perubmw545i

Hey everyone,
I have got my 545i for about 6 months and absolutely love it! This is my 3rd bimmer in a row and no way I am looking at anything else. I bought my car pretty loaded w/ nav, cd changer, sport/premium/winter packages, etc.
A friend of mine just got a new 330i and I was a little surprised at all the stuff the car comes with for the price. I mean it has better sport seats than our car (I am comparing it to my sport seats) with adjustable side bolsters, power folding rear view mirrors, aux port standard, just to name a few.
Don't get me wrong I love my car and the 6 cylinder can't do much against our V8 but as a former 3 series driver I always expected the 5 series to have much more "stuff" than the 3 series.
Safe motoring

MARCUS545

Well I'm not complaining.

LowOrbit

I feel the same way to some extent - especially concerning the 5's lack of iPod integration. It seems that 5/6/7-series owners are subsidizing the good stuff 3-series buyers get.

znod

I haven't looked. Do the 550i's have the same equipment, or better, that the 06 3-Series cars? I can see how an 06 3 Series might have some things an 05 5 Series doesn't.

MARCUS545

Can you imagine if they introduced the I-Drive that was in the 7 series back in 2002 in the current 3 series? The company would go bankrupt with all of the warranty claims. Whatever technology they introduce it has got to be more bullet-proof for the 3 series as this is two thirds of their sales and hence 60%+ of the liability if the darn things don't work. The 7/6/5 series are in some ways a proving ground for trickle-down technology that they put in the 3 series. With things like Bluetooth I think they are just at the mercy of the suppliers to come up with solutions in time for each model's introduction. That certainly doesn't always happen like clockwork.

If it makes you feel better I don't own an I-pod so my standard Aux input is going to waste. The folding mirrors and seat bolsters are pretty cool though.

ipse dixit

Couldn't agree more. See for example things like Logic 7, cheaper comfort access, etc.

EBMCS03

I feel cheated too. Yes I know the 5 was out before the 3 but some of the things in the 3 is available A LONG time ago... ie. AUX input. they have that std for the 3 but not the 5. That just sucks.

Logic 7 std on the 330? Why wasnt it / isnt it Std on the 545? or even the 550 now? should be.

Electric folding mirrors... why is it on the 3 and not on the 5? that technology has always been there, its nothing new.

JBOO

Did the E39 have much more options than the E46? I don't seem to remember there being much of a difference other than size and engine choices. I don't recall anything of significance so I'm not understanding this contempt for the new 3.

Boxsterfeet

I think you'll find that electric folding mirrors are available on the E60, just not in North America. Mine work just fine, but need to get their folding in integrated into the locking process

rodybmw

There is no contempt for the new 3, it's just an issue with BMW of North America and what they package with the cars or give people the "honor" of being able to order. For example, if someone buying a US E60 wants folding mirrors BMW NA will not let them have it at any price, even though folding mirrors have been available on the E60 everywhere else. Yet on the new US 3 series BMW NA includes the folding mirrors in one of the option packages. Now as far as I know BMW NA did not even add this feature on the 2006 models. I was at the BMW VDC tour on Saturday and there was a fully loaded 550i on display and it did not have the folding mirrors either.

So the frustration is with BMW NA, not the new 3 or even BMW AG.