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      05-10-2009, 06:08 PM   #485
soohoolm
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Hello guys, I'm new to the forum and not an owner yet. I'm still in the choosing options area and the pricing is very confusing especially since some dealerships are pushing the 2008 convertibles and I'm in a 2009 -2010 mindset. My question is for you Midwest ,esp. Michigan drivers what tires did you opt for and why ? Also what options did you get or wish you had gotten? The Dealership i've checked out says I will definitely need snow tires does that mean storing the regular tires? Sorry if my questions seem dumb ,but I'm relying on your experiences to help guide me through this process. Thanks ahead of time!
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      05-10-2009, 08:00 PM   #486
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You'll definitely need a set of winter tires (at a minimum) and preferably a complete set of wheels & tires to make swapping easy. The 18" wheels w/runflats are NOT capable of making it through our winters safely.

Regarding options, my car is pretty well loaded (except for Active Steering, Park Distance Sensors & HD Radio) and while I wouldn't change a thing, there are a few that I don't *need*.

Obviously the transmission is a matter of preference, so that's totally your call. My plans were to get the 6-speed, but after driving the Steptronic, it wasn't even a question - I had to have it. Not only did it shift faster and more accurately than I (as well as most people) can, but it also gave me the option of letting my wife drive the car - even though she's only drive it twice in a year! iDrive is similar to the trans options. Some love it, some hate it and it's pricey to add on. It's another one that I got, but many don't.

If I had to pick 3 "must have" options that are currently on my car, they would be: Sport Package (cheap and well-worth it), Premium HiFi & Comfort Access (this one is the most important of the 3). If-given a 4th, iPod adapter. IF you're thinking about upgrading to leather, just get the Premium Package. It's worth it.

Good luck with your decisions. Feel free to ask away if you have more questions!
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      05-10-2009, 09:46 PM   #487
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Winter and Options

I absolutely agree with jtsherri in regard to the winter wheels and tires. I had a separate set on my 330ci with Blizzaks and then later Hankooks that made the car even better in the snow than a lot of front wheel drive vehicles. I was very comfortable in the Detroit area with that 2nd set. I had the dealer swap the sets for me for about $90 and they always took a look at the brakes and stuff while they were doing it as a courtesy. Worked out great. They were no problem to store in the garage for the summer, either.

Options wise, I also got a pretty loaded car, but as far as essentials:
•M-Sport or Sport package -- you won't regret it one bit and it makes the car a lot more fun to drive.
•Heated seats. I *hate* not having heated seats in my current beater, and they are divine in the winters here. And fall. And spring.

After that, it's all depending on how posh or gadget-oriented you are. I went pretty heavy and got all of this stuff, too:
•Navigation is a must-have for me, now. Love it integrated, hate the stick on garmins and stuff. Just looks tacky, IMHO, to have this thing stuck to your dash or windshield.
•iPod integration - only useful if you have an iPod, but the USB attachment option is attractive if you've even got a memory stick with MP3s on it. Again, worth the price to have an integrated system in the car instead of aftermarket.
•Leather interior. I had leatherette in my 330. It was great (easy to care for, didn't wear at all in 8 years), but it was HOT and STICKY in the summertime. Not sure how leather will differ, but I got leather coming this time around.
•Premium package has some really nice stuff in it like bluetooth and the autodimming mirrors. Essential? Nah. Worth it if you're sure you're getting leather, because leather is included in the premium package price.
•Comfort Access. Again, convenience and very cool, but essential? Nah. The regular keys have 'remote lock' and trunk buttons, so it's not like you'll have to put the key in the lock to get the car unlocked without comfort access.
•Steptronic Automatic Transmission. This is totally personal preference. Guys who drive stick love the immediacy and control that you get from it. I don't enjoy driving stick and I'm not very good at it. Loved my steptronic in the 330, but the transmission did fail at 110,000. Autos generally don't last as long, but lots and lots of them DO last well over 150,000 miles according to the dealer's service techs.

I put together a Minimum and Maximum build before I went looking for a car so that I knew what I couldn't live without and what's a bonus. Same with colors, though eventually I settled on LeMans blue and had to order the car to get it. If you don't care about color, you'll have better luck finding a car on the lot.

I can highly recommend Erhard BMW in Bloomfield Hills. The other place I got a good offer was at Grand Blanc BMW. I'd been to Ann Arbor BMW and asked a couple questions -- the guy never got back to me with an answer, so I dunno how they are there overall.

I'm pretty much brand new to the board and being a 1 owner, but all the same, welcome!

-Otterdoc
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      05-11-2009, 11:31 AM   #488
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What about the old 18" wheels with a snow tire on them? I had 17's last time but instead of selling my old stock 18's converting them to a snow would be kinda cool. They'd be wide though Thoughts?
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      05-11-2009, 12:09 PM   #489
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Originally Posted by bmwzone View Post
What about the old 18" wheels with a snow tire on them? I had 17's last time but instead of selling my old stock 18's converting them to a snow would be kinda cool. They'd be wide though Thoughts?
I used 17x8 on all four corners for my 330ci's set of snows and they were fine. most people go narrower, I think, but I had no trouble. I sold those with the car and kept my M68 staggered width rims to sell, but if I find out those will fit with the 135's calipers, I may just use those as winter rims. I'll have to buy a new set of snow tires, but that's less than new rims and tires.

