CPCUguy

Outstanding Issues and Current Problems:

Navigation and HUD are not available until March 2004 production.

SMG is not available on any model until the 1st quarter of 2004.

If ordering anthracite trim the door handles will remain in titanium trim.
This issue should be corrected by the 1st quarter of 2004.

U.S. cars have black plastic inserts instead of the red reflectors.

Siruis Satellite Radio will not be available until March 2004 production.

Bluetooth & the Rear Entertainment Package won't be available until late 2004.

The Sport Package is "sold out" threw December production atleast.
If you want it you will have to wait several months.




The above is a paste from another BMW site. Why would this company waste its time to advertise a car with so many options that are not available?? I don't get it. March production is early May delivery in USA at best. Thats only 3 or 4 months left in the 2004 model year. Why do they piss off a customer by making them wait for all the best features of the new model? Some explain this to me from a marketing standpoint.

tonkiton

I agree with you 100%. Compare that with the Japanese cars like the Acura TL. My friend got one. It was equiped with the voice activated Nav system and also a first for a car, a sound system that plays DVDA discs. Also the car is already bluetooth enabled and has the Sirius satellite radio already installed. Why can't BMW do the same?

I am of the opinion that it's not just a marketing failure but misleading advertising on the part of BMW. Also the ads heavily advertise the active steering and the active roll stabilization. What the ads do not state is that these features are only available through the purchase of the $3300 performance package. Where is the fine print in the television ad that explains this?

Shows you how arrogant the Germans are. One day this attitude will catch up to them.

ISUK

I think you will find it has more to do with BMW's engineering resources being severely stretched due to the amount of new model launches: 7 series, Z4, 5 series, 6 series, X3, 6 series cabrio, 5 series Touring, 1 series, and the Mini cabrio - all within a three year launch window. This is a very aggressive entire model line renewal programme. BMW is trying hard to stay in touch with Mercedes globally and compete in a growing number of new niche market segments. This must be placing a huge strain on both internal engineering resources and production as well as external component suppliers. It wasn't so long ago that the company was in the red and rumours rife that the Quandt family were going to sell up.

Whilst this does not help the frustration of waiting for new product to become more widely available it may help to explain it. I'm sure from a marketing point of view it isn't regarded by BMW themselves as being ideal. However, I doubt the alternative of delaying the launch by another 6 months was viable in the face of the new E class gaining a stronger foothold in the market against the ageing E39. Faced with this dillema they must have been forced to take the decision to launch the E60 knowing that not all options were available at start up. They also have to time launches to coincide with each other and I dare say that once the E60 date was agreed several years ago it was set in stone.

The take up of the new technology options is probably going to be greater in the US market than it is in others and BMW is no doubt satisfying the majority of it's customers around the world at present. As the 5 series is only built in the Dingolfing plant in Germany it would be impractical to build both the new E60 for Europe/Asia/Australia etc whilst still building the E39 for the US. Don't forget that Bluetooth and the Business navigation system are already available in Europe.