[z1ppo325i]

That was exactly my point in putting up this post..... i think alot of us.. not all are in our 20's and single and could use the extra storage i.e snowboards, skies.. and for bmw to charge $500 is absolutely rude in my opinion.. but then they do offer a great ride....... man.. I wish the TL had the bimmer's driving physics... but bimmers will be bimmers...

[davinet78]

i think that an e90 is not designed to carry big things so as to have folding seats as whatever you put in the car could stratch the interior of the car

[dnh325i]

I carry an extensive part of my office with me including laptop computer, rolling bag, files, etc. Our company has had a high number of computers stolen from vehicles. If you put the computer bag in the trunk where it is out of site, the casual thief walking by will not smash the window to pry open the seat to get to whatever is in the trunk, unless he knows its there.

The fold down seats will allow me to carry my windsurfing sails and booms much easier!

So for me, they are required.

[CnoteMD]

I am still awaiting delivery of my car, so I don't know how the fold down rear seats work in this car.

However, I have used to have a 2001 VW Jetta and the mechanisms for the fold down rear seats were lockable. Is this the case in the BMW? In my Volvo S60, the rear seat release is inside of the trunk. This makes it much more difficult for a valet to get into your trunk.

As an aside, the folding rear seats AND alarm were standard in both of these cars.

Michael

[scottz5]

IMO if the back seats dont lay flat they are a waste anyway, but we do have a car that can hold more then the 3. But BMW sould just make them standard which would lower the price across the board.

[NaTuReB0Y]

BMW - has too many options to purchase and not enough standard features. i.e. Leather seat should come standard in a "luxury" vehicle.

Try to buy a fully-loaded E90.....$52,000 plus......

[1stTbuyer]

Originally Posted by CnoteMD

I am still awaiting delivery of my car, so I don't know how the fold down rear seats work in this car.

However, I have used to have a 2001 VW Jetta and the mechanisms for the fold down rear seats were lockable. Is this the case in the BMW? In my Volvo S60, the rear seat release is inside of the trunk. This makes it much more difficult for a valet to get into your trunk.

As an aside, the folding rear seats AND alarm were standard in both of these cars.

Michael

Yes and no. It's quite a stupid design. The lock mechanism is reached from the trunk, so you need access to it to bring down the seats, --fine there. The stupid part is that after lowering the arm rest in the rear seats, you remove the ski bag pass-through from the front, and then anyone can proceed to either unlock the trunk with the emergency release lever, or reach over to the release latch of the seats. If it was Ford focus, I wouldn't complain so much as it came for free on an inexpensive car, but for $475, BMW should have given you an extra lock on the pass-through. If you can get a complaint to the factory, even if it does not do you any good, they may fix it in later models, so that at least, these cars don't become known as of the unsecured trunk types.

[lxapilot118]

Originally Posted by dnh325i

Of course, fold down seats are standard on a Ford Focus. :mad:

On BMW's you pay $475 extra for the privilege.

I don't want fold-down seats, so I just think of getting $475 off what would have been the base price of the car...all how you look at it I suppose.

[lhoboy8]

the TL doesn't even have the option of fold down seats. Plus, it's a free market - supply and demand. If they raised the base price, it would cut out a certain market. There are people who are willing to buy a BMW without any options just for the car itself. Plus, I personally hate BMW leather and prefer the leatherette anyways. Better this than an infiniti where options are only included in packages which prevents you from really customizing what you want.

[LEDZEP]

Split/folding rear seats are an option for a lot of cars, not just BMW. Think of it from the opposite perspective - if you knew you paid $400 more for a car because of a feature you didn't need or want you would complain about that.

I can see the posts now: Why did I have to pay for folding rear seats? I'll never use them? Why can't they make it an option?

So, you can't please everyone - but if you really want them they are there as an option. Our 325xiT will have them standard though!

[bbq]

Originally Posted by 1stTbuyer

In a valet case, may as well leave contents in the back seat, and trust the person you had over the valet key, as placing valuables in the trunk is a mute point.

That's why for some other cars you have a separate valet key that can only be used to open the door and start the car, but won't work on the trunk or another internal locks (glove box, ski passthru, folding back seat, etc).

Too bad that isn't an option in the E90.

[Nikki]

it definitely should be standard and i ordered it for my 3.

edit: and it comes standard on basically every car. All the cars I have owned that were '99+ had standard rear folding seats.

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by bbq

That's why for some other cars you have a separate valet key that can only be used to open the door and start the car, but won't work on the trunk or another internal locks (glove box, ski passthru, folding back seat, etc).

Too bad that isn't an option in the E90.

RTFM. Your salesman didn't do a very good job explaining the car to you. Your key fob includes a metal key inside.
1. Remove the metal key
2. Open the glove box and switch the trunk lock to the "locked" position.
3. Using the metal key, lock the glove box.
3a. If you have folding rear seats, lock them using the metal key.
4. Give the FOB to the valet and keep the metal key with you (easiest if you use that loop on your key ring)


You have now accomplished the "valet key" function that BMW does not provide.

Not to be a total d*ck (I know, too late) but c'mon people - before you bitch and moan on the forum, at least peek under the cover of your owner's manual. Amazingly, it contains some information specific to your car.