Dear fellow forummers,

I'm just curious how are your BMW's ordered in your respective countries? For Malaysia here, you don't get to add in any accessories upon booking and the accessories are fixed the same for all models (goes for all dealers). For example, The Pre-LCi's and LCIs 525i's only come in the M-Sports Package with rear trunk spoiler over here and we don't have the Carbon Black colour available here. The other standard accessories on the LCI 525i Sports here are:

Active Steering
Automatic Air Conditioning with extended features
Comfort access
HUD
Adaptive Xenons
CD Changer
BMW Individual Anthracite Headliner
BMW Individual Satin Chrome, High Gloss
Interior & Exterior Mirrors with Anti Dazzle Function
Cruise Control
DVD Preparation System at Rear
High Beam Assist
Navigation System Professional
PDC
Bluetooth Preparation for Mobile Phones
BMW Radio Professional
Mechanical Sideblinds and Rear electric Blind
M Aerodynamics Kit

As for other models, 530i SE (No sports 530 in our country) they get the BMW Night Vision and Sunroof, LOGIC 7 as standard with the features of the 525i, and 540i gets the Lane Departure Warning, Active front seats with Ventilation, Lights Package, Dynamic Drive, Soft Close Automatic Doors.

I was just wondering in your opinions, is the standard accessories bundled as is or getting to put your own accessories in better. It is a bit of a shame when comes to thinking that you cannot "individualise" your vehicle with optional extras. Plus we get taxed 300% on our fully imported vehicles here.

 

We get to build our cars up pretty much the way we want them. Effectively, we buy 4 wheels and a seat, and everything else is an add-on option, either individually or in pre-defined packages, depending on country.

If I recall correctly, the import duties in Malaysia are so high that the selling prices of the options becomes insignificant in comparison with the total selling price of the car. Therefore most importers and dealers of European cars in particular, simply sell them fully loaded as standard. Exactly the situation you found yourself in.

I'm Malaysian by the way ... just happen to be living in the Netherlands at the moment

 

Hmmm... what you said is true but what I do not understand here is that why are the other models do not get the sports package even as an option. Only the 2.5L's such as the 325i and the 525i come with standard sports package. But there again no sunroof on these except for the higher engine capacities such as the 530i and above.

 

I have no idea why they do it, but they seem to always have some differences. I recall the E28 520i was always sold with the US-style elongated bumpers and no foglamps, but the 525i and the 528i in were always sold with the Euro-spec standard bumper and foglamps. There never seemed to be any rhyme or reason to it.

 

You should all think yourselves lucky that you don't have to buy your BMW's in the UK. Items that you all get as standard with the car cost ?'000's here. For example, of the items you list, only auto air con, cruise, raidio and PDC are standard (with anthracite headlining and M aerodynamics kit on M Sport models) - everything else (including automatic transmission) is a cost extra.

We pay roughly the same figure in ? pounds as US drivers pay in $ dollars, which means cars in the US are around HALF the price that they are here. We really get ripped off in the UK and, the more I think about it, we're probably subsidising the rest of the world!!

And for US drivers with gas guzzling / ozone crushing 550's, thank whichever God you have that you don't pay our fuel / gas prices. It's now over ?1 a litre. That's over $10 US a gallon!!!!!

 

... and you should be oh so lucky in the UK; neither PDC, cruise (save 550/535d) nor auto air con is standard in Sweden...

 

Duplicate post.

 

Its called a Push v/s a Pull market. European Car Market tends to always be a Pull market and the other markets tends to be a Push market.

Europeans tend to like to customise everything and love a lot of choice, however choice comes with a premium. I'm sure the other markets get a much better deal when they buy like 1000s of same spec cars.