[Breach]

After months of deliberations I have finally pulled the trigger (yay!) Any comments on options both positive and negative, should have / shouldn't have welcome too (while there's still time). Now it's the wait...

520d M Sport Saloon
M Sport Package 337
18" M Double-spoke style 350M alloy wheels (Part of M Sport Package) 2NC
Oyster / Black Exclusive Nappa Leather (Part of M Sport Package) NACX
Sophisto Grey Xirallic (Part of M Sport Package) A90

Sport automatic transmission 2TB
Integral Active Steering 2VH
Variable Damper Control (VDC) (Part of M port Package) 223
Run-flat tyres 258 Standard
M Steering Wheel (Part of M Sport Package) 710
Fineline Anthracite wood (Part of M Sport Package) 4CE
Headlining, Anthracite (Part of M Sport Package) 775
Steering wheel heating 248
Comfort Access 322
Climate Comfort windscreen 358
Exterior trim, matt aluminium (Part of M Sport Package) 3MB
Ext. mirrors - folding, auto dimming 430
Rear-view mirror, auto dimming 431
Comfort seats, front (Part of M Sport Package) 456
Lumbar support, driver and front pass. 488
Split-folding rear seats 465
Seat heating, front 494
Ambient lighting 4UR
Air conditioning, automatic with extended features 534
Xenon headlights (Part of Visibility package) 522
Headlight wash 502
Adaptive Headlights (Part of Visibility package) 524
High-beam Assistant (Part of Visibility package) 5AC
Active Cruise Control with "Stop and Go" function 5DF
Lane departure warning system 5AD
Lane change warning system 5AG
Reversing Assist camera 3AG
Surround-view 5DL
Park Distance Control (PDC), front and rear 508
Park Assist 5DP
Navigation system-BMW Professional Multimedia (Part of Media package - BMW Professional) 609
Loudspeaker system - BMW Professional 677
Head-up Display 610
Speed limit display 8TH
Bluetooth phone prep + telematics (Part of Media package - BMW Professional) 633
Voice Control (Part of Media package - BMW Professional) 620
USB interface 6FL
Telephone USB audio interface 6NF

[sundance]

So many options!! :-o

Might have been easier to provide a list of all the things you *didn't* order as the list would have been shorter ;-)

[virgoe73]

i wish a had the money to add all of the goodies

[deejaygee]

Why a 520d though??

[Breach]

Originally Posted by deejaygee

Why a 520d though??

Mileage, taxes, don't need more power.

[Breach]

I took delivery yesterday. So far - no pulling to the left or right, just forward, no jerking or twitching (apart from my own due to sick joy). No rattling sounds (besides my teeth which do rattle cause of the unnatural grin). Pictures later!

[masti99]

Congrats! Pics please...

[karmakal]

Congrats on your new ride Breach. Hope she will meet your expectations.

[dotocomo]

bigger engine versus less options ;-)

but i am guessing this is a company car so you could not go higher than 2.0d

[Breach]

Thanks karmakal for pointing me at the right direction for that purchase (the UK) saved me quite a few hard-earned euro!

Pics later - maybe during the weekend because I have no reg papers right now and hence can't drive ;-)

dotocomo - no, it's a private car - I could have gone for 525d for example but I still think 520d is powerful enough for me. Honest ;-)

Regarding extras:

M Sport Package 337
> Nice, love the M steering wheel!
18" M Double-spoke style 350M alloy wheels (Part of M Sport Package) 2NC
> OK rims
Oyster / Black Exclusive Nappa Leather (Part of M Sport Package) NACX
> Love it, real smooth.
Sophisto Grey Xirallic (Part of M Sport Package) A90
> Love it how it colour shifts depending on the lighting conditions

