Topic: Day-by-Day Review: 2013 BMW 320i xDrive; Day 1

[sailor723]

It's interesting to see what attracts people's interest here though. This BMW thread is up to 111 comments already while the C-Max vs Prius comparo has a grand total of 9. 

[bluelines]

BMW Canada seems to be just about the worst for forcing packages on us. In the UK you can get pretty much every single option individually. The packages are a genuine way of saving money in the UK market for those who want lots of the options they contain; here if an option is in a package you cannot get it as a stand-alone choice. The US market isn't as flexible as the UK, but still offers way more choice of individual options than Canada.

Not sure the argument that a BMW should have every feature standard is valid.   BMW offers everything KIA does and more.    And they install all those features in a much better car. Build your own 3 series with everything you think it should have standard and look at the price.  That would be the base price if options were standard.  If that's what you want they will be happy to sell you one that way.  What about the people who just want the quality and feel of a BMW but don't care about frills and gadgets.  I like the idea that BMW has a car for them too.

You have a point there. At least BMW will still let you order a car pretty much the way you want it (although not to the extent they used to) as opposed to the Asian car makers that bundle everything into packages.

I don't know.  I think Mercedes Benz is pretty bad for bundling options in to packages and then requiring you to get a certain package if you want a specific other package.  Porsche is pretty bad too.

Edit:  Just went on BMWs website and it's the same BS as MB.  You need the Premium Package to get the Executive Package.  So the $2500 will cost you an extra $4500.

Holy $hit.  You can configure a 335xi base vehicle price of $53800 up to $71,691.  Most of that extra money is in 5 option packages:

1. Premium Package - $4500
2. M Performance Package - $1500
3. M Performance Package - $2500 (requires you to get M Performance Package).
4. Executive Package - $2500 (requires you to get Premium Package).
5. ConnectedDrive Services Prof w/ARTTI - $850 (requires you to get Premium Package).

[Northernridge]

I've been thinking about the often stated complaint about FGC makers charging lavishly for options and packages. So for fun I did an experiment – I compared (by percentage) the base price vs. loaded on my car and a Ford Focus. For consistency I used a common engine for both cars and started with the base model and then added every available option. Then I calculated how much the selling price increased as a percentage. I used the build and price feature at the Canadian websites.

Mercedes Benz E350 – Base: $66,8000, Fully optioned: $83,650 for an increase over base price of 25%

Ford Focus sedan – $15,129, Fully optioned: $31,960 for an increase over base price of 111%

Then for fun, I compared the cheapest possible E Class with the most expensive possible E Class with every available option:

Base Mercedes Benz E250 Bluetec $57,800 to Fully loaded E550 (no E63 on the website presently): $90,050 for an increase over base price of 56%

So, I've concluded that Ford is gouging customers with outrageous packages and stand-alone options and that Mercedes Benz takes a comparatively reasoned approach to pricing and packaging its options.

[rrocket]

So, I've concluded that Ford is gouging customers with outrageous packages and stand-alone options and that Mercedes Benz takes a comparatively reasoned approach to pricing and packaging its options.

Or maybe it's because the Focus is truly a BASE car and comes with nothing.  So yea...you can load it up with lots of stuff, since it lacks plenty of standard features.

Whereas a BMW/Mercedes comes with most of those features, so it takes much less to "load it up".

[sailor723]

So, I've concluded that Ford is gouging customers with outrageous packages and stand-alone options and that Mercedes Benz takes a comparatively reasoned approach to pricing and packaging its options.

Or maybe it's because the Focus is truly a BASE car and comes with nothing.  So yea...you can load it up with lots of stuff, since it lacks plenty of standard features.

Whereas a BMW/Mercedes comes with most of those features, so it takes much less to "load it up".

Nah....I'll stick with NR's reasoning. Options on our cars are a real steal. Only really smart people realize that and buy them.  I'm a tremendously astute buyer for choosing a MB and a BMW.

There.......I feel better already. 

[tpl]

I would have bought leather ( Executive package IIRC) on the B...but I would have had to have bought the Premium package as well which contained a sunroof I have no use for.  I was annoyed...

[Northernridge]

Of course I'm tongue-in-cheek about the options thing. But the fact is North American manufactures have enormous price spreads across a given model because of options. Look at the price bump alone for Ford's Titanium option package on any model. I think that the Focus goes from a nice car offering good value to ridiculously over-priced somewhere along the way.

Pricey option packages are not the exclusive domain of the Germans.

[PJ]

So, I've concluded that Ford is gouging customers with outrageous packages and stand-alone options and that Mercedes Benz takes a comparatively reasoned approach to pricing and packaging its options.

Or maybe it's because the Focus is truly a BASE car and comes with nothing.  So yea...you can load it up with lots of stuff, since it lacks plenty of standard features.

Whereas a BMW/Mercedes comes with most of those features, so it takes much less to "load it up".

I think the base Focus is quite well equipped and certainly does not come with "nothing".  At least for its price and place in the market.

