$1000 estimate - seats, trim, windows, dealers - help!

[imported_markc]

My dealer (Otto's, West Chester, PA) just let me know that for their shop to swap out the shadowline trim for the chrome I want will cost about $1000. That sounds too high.

I have now asked for a price for buying a drivers sport seat as a part and having them swap out the regular seat in non sports-package model for the new drivers seat. I figure I would save money on the sports package to offset some of the cost of the new seat.

ED, PD and other factory ordering is not helpful apparently. There is no way to get sports seats and chrome trim delivered together according to Ottos (and Union Park in Wilmington). One can also not order a power sport seat when paying the bucks to upgrade to power seats in a non-sports package model.

If anyone in the Baltimore/Wilmington/Philadelphia/Camden/Trenton area has found a dealer with more innovative approaches, I would love to hear about it. Also, does anyone know any other approach?

Lastly - There is a terrific picture of Sedona Red with the shadowline trim in the UK section - I found it through a link in the Pictures discussion here. It seems to show very tinted windows. Sorry if I have missed this discussion, but is window tinting something that they also include as mandatory with the sports package?

All help is welcome. Thanks very much.

[ulrichd]

Mark,
This is confusing. Do you already have the car? The total sports package on a 135 is $1,200 I think. Where is the savings in that over buying one seat and having shadow line trim installed? Did they make a mistake in ordering?
Ulrich

[Lester]

Originally Posted by ulrichd

Mark,
This is confusing. Do you already have the car? The total sports package on a 135 is $1,200 I think. Where is the savings in that over buying one seat and having shadow line trim installed? Did they make a mistake in ordering?
Ulrich

I think the idea here is that he doesn't want shadowline trim. So he is thinking of buying a non sport version with chrome trim, and buying a single sports seat. There seems to be no way to order the Sports package without shadowline trim. I would say that having one sport seat and one regular seat in a car would be a little strange.

[vivid]

are you talking about the BMW Performance Seat? And getting the BMW Performance Seat instead of the 135i's sports seat?

I'm a little confused over what you are asking.

[Dave]

i too am confused so will not participate in this...

[tommy]

Originally Posted by markc

There is no way to get sports seats and chrome trim delivered together, one can also not order a power sport seat when paying the bucks to upgrade to power seats in a non-sports package model.

For those of you who apparently did not find that reading is fundamental, that's his question in a nutshell. My response would be get the sport package for the seats and live with the shadowline, or at least wait to see what happens as more people look into switching the shadowline for the chrome or the reverse. I'm assuming that it will be a fairly common thing eventually, as people always seem to want what they're not given.

[atr_hugo]

^ +1 - in fact in the 'For Sale' section there are already requests to swap shadowline for chrome.

[Peebz]

Is it worth that much to you to have a little chrome? Just buy it direct from them and install it yourself and see how much it will cost then.

[imported_markc]

sorry folks, let me clarify:

I am trying to order a 135 and I am next on the list, apparently. I think I have to get sports seats because I like them so much in my 1999 330i. However, there seems to be no way to get them without losing the chrome trim, which, to my eye, is an essential part of the appealing look of the car, particularly in sedona red or in sparkling graphite.

So, I asked the dealers about ordering it with sports seats and chrome. THey said no way. I asked about ordering it with sports package and having them swap new replacement chrome trim for the shadowline that would come on it. THey said, maybe - $1000 in costs.

So I have asked them, what if I get the non-sports package, and you swap out the seat for me? No answer yet.

I feel like Jack Nicholson trying to order whole wheat toast at the diner.

The reason I posted is to see if any of you have any ideas about other innovative ways to get the combination I want. Perhaps, for example, I will end up just having the stupid trim painted after I take delivery. Seems like a strange thing to do.

Someone a long time ago suggested that there may be folks not getting the sports package but who would trade their trim with me to get the shadowline after we both take delivery. Perhaps, but I have no way to locate these folks.

Before I give up on the whole thing and just keep my 330i for another year until (hopefully) BMW offers more flexibility in 2009, I wanted to see if any of you good folks had ideas or suggestions I had not thought of.

Thanks again.

[atr_hugo]

I suspect it'd be cheaper in the long run to get the ZSP and watch this forum for trim swaps.

