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      05-07-2012, 12:16 PM   #23
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I agree with getting the xenons. It would also suck not to have electric seats, etc. just stop thinking about it. the pain from not getting them will be more than the payment. Agree that angel eyes should come standard.
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      05-07-2012, 12:25 PM   #24
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Personally I am a low options buyer, Id never buy any of that stuff. But I pay in cash so all that stuff hurts more since its out of pocket. I dont see it as a monthly cost.
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      05-07-2012, 12:27 PM   #25
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if you add premium pkg then might as well get the 335 base since the stuff you want is standard on a 335 like xenon and power seats. price wont be a big difference.
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      05-07-2012, 03:22 PM   #26
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if you add premium pkg then might as well get the 335 base since the stuff you want is standard on a 335 like xenon and power seats. price wont be a big difference.
Spending even more money does little to soothe concerns that I'm already spending too much money... right?

I like the 328i better anyway, especially coming from the 2.5 boxer turbo that I loved so much. I know the sound wont be there, but in my opinion nothing will ever sound better than a catless, turbo-charged boxer engine with unequal length headers and a divorced wastegate. I've accepted that fact

Last edited by STAT1; 05-07-2012 at 03:36 PM..
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      05-07-2012, 03:48 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by ATX78703 View Post
Here's the real question:
After driving that, you may be a little disappointed in the 328i j/k ..... why u getting rid of it?
I am about to turn 27. I got married last month and just started working at a firm downtown. The Subie sticks out like a sore thumb, especially in the parking garage when I accidentally blow the place up If I can't sell it for what I want I may "detune" and try to get another year out of it. I fucking love the F30.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/2998607522.html
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      05-07-2012, 04:01 PM   #28
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Originally Posted by STAT1 View Post
I am about to turn 27. I got married last month and just started working at a firm downtown. The Subie sticks out like a sore thumb, especially in the parking garage when I accidentally blow the place up If I can't sell it for what I want I may "detune" and try to get another year out of it. I fucking love the F30.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/2998607522.html


coming from someone who is 33 y/o, been married for over 6 years and has a 2.5 y/o kid - Enjoy your youth as long as you can.

I was you 7 yrs ago and I drove a e46 m3 coupe, best car i've ever owned/driven. Now i'm married, have an x5 with a 3rd row, car seats all over the place. I've pretty much been told that a hot-hatch or a coupe is out of the question by Mrs. Boss.

Point of the story is - get another STI or used E92 M3; you will have plenty of time to drive a nice sedan in the future.
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      05-07-2012, 04:07 PM   #29
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Not a big deal, but when I ordered premium package (without technology package), my car still came with the extended instrument cluster (the graphics underneath the tach, etc.)... Not sure if that helps you tip the scales, but would not want to do without the xenons or angel eyes...
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      05-07-2012, 04:15 PM   #30
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If I can afford an M3 after my 3-year lease is up, an M3 I shall have.

A 6MT 328i Sport Line will have to do for now, and my wife is currently driving a 128i so I'm fine with getting a sedan.

Last edited by STAT1; 05-07-2012 at 04:23 PM..
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      05-07-2012, 08:27 PM   #31
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I would get the angel eyes and Xenon lights. They have become signature BMW trademarks. They should be included with the car for this reason alone. I was really annoyed to find out that BMW makes you purchase the premium package to add the Xenon lights. I am still going to keep my E46 M3. I added the aftermarket led angel eyes to my M3 and they look really nice. I put too much money into it to turn around and sell it. I still love driving it. The ride is rough and the car is loud. I just need a 4 door daily driver now. The 328i fits the bill nicely.
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      05-07-2012, 10:04 PM   #32
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It is fascinating that a little bit of decorative lighting - a couple of circles of light - is near critically important to many.

BMW knows its clientele well and charges accordingly.
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      05-07-2012, 11:06 PM   #33
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Xenon/AE ++++ and I also miss my 07 CGM STi
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      05-07-2012, 11:07 PM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elk View Post
It is fascinating that a little bit of decorative lighting - a couple of circles of light - is near critically important to many.

BMW knows its clientele well and charges accordingly.
Indeed.
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      05-07-2012, 11:35 PM   #35
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Originally Posted by Elk View Post
It is fascinating that a little bit of decorative lighting - a couple of circles of light - is near critically important to many.

