[RPM90]

Originally Posted by arnsbrae

Pretty much agree.

However, I don't understand why so many buyers crave power seats. I've had them on cars before but once I set the seats - that's it. No need for power when I rarely change the setting.

I guess other buyers actually let other people sit in their babies...

In the UK, if you drop the power seats option, you could have xenons (on any line...)

I'll get my coat.

It's mostly because this class has competition where power seats are standard. Powered seats are, or used to be seen, as luxury items and people paid extra. Now even economy cars have them.
The 335i has had standard power seats for a while, but they are not standard on the 328i. That makes no sense.

From a practical viewpoint, power seats allow for finer adjustment so that one can get exactly the position they want, or in many cases, what they need. I have a back issue and on longer trips I readjust my seats a good bit. The memory function allows the seat to go back where the driver sets is as default. Also, for married or committed people, the other half may also drive the car and powered seats allow for quicker adjustment, finer adjustment, and the memory options allows the primary driver to regain his/her setting with the touch of 1 button.
So, for this class of car it's expected, and the majority of drives of this class of car expect it to be there.

[world_traveler]

Originally Posted by RPM90

It's mostly because this class has competition where power seats are standard. Powered seats are, or used to be seen, as luxury items and people paid extra. Now even economy cars have them.
The 335i has had standard power seats for a while, but they are not standard on the 328i. That makes no sense.

From a practical viewpoint, power seats allow for finer adjustment so that one can get exactly the position they want, or in many cases, what they need. I have a back issue and on longer trips I readjust my seats a good bit. The memory function allows the seat to go back where the driver sets is as default. Also, for married or committed people, the other half may also drive the car and powered seats allow for quicker adjustment, finer adjustment, and the memory options allows the primary driver to regain his/her setting with the touch of 1 button.
So, for this class of car it's expected, and the majority of drives of this class of car expect it to be there.

I don't have power seats on my E90 and couldn't care less (there is always a Lexus if that's your thing and it's just one more thing to break). I suspect that the manual seats save a bit of weight.

I do have HIDs. The advantage is that they throw a strong arc of light forward and to the sides on high beam and illuminate the sides well on low beam. This does seem to make night driving easier, less stressful. Overall, though, I'd like a stronger long distance reach. In rain I find that the cooler light isn't helpful and that yellower light of the fogs adds real value.

Angel eyes - a nice vanity feature, but really, not any justification for the outlay involved unless you'd have gone for purple tinted halogens on a Honda Civic in a previous life. I'd like to read an intelligent comparison of the relative effectiveness of halogens and the HIDs on the U.S.-spec F30 from someone who has night driving experience with both.

On the 2013s HIDs come as their own package, but sat radio now requires premium. He giveth and he taketh away!

[rconti]

Originally Posted by RPM90

It's mostly because this class has competition where power seats are standard. Powered seats are, or used to be seen, as luxury items and people paid extra. Now even economy cars have them.
The 335i has had standard power seats for a while, but they are not standard on the 328i. That makes no sense.

To me, it ALWAYS makes sense to pay for only what you want. I'm not saying I'd buy a 335 with manual seats if I was in the market and if it were available, but it's not like you get them 'free' just because BMW forces you to pay for them if you want that model.

Strange that angel eyes are only on the HID lights. I love the HIDs but have never been a big angel eye fan. I'm not sure why the selling point for the better lights (from a lot of posts I see here) is something that's 100% cosmetic versus the functional headlights themselves.

[world_traveler]

BMW branding with no need of Angel Eyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v...aNGss&vq=small

[Hasek9339]

Get the damn Xenon headlights!!
I have them on my 09 3er and I will never have another car that does not have them! The Xenon headlights are really really good!