Powered seats...worth it?

[Bullitt]

Originally Posted by Jeff1962

I have asked this same question many times with no answer. With the manual seats able to go lower than the power is a great reason to get the manual seats. Lower is better IMO. Great, now I def. won't get the power seats.

Thankyou for the answer :w00t:

Like yourself, I was curious about this for a while, and I, too, saw that there was no confirmation of any kind in this forum. I went to the dealership to investigate this, but unfortunately, they only had a 328i with manual seats. I measured the difference with a similarly equipped 328i with power seats.

I'd naturally assume that this difference would be seen in the 1 series likewise, but as hitthemark41 pointed out, this can't be considered as a definite. I am betting it is though.

Sitting lower in the car is a personal priority...enough for me to sacrifice the other amenities of the premium package, even though I opt for leather seats (purely for the color of Red Coral).

[Dan203]

Why do you need to sit an inch lower? For track purposes so you can fit with a helmet? Or do you just like sitting down close to the floor?

I'm coming from a PT Cruiser, which has a seat hight similar to an SUV or van. So for me simply sitting in the lower position offered by either option will be a change.

Dan

[Bullitt]

Originally Posted by Dan203

There are several things in the Premium package that make it worth the cost for me. The universal garage door opener is nice... No ugly brick hanging from your visor and leaving an indent in the fabric.

I like the integrated universal garage door opener too, but you can find remotes in mini, compact sizes these days...small enough to put on your keychain.

The auto dimming mirrors are nice if you have eyes, like mine, that are sensitive to bright light when driving at night.

Without auto dimming, you still wouldn't be helpless. The mirror can become dim with a simple manual tilt.

And BMW assist can literally save your life in event of a major accident. To me the Premium package is what makes this a luxury car.

Yes, BMW assist is great. However, you can have this feature without the premium package.

[Bullitt]

Originally Posted by Dan203

Why do you need to sit an inch lower? For track purposes so you can fit with a helmet? Or do you just like sitting down close to the floor?
Dan

The driver's center of gravity will be lower, which is a good thing from a physics standpoint. In my case, I am also tall, particularly my upperbody, so I prefer the lower height anyway.

[Dan203]

Originally Posted by Bullitt

I like the integrated universal garage door opener too, but you can find remotes in mini, compact sizes these days...small enough to put on your keychain.

I know, my wife has one of those for her Miata. However they are actually kind of big. (a little bigger then most key FOBs) Plus I also got comfort access, so don't plan on ever taking my key out of my pocket. Which means I'd really have no where convenient to keep the keychain garage door opener. Even if I kept it in my pocket then that would just be one more big lump of plastic I'd have to carry around with me.

Originally Posted by Bullitt

Without auto dimming, you still wouldn't be helpless. The mirror can become dim with a simple manual tilt.

Not the side mirrors. I use the manual tilt in my current car all the time at night, but I can still get blinded by the side mirrors if a car is just behind me in the other lane. I'm looking forward to the auto dimming side mirrors the most.

Dan

[Bullitt]

I'm getting CA too, but I'll be leaving my small keychain remote in the center compartment. As for the bright lights from the side mirrors, I forgot to mention that tinted windows should take care of that. One of my first mods will be a Huper Optik ceramic tint.

[TagMan]

I realy like the power seats. I tend to save two memory positions for myself, so if I'm driving a while in my usual memory #1, I already have my favorite "take a break" position ready to go in memory #2.

Also, the power seats are much more appreciated by passengers, IMHO.

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by Lester

The standard seats have the electric lumbar adjustment too.

Not so in the U.S. In order to get the adjustable lumbar support, you must order the premium package.
Tom

[sunking420]

I'm the only one who will use this car, so was never even considered. I wanted to keep it as close to $35k as possible as well. Just SGM($475) and Sport Package for $1000. Total came to $39 and change.....

[BMW Dreamer]

Originally Posted by Dan203

Why do you need to sit an inch lower? For track purposes so you can fit with a helmet? Or do you just like sitting down close to the floor?

I'm coming from a PT Cruiser, which has a seat hight similar to an SUV or van. So for me simply sitting in the lower position offered by either option will be a change.

Dan

For comfort BRAH, Comfort. I am 8'3" tall and need to sit low.

[Jumpman]

Wow, I never thought this topic would last this long. Apparently there is quite the divide on this issue! Good discussion, though, for sure. For my needs, based on advice in this thread, I have called and removed that option from my order (which still hasn't gone into production...grrrrr....).