BMW knows its clientele well and charges accordingly.
Does your argument go for wheels too since they are mostly cosmetic? Or for the different lines which are mostly cosmetic? Those are all decorative accessories we purchase, it really just depends on how much you value them. I personally felt the xenons were worth it because they are trademark BMW to me now, more than any other option.
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      05-08-2012, 12:41 AM   #36
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Originally Posted by malc410326 View Post
To the OP: I would recommend the Xenons. It is one aspect of the F30 that really sets it apart from the other cars on the road (of course in addition to MANY, MANY other factors as well. haha!). Whenever I pass other Bimmers with the AE's, it really does catch one's attention on the road (just as Audi's 'lazy eyes' do as well...).



These three options were critical in my personal decision to move forward with the premium package. The Comfort Access is truly a 'must-have' feature for me in future car (Bimmer) purchases. I thought comfort access would be just a novelty, but it really does make the Bimmer experience that much better. Having to just slip your hand in the door handle to unlock the vehicle, having a 'biometric' type way to lock the vehicle, the 'kick-open' trunk, etc....are just little things that go a long way to appreciate the tech in our F30s. Since I didn't have Sports seats in my Luxury Line F30, Lumbar support gives me added comfort for my lower back on those long drives (still have yet to take a long road trip, but in the planning stage now.....). And the Power front seats with driver seat memory is a HUGE thing for me since my wife & I split time driving the Bimmer. It saves my wife and I time from having to adjust the seats and such each time we have to use the car....
I find BMW's decisions on what is in a package to be very odd.
Comfort access is part of the prem pkg., but not xenons?
Comfort used to be a $500 option.

Also, why wouldn't a near luxury/luxury car come with power seats standard? It's silly. It's standard in the 335i, but not in the 328i.

To get a split folding rear seat you either option it separately, or you get the "cold weather" pkg. Split fold should be standard.

The things I think should be standard on a 328i and 335i:
This is in comparison to the competition.
Power seats
Sunroof
Dimming mirrors
Xenons
Blue tooth
Split folding rear seats
-That covers the basics. Some would argue that leather should be standard, but we know it's pricey in the 3 and would push the base price too high to compete with it's competition at least in terms of advertising price.

Or, just put those in "luxury" pkg. and have a "luxury + leather" pkg that adds leather to the above. The idea is that those items come standard in many competing "luxury/near luxury" cars.

Also, the "comfort access" thing is becoming standard in non luxury cars, or it's very low cost. That option could be part of the above pkgs as well.
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      05-08-2012, 12:47 AM   #37
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Originally Posted by ATX78703 View Post
Listen, you have to get the premium package. This is not debatable (unless your religion doesn't allow you to have leather seats). There are a few reasons for this:

1) You are buying a luxury car, but a 3er without premium pkg hardly has any "luxury" to it. I agree with the other posters that it is f'n ridiculous that bmw doesn't include these features as std.
2) If you don't have premium, your car will be in the bottom 10% b/c every 3er I have ever seen has premium. this will affect you on the back end for trades, resale, residual, etc.. Even if you lease, this may still affect you.
3) The cost difference won't actually be as much as you think b/c you can still negotiate it.

I would also get the xenons (for looks and brightness), but that is your choice.
Interestingly, having prem pkg does not affect the lease.
In an Audi, some of the higher end options negatively affect the lease with a lower residual. Go figure.

I guess BMW knows that there are buyers of off lease BMW's that don't want any "luxury" items.
But even things that may have been "luxury" some time ago are not becoming standard even in economy cars. BT is standard or very low cost even in Elantra's, Cruzes, Escorts, Kia Soul, etc..., and many of those include ipod integration.

Split fold down seats are in just about any sedan these days, and BMW wants nearly $500 for it.
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      05-08-2012, 12:56 AM   #38
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Originally Posted by 328inGE View Post
Does your argument go for wheels too since they are mostly cosmetic? Or for the different lines which are mostly cosmetic? Those are all decorative accessories we purchase, it really just depends on how much you value them. I personally felt the xenons were worth it because they are trademark BMW to me now, more than any other option.
Hey, get what you like for your own reasons.

But, to call something "trademark" that is cosmetic, begs the question of why it's not standard then. If it were so trademark, the BMW should put it in all their cars, and especially not make buyer have to spend $4500 just to get these "trademark" lights.

