[metallicpea]

I have always loved BMW sport seats. It is the most important option. They make their own when most other manufacturers buy them and have great support and comfort. I have put lots of miles on them.

[WilliCO]

Originally Posted by the_phew

The 3-series has never been a benchmark of interior design/quality relative to its competition, but I don't think this bothers BMW. They've apparently done the cost/benefit analysis.

I believe they have, at least as regards the LCI. Their R&D seems to be tied up in powertrain, sadly for their own benefit and not ours, seeing how the B58 isn't much more powerful than the N55 is.

Again I see it more as design than quality. The quality of the interior materials in any BMW is very good versus the industry. These new Mercedes interiors are stunning to look at, but when you sit in one and feel around a bit, their materials aren't bad either but not necessarily beyond BMW in terms of amount of soft-touch material, plastic thickness, edge finish, and that kind of thing. BMW has just gone for a more austere approach and there is nothing new about that.

The one exception in the F3X is the area around the shifter. That seems to have been a design problem for BMW, and they were unable to do anything but put a large piece of hard black plastic right there. They did a much, much better job on that space in the F10.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

E21

E30

E36

E46

E9x

F3x

.

[the_phew]

Originally Posted by __

The LCI is a mid-cycle refresh, not a redesign. That's all it has ever been. I'll say with a high degree of confidence BMW isn't going to change now. Their competitors do the same thing.

Plenty of automakers go hog-wild in the interior on the refresh. Look at Merc with the E-class refresh a couple years ago, Audi was pretty comprehensive with the B8.5 A4, etc.

On the mainstream side, it's even more drastic; from the interior, you'd never guess that the pre and post-refresh Mazda6 was the same iteration. We have a refreshed Sienna minivan, and the dash bears almost no resemblance to the pre-refresh model. Acura went pretty crazy with the ILX interior. There is plenty of precedent for huge interior overhauls in mid-cycle refreshes.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by metallicpea

So a gear selector shaped like and in the position of a real stick shift makes it seems sporty?

It's too far forward to rest your hand on it, that's what the arm rest is for.

It just takes up space. Clearly people like it, as it still sits there in the way all the time. I just don't get how resembling sporty, makes it sporty.

Before paddle shifters some folks liked to use the selector for steptronic shifting. Some still prefer that over paddle shifters and not all F3x's are equipped with paddle shifters.

Originally Posted by metallicpea

I have always loved BMW sport seats. It is the most important option. They make their own when most other manufacturers buy them and have great support and comfort. I have put lots of miles on them.

For the F3x Lear produces the seats for BMW.

[hollandog]

Originally Posted by metallicpea

So a gear selector shaped like and in the position of a real stick shift makes it seems sporty?

It's too far forward to rest your hand on it, that's what the arm rest is for.

It just takes up space. Clearly people like it, as it still sits there in the way all the time. I just don't get how resembling sporty, makes it sporty.

The shifter is the perfect spot to rest my right hand. The gear in the center doesn't make it sporty. It's just moving it to the dash makes it very un-sporty. Mini-vans have dash gear lever for decades.

When I drove the Model S it was awkward feeling that my right hand left hanging over the open space.

[the_phew]

Originally Posted by metallicpea

I have always loved BMW sport seats. It is the most important option. They make their own when most other manufacturers buy them and have great support and comfort. I have put lots of miles on them.

I do think the BMW sport seats are comfortable, but Audi's sport seats with integral headrests in the S models are much better, IMHO. Especially if you opt for the quilted leather.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by the_phew

Plenty of automakers go hog-wild in the interior on the refresh. Look at Merc with the E-class refresh a couple years ago, Audi was pretty comprehensive with the B8.5 A4, etc.

Merc screwed the pooch so bad on the W212 E Class they had to redo everything they possibly could.

Hasn't the B8/B8.5 been in production for about 15 years now?

[Emilim]

Originally Posted by the_phew

The counter-argument is that BMW had a chance to catch up to their rivals with the LCI

Yes, that's a valid argument. Mercedes did this with the W204 refresh and it brought the positively-outdated pre-facelift interior to a somewhat more acceptable level in comparison to the then-new F3x.

On the other hand, Audi did not do the same with the B8.5, and a brand-new 2016 A4 you see on dealer lots today is still rocking pretty much the exact same interior as the first B8 A4 from 2008 (and actually managed to make the exterior look worse).

It pretty much comes down to cost-benefit analysis. A significant mid-cycle refresh is usually only worth it if the cost is going to be quickly recovered through increased sales or if it is clear the car will fall too far behind the competition and lose too much sales. BMW obviously believes the F3x design is still strong enough to be a legitimate competitor in 2016 and therefore only a mild update was needed with the LCI that will see it through to G20's launch in 2019.

[PhilH]

Originally Posted by simongym

My real wish though is they would offer more of the extended and full leather options on the lower Series models. I'll probably always be more interested in the 1 and 3 Series cars than any others, but I would love to get full leather.

I did a search on Autotrader using keywords like nutmeg, and golden (for golden brown individual leather) and found a few 4 Series around the country on dealer lots with individual leather and leather dash options. However, I understand that BMW Individual options in the US are for the 4 Series, and not the 3 Series.

This one at BMW of Seattle has a leather dash, nutmeg extended leather and the exterior color is Citrin Black Metallic: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...19708206&Log=0

[cncmastr]

Originally Posted by __

Before paddle shifters some folks liked to use the selector for steptronic shifting. Some still prefer that over paddle shifters and not all F3x's are equipped with paddle shifters.

