Wednesday the 21st, 3pm

[Sprey]

Well, as you can probably tell, Space Grey was a partly (mostly) a decision made by the head because of my obsessive compulsive nature when it came to black.

I originally ordered SGM (closer to black but 'sane' by my rationalisation) and was really at two minds about Space Grey when I learnt SGM had been discontinued. I didn't want it too light - I've had/have many silver cars. Now that I've seen it in metal and differing light, I am pleased with the choice. It is very forgiving on dust just like I had hoped and yet some of the reflective qualities of dark colours still applies. To think I chose this sight unseen!

By the way, I still have that black car (make/model shall remain nameless) and still obsess over it. I couldn't add another black car and stay sane (already questionable).

Not sure about sanding off the dot matrix by the way. I'm happy with the results of the trick I had described earlier. I took this picture just a few moments ago in the sunset - not great lighting but flash photography would tend to exaggerate the bubbles more so you can see the results are quite acceptable.

[bmw233]

Congrats on the car Sprey!
I've had mine now for almost 4 weeks, and have already done 4K
Colour of your car looks great. I have AW, and you can't see accumulation of dust on the paintwork up close. I assume your colour is also like that?

[bmw233]

Originally Posted by Sprey

Greetings everyone!

It's coming up nearly 2 weeks to the day I picked up my joy, thought I provide a quick update for those interested.

Having completed a mere 461kms, I am happy to report all is going well, exceedingly well in fact. Some of you may have seen a separate post by me as to a mysterious cable I found under the rear bench - but it would seem it was pretty benign. That's about it.

I thought I provide my Top 3 surprise likes and dislikes (too strong a term). Let's call it 'areas of opportunity' then.

Surprise Likes:

#1: Ride/Handling compromise despite RFT's reputation
#2: New iDrive and voice commands
#3: Steptronic

Areas of opportunity:

#1: Fuel tank size and distance-to-empty range
#2: Glare on gauges in noontime sun (curiously iDrive screen is fine)
#3: Electric folding door mirrors (option) don't fold automatically on exiting and door-locking the car.

By the way, I can live with all of the above and the 'Likes' list was seriously culled for the purposes of Top 3. A notable note which I will throw in here is how if you double press the unlock on the fob, windows open about 3/4 of the way down as soon as you pull the door handle to assist with missing your head as you sit into the car and then automatically winds back up when you shut the door. And this works for both the drivers and passenger windows. Good for big heads

Here are some new pictures, this time in the sun.

Where did you take those great pics?

[Sprey]

Thanks BMW233!

Yes, that's exactly right about the dust. As I had already confessed, I love black cars and their depth of shine but dislike how dust becomes obvious almost immediately after a wash. And then over time, the whole paint looks like it has a brown haze over it. Call me obsessive compulsive!

Space Grey is much more forgiving, as like I'm sure Alpine White is. Another confession is that those pictures were not on a just-washed car. They were a week into the last wash (admittedly few kms and no rain in between) and if it wasn't the colour and Armorall Wheel Protectant, it'd look pretty ordinary I suspect.

The pictures were taken on my drive to Palm Beach for lunch.

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=s...8&split=0&z=13

[Gumball]

Sprey, mine look much the same except water does seap in between the glass and the tints. Do u have this issue? They dry quickly in the sun but looks tacky on such a nice car.


Posted the thread below to get some ideas from other 1 owners:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...16#post4525216

[Sprey]

Hi Gumball!

Sorry to hear the window tinting issue you have hasn't sorted itself out. I just reviewed the picture you posted on the other thread and compared it with my picture posted previously and actual car.

It is my opinion that your window tinter can do better job. I wouldn't go blaming them for poor workmanship right away, the dot matrix is a pain and from my experience required a lot of attention during the first 3 - 4 hours. However, I think you can achieve an overall better result.

I don't think you can ever get 100% adherence with no 'lighter' bubbles showing at all. It seems to me my situation is better than yours but certainly not 100% perfect. Curiously, I noticed in your picture was how some of these 'non-adhered' areas were on the inside edge, and not the outside edge (ie towards the rear of car). To me, that should discount the 'seeping' theory. Perhaps what you are seeing, which I did too in the first 3 - 4 hours after installation, is varying degrees of tack. That means the glue on the film was not fully activated. It may just need some massaging and hot air gun work by the tinter.

As to leaving a gap so there is no tint on the dot matrix area, personally I think that would look worse. The reason is that the window doesn't open parallel to the B pillar. The appearance would be that of differing angle vertical lines. Hard to explain but I try to imagine the window half open with an untinted channel where the dot matrix is.

I hope this helps. Please let us know how you go.

[Gumball]

Thanks,

Did get them to fix the other side when I got the oil change and that side is looking better, shall give them a call next week. Are you having any water sepage at all?

And how is the car going? Thinking about any mods etc??

[Sprey]

Hey Gumball,

In answer to your question, no seepage at all. Sounds like your dealer is doing the right thing by you. Good for you!

The car is going perfect 960kms in, except my discovery it is not puncture proof A little annoyed with the dealer and their slackness with regards to tyre pressures during pre delivery too. You can read about that here:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233747

A bit of feedback about the Sat Nav though. I don't know why it calls some major roads by their 'Route number' and not street name which just isn't what we do here in Australia.

Yours, apart from the tints?

[wkthyk]

I'm not 100% happy with the sat nav too, got my car 2 weeks but the nav already pointed me a few times to the wrong side of one-way streets... and ask me to do crazy u-turn at middle of Pacific HWY around Chatswood...

[Gumball]

All is going fine - now the tints look perfect after drying out - oh well!

Only other thing is ipod loading time, if I change the song too quickly after starting up it does not respond quickly till I have been driving for at least 5 minutes. No Idrive here so was wondering if idrive users have the same issue?

Thinking about JB3's etc but still undecided if i should wait till its out of warranty. Sort of annoys me that the car is so detuned so not to interfere with M3 sales!!

[Sparky66]

Originally Posted by Gumball

Thinking about JB3's etc but still undecided if i should wait till its out of warranty. Sort of annoys me that the car is so detuned so not to interfere with M3 sales!!

Sorry for the OT but I can help you out there, if interested.http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...35#post4540035

[Sprey]

Whohoo! 1,000kms today!




wkthyk, so it was you who did that u-turn on Pacific Hwy! Watch out for me on Roseville bridge!

Gumball, yes, it does seem like there are many software tuning options, I'm curious to see if the BMW one ever makes it here and for what kind of money. I think I'll shy away until I am desensitised to the 135i's standard factory performance!