The solution, and I'm sure BMW will correct this, is simply to offer xenons as a stand alone option that doesn't require the premium pkg.
Honestly, it's just way out of line.
This will be my 3rd BMW so I'm used to paying for options.
I just think the xenon issue was a glaring oversight and a bad call.
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      05-08-2012, 06:24 AM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RPM90 View Post
Hey, get what you like for your own reasons.

But, to call something "trademark" that is cosmetic, begs the question of why it's not standard then. If it were so trademark, the BMW should put it in all their cars, and especially not make buyer have to spend $4500 just to get these "trademark" lights.

The solution, and I'm sure BMW will correct this, is simply to offer xenons as a stand alone option that doesn't require the premium pkg.
Honestly, it's just way out of line.
This will be my 3rd BMW so I'm used to paying for options.
I just think the xenon issue was a glaring oversight and a bad call.
that is why i said before that the BMW trademark is kidney grills and headlights with 2 circles, lit up or not.
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      05-08-2012, 12:35 PM   #40
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To me it seems like an easy way for BMW to distinguish entry level trim from the more premium level vehicles. The 335i gets Xenons standard to help distinguish it from the "entry level" 328i. You can still get them on the 328i, you just have to pay a premium. It's not the situation I would prefer, but it is what it is.
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      05-08-2012, 02:46 PM   #41
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      05-08-2012, 02:53 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RPM90
Quote:
Originally Posted by malc410326 View Post
To the OP: I would recommend the Xenons. It is one aspect of the F30 that really sets it apart from the other cars on the road (of course in addition to MANY, MANY other factors as well. haha!). Whenever I pass other Bimmers with the AE's, it really does catch one's attention on the road (just as Audi's 'lazy eyes' do as well...).



These three options were critical in my personal decision to move forward with the premium package. The Comfort Access is truly a 'must-have' feature for me in future car (Bimmer) purchases. I thought comfort access would be just a novelty, but it really does make the Bimmer experience that much better. Having to just slip your hand in the door handle to unlock the vehicle, having a 'biometric' type way to lock the vehicle, the 'kick-open' trunk, etc....are just little things that go a long way to appreciate the tech in our F30s. Since I didn't have Sports seats in my Luxury Line F30, Lumbar support gives me added comfort for my lower back on those long drives (still have yet to take a long road trip, but in the planning stage now.....). And the Power front seats with driver seat memory is a HUGE thing for me since my wife & I split time driving the Bimmer. It saves my wife and I time from having to adjust the seats and such each time we have to use the car....
I find BMW's decisions on what is in a package to be very odd.
Comfort access is part of the prem pkg., but not xenons?
Comfort used to be a $500 option.

Also, why wouldn't a near luxury/luxury car come with power seats standard? It's silly. It's standard in the 335i, but not in the 328i.

To get a split folding rear seat you either option it separately, or you get the "cold weather" pkg. Split fold should be standard.

The things I think should be standard on a 328i and 335i:
This is in comparison to the competition.
Power seats
Sunroof
Dimming mirrors
Xenons
Blue tooth
Split folding rear seats
-That covers the basics. Some would argue that leather should be standard, but we know it's pricey in the 3 and would push the base price too high to compete with it's competition at least in terms of advertising price.

Or, just put those in "luxury" pkg. and have a "luxury + leather" pkg that adds leather to the above. The idea is that those items come standard in many competing "luxury/near luxury" cars.

Also, the "comfort access" thing is becoming standard in non luxury cars, or it's very low cost. That option could be part of the above pkgs as well.
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.
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Last edited by arnsbrae; 05-08-2012 at 02:58 PM..
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      05-08-2012, 07:29 PM   #43
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 328inGE View Post
Does your argument go for wheels too since they are mostly cosmetic?
It is an observation, not an argument.

It remains intriguing that for many a couple of glowing circles is worth a tremendous amount of money and, even more strikingly, equates 'BMW". This is unadulterated affectation.

But, hey, if it works for you.

To answer your wheel question: I have spent too much time on road courses to respect any wheel that is not light, stiff and strong. Those that meet these criteria are inherently gorgeous.
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      05-08-2012, 07:51 PM   #44
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Xenons and Premium Package on F30 328i's are worth ittt.
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