[rrocket]

Of course I'm tongue-in-cheek about the options thing. But the fact is North American manufactures have enormous price spreads across a given model because of options. Look at the price bump alone for Ford's Titanium option package on any model. I think that the Focus goes from a nice car offering good value to ridiculously over-priced somewhere along the way.

Pricey option packages are not the exclusive domain of the Germans.

I think the biggest gouging come from USA to CDN pricing.

That's what annoys me more than almost anything...

[sailor723]

I would have bought leather ( Executive package IIRC) on the B...but I would have had to have bought the Premium package as well which contained a sunroof I have no use for.  I was annoyed...

But you still bought the car. Many other people may have gone with having the sunroof to get the leather. Either way MB wins. I think we forget sometimes that the job of a car company is to sell their product for as much money as possible. I would guess that the practise of bundling options into packages has been a great boon to the bottom line.

[rrocket]

So, I've concluded that Ford is gouging customers with outrageous packages and stand-alone options and that Mercedes Benz takes a comparatively reasoned approach to pricing and packaging its options.

Or maybe it's because the Focus is truly a BASE car and comes with nothing.  So yea...you can load it up with lots of stuff, since it lacks plenty of standard features.

Whereas a BMW/Mercedes comes with most of those features, so it takes much less to "load it up".

I think the base Focus is quite well equipped and certainly does not come with "nothing".  At least for its price and place in the market.

Relative to a luxury car? 

Whatever you say, man!

[sailor723]

Of course I'm tongue-in-cheek about the options thing. But the fact is North American manufactures have enormous price spreads across a given model because of options. Look at the price bump alone for Ford's Titanium option package on any model. I think that the Focus goes from a nice car offering good value to ridiculously over-priced somewhere along the way.

Pricey option packages are not the exclusive domain of the Germans.

I think the biggest gouging come from USA to CDN pricing.

That's what annoys me more than almost anything...

Me too. When I see the same thing 300km away for way less and I'm told I can't buy one I get very annoyed.

[PJ]

So, I've concluded that Ford is gouging customers with outrageous packages and stand-alone options and that Mercedes Benz takes a comparatively reasoned approach to pricing and packaging its options.

Or maybe it's because the Focus is truly a BASE car and comes with nothing.  So yea...you can load it up with lots of stuff, since it lacks plenty of standard features.

Whereas a BMW/Mercedes comes with most of those features, so it takes much less to "load it up".

I think the base Focus is quite well equipped and certainly does not come with "nothing".  At least for its price and place in the market.

Relative to a luxury car? 

Whatever you say, man!

You have to follow the thread better if you want to keep up

[rrocket]

So, I've concluded that Ford is gouging customers with outrageous packages and stand-alone options and that Mercedes Benz takes a comparatively reasoned approach to pricing and packaging its options.

Or maybe it's because the Focus is truly a BASE car and comes with nothing.  So yea...you can load it up with lots of stuff, since it lacks plenty of standard features.

Whereas a BMW/Mercedes comes with most of those features, so it takes much less to "load it up".

I think the base Focus is quite well equipped and certainly does not come with "nothing".  At least for its price and place in the market.

Relative to a luxury car? 

Whatever you say, man!

You have to follow the thread better if you want to keep up

 

[tpl]

I would have bought leather ( Executive package IIRC) on the B...but I would have had to have bought the Premium package as well which contained a sunroof I have no use for.  I was annoyed...

But you still bought the car. Many other people may have gone with having the sunroof to get the leather. Either way MB wins. I think we forget sometimes that the job of a car company is to sell their product for as much money as possible. I would guess that the practise of bundling options into packages has been a great boon to the bottom line.

I did point out in my two threads about buying the car that I might pay for that decision at trade in time.   It was one of those really ugly sun roofs that open outside the car and as I'd never use it it would have made the leather cost over $6k.   If I could have bought leather separately I might well have bought some other options and ended up spending as much. I really DID NOT WANT the sunroof.

[KD]

Wow! If I knew how much vitriol and controversy i could generate simply by owning a bmw i would have bought one years ago!  What a hoot!  Maybe that is part of the allure.

It is quite uncanny though how many bmws i see being driven aimlessly and slow and usually by a foriegn university student who probably shouldn't be driving.  I actually saw one on its roof a couple of years ago on the side of a busy city street in the middle of a perfectly sunny day with its stunned looking approx 18yr old driver standing beside it barking into his cell phone.  Do people like that actually think something with the moniker of "the ultimate driving machine" will make them better drivers!?

Try driving around Millidgeville if you want to be amazed by foreign student driver's whose daddy has bought them a ( fill in Lexus, BMW, MB etc) that they don't have a clue how to drive.

Yup...right on the money...that's where i saw the car on roof....university avenue to be exact.

[PJ]

Wow! If I knew how much vitriol and controversy i could generate simply by owning a bmw i would have bought one years ago!  What a hoot!  Maybe that is part of the allure.

It is quite uncanny though how many bmws i see being driven aimlessly and slow and usually by a foriegn university student who probably shouldn't be driving.  I actually saw one on its roof a couple of years ago on the side of a busy city street in the middle of a perfectly sunny day with its stunned looking approx 18yr old driver standing beside it barking into his cell phone.  Do people like that actually think something with the moniker of "the ultimate driving machine" will make them better drivers!?

