I am about to take a 24 month lease on a 2006 530 with Step, Nav, Premium, premium sound, cold weather, split folding seats.

The car will not have a "Start" button. This leads to believe it is one of the first models. I do not care that it does not have a start button as I am not getting comfort access. Is there any other reason I should be concerned? Firmware upgrades, mechanical differences, etc.

Thanks for your help

 

Hi -

Although I've been watching the forum activity for the last couple of months, this is the first post for me, since I just took delivery of a new November-built 530d MSport on Monday of this week.

I'm in the UK, and during the negotiations with the dealer, he explained that only cars built after week 36 would have a 'Start' button by default, so it looks like your suspicions may be correct. I also asked him about the audio system and mp3 compatibility - he checked up for me, and then told me that again, on cars built after week 36, the dash-mounted single CD player would be mp3 compatible, although he didn't think that the 6-disk autochanger would be. Now, having taken delivery, I can confirm that to be the case.

So if mp3 compatibility is an issue for you, this could be a problem.

And there may be another difference - when I took delivery, I couldn't pair my SonyEricsson K750i phone to the car (bluetooth). The assistants found this very strange, because a couple of them had managed to pair their 750i succesfully with other E60 5ers. Then they tried to pair their phones with my car - but couldn't !! Then they tried with a car a few months old - and were succesful !! So it would look like BMW may have changed the bluetooth software around the week 36 'watershed'. I don't really have a comeback with this issue, because the K750i is not on the BMW approved bluetooth-compatible list, although prior to the sale I was given to believe that it would work 'no problem'. The dealer checked up for me, and was told that BMW will be publishing a new list of bluetooth-compatible phones around the second week of January 2006, and he suspected that there could well be a software 'patch' available at that time. In the meantime, I've updated the software in my phone, and can now pair it with my car, although it doesn't seem to be fully compatible (or maybe I just need time to learn how to use it !!!).

Have a great Xmas, and a happy and safe new year, folks - this seems like a lively and interesting forum.

 

Welcome Robert. I am glad you have joined in.

 

My car is the same build, no start button...I can play MP3 as i have no sat nav and a pro radio. I cant think of any reason why your car would be short of anything, re firmware mechanical differences etc....

 

Thanks for your responses. I feel better and look forward to picking my car up on Tuesday.

 

The only difference between the older model is 1) Chrome Grill and 2) Stop start button. The model you are getting is a pre-sept build model. However as it is an older model the dealers margin is bigger because it is a run off model and BMW have given bigger discounts to dealer for getting rid of the turnkey models. So you should be offered a better deal than you would get with the push button model.

grinche

 

If its in the US and is a Model Year 2006 car it will have MP3 Chrome Grill and all the good stuff already. So dont worry.

And only After Sept Built cars will have Start / Stop button but you already know that...


If you dont have NAV it will be able to play MP3s already

If you DO have NAV it will be able to play it soon after a software upgrade... but I'm pretty sure from the discussions here a 2006 car will have MP3 capability reguardless soon in the future.

 

Sept. builds include the upgraded DSC+

 

Thanks for the updated information. I just sent the following email to my sales associate and will see how they reply. 530 series loaded are in short supply here in South Florida, so I will see if they offer a bigger discount or I will wait for my car.

Hi Brian,

Hope you had a good Christmas.

Attached is a dealer bulletin which lists the updates to post September builds. There are some cosmetic changes to the exterior grill as well as some interior feature like the Start/Stop button. Neither of these concern me much, but the upgraded DSC system is a safety feature that is important to me.

None of this would matter as much if you had disclosed from the outset that this was the car you were procuring for me. I am like a 2 year old when it comes to managing my expectations.

My motivation for getting a new car is to have the latest and greatest and this is not feeling that way. I would much rather wait and get the car I want than to have an older car right now.

Please talk with your manager and see what else is available asap even if it has sport. I will gladly give up cold weather and split folding seats, but need NAV, premium and premium sound. Comfort access is a bonus.

Thanks,

Gary

 

No problem, hope this was helpful. I just decided, reluctantly, to wait and order my car even though they have one at the dealer that's just want I want in all regards. Here in Los Angeles, the discount is pretty much the same whether you order a car or buy it off the lot because the LA market for bimmers is so strong, the dealers know they will pretty much sell everything they have with very little effort. So, I guess I might as well wait and get the upgraded DSC+.