sdg1871

I live in New York City, have the Sport Package and the style 172 19 inch wheels. They are fine for all but the biggest potholes. I love them.

kcleung

hello

I lived in sunny manchester some years back.

I swapped my standard 16" to e92 17" with RFT and surprised to find that the car/wheels actually felt lighter from driving seat. I reckon the RFTs are quite heavy.

r u going to get active steering? its well worth it.

info@trinityautosport

welcome and enjoy the forums.

phelix

No AWD in right hand drive.

xBMWx

First off welcome on board and great choice of car

I was not aware of Run Flat 19s? I went from 18" Run Flats to 19" non Run Flats and the ride was much better; the non Run Flat tyres, such as Michalin PS2s, are much softer (walls) and as such more comfortable. I swapped to Dunlop Sportmax this time round on my 19" M172 rims and they are only marginally harder than the Michalin PS2s. So if its comfort you are after, then you should go for a set of 19s with Michalin PS2s (not the cheapest, but the best tyre I have had so far.)

You say Run Flats are mandatory? Is that your preference or what the dealer is telling you? If its the later, you can either order a spare wheel to be fitted (thin 17" wheel & max 50mph) or you can do what I did and order the BMW Mobility kit, which is the "gunk" spray.

sparkle999

From what I can tell (having spent too much time on the bmw configurator tool), it removes the option from the list whenever you select the Sport package. It's available as an option for the SE specification, even if the car is a tourer. I suspect as you say it's a great option to have, but the reality will be that I won't be taking the machine anywhere near it's limits so I'll be able to live without it. And as my budget is finite, I can make good use of the money on other things. Naturally, tomorrow the dealer will tell me it's OK to order it - then I'll be in a quandary


Makes a change for some sunshine Usually pouring down.... so instead of the usual complaints, everyone moans about it being too hot
Yes, active steering is on the list - and staying there


The other things I've now done some digging on are:

1. So called "GAP" insurance. The deal from the dealer looks very expensive compared to some brokers online. Car2cover.co.uk offer a "return to invoice" quotation which looks like a lot better value than the BMW suggestion. I'll be taking this up I think. Something along the lines of ?289 one-off for upto ?25K claim across 4 years. I think ?25K ought to cover off most of the risk.

2. "Paint seal & protect". Currently planning on going for this. Yes - probably a lot of dealer profit, and I've read various other threads where for similar money I could get a car valeter to come and get the paintwork "mirror-like" and then seal it. My lifestyle is so hectic that washing and cleaning the car out each week would not remain top priority, so some sort of protection sounds useful- so unless someone knows of a UK company that will do this sort of thing better & cheaper, I'll probably go for it.

3. "Servicing packages". The debate seems to be about whether you get value out of the upfront investment - ?1880 for 5 years/60000 miles of servicing - labour parts and lubricants. Sounds like money for old rope in some cases that I've read about. However, depending on cash, may go for this - buying peace of mind I guess. We do a large number of short journeys and a fair few long runs, probs 12K per annum. The other option is to bung ?376 into a pot each year...

4. "Tyre insurance". Looks like a waste of money. Insures only the tyres that are on the car when the policy is taken out... giving that one a miss.

Finally - for information, just in case it helps anyone, I got 12.6% off list price. No idea if this is good, bad, or what. (I lie. It was as good a price as I could find online, anyway). What worries me is that there was no real haggle. I went away thinking - "maybe I should have pitched it lower" !!

Cheers
sp.

sparkle999

Thanks for the advice - really useful. I'll find out what I can from the dealer early this week.
Cheers!
sp

BMRMEUP

Hey...one last comment. The dynamic drive makes a difference in the comfort of the car at all speeds, not just at the limit. Just be sure to drive cars with and without the option on some twisty bit of road before you decide. The stability of the car greatly reduces the fatigue factor. You need to spend a little time in the car to fully appreciate this.

And, last comment...you can add those wheels later after you absorb the cost of getting into the car ...but you can only add the dynamic drive now.

So, that's it. I'm sure you'll make the choice that's right for you. Good luck with your decision!

sparkle999

Just thought I'd post a thread up to say thankyou for all of the help and guidance offered - it's helped me make a better informed decision. I know it's down to personal preference but it really helps to have feedback from other people

Sales guy came back to me to confirm that you can't have dynamic drive with the sport model, so I've decided to do without that, despite the good feedback. Ended up going for 19" wheels with non-runflat tyres (continental sport contact 2), with spacesaver wheel etc.

Cheers
sp.

pigapumbu

Throw in their Tropical Spec. Not sure why but I always found my BMWs with tropical spec to have better AC cooling. Maybe its just me and there is no real difference. hardly cost a lot from factory but worth it since we are all moving towards global warming.

cheers

Ps: The paint and seal stuff I didn't bother and thank god for it. My one application of autoglym polish and gloss has done the job at a fraction of the cost. But I do hear you about not having time. Mind you, if you are getting those "spider" 19inch alloys, be prepared to squat and spend hours cleaning them.