[whitebeast1]

Going to be getting out of my i3 and going into a 540 MSport.

What options are worth getting and what could everyone live without?

[AP]

HUD is a must
Upgrading the hifi, hk is good (but not up to audiophile standards)
Assistance plus , now this is debatable - the traffic jam assistance is imho the best part of this but if you are concerned with just driving, this option is an expensive one you could do without.
Comfort seats good but subjective you may prefer the Msport seats but if you go for those , add full electric movement with memory.( this cost brings it close to the cost of specifying comfort seats). Suggest trying out.

Adaptive drive- again subjective.

Icon headlights for the adaptive high beam at night.

Would not bother personally with gesture control and display key.


Search these forums plenty of reviews but best advice is to try out as many options on cars as you can as only you can decide.

[reice23]

If i could do it over again i would definitely upgrade to hk audio and drivers assist plus

[saporitj]

I think you have to start with what type of car are you looking to drive. A 530 is comfort because the 4cyl isn't powerful enough for performance imho. The 550 is a performance car which you can add luxury options. The 540 is either. The inline 6 has the power and yet it can be a pure luxury car. I think of mine as a luxury sport sedan.

So definitely the M sport package and xDrive. The premium package, HK radio and sport brakes. I like the Nappa or Merino leather with luxury seating package. The latter is a expensive option but a real nice touch with leather dash. Iconic headlights with adaptive high beam for night. These headlights will become very useful once US allows adaptive headlight to be fully used. Best deal and most often overlooked option is the space saver spare for $150 and you get a jack. Then you can get rid of run flats when you change the tires.

If money isn't a issue then get everything otherwise I wouldn't get remote control parking, active steering and dynamic handling package. The last one is nice but expensive and replace M sport shocks.

[Mach550]

If you're unsure just add all of them...only thing I wouldn't care about is the gesture stuff but it's included in one of the packages

[bigdaveindubai]

leather dash, hk sound

[hlothery]

Not sure what options are available on a 540 Msport, but having had both, the Bowers and Wilkens stereo is so far superior to HK that I would definitely go with it, if available. Best stereo I've ever had in a car.

[clee1982]

well, my car hasn't arrived yet, and I was angling more towards luxury, so didn't bother with M.

I picked 540i XDrive sports line with Executive Package (so including conv and prem)+Driv Assist Plus+Park Assist Plus + H&K sound + heated steering wheel

I would skip gesture control if I could, but it come with it anyway (prem or conv I forgot). I got executive mainly for the lighting part, thought Park Assist Plus look amazing for not to curb the rim.

[clee1982]

the only thing I was thinking about is dynamic handling package (the one that includes adaptive damper), though given I live in NYC and the only time I'll drive is driving OUT of NYC, so thought probably not worth it.

One thing I did want to add to the car is night vision (driving in north east can still hit deer from time to time), though it was too late I couldn't add to my build as already went into production

[ztx84]

I would agree with others that the HK sound is worth it, I also like the electric folding mirrors (why are these not standard?!), and I have the ceramic controls in mine as well - these are very nice indeed and I highly recommend them - they finish off the interior really well. If I was ordering again I'd upgrade the leather on the seats, not sure about the leather dash IMO, likewise I am not sure about the driver assistance stuff - personally I wouldn't get enough use out of it to make it worthwhile... but each to their own, and that is the beauty of the options list - spec it as you need it/like it!

[Warp Ten]

Well there certainly is no lack of diversity in this group when it comes to options. I have owned many BMWs and actually sold them for about 7 years in my early retirement years, so I will throw in my $.02.

I used to have a 2010 BMW 535xi that I ordered new and kept until just recently. I had ordered it with the specific options I really wanted, which included M Sport package, 456 Multi Contour seats, head up display, heated seats and steering wheel, split fold down rear seats and a few other options.

When I ordered my new one, I ordered essentially the same car. The most important options to me were the M Sport package (I like the look of it and the only color I wanted was Carbon Black, only available with it, as in 2010), a tan (Cognac now) interior, a head up display, 456 Multi Contour seats, heated steering wheel, and heated front and rear seats (this time). I also got the M Sport brakes because I liked the Blue calipers and it was pretty cheap ($650). Turns out they are pretty impressive brakes.

I also am quite old school (well, quite old at least) and don't like the car doing things for me, so I am not a fan of all the electronic aids. However, my former colleagues at the dealership urged me to order the first level Driving Assistance-Plus package, if for no other reason that today, they say, due to demand they can't sell a car without it, so when it comes time to resell it will be easier to do so. I have set the various devices to be minimally intrusive and I am trying to get used to them. Would like to have a front camera like my Z06 has but didn't want to spend the large coin for the package that included it. Due to a tin ear almost ready for hearing aids I did not have a need to upgrade the sound system. Overall my options added about $10k to the base price, So I ended up at about $71k MSRP. Considered an M550xi but I did not see $10k worth of advantage over the 540xi. Just my personal feeling. And in any case I already have a another car that will do 0-60 in under 3 seconds, so the 540xi is plenty fast for me. Whatever you order you will enjoy, that I can assure you. --Bob

[AP]

Yes the 540i is a cracking car and you won't be disappointed. Options are such a personal choice but as mentioned earlier strongly suggest you try what you are considering as only you can decide and I'm referring to items like suspension/wheels, seats in particular as opinion bar widely on these matters here.