Tire Rack usually has great packages available, or you can talk to your SA/CA about BMW's factory rim/tire sets for winter. Dealership prices will be higher, of course.
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      05-15-2009, 11:37 AM   #490
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Welcome soohoolm and Otterdoc!
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      05-20-2009, 09:51 PM   #491
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Thanks Guys for the warm welcomes and advice! The Dealer in Ann Arbor told me I didn't need an Alarm system for a BMW as every item on it has been etched for i.D. and because of the key system it can't be stolen ! I find this really hard to believe! Do you Guys (including women) have alarm systems?
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      05-20-2009, 09:56 PM   #492
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Quote:
Originally Posted by soohoolm View Post
I find this really hard to believe! Do you Guys (including women) have alarm systems?
I find it hard to believe, too, but I may be wrong. Either way, I did NOT get the factory alarm option on my 135.

This wait is driving me nuts. Car's scheduled for build by the 26th, and I'll actually calm down a little once I know it's on the way from Liepzig!
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      05-21-2009, 07:55 AM   #493
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Don't buy in to the etching B.S. - definitely not true; however, due to the nature of our keys, the car is very difficult to steal. Impossible? No, but really difficult.

For the cost of the alarm system, it's worth getting. My car is generally either in my garage or parked at work (near the parking lot security guard ) when I'm not driving it, so the alarm hasn't been high on my priority list; however, I will get it for the sake of cheaper insurance and resale value one of these days.
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      05-21-2009, 05:50 PM   #494
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Thanks again,

This is what we found today :

MSRP: 39,100.00
AW 2008 BMW 135i
Black ette
cold weather pkg
Steptronic
muliti function steering wheel
chrome line exterior
comfort access
power front seats
xenon lights
ipod usb
Premium hifi
44,520 sale 40,051.00
What do you Reckon?
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      05-21-2009, 05:51 PM   #495
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oh by the way there are 42 miles on this car.
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      05-21-2009, 08:07 PM   #496
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Quote:
Originally Posted by soohoolm View Post
MSRP: 39,100.00
44,520 sale 40,051.00
What do you Reckon?
$1000 over invoice is what Erhard likes to get. I got an offer for $700 over invoice (which includes some perks with their privilege program). I've read lots of posts on the forum about people getting anywhere from invoice up to over $1000 above invoice.

My personal feeling on this is that spending a few hundred bucks more is worth it if you've got a good relationship with the dealer and want to do business with them. I was more than happy to get the price I got even if it's a bit "high" when compared to some other parts of the country. By the time I shipped the car or went somewhere to get it, I'd be right at the local dealers' prices.

You can always shop the numbers around to Grand Blanc or Erhard and see what they're willing to do. I've got a huge loyalty to Erhard because of how they treated me with my 330, so it all comes down to what's going to make you happy. I read a post here that said "If you feel good about it, it's a good deal." You can't get any wiser than that.
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      05-21-2009, 09:48 PM   #497
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Quote:
Originally Posted by soohoolm View Post
Thanks again,

This is what we found today :

MSRP: 39,100.00
AW 2008 BMW 135i
Black ette
cold weather pkg
Steptronic
muliti function steering wheel
chrome line exterior
comfort access
power front seats
xenon lights
ipod usb
Premium hifi
44,520 sale 40,051.00
What do you Reckon?
Definitely not a bad deal, but wouldn't consider it a GREAT one either... We are talking about an '08 after all . Sounds like a really nice car! The only thing I think it's lacking is the sports package, which was well-worth the $1000 - the seats and steering wheel are incredible. Other than that, it has everything that I'd consider "necessary." The other options (Premium Package, Active Steering, Satellite, etc) are all a matter of preference.

Overall, I agree with Tyler's final thoughts. If you like the way the car is equipped and feel good about what you're getting, it's a fair deal and you should scoop it up.
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      05-22-2009, 08:18 AM   #498
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Hey Guys----just registered myself for the Open Track Day at Waterford Hills for May 31st! I'm a little giddy as this will be my first Track Day event. Needless to say, it will be a good learning experience for me to understand the dynamics of the car. The funny thing, I raced at WHRRI previously...on my bike...er..that is my bicycle. It will be a different experience with 4 wheels and a motor this time.

As of now, there are only 16 cars pre-registered.

Anybody else have interest?