Try driving around Millidgeville if you want to be amazed by foreign student driver's whose daddy has bought them a ( fill in Lexus, BMW, MB etc) that they don't have a clue how to drive.

Yup...right on the money...that's where i saw the car on roof....university avenue to be exact.

Bunch of beaters compared to what the rich daddies buy the foreign students in BC.  Example....   

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/fast-furious-busted-mounties-impound-13-street-racing-210611991.html

[mmret]

whoops.

[mmret]

Not sure the argument that a BMW should have every feature standard is valid.   BMW offers everything KIA does and more.    And they install all those features in a much better car. Build your own 3 series with everything you think it should have standard and look at the price.  That would be the base price if options were standard.  If that's what you want they will be happy to sell you one that way.  What about the people who just want the quality and feel of a BMW but don't care about frills and gadgets.  I like the idea that BMW has a car for them too.

You have a point there. At least BMW will still let you order a car pretty much the way you want it (although not to the extent they used to) as opposed to the Asian car makers that bundle everything into packages.

I don't know.  I think Mercedes Benz is pretty bad for bundling options in to packages and then requiring you to get a certain package if you want a specific other package.  Porsche is pretty bad too.

I agree with the Benz part, they have many $5, 6, 9 thousand dollar option packages. Porsche is a good, lots of stand alone options, unfortunately the cost of each of those options is eye wateringly bad.

Yeah, I agree with the Benz thing as well. They seem to have an unerring ability to identify the 3 or 4 options I want most and put each one in a different option package. 

Going to have to disagree there. I just went through the E-Class configurator and could not find a single option that required any stacking.

(This is for E350 4M)

You can literally order a car with just the $3k Exclusive Package (fancy leather + headliner) and a Massage Seat (which is a standalone option!) and pass on everything else.

They also offer passive blindspot + lane keeping for $800 which is good IMO, less annoying version of the nannies.

The "advanced nannies" package replaces the $800 one, doesn't stack on top of it.

The premium package gives you all the requisite gizmos (smartkey, Harman Kardon, power trunk closer thing, 360 degree camera etc.) for $4k, while Nav is standard.

The LED lighting package is $1300 and gives you presumably excellent LED headlamps. Used to be a $1000-1200 BiXenon AFS package.

Panoramic roof is a standalone $300 option (!)

Metallic paint is free except the Red $500 and "Diamond White" $900

Almost any combo of paint/interior is available.

You want the AMG wheels? $500 standalone.

I think every combo of interior trim/interior color is also available. They do charge $250 for the one "special" interior trim thing, but its also standalone choice.

Way better than BMW. Maybe the C-Class is different but if memory serves Mercedes option setup is much better and more flexible than BMW.

[Northernridge]

Not sure the argument that a BMW should have every feature standard is valid.   BMW offers everything KIA does and more.    And they install all those features in a much better car. Build your own 3 series with everything you think it should have standard and look at the price.  That would be the base price if options were standard.  If that's what you want they will be happy to sell you one that way.  What about the people who just want the quality and feel of a BMW but don't care about frills and gadgets.  I like the idea that BMW has a car for them too.

You have a point there. At least BMW will still let you order a car pretty much the way you want it (although not to the extent they used to) as opposed to the Asian car makers that bundle everything into packages.

I don't know.  I think Mercedes Benz is pretty bad for bundling options in to packages and then requiring you to get a certain package if you want a specific other package.  Porsche is pretty bad too.

I agree with the Benz part, they have many $5, 6, 9 thousand dollar option packages. Porsche is a good, lots of stand alone options, unfortunately the cost of each of those options is eye wateringly bad.

Yeah, I agree with the Benz thing as well. They seem to have an unerring ability to identify the 3 or 4 options I want most and put each one in a different option package. 

Going to have to disagree there. I just went through the E-Class configurator and could not find a single option that required any stacking.

(This is for E350 4M)

You can literally order a car with just the $3k Exclusive Package (fancy leather + headliner) and a Massage Seat (which is a standalone option!) and pass on everything else.

They also offer passive blindspot + lane keeping for $800 which is good IMO, less annoying version of the nannies.

The "advanced nannies" package replaces the $800 one, doesn't stack on top of it.

The premium package gives you all the requisite gizmos (smartkey, Harman Kardon, power trunk closer thing, 360 degree camera etc.) for $4k, while Nav is standard.

The LED lighting package is $1300 and gives you presumably excellent LED headlamps. Used to be a $1000-1200 BiXenon AFS package.

Panoramic roof is a standalone $300 option (!)

Metallic paint is free except the Red $500 and "Diamond White" $900

Almost any combo of paint/interior is available.

You want the AMG wheels? $500 standalone.

I think every combo of interior trim/interior color is also available. They do charge $250 for the one "special" interior trim thing, but its also standalone choice.

Way better than BMW. Maybe the C-Class is different but if memory serves Mercedes option setup is much better and more flexible than BMW.

Well stated, that's what I found.