JM

[Captain Obvious]

What's the point of power seats when someone needs to sit in back. Please wait while the seat moves forward. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Ok get in. I'm moving it back again now: bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz .

Great, that was a whole minute in a downpour.

Imagine if you could buy a gun that would fire 6 rounds automatically if you held the trigger down. One round per minute.

WTF is the point of "automatic" taking 10 times as long as manual? And having to pay for it? In a coupe, this makes no sense.

[Dan203]

Someone already stated that the seat will lay down quickly using a manual handle. You only need to use the electric switch to move the seat forward. So if you are really in a downpour then just make your passenger get into the back by simply laying down the seat. That extra few inches it pulls forward is not that big of a deal.

Plus the vast majority of us don't really intend to use the back seat much anyway. The only reason I wanted a car with a back seat is so those seats could lay down and give me more room in the trunk.

Dan

[Redline]

Power seats in any car is never worth it in my oppinion.
I hate it when certain cars have no choice to pick manual operated seats!

Powerseats cost more on the option list
They are heavier
and you won't be adjusting your seats from day to day anyway...just do it manually.

ONLY thing I like about powerseat is the MEMORY function to get your seat back to your position...but that's about it.

[Kiety]

the electric seats actually slide forward and back about double the speed of the regular movements, it's about 4 seconds to move about 25cm (the manual seat can move forward 25cm total from what I could tell at the dealer) So 8 seconds forward and back, thats not exactly 'a long time,' longer than the manual seats (for most people) yes.

One plus is that the electric seats seem to slide forward more than the manual ones, guess the manual latch only allows you to go so far? But anyone who needs THAT much space to get in the back seat probably wouldn't fit there anyways, I guess it'd be good for putting your kids in booster seats.

Don't forget that you get auto tilting passenger side mirror when you go in reverse with electric seats, great for if you parallel park often.

ps. the 3 series slider was soooo cool, even the headrests retract automagically. That and the hardtop are going to be my only regrets of not getting the 335i cabrio.

[KRZY1]

Originally Posted by Kiety

Don't forget that you get auto tilting passenger side mirror when you go in reverse with electric seats, great for if you parallel park often.

Couple questions I was told by the sales guy I spoke with that all BMW's had the downward tilting passenger side mirror regardless of premium package or not. I have heard that it only comes with the package although its not listed that I can see on BMW's website. Is this the case or not?

Also, to answer the manual vs power seat question about high low they go. I was told by the same sales guy that BMW did a good job of tucking the motors for the power seats as far up inside the seat as possible and that it has the same range of motion as the manual seats.

I am debating power vs manual as well and am 6'3" with a tall mid-section so I was thinking manual would help with head/helmet space but he said no that unlike the 3 these have the same range of motion. Who knows without having both side by side....

[ChrisK]

IMO the power seats allow for more precise control over your seating position.

[Kiety]

Originally Posted by KRZY1

Couple questions I was told by the sales guy I spoke with that all BMW's had the downward tilting passenger side mirror regardless of premium package or not. I have heard that it only comes with the package although its not listed that I can see on BMW's website. Is this the case or not?

Also, to answer the manual vs power seat question about high low they go. I was told by the same sales guy that BMW did a good job of tucking the motors for the power seats as far up inside the seat as possible and that it has the same range of motion as the manual seats.

I am debating power vs manual as well and am 6'3" with a tall mid-section so I was thinking manual would help with head/helmet space but he said no that unlike the 3 these have the same range of motion. Who knows without having both side by side....

i had the same question so i fired out emails to every bmw dealer in the region and asked them to check for me

4/4 said power seats are required for auto tilt-down in reverse.

[nautilus]

I've got power seats but only because I took an unallocated car that was already on the ferry and was about 95% close to what my real order was going to be.

They're nice but I could happily live without them (same with the auto tilt down on reverse)

[EB1Coupe]

Wife is 4'10, I'm 5'10. She loves to drive so we will be sharing the car a lot. So, we got the power seats.

I pick up my 135 tomorrow at 1! :thumbup:

[1Ronnie]

I travel a lot and those helpful bastards at the Valet parking always adjust my E90 seats, and being over 6" tall, I usually can't even get into the seat witout dropping the height first. I can't wait for electric/memory with comfort access so I can get going as soon as I get in to the E82.

Now all i need is to find some way to stop them screwing with the Auto headlights and radio !!!

[adc]

Originally Posted by mistermojorizin

i'm curious how much weight the power seats add.

For previous 3 series models, it was estimated around 50-60lbs.