Have a good long weekend everybody~!
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      05-22-2009, 09:42 AM   #499
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Concur with Jason - sport package is a must - I'd trade it for 90% of the options listed there. Esp the auto -
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      05-28-2009, 06:46 PM   #500
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Hey Guys ,

Me again, I was told that if I didn't get the Sports Pkg I wouldn't have to switch out my tires 2 times a year. Is this true? I really want The Premium Pkg ,Steptronic Cold weather pkg, ipod USB , Comfort Access .The SA also said if I went with Sport pkg Tire Rack had really great prices on wheels and tires. I opted for a portable Nav system and the 128i convertible AW . Is a all Black interior difficult to keep clean my other choice is Boston Leather. The Price keeps creeping so I really have to watch the extras.
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      05-28-2009, 07:52 PM   #501
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Quote:
Originally Posted by soohoolm View Post
Hey Guys ,

Me again, I was told that if I didn't get the Sports Pkg I wouldn't have to switch out my tires 2 times a year. Is this true? I really want The Premium Pkg ,Steptronic Cold weather pkg, ipod USB , Comfort Access .The SA also said if I went with Sport pkg Tire Rack had really great prices on wheels and tires. I opted for a portable Nav system and the 128i convertible AW . Is a all Black interior difficult to keep clean my other choice is Boston Leather. The Price keeps creeping so I really have to watch the extras.
I'm not really sure what he's referring to... Is it that you're required to get 18" wheels with high performance tires by going with the Sport Package? Regardless, I'd opt to pick up a set of winter tires if your intentions are to drive it year-round.

Regarding the interior: I don't think you'll have issues with black. I have Coral Red; however, a good chunk of the inside of the car is still black and it's not a big deal to keep clean. Go with what you like - like the rest of us, the car will be your baby and you won't mind spending the time keeping it up anyway.

Sounds like you're going through what I did when I bought my car... Originally, my only intentions were Sport Package, Comfort Access and Heated Seats. In the end, I ended up with everything except Sirius/HD Radio, Backup Sensors and Adaptive Steering.
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      05-28-2009, 08:51 PM   #502
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Quote:
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Me again, I was told that if I didn't get the Sports Pkg I wouldn't have to switch out my tires 2 times a year. Is this true?
I still HIGHLY recommend a 2nd set of dedicated rims and snow tires for winter. I tried to get by on my high performance all-season Kumhos with my 330ci and it sucked bigtime. A RWD performance coupe needs winter tires. Period.

Sport package gives you staggered widths (7.5" front and 8.5" rear), so you can't rotate all 4 corners. Sport package also gives you a tighter and slightly stiffer suspension setup and better handling, plus the sport seats, if I recall correctly. (You don't want to miss out on the sport seats.)

With a set of winter rims, you can get all 4 the same width and rotate to your heart's content. A set of winter tires should last you 2-3 winters. I also recommend Tire Rack for good prices, or you can often pick up a set of rims used on the various forums (which is what I did with my 330ci).

I realize that the price keeps sneaking up, but that's the nature of the beast.

I highly recommend the sport package.

What about the cold weather package do you want? Just the heated seats (which you can get separately) or the pass-through for skis? Does the heated wheel come with the 128i and cold weather? I believe you can't have the paddle shift AND the heated wheel, though, which sucks.

I got comfort access, premium, and USB also. You have to get leather with the premium package, so pick the color you like and just take good care of it. It shouldn't take you much time to care for the leather. (That being said, I very nearly got leatherette again. My 330 had it and it was super easy to care for, plus it showed no wear after 7 years).

My last piece of advice is to get as much as your budget will allow you to get. Nothing worse than having a brand new car and wishing you hadn't skipped a particular option. I could have lived with an MSRP $4k less than I got, but I'd have regretted it every day.

Onna personal note, my car's awaiting transport.
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      05-28-2009, 09:38 PM   #503
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I agree ,I want to get everything within my budget but also for sake of longevity,as I plan on keeping this car for quite sometime. Heck I still have my beautiful White Jeep Grand Wagoneer 1986 . I do like to fact that they will pick up my car and Change the tires for Winter . Cold weather package is at the top pf my list my Jeep has them as well as every car I've ever had with the exception of my Husbands work Car (Saturn Outlook .I hate driving it in winter no heated seats) and yes the Heated steering wheel comes with the 128i. I think the SA was saying without the Sports suspension and pkg. changing the tires for winter wasn't necessary. That I didn't quite get since everyone including you guys have stated WINTER TIRES NO MATTER WHAT! I think he was inexperienced with driving this car or he was trying to SNOW ME! Thanks Guys I'm keeping my calculator clicking! I am Getting Winter wheels and snow tires. What's a few shares of Apple stock !
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      05-28-2009, 09:42 PM   #504
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Quote:
Originally Posted by soohoolm View Post
What's a few shares of Apple stock !
A lot more than it used to be!

I think you're making a good decision on the winter set. At the very least, you can always sell them if you find they're unnecessary or you decide to make a garage queen out of the 1-'vert. I can respect either decision.

I had a hard time deciding between the heated wheel or the sport wheel with paddle shifters. Shifters won out. I refuse to have a cold rump, though, so the heated seats were a must-have.

Be sure to let us know what your final options package is!
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      06-01-2009, 10:18 PM   #505
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e46 Meet

The locals on the e46 forums are putting together a meet on July 18th. I'm going to try to make it. Here's a link to the thread:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=674727
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      06-01-2009, 11:58 PM   #506
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Quote:
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The locals on the e46 forums are putting together a meet on July 18th. I'm going to try to make it. Here's a link to the thread:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=674727
Sounds like a good time. I'll probably shoot to make that. Thanks for posting it up!
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