For the F3x Lear produces the seats for BMW.

As well as the e53 and e46...

[goj]

Simple, not overly busy, most comfortable seats, best infotainment system, great ergonomics.

Did I miss anything? Oh yes...the best looking features: a third pedal and a manual shift knob

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by Emilim

Yes, that's a valid argument. Mercedes did this with the W204 refresh and it brought the positively-outdated pre-facelift interior to a somewhat more acceptable level in comparison to the then-new F3x.

On the other hand, Audi did not do the same with the B8.5, and a brand-new 2016 A4 you see on dealer lots today is still rocking pretty much the exact same interior as the first B8 A4 from 2008 (and actually managed to make the exterior look worse).

It pretty much comes down to cost-benefit analysis. A significant mid-cycle refresh is usually only worth it if the cost is going to be quickly recovered through increased sales or if it is clear the car will fall too far behind the competition and lose too much sales. BMW obviously believes the F3x design is still strong enough to be a legitimate competitor in 2016 and therefore only a mild update was needed with the LCI that will see it through to G20's launch in 2019.

I'm not sure Merc's change did much for the W204.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by PhilH

I did a search on Autotrader using keywords like nutmeg, and golden (for golden brown individual leather) and found a few 4 Series around the country on dealer lots with individual leather and leather dash options. However, I understand that BMW Individual options in the US are for the 4 Series, and not the 3 Series.

This one at BMW of Seattle has a leather dash, nutmeg extended leather and the exterior color is Citrin Black Metallic

Nice!!

[Emilim]

Originally Posted by __

I'm not sure Merc's change did much for the W204.

The upper dash area and vents were changed to incorporate more varied shapes and materials so the overall visual presentation is more interesting than the large swaths of empty space and squared off elements of the pre-facelift dash. But yes overall it's still pretty antiquated looking even compared to the F3x, which has a more energetic and sporty interior, hence why I think BMW saw no need to do what Merc did with the W204.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by zamboni

I didn't like the Msport package came with the car and ending up with this upgrade.

Looks like a suede-wrapped trash can.

[RoundelM3]

Originally Posted by the_phew

I do think the BMW sport seats are comfortable, but Audi's sport seats with integral headrests in the S models are much better, IMHO. Especially if you opt for the quilted leather.

So...comparing Audi's "S" models with BMW's non-M? Take a look at the seats in an M3/M4 - much different than what's in the non-M models. Plus, you can order BMW Individual leather options as well as paint and trim. But let's compare apples to apples. Move up to the 5/6 and 7 series (comparable to Audi's A6 and A7/A8) and there's more than adequate parity between the two makes.

[the_phew]

Originally Posted by roundel335

So...comparing Audi's "S" models with BMW's non-M? Take a look at the seats in an M3/M4 - much different than what's in the non-M models. Plus, you can order BMW Individual leather options as well as paint and trim. But let's compare apples to apples. Move up to the 5/6 and 7 series (comparable to Audi's A6 and A7/A8) and there's more than adequate parity between the two makes.

Audi S models compete with the M-performance (i.e. M235i) lineup from BMW, not the M models. That's what RS is for.

The S4 is price-competitive with the 340xi; I think it's perfectly reasonable to compare the seats directly. That picture I posted is from an S3, which is roughly 328i-level pricing. And AFAIK, you can't get Merino on a 3-series in the states, just 4 series and above. The fact is, Audi offers bespoke seats on $40k-$50k cars, but you have to spend $65k+ to get them in a BMW.

[RoundelM3]

Originally Posted by the_phew

Audi S models compete with the M-performance (i.e. M235i) lineup from BMW, not the M models. That's what RS is for.

The S4 is price-competitive with the 340xi; I think it's perfectly reasonable to compare the seats directly. That picture I posted is from an S3, which is roughly 328i-level pricing. And AFAIK, you can't get Merino on a 3-series in the states, just 4 series and above. The fact is, Audi offers bespoke seats on $40k-$50k cars, but you have to spend $65k+ to get them in a BMW.

Sorry, but that's inaccurate. You can find the option code for BMW Individual paint, leather, or trim and add it to a build order, even though you can't find those things on the "build your own" part of the BMW USA website. Several posters in here have done so. It's unusual, and it costs more than the Dakota leather, but it doesn't run the price up quite that far. Personally, I'd rather do that than buy an overpriced VW.

[the_phew]

Originally Posted by roundel335

Sorry, but that's inaccurate. You can find the option code for BMW Individual paint, leather, or trim and add it to a build order, even though you can't find those things on the "build your own" part of the BMW USA website. Several posters in here have done so. It's unusual, and it costs more than the Dakota leather, but it doesn't run the price up quite that far. Personally, I'd rather do that than buy an overpriced VW.

Please link one U.S. member that has taken delivery of an F30 with Merino; several threads have stated it's 4 series and up only. I'm not disputing the paint or trim.

[goj]

Originally Posted by the_phew

Please link one U.S. member that has taken delivery of an F30 with Merino; several threads have stated it's 4 series and up only. I'm not disputing the paint or trim.

You can absolutely order it. I didn't want to spend the money but my SA pulled up the list of individual options.

[the_phew]

Originally Posted by goj

You can absolutely order it. I didn't want to spend the money but my SA pulled up the list of individual options.

I remain unconvinced. Zero results on Cars.com for 3-series with Merino, 23 results for 4-series with Merino. Several posts on here of U.S. members with Merino in their 4-series, none for 3-series (that I could find).