[bimmermeupscoty]

I am new to BMW. So, here are first impressions of the 2013 328i, after coming from a 2004 G35 that I really enjoyed:

Configuration;
Mineral Gray, Gray Dakota Leather, Anthracite Wood trim, Sports Line, Premium pkg, Tech pkg, Cold Weather pkg, Harmon Karden speakers

What I love:
• Although I am new to BMW ownership, I love the F30 exterior and find it fresh yet retaining the characteristics that make BMW styling distinctive.
• Engine is smooth and responsive- plenty of power for my needs.
• Sport wheel feels great- just the right size.
• Sports seats are fabulous- I love the lumbar adjustment and support of the bolsters. I find the Dakota leather comfortable without the cheap feel some many people are critical of
• HUD is unbelievably useful- it displays all types of helpful information.
• Comfort access- I have to get into the habit of not taking my key fob out of my pocket every time I approach the car.
• Heated steering wheel really is nice on cold mornings.
• Interior reeks with classiness. Simple, classic, understated yet elegant styling, and very functional. iDrive controller is perfectly placed. Instrument panel is well laid out with helpful information. It is amazing how much information is available between the HUD, instrument panel and the 8.8 screen.
• I have seen criticism of the door sound, but my doors have a great, quality thud when closing.
• While I have some frustration in not having the new NBT navigation system, the CIC nav is amazing. I find it fast and its resolution more than adequate.

What I don’t (which isn’t very much- and all fall into the nit picking category):

• Would prefer body color on the mirror caps (and may end up getting them).
• Wish the phone connectivity was better supported. Wish I could see my emails.
• Auto start-stop is annoying, but I am getting it programmed to last setting. I might get used to it after a while, but will like the option to leave it off.
• Not enough storage space in the cabin. No good place for my sunglasses or phone. I can get accessories to handle these inconveniences, but not sure why a car (particularly a luxury car) would not address these issues, as most drivers would need them.
• No first aid kit?
• No alarm standard? Not even a basic beep and horn honk if there is a break in? Of course, if the salesman had explained to me that there was no alarm system at all, I would have added the option.
• Why do the remote key fobs have to be so big? Surely they could be made half their size.
• Would prefer to have the driver seat move automatically back when exiting and return to position when starting the engine. Most luxury cars have this feature and it helps when exiting the vehicle, especially helpful to avoid rubbing the leather seats
• While I am on the power kick, why not a power adjustable steering wheel? My wife and I like very different seat, mirror and wheel positions. It would be nice if the wheel adjusted to a memorized position.