[Bringinthewolf]

This may or may not help but in Canada we can order the sport seats as a single option without the sports package. I think it is an $800 option up here so probably $500 in the States? Get your dealer to dig a bit further.

[TP 135i]

Originally Posted by markc

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Someone a long time ago suggested that there may be folks not getting the sports package but who would trade their trim with me to get the shadowline after we both take delivery. Perhaps, but I have no way to locate these folks.

I think that this forum is the place to find the people that would like to switch trim.
Get the sport package, for the seats, and afterwards find someone to swap. I'm sure you will find a swapper.

[M3Newbie88]

+1 to switching with a forum member.. alot cheaper and alot less hassle... =)

[happywalmartcustomer]

I am in somewhat the same boat, debating whether the sport seats are worth $1000 if they nix a feature I like in the process- the chrome trim. I am leaning towards getting the sport package then looking for a trim trade through these forums or a totalled vehicle to plunder. I think not having the sport package could potentially be a problem in reselling the car. If i didn't get the sport package and I were unhappy with the seats I would probably get a very, very nice pair of Recaros and keep the BMW seats stored away to swap back in when the car sells.

[MVF4Rrider]

Sport Pkg is a no brainer for the 135i. It gives you better rubber (tires) I believe (?), an M steering wheel (yippie!), an oil cooler, far better contoured seats, and a raised speed limiter to 150 mph. $1000 for all that is very little. I'm not sold on the shadowline trim either, but it's the price of admission and I need the better rubber and enhanced top speed. Sure I'd like better seats (Recaro, BMW Performance, etc.) but most the aftermarket stuff to upgrade a non-Sport Pkg 135i is exceedingly overpriced, although the outcome would be quite nice but would certainly narrow the market when you want to sell. The joy of depreciating assets!

[vivid]

OP I agree with everyone, get the sports package and look for someone willing to trade... I'm sure some third party tuner will make kits too...

Bringinthewolf
in the US we can not order the sports seats as a stand alone option, its sport pack or nothing... Sports pack cost $1000USD and includes: sports seats, M steering wheel and shadowline trim.

[Smallbodybimmer]

I would have been a candidate to switch trim with someone. I wanted the shadowline over the chrome but did not initially want the sport seats included in the sport package, in hope of putting that money towards a set of BMW Performance Seats. Seeing how the seats are not going to be available in U.S. I ended up just going with the sport package. There will probably be others who don't want sport package for some reason or another, but want Shadowline and will be willing to trade with you. Getting sport and trading is probably your least expensive bet to get everything you want.

[asv]

The sport package in the US gives you the oil cooler. Its a must have.

[adc]

1. Get the Sport Package - the sport seats and oil cooler are essentials for this car.
2. Call Tischer BMW in Silver Spring MD, or go to their website - they have a massive online parts warehouse and they practice very low prices - you will be surprised. Some 335 owners wanted the shadowline trim (comes with brushed chrome) and they got very good prices from them (forget exactly how much, perhaps in the neighborhood of $300?).
3. Swap it out yourself. During the removal process, the bottom part of the trim will get damaged, at least on the 3 series coupe. Re-selling it may not be an option unless you can order the bottom part separately. So it is possible you may have to eat the cost of the trim, but perhaps if the price is low enough it won't be an issue.
4. If you cannot do it yourself, then drive to Tischer to pick up the trim instead of shipping it and ask them to install it. They would likely charge you 1 hour of work, which is around $100. You can always ask them initially what the price is shipped vs. installed.
5. Most likely, your car will loose some resale value. Most buyers will want the correct trim for the specification.

Good luck!

[GreenMonster]

I understood what the OP (original poster) meant after the first read...

There is no more individual program in the United States at all, so you've got to take whatever they give you.

[JackMac]

Mark - you will definately find someone who will want your shadowline chrome and will swap. Don't let that issue stop you from placing an order.

Say "hello" to my friends at Otto's on both sides of the showroom!

[hellrotm]

Or you can just wait until everyone has their cars. You will be able to pick-up someones chrome trim for nothing.

On the E60 forum everyone wants the shadowe line trim, so the classifieds threads are filled with the chrome trim.