Sport automatic transmission 2TB
> And to think I almost didn't order it... it's really a revelation.
Integral Active Steering 2VH
> A big question mark - simply cause I don't know what the car would file like without it - if you look at the spec the decrease in the turning angle is quite minimal so I'm not sure it's jusified... let's see
Variable Damper Control (VDC) (Part of M port Package) 223
> Ride is super smooth - need more time to form an opinion
M Steering Wheel (Part of M Sport Package) 710
> Love it!
Fineline Anthracite wood (Part of M Sport Package) 4CE
> Excellent choice for my interior/exterior, really hard quality - doesn't scream WOOD at you too.
Headlining, Anthracite (Part of M Sport Package) 775
> Didn't even notice it.
Steering wheel heating 248
> This was a semi joke - it works but I'll probably use it twice per winter ;-)
Comfort Access 322
> Nice, not sure it's worth the money - I'm still not used to it and press the buttons on the remote. I wouldn't get it if I was ordering today.
Climate Comfort windscreen 358
> To be tested.
Exterior trim, matt aluminium (Part of M Sport Package) 3MB
> Erm, who cares? Looks nice. That's all.
Ext. mirrors - folding, auto dimming 430
> Must have - seriously - that must be standard!
Rear-view mirror, auto dimming 431
> See above.
Comfort seats, front (Part of M Sport Package) 456
> Comfy and look pretty sci-fi but expected more
Lumbar support, driver and front pass. 488
> Still to be noticed...
Split-folding rear seats 465
> No opinion yet looks useful
Seat heating, front 494
> Must have in any country with a real winter
Ambient lighting 4UR
> Zero practical value, didn't really impress me but is still nice.
Air conditioning, automatic with extended features 534
> Still need time to form an opinion vis-a-vis the standard one
Xenon headlights (Part of Visibility package) 522
> Must have - pedestrians are usually impressed and stop in their tracks (not a good thing)
Headlight wash 502
> An extra.. can live without but nice
Adaptive Headlights (Part of Visibility package) 524
> That looks really useful but still to be tested
High-beam Assistant (Part of Visibility package) 5AC
> Same here
Active Cruise Control with "Stop and Go" function 5DF
> That costs a lot and I still have to test it - I don't spend a lot of time on the highway so I have yet to check it's usefulness in urban bumper to bumper traffic
Lane departure warning system 5AD
Lane change warning system 5AG
> OK, both of these are totally useless, the lane departure one probably more than the other - if any of them save my life in the future I'll be sure to update here
Reversing Assist camera 3AG
> With surround view + PDC it's usefulness is vastly diminished
Surround-view 5DL
> I almost didn't get it - cameras for the wife - why bother with a PDC? Frankly in economically-sized Brussels (and my uber-tight underground parking) surround view is probably the best option I could have ordered! It's that useful - honest!
Park Distance Control (PDC), front and rear 508
> Again, must have unless you live in a village or on a farm
Park Assist 5DP
> It bloody works! It parks better than me too in tight spots, but that's no excuse not to know how to parallel park
Navigation system-BMW Professional Multimedia (Part of Media package - BMW Professional) 609
> Must have
Loudspeaker system - BMW Professional 677
> On the fence - so far not impressed
Head-up Display 610
> More useful then you'd think - it grows on you and does have an added value for sure
Speed limit display 8TH
> See above
Bluetooth phone prep + telematics (Part of Media package - BMW Professional) 633
> Must have
Voice Control (Part of Media package - BMW Professional) 620
> I actually use it and thought I wouldn't
USB interface 6FL
Telephone USB audio interface 6NF
> Hmmm most of my music is on CDs, I can only use the contacts of my Android phone, time will tell

[RichardM]

Originally Posted by Breach

Loudspeaker system - BMW Professional 677
> On the fence - so far not impressed

Just try the standard audio and then you will be impressed! The standard setup really is poor.

[Breach]

"Lane change warning system 5AG
> OK, both of these are totally useless, the lane departure one probably more than the other - if any of them save my life in the future I'll be sure to update here"

As promised - I almost hit a small Citroen on the motorway today at around 130km/h while changing lanes - blind spot - didn't see it at all in both mirrors. Dunno what would have happened - dude could have honked, swerved, I could have seen it at the last moment etc. Or potentially much worse. Lane change warning just payed off for itself as far as I'm concerned!

[inny]

Breach can you send me if possible (PM) the price you got the car?

Pretty much is the same configuration as what i ordered. I just need to wait 2 more months :/

[inny]

Originally Posted by inny

Breach can you send me if possible (PM) the price you got the car?

Pretty much is the same configuration as what i ordered. I just need to wait 2 more months :/

Thanks for the PM Breach, need to wait for the account upgrade to send you a PM myself. Will contact you with my quote when its done.