Have you decided on colour as I personally found that to be one of the most difficult decisions with many sleepless nights deliberation on the matter. Sad but true!

[saporitj]

So here is my build for a 540ix:
M Sport Design$3,600
Premium Package$1,250
Executive Package$1,850
Mediterranean Blue Metallic$550
Tartufo Full Merino Leather$3,700
Driving Assistance Plus Package$1,700
Luxury Seating Package$1,600
M Sport Brakes$650
Heated Steering Wheel$190
Leather Dashboard
Harman Kardon surround sound system$875
Space-saver spare$150

IMHO The B&W audio is nice but very expensive so upgrade to HK and buy B&W speakers for the house. I got the M sport pkg & brakes because I prefer the looks and it includes other good options. I got Exec pkg because I wanted full digital cluster. My biggest option was the IND Merino leather. This option comes with leather dash which I might not have ordered on its own but now I'm really glad I'm getting it. The IND Merino requires the Luxury seat pkg which I wanted anyway and you can't get with Dakota leather. I left out parking pkg w/3D cameras by accident as BMW split the premium pkg into PP2 and parking asst. I wanted the 3D cameras but it was too late to add and now I'm ok without it. Also love ceramic knobs and on and on but I had about $20k in Options already.

The hardest part is picking a exterior color and coordinated interior color. Like I said above I wanted a LUXURY SPORT sedan and the Merino leather adds the luxury and the M sport stuff the sport part.

Good luck and enjoy shopping. I still waiting on my car as it's currently 3 days away from port at Baltimore.

[SteveinArizona]

To give you good advice we need to know what is important to you in a car, what is desirable, what is nice but you don't really care and what you really don't want.

My two absolutes, but they are mine, are a HUD and adaptive cruise control (ACC in BMW speak).

[stein_325i]

Here's my opinion of what I think are a MUST, and what are something you can live without/not as important

Essential
-Multi Contour Seats - These are a must, the sport seats are nice, but there are many owners/posts on this forums regarding people regretting them, the extra adjustments make the seats really comfortable.
-Heated Steering Wheel - I see you're from Pittsburg and I know its freezing in the winter there so this is another must, really useful when it's cold outside especially if you aren't one to wear gloves.
-Heads Up Display (HUD) - Really helpful especially for navigation allowing you to easily never take your eyes off the road
-Active Cruise Control (ACC) - If you use cruise control this is great, really helpful in stop and go traffic and just makes things a little easier, rather than constantly adjusting cruise speed
-Parking Assistance Package - Really helpful in tight spaces or parallel parking, the birds eye camera is worth this package alone
-Harmon Kardon Sound System - Just do it, the base audio probably won't sound as good and HK isn't "too expensive"

Nice but not Essential (Depends on your Needs)
-Nappa Leather Interior - I have this option and love it, but depending on budget and preference, this may not be worth your while, if you're fine with Dakota leather, no reason to upgrade, if you want more quality, get these seats.
-Ventilated Seats/Luxury Seating Package (Includes Nappa Leather Seats/Merino) - Ventilated BMW seats are known not to be that great, they don't provide that much cool air and because they require Nappa/Merino it can easily be a costly option.
-Merino Leather - I love merino leather, but it depends on budget, for me the happy in-between was Nappa leather but merino is beautiful, but again is more expensive and requires more time to build (I believe)
-Lighting Package - Car has LEDs, in my opinion they are bright enough, don't really see the need for the extra movement (plus cost for replacement)
-Driving Assistance Plus Package - Depends on whether you want all the safety gear, I really only care for ACC and BSM, I could care less about keeping me in the lane, I can do that myself
-Ceramic Control - Really nice look and fit and finish, but smudge prone, costly, but depends on personal preference
-Power Rear Sunshade & Windows - I have this, I use the rear windshield sunshade, but again another option that is based on personal preference and budget
-Bowers & Wilkins Sound System - Depends on what type of music you listen to and how loud. I have Bowers and Wilkins and love it, but it is a costly feature, most people are usually just fine with Harmon Kardon
-Night Vision w/ Pedestrian Detection - Nice feature but costly and probably something I would rarely use (possibly expensive to fix)
-Rear Seat Entertainment - Get an iPad
-Leather Dashboard - Very nice quality and design, but depends on preference and budget
-Rear Seat Heaters - Do people sit in the back of your car, and do you care if they have seat heaters?
-Full Digital Dashboard - If you want this option, you MUST upgrade to the Executive Tier, its nice and has a better look, but its one of those things that don't matter too much, depends on preference and budget
-Gesture Control - No need to waste your time with this
-Remote Key - Does anyone actually use one?, the app does the same stuff

Can't Speak For
-My car has the Dynamic Handling Package (DHP) so I can't speak for Integral Active Steering (IAS) and I didn't test drive any cars with IAS

[clee1982]

Originally Posted by joshuastein55

Here's my opinion of what I think are a MUST, and what are something you can live without/not as important

