central diff. It's the difference between fast and good. S3 has the same problem as the R32 that it is actually FWD until a computer says otherwise. These days they can make FWD fast but they still can't make it good especially as the power to weight climbs. Newton won't be ignored. A car that unloads it driving wheels more and more as you try to use them more and more is fundamentally flawed. And trying to add the rear wheel drive in dynamically means the black box is going to be in control and not you. MB had nothing to offer either.


Anyway FWIW that's how we got here.

[petersracing]

When the dealer confirmed our deal they said we had a July build. Now it is August and I still can't actually get a production number. Has anyone here in Aus managed to do that on their car? They tried to sweeten it a bit by saying it was September and they had moved it forward to August. Gotta love em eh?

[d3syd]

One hot hatch that I wouldn't mind having is the Ford Focus RS. Although FWD and with a mountain of power and torque, supposed to be an awesome drive. Not coming to OZ unfortunately.

[takahashi]

Originally Posted by petersracing

When the dealer confirmed our deal they said we had a July build. Now it is August and I still can't actually get a production number. Has anyone here in Aus managed to do that on their car? They tried to sweeten it a bit by saying it was September and they had moved it forward to August. Gotta love em eh?

Press them for a production number... you will get it a month before you get the VIN, ... this when your car is actually being built!

Good luck.

[petersracing]

Originally Posted by takahashi

Press them for a production number... you will get it a month before you get the VIN, ... this when your car is actually being built!

Good luck.

Good luck is not working, I've asked three times and they wont give me a production number. I have a bad feeling I'm being played. The contract I have doesn't have a delivery date or even the colour of the car. I'm starting to wonder if I should cancel and go somewhere that actually wants the business.

[takahashi]

I feel for you petersracing.

I guess if you don't have a brillant contract price... you are right to ditch them and go somewhere else.

[dontask]

Welcome, petersracing...
Comfort access - I'm jealous... This forum is full of coupes - good to have another hatch around...

[petersracing]

So after a number of emails unanswered and questions about the mirror memory still unanswered I basically gave up. I still have no production number although it should be built this month. If it arrives and doesnt have mirror memory that functions as I was told it would I will simply refuse to take delivery. The level of service is abominable and I really don't have any local options. Then a couple of days ago my wife received a call from the salesman.


"Hi it's X from dealer Y are you still interested in a new BMW?"
My wife is a little confused and says "Yes" half expecting him to say our car had arrived or something.
He says" What can I do to help?"
She says "We bought one"
He says "Oh that's sad, from who?"
She says "From you"
After some mumbling and attempted recovery the call ended.

Just makes you feel warm and valued as a client doesn't it?

[x5mad]

Originally Posted by woosh

Welcome. Great choice for the next car! 130's are brilliant all-rounders. I honestly don't think I'll be able to let go of mine... unless the boost bug bites me, lol.

Question: Doesn't the 130i Sport (M Sport?) already come with Xenons and electric seats? :S

Not anymore. Not sure exactly when but in the last 1-2 years they reduced the RRP of the 130i and at the same time deleted some options and xenon lights were one of them.

[takahashi]

Originally Posted by petersracing

So after a number of emails unanswered and questions about the mirror memory still unanswered I basically gave up. I still have no production number although it should be built this month. If it arrives and doesnt have mirror memory that functions as I was told it would I will simply refuse to take delivery. The level of service is abominable and I really don't have any local options. Then a couple of days ago my wife received a call from the salesman.


"Hi it's X from dealer Y are you still interested in a new BMW?"
My wife is a little confused and says "Yes" half expecting him to say our car had arrived or something.
He says" What can I do to help?"
She says "We bought one"
He says "Oh that's sad, from who?"
She says "From you"
After some mumbling and attempted recovery the call ended.

Just makes you feel warm and valued as a client doesn't it?

That is sad in a way.

[petersracing]

Today they wanted drivers licence and Date of birth. Why would they ask for that two months before delivery? I ought to ask the dealer but as they never respond to my questions I'm not going to bother. Buying this car has taken waaaay too much brainspace..

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by petersracing

Today they wanted drivers licence and Date of birth. Why would they ask for that two months before delivery? I ought to ask the dealer but as they never respond to my questions I'm not going to bother. Buying this car has taken waaaay too much brainspace..

Import documents I assume.

[petersracing]

August has passed and my car should have been built but I wouldnt know as the dealer steadfastly refuses to answer my queries.