OK so it's here. Had a week long delay at dealer because of insurance paperwork apparently, but it was worth every second.
I want to try to address everything I read and felt over the last 2 months, but without being sarcastic or making you read for days. I may fail on one or both of those goals, but that is typical for me as you have experienced...
I took a BMW break for reasons I will keep to myself and I drove a Volkswagen CC for the past 4 years. Really nice car, loaded with all the amenities, I could not say much bad about it except the 18" wheels on the "Sport" model felt like hard metal shoes and it felt "small". Previous car before the CC was a 2011 F10 535ix with DDC. 9 weeks on this website will take you from elation to shock, anger to humility, happiness to rebellion, and make you believe you know exactly what to expect when you finally pull away from the dealership; but
1. Overall - Nothing prepares you for what you experience with the G30 540ix... From the look when you and your son pick it up and he says it is "retarded" (that's really good BTW)... to the pure luxury of the interior, to the ridiculous driving pleasure even on the "lowly" m-sport transmission without DDC. I was driving home thankful and blessed.
2. The Drive - I am convinced that I should never drive an M or even a 550 or DHP for that matter, because with the 20" wheels and 704 my car feels, performs, glides, steers, hugs and destroys road at a level where anything more would be unnecessary. I do not feel bumps unless on the most horrible New England Roads, and even then it just feels like driving on a briefly bumpy cloud. It seems like I have power available to me all the time, and at points where I never knew possible. This all results in smiles and random shouting. I am worried about too much power while in "break-in" mode, but bottom line is that if you need MORE than what is available here you are in the wrong class of car or have issues maybe you should PM PsychDoc about (OK sorry, first goal failed
). With the combination of power and comfort I have already learned that I am going to ALWAYS be over the speed limit without even knowing it and need a detector.
I'd be truly baffled and sorry if you don't find driving this car inspired in every way. To be fair I almost want to get what others are saying... because at some very certain points I felt that if I did not pay attention to the steering it had me over the line, and I can almost understand what "light" means now... Unfortunately for the naysayers it is the best I have ever experienced, and that bodes well for the other previous F10 owners out there.
3. The Interior - I had Ivory Dakota in the last 2 BMW's, and it is kind of a pain if you are anal about the cleanliness. The black Nappa is not only like a baby's skin, but bleeds sportiness and compliments the rest of the interior design beyond my dreams. The pictures throughout the internet really make this leather look Grayish... but in real life and on quality film it is black and beautiful
The diamond pillow pattern is really awesome, but I would say that the version of seats I have, multi-contour but WITHOUT the luxury cooling and massage, look much better to me because of the lack of air holes. The side bolsters on the bottom cushion seem a bit tight on me, and they do not seem adjustable. Oh well, I guess its back on the protein shakes for me...
4. The Trim - I am happy to report all of my annoying waffling and debate paid off... while I think Gray Poplar and frankly all other wood choices will leave the folks who choose them happy and classy, there is so much about this aluminum trim, with 3D diamond stitching to match the black Nappa seats, a soft and sporty feel, and a really special way to reflect the ambiance lighting package, that I highly recommend seeing it in person before writing it off as cheap looking... it is anything but that and even my 25 year-old "genius" called it a truly inspired combination (sure he says that to all the paying customers
).
5. The Plastic - I'm not seeing the "cheap" thing, at least in regards to the dash elements (as for the little cubby door... eh ok could have been nicer lined so not sure what to put in there...). The gloss black adds to the overall look in my build that heavily features black and gloss shadowline inside and out. Maybe I can imagine it clashing a bit with fancy wood trims, but I really don't think so.
Clearly the cleanliness factor is an issue, as they had left just the tiniest bit of some sort of goo directly under one of the little wheels, and when I tried to rub it off with my finger a smudgy disaster ensued that had my OCD in high gear with nothing to wipe it with... I will keep a small microfiber towel like they give you with an iPad in that useless plastic cubby... 2 problems solved
6. The B&W - Wow. I contributed to a lot of threads on this, and can safely say you will not be disappointed. Residualized it is a sound investment (get it?). I certainly recommend searching other threads and utilizing the best input source that you can if you are going to pay for this. Honestly the bluetooth with Tidal Hifi is crazy good too... I imagine there are very few folks who would notice the difference without playing a song back to back with a CD, or even then, but I know you guys are out there and the CD/USB FLAC sound is immaculate. Like the car's drive and everything else, it will be a matter of perspective for you. I have installed competition car stereos for a living, so I can tell you honestly there are limitations with the 8" subwoofers in this setup and mid-range fuzziness on certain songs, but EQ settings and recording quality could be a factor there too and I haven't had enough time to properly tune it. Bottom line is I'm not going to have anyone cutting up my leased car to install a custom system, so the B&W is far and away a must have and a great purchase for me... and yes, he thought the lighted speakers were "retarded" too
7. The Grill - The jury is still out. I like the gloss black mod because the rest of the trim pieces on the outside are the same now. The grill seemed like an afterthought chrome accent. Something still makes me wish I could have ordered the all chrome option with the M-Sport like our European friends, as that is what I saw in the advertised cars and it looked really classy. I put a couple before and after pics in the link below so you can judge for yourself. What's important to note on this one is DO NOT ADD TO YOUR BUILD OR PORT/DEALER OPTION IT... Buy them online between $150-$200 and it is literally a 30 second job each side with a flat head screwdriver (once the top clips are free the bottom can be pulled out with a little jiggling). This way you might also consider changing it up every now and then as you will have the chrome grills too and it is so easy... match it with the watch you are wearing that day
8. The WiFi - Confusing and ill-documented, but I think it is figured out. Be careful if you think the car came prepaid and you can just configure what looks in iDrive to be the WiFi that comes with the car. The settings in iDrive that ask you to connect to your phone are setting up your phone's data plan to be used as a car-supported hotspot for your other passengers. This will use your data plan, which may matter to you if not on unlimited. The car's WiFi is a separate hotspot that will pop up on your phone even before doing anything with the iDrive settings. It is coming from the car's built-in SIM card. You have to go to the Connected Drive site to get your car's phone number, and then go to an AT&T (US) website to sign up for the 3-month trial (both sites listed in another thread). Then you will get the password required to connect your phone's WiFi to the car's hotspot. None of this requires iDrive. Bottom line on this one is it should be completely useless to anyone with a modern smart phone and an unlimited plan. Just turn on your phone's personal hotspot for your passengers if they need it. Free though, so why not for 3 months?; and finally...
9. The Instrument Cluster (dun dah dun...) - Looks fabulous. So far beyond the greatest I have ever had. Some out there including full-digital look "better"... maybe?... I like the one I've seen in pictures, but I expected to hate this one and honestly it looks great so I think it is a board-induced false alarm. Am I still scratching my head over the BMW reasoning? Yes.
Conclusion: "I love driving it... it is so choice. If you have the means I highly recommend picking one up." - Ferris Bueller
PICS LINK NOT WORKING - WILL FIX LATER