Essential
-Multi Contour Seats - These are a must, the sport seats are nice, but there are many owners/posts on this forums regarding people regretting them, the extra adjustments make the seats really comfortable.
-Heated Steering Wheel - I see you're from Pittsburg and I know its freezing in the winter there so this is another must, really useful when it's cold outside especially if you aren't one to wear gloves.
-Heads Up Display (HUD) - Really helpful especially for navigation allowing you to easily never take your eyes off the road
-Active Cruise Control (ACC) - If you use cruise control this is great, really helpful in stop and go traffic and just makes things a little easier, rather than constantly adjusting cruise speed
-Parking Assistance Package - Really helpful in tight spaces or parallel parking, the birds eye camera is worth this package alone
-Harmon Kardon Sound System - Just do it, the base audio probably won't sound as good and HK isn't "too expensive"

Nice but not Essential (Depends on your Needs)
-Nappa Leather Interior - I have this option and love it, but depending on budget and preference, this may not be worth your while, if you're fine with Dakota leather, no reason to upgrade, if you want more quality, get these seats.
-Ventilated Seats/Luxury Seating Package (Includes Nappa Leather Seats/Merino) - Ventilated BMW seats are known not to be that great, they don't provide that much cool air and because they require Nappa/Merino it can easily be a costly option.
-Merino Leather - I love merino leather, but it depends on budget, for me the happy in-between was Nappa leather but merino is beautiful, but again is more expensive and requires more time to build (I believe)
-Lighting Package - Car has LEDs, in my opinion they are bright enough, don't really see the need for the extra movement (plus cost for replacement)
-Driving Assistance Plus Package - Depends on whether you want all the safety gear, I really only care for ACC and BSM, I could care less about keeping me in the lane, I can do that myself
-Ceramic Control - Really nice look and fit and finish, but smudge prone, costly, but depends on personal preference
-Power Rear Sunshade & Windows - I have this, I use the rear windshield sunshade, but again another option that is based on personal preference and budget
-Bowers & Wilkins Sound System - Depends on what type of music you listen to and how loud. I have Bowers and Wilkins and love it, but it is a costly feature, most people are usually just fine with Harmon Kardon
-Night Vision w/ Pedestrian Detection - Nice feature but costly and probably something I would rarely use (possibly expensive to fix)
-Rear Seat Entertainment - Get an iPad
-Leather Dashboard - Very nice quality and design, but depends on preference and budget
-Rear Seat Heaters - Do people sit in the back of your car, and do you care if they have seat heaters?
-Full Digital Dashboard - If you want this option, you MUST upgrade to the Executive Tier, its nice and has a better look, but its one of those things that don't matter too much, depends on preference and budget
-Gesture Control - No need to waste your time with this
-Remote Key - Does anyone actually use one?, the app does the same stuff

Can't Speak For
-My car has the Dynamic Handling Package (DHP) so I can't speak for Integral Active Steering (IAS) and I didn't test drive any cars with IAS

The thing is if you get HUD, power rear sunshade and full digital instrument you're getting executive package which then basically gets all of this...

[saporitj]

I guess I could add the rear electric sunshade. I have this in my Benz and love it. Great while parked to keep car cool but I also drove around with it up. Best part is at night when the jerk behind you has their high beams on. I put up shade to block light. Never had HUD but looking forward to using it.

[Bill530e]

Hi,
I went the complete opposite direction. As I purchased my 530e, the only options that are on my car are the heated seats, PDC, and glacier silver paint. Figured there's less possible stuff that could break over time. I thought about getting one with the Premium Package 2 that comes with the power tailgate, comfort access, etc. but when the sales person had trouble with the "kick" to open/close the trunk, I decided to forgo it. Good luck as you decide what you want...enjoy the process!

[EZname]

In my opinion, it's all about YOUR needs.. start with the basic model and read (and think) about each single option and give it a number from 1 to 10.. the number reflects how important each option is to you.. and the end, choose the highest numbers until you reach your budget...

Good luck

[ArchJR]

Best advice I can give: skip the 20" wheels unless you also choose dynamic damper control. I like the look of the larger wheels on my car, but the ride is a tad brittle on the passive MSport suspension even on Florida's relatively smooth roads.

H/K audio is practically a required option. It is not audiophile grade, but the base system is rubbish. Finally, the Executive Package is a must since it is the only way to get the full digital instrument cluster. I could live happily without the rest of the package content, but could not stare at the cheesy partial digital instruments every day.

The massaging multicontour nappa seats are nice, but I wouldn't miss them.

[bctz123]

I also got the 540i and I went for everything but:

- adaptive drive & adaptive suspensions
- massage seats
- 4 zone air
- air freshner thing by bmw
- active protection
- nappa, for me paying 500-600 extra for nappa did not make sense.
- tinted windows, because I have a place where I can do it 80% cheaper, with duper hq materials.
- auto steering wheel because it’s only available for 5-10 sec. and on some roads it does a bad job

You may also want to add the m perfromance power and sound kit

For me hud, karman, m package, comfort seats, acc, were super important

The 540i is a beauty, both engine, sound and feel.